and red… handed from murder； soothing his battered conscience with some devilish Requiem for the unshrived soul he had just parted from its broken body； and leaving upon the harmonium the ineradicable traces of his guilt。 Thus he lived； poised between murder and the Church； spending upon the vulgar dissipation of a Breton village the blood and money of his foolish victims。 But for him ‘les tavernes et les filles' of Laval meant a veritable paradise； and his sojourn in the country is proof enough of a limited cunning。 Had he been more richly endowed； Paris had been the theatre of his crimes。 As it is； he goes down to posterity as the Man in the Grey Suit； and the best friend the cabmen of Laval ever knew。 Them； indeed； he left inconsolable。
MONSIEUR L'ABB Rosselot is as secret as his origin； and no man may know whether Belfort or Bavaria smiled upon his innocence。 A like mystery enshrouds his early manhood； and the malice of his foes； who are legion； denounces him for a Jesuit of Innsbruck。 But since he has lived within the eye of the world his villainies have been revealed as clearly as his attainments； and history provides him no other rival in the corruption of youth than the infamous Thwackum。
It is not every scholar's ambition to teach the elements； and Rosselot adopted his modest calling as a cloak of crime。 No sooner was he installed in a mansion than he became the mansion's master； and henceforth he ruled his employer's domain with the tyrannical severity of a Grand Inquisitor。 His soul wrapped in the triple brass of arrogance； he even dared to lay his hands upon food before his betters were served； and presently； emboldened by success； he would order the dinners； reproach the cook with a too lavish use of condiments； and descend with insolent expostulation into the kitchen。 In a week he had opened the cupboards upon a dozen skeletons； and made them rattle their rickety bones up and down the draughty staircases； until the inmates shivered with horror and the terrified neighbours fled the haunted castle as a lazar…house。 Once in possession of a family secret； he felt himself secure； and henceforth he was free to browbeat his employer and to flog his pupil to the satisfaction of his waspish nature。 Moreover； he was endowed with all the insight and effrontery of a trained journalist。 So sedulous was he in his search after the truth； that neither man nor woman could deny him confidence。 And； as vinegar flowed in his veins for blood； it was his merry sport to set wife against husband and children against father。 Not even were the servants safe from his watchful inquiry； and housemaids and governesses alike entrusted their hopes and fears to his malicious keeping。 And when the house had retired to rest； with what a sinister delight did he chuckle over the frailties and infamies； a guilty knowledge of which he had dragged from many an unwilling sinner！ To oust him； when installed； was a plain impossibility； for this wringer of hearts was only too glib in the surrender of another's scandal； and as he accepted the last scurrility with Christian resignation； his unfortunate employer could but strengthen his vocabulary and patiently endure the presence of this smiling； demoniacal tutor。
But a too villainous curiosity was not 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。 Amand he was instantly thrust into prison。 Nothing remained but to cajole the sons into an expressed hatred of their father； and the last enormity was committed by a masterpiece of cunning。 ‘Your father's one chance of escape；' argued this villain in a cassock； ‘is to be proved an inhuman ruffian。 Swear that he beat you unmercifully and you will save him from the guillotine。' All the dupes learned their lesson with a certainty which reflects infinite credit upon the Abb's character was revealed before he parted his lips in speech。 Unmoved he stood and immovable； he treated the imprecations of the Marquis with a cold disdain； as the burden of proof grew heavy on his back； he shrugged his shoulders in weary indifference。 He told his monstrous story with a cynical contempt； which has scarce its equal in the history of crime； and priest； as he was； he proved that he did not yield to the Marquis himself in the Rabelaisian amplitude of his vocabulary。 He brought charges against the weird world of Presles with an insouciance and brutality which defeated their own aim。 He described the vices of his master and the sins of the servants in a slang which would sit more gracefully upon an idle roysterer than upon a pious Abb