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The Jesuit, with stifled emotion, and it was the only occasion on which his voice betrayed it, and with a stern countenance, answered, "You are the brother of Louise; and an excommunicated heretic!" Diganu instantly retorted, "Bravo! I glory in your brand of the heresy, and the farce of the excommunication, for the comfort and advantages of the relationship.'

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"It was no part of my object," solemnly but kindly rejoined the pretre, "to introduce this point. I come on behalf of your former friends, to discharge my duty. Your desire to hear of Louise, as betokening a brotherly affection is satisfactory; and, as the lawyer has apprised you, once more you shall hear of her; I cannot engage that you shall ever see her again! this may not be practicable. Those persons, who have hitherto interested themselves for you, on account of the recent events, are obliged to remain hereafter disconnected from all your concerns; but as they cannot even wish you to be more wretched than your heresies will render you, I am directed to offer you this as a remembrancer. It is the last pecuniary favor, which you may expect to receive from them." Having presented Diganu a large parcel, he added, "but now I have one requisition to make, and I will see, whether a heretic can keep his faith with a Roman catholic priest." Diganu and Chretien, stared with uneasiness, at this implied novel exaction. "It is believed," continued the pretre, "that Louise has communicated to you, a number of falsehoods, respecting the priests and the religieuses;" he then fixed his searching eye upon Diganu and Chretien, and asked, "is it so ?"

Chretien replied, "To justify herself for the dangerous condition in which we discovered her, she stated, that she had been placed in a very distressing situation, and that she had escaped in the commotion occasioned

by a fire in the house, where she was involuntarily detained for pollution." The pretre unguardedly asked, "Did she inform you in whose house it was, and the name of the resident priest?" thus virtually admitting the truth of her statement, and implying his own knowledge of the fact. "Not at all," answered Chretien, “it was only the last night before we went to Lorette that she mentioned it, and although she identified and pointed out to us the parties in the church, yet she declared, that she could form no accurate conception of the parish." The Jesuit quickly rejoined, "Enough! My object in noticing this matter is to engage your promise, that no mention shall be made by you, of any calumny which she recounted in her delirium." Diganu instantly exclaimed, "Delirium! she was always sensible when with us!" The priest remarked, "No matter; all these circumstances henceforth are to remain buried in oblivion." "Certainly," said Diganu, "but Chretien and myself, are not to be molested for our religious opinions and practices, although we know that it is your doctrine to keep no faith with heretics." "That is already decided," added the pretre, "faith `in this instance will be kept with you: and now we part most probably for ever. Take my advice young men, you are inexperienced in the ways of the world. Contract not large debts. Entangle not yourselves with securityships. Never play at games of chance for money. Be upon your guard respecting the females whom you may select for your wives. But above all things, say nothing about nuns, priests, and the church. Your friends in any emergency will assist you. Be cautious in your associations; and remember, that you will always be strictly watched. Louise's comfort and your own safety essentially depend upon your prudence." He offered Chretien his hand, "I

know you well, and am willing yet to serve you, Chretien," he remarked, "maintain your affection and friendship for Diganu. Adieu! God bless you." Then turning to Diganu, who coldly accepted his proffered salutation, he said tenderly and seriously, "Diganu, I have long cared for your welfare, but now my duties in that respect are ended. You have ample means to establish a comfortable business. Remember that Rohoirsic will ever be your friend in need. Give yourself no anxiety for Louise. She is safe, and as comfortable as she can be. I shall see you again, I hope, before you or I leave this world," he laid his hand on Diganu's head, with apparent fervour pronounced his priestly PAX TECUM, peace be with thee," and immediately disappeared.

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From that evening, years revolved, and Diganu's life was almost an entire disconnexion from all mankind, except as the mere routine of commercial business produced a temporary association. His soul was circumscribed within himself. By his antisocial suspicions of all who were the minions of the Roman priesthood, he had contracted the habits of a recluse, with none of his natural feelings; and in a situation where every thing around him repressed attachment and excited disgust, he combined an enlarged philanthropy with the reserve of an anchorite. His only companion was Chretien. Louise's bible was his chief treasure and delight. But his constant refuge and faithfully unchanging friend was the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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NARRATIVE OF LOUISE.

"Where am I? life's current faintly flowing.
Brings the welcome warning of release;
Struck with death; ah! whither am I going?
All is well-my spirit parts in peace."

THE details which follow are the abridged contents of the manuscript that unfolded the history of Louise after her heart-rending separation from Diganu.

"Before these papers are seen by you, my beloved brother, your Louise no longer will be a resident upon earth. It is superfluous to retrace the events of that terrifying morn, when I was dragged away from your protection; but had you been apprized of the wicked object, a mortal conflict alone would have terminated the scene. After our final adieu, I was hurried into the carriole which had drawn up to transport me away, altogether insensible to the proceedings of those who had seized me. When I first clearly realized my situation, we were not more than two miles from Quebec; and hurrying along the road with all possible speed to the general hospital, where I was transferred to the insane department; during my detention in which, I saw no person but the woman, who at Lorette affirmed that you are my brother, and the priest from whom I had before escaped. The true but agonizing reason for our separation was soon divulged. Time had neither changed the priest's design, nor diminished the willingness of his tool to aid him in effecting his base purpose. During a month, I was tortured by their constant artifices. Those of the female were kind and insinuating. The Jesuit's stratagems were mixed with harshness and alarm. I resented the female decoys as unnatural and insulting; the priest's menaces, I scorned and defied. Undoubt

edly, in the friendless and destitute condition in which they had placed me, his treachery would have been executed, had not your threatened law-suits placed all the actors in the most perplexing embarrassment. The miserable nun's apparent blandishments were obviously designed as a contrast to the pretre's terrific impudence, to effect by vitiating and seducing wiles that which could not be achieved by intimidation; so that from fear of him, I might be insnared by her; or if I resisted her entanglements, that I might be entrapped by his artful sensuality.

The Jesuit constantly had two topics with which to daunt me. My heresy, and the dreadful sentence of excommunication, which he ever portrayed in the most appalling features, and from which his grand object was to show, that I could be relieved solely by his means, and therefore I ought to secure his favourable interposition, the terms and price of which I knew. My principles I defended. The censures of his church I ridiculed At his favour I scoffed. And in reference to his excommunication, I remarked, "I am in your power; imprisoned in the maniac's cell; weakened by continual privations and uninterrupted ill usage. You can forcibly violate my person; you can deprive me of my faculties; or you can secretly murder me: but you can neither stupify my conscience, nor corrupt my heart.” At other times, he charged me with robbing his house, and setting fire to it. He denounced against me all the severest punishments of the law; and from those fearful penalties he engaged to secure me, only for the sacrifice of my personal purity. Nothing, I often remarked to him, would rejoice me so much as to be delivered up to the civil authority upon these charges. In any possible emergency my situation would be amended. I might be acquitted,

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