"Besides," thought I, "the handwriting _is his_; and even if my life depended upon reading the letter of another, I do not think my honour would suffer me to do so against his consent." A thought struck me,-- "Will you swear," said I, "that this letter does not concern me ?" "Solemnly," answered the Abbe, raising his eyes.
"Will you swear that I am not even mentioned in it ?" "Upon peril of my soul, I will." "Liar! traitor! perjured blasphemer!" cried I, in an inexpressible rage, "look here, and here!" and I pointed out to the priest various lines in which my name legibly and frequently occurred.

A change came over Montreuil's face: he released my arm and staggered back against the wainscot; but recovering his composure instantaneously, he said, "I forgot, my son--I forgot--your name is mentioned, it is true, but with honourable eulogy, that is all." "Bravo, honest Father!" cried I, losing my fury in admiring surprise at his address,--"bravo! However, if that be all, you can have no objection to allow me to read the lines in which my name occurs; your benevolence cannot refuse me such a gratification as the sight of your written panegyric!" "Count Devereux," said the Abbe, sternly, while his dark face worked with suppressed passion, "this is trifling with me, and I warn you not to push my patience too far.

I _will_ have that letter, or--" he ceased abruptly, and touched the hilt of his sword.
"Dare you threaten me ?" I said, and the natural fierceness of my own disposition, deepened by vague and strong suspicions of some treachery designed against me, spoke in the tones of my voice.
"Dare I ?" repeated Montreuil, sinking and sharpening his voice into a sort of inward screech.

"Dare I!--ay, were your whole tribe arrayed against me.

Give me the letter, or you will find me now and forever your most deadly foe; deadly--ay--deadly, deadly!" and he shook his clenched hand at me, with an expression of countenance so malignant and menacing that I drew back involuntarily, and laid my hand on my sword.
The action seemed to give Montreuil a signal for which he had hitherto waited.