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biography。〃
〃Faith； the good wine gets into my head。〃 （I should think so； the
old toper！ Four bottles all but two glasses。） 〃To return to poor
Blanche。 As I sat laughing； joking with her； she let slip a word；
a little word； which filled me with dismay。 Some one had told her
a part of the Secretthe secret which has been divulged scarce
thrice in three thousand yearsthe Secret of the Freemasons。 Do
you know what happens to those uninitiate who learn that secret？ to
those wretched men； the initiate who reveal it？〃
As Pinto spoke to me； he looked through and through me with his
horrible piercing glance； so that I sat quite uneasily on my bench。
He continued： 〃Did I question her awake？ I knew she would lie to
me。 Poor child！ I loved her no less because I did not believe a
word she said。 I loved her blue eye； her golden hair； her
delicious voice； that was true in song； though when she spoke；
false as Eblis！ You are aware that I possess in rather a
remarkable degree what we have agreed to call the mesmeric power。
I set the unhappy girl to sleep。 THEN she was obliged to tell me
all。 It was as I had surmised。 Goby de Mouchy； my wretched；
besotted miserable secretary； in his visits to the chateau of the
Marquis de Bechamel； who was one of our society； had seen Blanche。
I suppose it was because she had been warned that he was worthless；
and poor； artful and a coward； she loved him。 She wormed out of
the besotted wretch the secrets of our Order。 'Did he tell you the
NUMBER ONE？' I asked。
〃She said； 'Yes。'
〃'Did he；' I further inquired； 'tell you the'
〃'Oh； don't ask me； don't ask me！' she said； writhing on the sofa；
where she lay in the presence of the Marquis de Bechamel； her most
unhappy father。 Poor Bechamel； poor Bechamel！ How pale he looked
as I spoke！ 'Did he tell you；' I repeated with a dreadful calm；
'the NUMBER TWO？' She said； 'Yes。'
〃The poor old marquis rose up； and clasping his hands； fell on his
knees before Count Cagl Bah！ I went by a different name then。
Vat's in a name？ Dat vich ye call a Rosicrucian by any other name
vil smell as sveet。 'Monsieur；' he said； 'I am oldI am rich。 I
have five hundred thousand livres of rentes in Picardy。 I have
half as much in Artois。 I have two hundred and eighty thousand on
the Grand Livre。 I am promised by my Sovereign a dukedom and his
orders with a reversion to my heir。 I am a Grandee of Spain of the
First Class； and Duke of Volovento。 Take my titles； my ready
money； my life； my honor； everything I have in the world； but don't
ask the THIRD QUESTION。'
〃'Godfroid de Bouillon； Comte de Bechamel； Grandee of Spain and
Prince of Volovento； in our Assembly what was the oath you swore？'
The old man writhed as he remembered its terrific purport。
〃Though my heart was racked with agony； and I would have died； aye；
cheerfully〃 （died； indeed； as if THAT were a penalty！） 〃to spare
yonder lovely child a pang； I said to her calmly； 'Blanche de
Bechamel； did Goby de Mouchy tell you secret NUMBER THREE？'
〃She whispered a oui that was quite faint； faint and small。 But
her poor father fell in convulsions at her feet。
〃She died suddenly that night。 Did I not tell you those I love
come to no good？ When General Bonaparte crossed the Saint Bernard；
he saw in the convent an old monk with a white beard； wandering
about the corridors； cheerful and rather stout； but madmad as a
March hare。 'General；' I said to him； 'did you ever see that face
before？' He had not。 He had not mingled much with the higher
classes of our society before the Revolution。 I knew the poor old
man well enough； he was the last of a noble race； and I loved his
child。〃
〃And did she die by？〃
〃Man！ did I say so？ Do I whisper the secrets of the Vehmgericht？
I say she died that night： and hehe； the heartless； the villain；
the betrayer；you saw him seated in yonder curiosity shop； by
yonder guillotine； with his scoundrelly head in his lap。
〃You saw how slight that instrument was？ It was one of the first
which Guillotin made； and which he showed to private friends in a
hangar in the Rue Picpus； where he lived。 The invention created
some little conversation among scientific men at the time； though I
remember a machine in Edinburgh of a very similar construction； two
hundredwell； many； many years agoand at a breakfast which
Guillotin gave he showed us the instrument； and much talk arose
among us as to whether people suffered under it。
〃And now I must tell you what befell the traitor who had caused all
this suffering。 Did he know that the poor child's death was a
SENTENCE？ He felt a cowardly satisfaction that with her was gone
the secret of his treason。 Then he began to doubt。 I had MEANS to
penetrate all his thoughts； as well as to know his acts。 Then he
became a slave to a horrible fear。 He fled in abject terror to a
convent。 They still existed in Paris； and behind the walls of
Jacobins the wretch thought himself secure。 Poor fool！ I had but
to set one of my somnambulists to sleep。 Her spirit went forth and
spied the shuddering wretch in his cell。 She described the street；
the gate； the convent； the very dress which he wore； and which you
saw to…day。
〃And now THIS is what happened。 In his chamber in the Rue St。
Honore； at Paris； sat a man ALONEa man who has been maligned； a
man who has been called a knave and charlatan； a man who has been
persecuted even to the death； it is said； in Roman Inquisitions；
forsooth； and elsewhere。 Ha！ ha！ A man who has a mighty will。
〃And looking toward the Jacobins Convent （of which； from his
chamber； he could see the spires and trees）； this man WILLED。 And
it was not yet dawn。 And he willed； and one who was lying in his
cell in the convent of Jacobins； awake and shuddering with terror
for a crime which he had committed； fell asleep。
〃But though he was asleep his eyes were open。
〃And after tossing and writhing； and clinging to the pallet； and
saying 'No； I will not go；' he rose up and donned his clothesa
gray coat； a vest of white pique； black satin small…clothes； ribbed
silk stockings； and a white stock with a steel buckle； and he
arranged his hair； and he tied his queue； all the while being in
that strange somnolence which walks； which moves； which FLIES
sometimes； which sees； which is indifferent to pain； which OBEYS。
And he put on his hat； and he went forth from his cell： and though
the dawn was not yet； he trod the corridors as seeing them。 And he
passed into the cloister； and then into the garden where lie the
ancient dead。 And he came to the wicket； which Brother Jerome was
opening just at the dawning。 And the crowd was already waiting
with their cans and bowls to receive the alms of the good brethren。
〃And he passed through the crowd and went on his way； and the few
people then abroad who marked him； said； 'Tiens！ How very odd he
looks！ He looks like a man walking in his sleep！' This was said
by various persons：
〃By milk women； with their cans and carts； coming into the town。
〃By roysterers who had been drinking at the taverns of the Barrier；
for it was Mid…Lent。
〃By the sergeants of the watch； who eyed him sternly as he passed
near their halberds。
〃But he passed on unmoved by their halberds；
〃Unmoved by the cries of the roysterers；
〃By the market women coming with their milk and eggs。
〃He walked through the Rue St。 Honore； I say：
〃By the Rue Rambuteau；
〃By the Rue St。 Antoine；
〃By the King's Chateau of the Bastille；
〃By the Faubourg St。 Antoine。
〃And he came to No。 29 in the Rue Picpusa house which then stood
between a court and garden
〃That is； there was a building of one story； with a great coach
door。
〃Then there was a court； around which were stables； coach…houses；
offices。
〃Then there was a housea two…storied house； with a perron in
front。
〃Behind the house was a gardena garden of two hundred and fifty
French feet in length。
〃And as one hundred feet of France equal one hundred and six feet
of England； this garden； my friend； equaled exactly two hundred and
sixty…five feet of British measure。
〃In the center of the garden was a fountain and a statueor； to
speak more correctly； two statues。 One was recumbent；a man。
Over him； saber in hand； stood a Woman。
〃The man was Olofernes。 The woman was Judith。 From the head； from
the trunk； the water gushed。 It was the taste of the doctor：was
it not a droll of taste？
〃At the end of the garden was the doctor's cabinet of study。 My
faith； a singular cabinet； and singular pictures！
〃Decapitation of Charles Premier at Vitehall。
〃Decapitation of Montrose at Edimbourg。
〃Decapitation of Cinq Mars。 When I tell you that he was a man of
taste； charming！
〃Through this garden； by these statues； up these stairs； went the
pale figure of him who； the porter said； knew the way of the house。
He did。 Turning neither right nor left； he seemed to walk THROUGH
the statues； the obstacles； the flower beds； the stairs； the door；
the tables； the chairs。
〃In the corner of the room was THAT INSTRUMENT； which Guillotin had
just invented and perfected。 One day he was to lay his own head
under his own