How do we know that war may not very shortly be proclaimed, and who can foresee the consequences?
I must hold myself in readiness for the great day.

Perhaps an inscrutable Providence may ere long offer me a new occasion to risk my life for my country; perhaps Poland will call me, crying, 'Come, I have need of thee!' If I should respond: 'I belong no more to myself, I have given my heart to a woman who holds me in chains; I have henceforth a roof, a family, a hearthstone, dear ties that I dare not break!' I ask you, M.l'Abbe, would not Poland have a right to say to me, 'Thou hast violated thy vow; thou hast denied me; upon thy head rest forever my maledictions ?'" Abbe Miollens had just taken a pinch of snuff, and he hearkened to this harangue, tapping his fingers impatiently on the lid of his handsome gold snuff-box, which had been presented to him by the most amiable of his penitents.
"If this be the way you view it," replied he, "is your conscience quite tranquil, my dear friend?
for you will permit me, I trust, to call you so.

Ay, is it sure that from your standpoint your conscience has no accusations to make you?
Is it certain that your heart has not been unfaithful to its mistress?
If I may believe a certain rumour that has reached my ear, there took place a most singular scene yesterday at the house of Mme.

de Lorcy." Samuel Brohl trembled violently; he changed colour; he buried his face in his hands, doubtless to hide from the abbe the blushes remorse had caused to mantle his cheeks.

In a faint voice he murmured: "Not a word more! you know not how deep a wound you have probed." "It is, then, true that you love Mlle.