forgetfulness；　and　the　Abb　Fricot　led　on　to　the
  138
  …　139
  A　BOOK　OF　SCOUNDRELS
  final　and　the　detected　crime。　　Now　Fricot　had　noted　the　loss　of　money
  and　of　bonds；　and　though　he　refrained　from　exposure　he　had　confessed　to
  a　knowledge　of　the　criminal。　　M。　Bruneau　was　naturally　sensitive　to
  suspicion；　and　he　determined　upon　the　immediate　removal　of　this　danger
  to　his　peace。　　On　January　2；　1894；　M。　Fricot　returned　to　supper　after
  administering　the　extreme　unction　to　a　parishioner。　　While　the　meal　was
  preparing；　he　went　into　his　garden　in　sabots　and　bareheaded；　and　never
  again　was　seen　alive。　　The　supper　cooled；　the　vicar　was　still　absent；　the
  murderer；　hungry　with　his　toil；　ate　not　only　his　own；　but　his　victim's　share
  of　the　food；　grimly　hinting　that　Fricot　would　not　come　back。　　Suicide　was
  dreamed　of；　murder　hinted；　up　and　down　the　village　was　the　search　made；
  and　none　was　more　zealous　than　the　distressed　curate。
  At　last　a　peasant　discovered　some　blocks　of　wood　in　the　well；　and
  before　long　blood…stains　revealed　themselves　on　the　masonry。　　Speedily
  was　the　body　recovered；　disfigured　and　battered　beyond　recognition；　and
  the　voice　of　the　village　went　up　in　denunciation　of　the　Abb
  The　childhood　of　the　Abb's　capital　sin。
  Not　only　did　he　entertain　his　leisure　with　wrecking　the　happiness　of　a
  united　family；　but　he　was　an　enemy　open　and　declared　of　France。　　It　was
  his　amiable　pastime　at　the　dinner…　table；　when　he　had　first　helped　himself
  to　such　delicacies　as　tempted　his　dainty　palate；　to　pronounce　a　pompous
  eulogy　upon　the　German　Emperor。　　France；　he　would　say　with　an
  exultant　smile；　is　a　pays　pourri；　which　exists　merely　to　be　the　football　of
  Prussia。　　She　has　but　one　hope　of　salvationstill　the　monster　speaksand
  that　is　to　fall　into　the　benign　occupation　of　a　vigorous　race。　　Once　upon　a
  timethe　infamy　is　scarce　credible　he　was　conducting　his　young　charges
  past　a　town…hall；　over　the　lintel　of　whose　door　glittered　those　proud　initials
  ‘R。　F。'　　‘What　do　they　stand　for？'　asked　this　demon　Barlow。　　And　when
  the　patriotic　Tommy　hesitated　for　an　answer；　the　preceptor　exclaimed　with
  ineffable　contempt；　‘Race　de　fous'！　　It　is　no　wonder；　then；　that　this　foe　of
  his　fatherland　feared　to　receive　a　letter　openly　addressed；　rather　he　would
  slink　out　under　cover　of　night　and　seek　his　correspondence　at　the　poste
  restante；　like　a　guilty　lover　or　a　British　tourist。
  The　Chteau　de　Presles　was　built　for　his　reception。　　It　was
  haunted　by　a　secret；　which　none　dare　murmur　in　the　remotest　garret。
  There　was　no　more　than　a　whisper　of　murder　in　the　air；　but　the　Marquis
  shuddered　when　his　wife's　eye　frowned　upon　him。　　True；　the　miserable
  Menaldo　had　disappeared　from　his　seminary　ten　years　since；　but　threats　of
  disclosure　were　uttered　continually；　and　respectability　might　only　be
  purchased　by　a　profound　silence。　　Here　was　the　Abb　he　received　with　a　grin
  complacent　as　Shylock's；　for　was　he　not　conscious　that　when　he　liked　the
  pound　of　flesh　was　his　own！
  With　a　fiend's　duplicity　he　laid　his　plans　of　ruin　and　death。　　The
  Marquise；　swayed　to　his　will；　received　him　secretly　in　the　blue　room
  （whose　very　colour　suggests　a　guilty　intrigue）；　though　never；　upon　the　oath
  of　an　Abb's
  dictation；　and　when　her　husband　returned　to　St。