very anxious," he said; " if he does not im prove I shall send for a confessor —" "But, Monsieur, is it not rather a physi cian that you need?" "The soul, my good lady, should be at tended to before the body. But, thank God! we are not yet at the last extremity. I may be unnecessarily alarmed. As for physi cians, do not mention them. I might, per haps, put him into the hands of one who would kill "him." On Saturday, the 15th, Beaupre" sent for more manna and saltpetre, and some other drugs. " If this medicine works," he said to Pecquet, " I am sure he will recover. His pulse is better this morning, and his mind clearer." In fact, young De La Mottehad risen and seemed much improved. An hour later Beaupre" opened a trap-door, which enabled him to look into the shop, and called ex citedly, " Bring me a pitcher of hot water at once." "Is he worse? " asked Pecquet. Beauprd raised his eyes toward heaven with a despairing look, and did not answer. Pecquet hastened to the chamber, and found the young man lying unconscious on the bed. He assisted Beaupre' in undressing him. "Run for a priest, my good fellow! " cried Beaupre who had thrown himself upon his knees beside the bed, and manifested signs of a most poignant grief. Pecquet descended hurriedly, and sent his wife to seek the Abbe Manin. When he remounted to the chamber, the young man was breathing heavily; and Beaupre his eyes flooded with tears, was holding the hands of the dying youth. " My dear child," he said between his sobs, " think of God; repent of your sins; offer these sufferings as an ex piation for the faults you have committed. — Ah, my good man, what a trial! He was not a nephew to me, he was a son. And to see him die thus! Poor child! what a misfortune, and what a blow for his poor mother!"
At the sight of this despairing grief the good Pecquet could not restrain his tears. At nine o'clock all was over. The young man died before the priest arrived. Beaupr6 sank into a chair, overwhelmed by this great misfortune, and buried his face in his hands. After a few moments given to silent grief, he asked for a prayer-book, and kneeling beside the dead body, he read the prayers for the dying. The Abbd ar rived, joined his prayers to those of the uncle, and as he left the house, said to Pecquet, " My heart bleeds for that poor man; he is truly a saintly man!" On Sunday morning Beaupre" prepared the body for burial, Pecquet assisting him in this sad duty. He then went to the parish Saint-Louis, and reported the decease of Louis-Antoine Beaupre, son of Jacques Beaupr6, of Commercy, aged twenty-two years and six months. The cur£, having inscribed these names upon the parish register and having given the uncle a copy of the register, asked for instructions regarding the funeral. "I wish it to be as simple as possible," re plied Beaupre^ weeping. "The poor boy has more need of prayers than display; I would rather give to the poor and for Masses the money which would be necessary for useless pomp and pageantry." He left, in fact, six livres for Masses and six livres for the poor. Pecquet and Beau pre' alone followed the body, which was buried in the little cemetery near the forest of Satory. Returning to the inn, Beaupre" gave Pecquet a louis for his trouble. " And now," he said, " I must depart at once to prevent the arrival of his poor mother. Thank God, she did not come in time to witness his mournful end." As he spoke, he hastily gathered together his things. The effects of the young man he left, saying that he would call for them the next day. An hour later Beaupre — or, if one prefers, Du Coudray — was installed in the coach
