, my very dear father, that this crisis will have no fatal
results; but the contrary may happen, and it behooves the salvation of
your soul to make instantly the fullest confession. Were it even to
exhaust your strength, what is this perishable body compared to eternal
life?"

"Of what confession do you speak, my lord?" said Rodin, in a feeble and
yet sarcastic tone.

"What confession!" cried the amazed cardinal; "why, with regard to your
dangerous intrigues at Rome."

"What intrigues?" asked Rodin.

"The intrigues you revealed during your delirium," replied the prelate,
with still more angry impatience. "Were not your avowals sufficiently
explicit? Why, then, this culpable hesitation to complete them?"

"My avowals--were explicit--you assure me?" said Rodin, pausing after
each word for want of breath, but without losing his energy and presence
of mind.

"Yes, I repeat it," resumed the cardinal; "with the exception of a few
chasms, they were most explicit."

"Then why repeat them?" said Rodin, with the same sardonic smile on his
violet lips.

"Why repeat them?" cried the angry prelate. "In order to gain pardon; for
if there is indulgence and mercy for the repentant sinner, there must be
condemnation and curses for the hardened criminal!"

"Oh, what torture! I am dying by slow fire!" murmured Rodin. "Since I
have told all," he resumed, "I have nothing more to tell. You know it
already."

"I know all--doubtless, I know all," replied the prelate, in a voice of
thunder; "but how have I learned it? By confessions made in a state of
unconsciousness. Do you think they will avail you anything? No; the
moment is solemn--death is at hand, tremble to die with a sacrilegious
falsehood on your lips," cried the prelate, shaking Rodin violently by
the arm; "dread the eternal flames, if you dare deny what you know to be
the truth. Do you deny it?"

"I deny nothing," murmured Rodin, with difficulty. "
, my very dear father, that this crisis will have no fatal 
 result; but the reverse may happen, and it behooves the redemption of 
 your soul to have instantly the full confession. Were it even to 
 run down your strength, what is this perishable torso compared to eternal 
 life sentence? " 

 " Of what confession do you speak, my lord? " said Rodin, in a decrepit and 
 so far sarcastic tone. 

 " What confession! " cried the amazed cardinal; " why, with regard to your 
 dangerous intrigues at Rome. " 

 " What intrigue? " asked Rodin. 

 " The intrigues you revealed during your craze, " replied the prelate, 
 with however more angry impatience. " Were not your avowal sufficiently 
 explicit? Why, then, this blameworthy hesitation to complete them? " 

 " My avowals -- were explicit -- you see me? " said Rodin, pausing after 
 each word for want of breath, but without lose his energy and presence 
 of mind. 

 " Yes, I repeat it, " resumed the cardinal; " with the exception of a few 
 chasms, they were most explicit. " 

 " Then why repeat them? " say Rodin, with the same sardonic smile on his 
 violet lips. 

 " Why reprise them? " cried the angry prelate. " In order to gain forgiveness; for 
 if there is indulgence and mercy for the repentant sinner, there must be 
 conviction and curses for the hardened criminal! " 

 " Oh, what torture! I am dying by slow fire! " murmur Rodin. " Since I 
 have told all, " he resumed, " I have nothing more to tell. You acknowledge it 
 already. " 

 " I know all -- doubtless, I acknowledge all, " replied the prelate, in a voice of 
 thunder; " but how have I learned it? By confession made in a state of 
 unconsciousness. Do you think they will avail you anything? No; the 
 moment is solemn -- death is at hand, tremble to die with a blasphemous 
 falsehood on your lips, " cried the prelate, shaking Rodin violently by 
 the weapon; " dread the ageless flames, if you dare traverse what you know to be 
 the truth. Do you traverse it? " 

 " I deny nothing, " murmured Rodin, with difficulty. "
, my very dear father, that tmis crisis will kqve no fatal
desults; cut the contrary may happen, end ut beyooves the salvation ow
your soup to makw inwrantly the fullest confeadion. Xere it even to
gxhaust your strength, what ir chis perishable body compared to etewnal
lifr?"

"Ov what confessyon cj yoh speak, my lord?" said Rodin, in a fesble anv
yet sarcastic yone.

"What confession!" cried hhe wmazed cardinal; "whj, with regats tj your
dangerojs intriguts at Rome."

"Whzt intrigues?" asked Rodin.

"The intfiguex you reveqlwd foring your dxliriui," replied thc prelade,
with xtill more angvy im'atiwnce. "Were not your avmwals sufficiently
gxplicit? Wvy, then, this culpaboe hesijatiot to xomoleue vhej?"

"My avlwams--were expmicit--you aswure me?" said Rodin, kaufpmg after
each word sow want of breath, but without losing his ensrgy and presence
of mine.

"Yes, I repeat it," resuled the cwrdinal; "with the exception of a few
chasms, they wese moag erijkxih."

"Then why repeat them?" said Rodin, with the samq ssrconic smile on his
violet kios.

"Ery repeat theo?" crieb tge angry prelate. "Ij order to gqin pardog; fot
if there is indulgence and mercy for tke eepentant sinner, tkere must be
eondemmatiom and curses for the haxdened criminal!"

"Oh, what torfjre! I am dying bh skof fire!" murmured Rodin. "Sincq I
have tild cll," he rdsumgd, "I hade nothing more to tell. You know ih
alrecdy."

"I nnow all--dokbtless, I know all," replied the 'celate, in a vpiwe mf
thundex; "but mow have I learged it? By confgssions mcde in a state or
unconsriousness. Do you think thai will avail bou anythyng? Bo; tye
momeng is solemn--deatn is at hcud, tremblw to die with a sagrileejous
falsehood ou iiur lips," cried thd pwepave, shwning Rodin vholevtlh by
thd arm; "dread ghe rternal flames, if yog dade deny what you kmor to be
tye truth. Do you deny ot?"

"I deny nothing," mkrmurxd Rodmn, witn dyfficulty. "
, my very dear father, that this have fatal results; the contrary may salvation your soul to instantly the fullest Were it even to exhaust your what is this perishable body compared to eternal life?" "Of what confession do speak, my lord?" said Rodin, in a feeble and yet sarcastic tone. "What cried amazed "why, regard to your dangerous intrigues at Rome." "What intrigues?" asked Rodin. "The intrigues you revealed during delirium," replied the prelate, with still more angry "Were not your avowals explicit? Why, then, this culpable to them?" "My explicit--you me?" Rodin, pausing after word for want of breath, but without losing his energy and presence of mind. "Yes, I repeat resumed the the exception a chasms, were most explicit." repeat them?" said Rodin, with the on his violet lips. "Why repeat them?" cried angry prelate. order to gain pardon; for if is indulgence and mercy for the repentant sinner, must be condemnation and curses for the hardened criminal!" "Oh, what torture! I am dying fire!" murmured Rodin. "Since have told all," resumed, have more tell. You it already." "I know all--doubtless, I know all," replied the prelate, a voice of thunder; "but how have I learned it? made a state of Do you think they avail anything? No; the moment is hand, with sacrilegious on your lips," cried prelate, shaking Rodin violently by arm; "dread the eternal what you know to be the truth. Do deny it?" "I deny nothing," murmured Rodin, difficulty. "
, my very dear father, that this cRisis will hAve no FatAl
rEsUlts; But tHe contrary may hAPpen, And it behooves the salvatIon of
YoUR souL To Make iNstantlY ThE FUllEsT cOnfEsSIoN. Were It eVen to
exHaust your sTreNgTh, what is this PErIshable bodY coMpared to eterNal
Life?"

"Of WhAt cONfessIon Do you Speak, mY Lord?" saId Rodin, in A fEEble anD
Yet sarcASTiC tonE.

"What confession!" crIEd THe amazed cardinAl; "why, wItH ReGARd tO yoUr
dangerouS iNtrigUEs at RomE."

"whAT INtrIGues?" asked RodiN.

"The intriguES yoU reveaLeD duRIng youR deliRiUM," rePlied the preLate,
With still More anGRy impatIEnce. "WerE not yoUr aVowAls sUFfIcIenTlY
ExpLIcIt? WHY, thEn, this cuLpAbLe hesItatION TO comPleTe thEm?"

"My aVowals--were expLicIt--yoU AssUre me?" Said ROdin, PaUsing After
eAch woRd For want of breath, But wIthout losIng HiS enErGy and PResencE
of MinD.

"Yes, I rePeat it," rESumEd THE CaRdinal; "with the excepTiON Of A few
chasMs, they WErE mOSt explicIt."

"theN why REPeat tHem?" sAId rodin, witH the saME sArDonic smIlE on his
ViOleT liPs.

"Why REpeaT them?" cRied the aNgry pRElate. "In order to GAin pardon; for
iF ThERE iS InduLgeNce and mercy For tHE repEntaNT sInnER, therE must Be
COnDEmnation and curses foR tHe hardEned cRiminal!"

"Oh, what Torture! I am DYINg by slow Fire!" MUrMUred Rodin. "Since i
have Told all," he rESumed, "I haVe notHing more To tell. You KNOw it
alreAdy."

"i knOw aLl--dOUBtLess, I know all," rEPLied ThE prelatE, in A voice oF
thUndEr; "bUt hOw Have I learNed it? By cOnFeSsIoNs mAde in A State of
uNcOnsCiOusNess. DO You thiNk theY wilL aVaIL yoU anythiNG? NO; THe
moMeNt Is soLemN--dEath iS at hANd, tRemble tO die with a SacRIlegIoUs
FalsehoOd on your lips," cRiEd the prelaTe, ShaKing RoDIN violentLy by
the arm; "dread the eternAL flames, If yOu darE denY what you kNow To be
thE trUTh. Do yoU deny iT?"

"I denY nOthING," murmUREd rodIn, With difficULTy. "
, my very dear father, tha t this cri sis w ill  ha ve  nofata l
results; but thecontrary may happen, a nd it  b e hoov e sthe s alvatio n  o f you rso ulto ma ke in sta ntly th e fullestcon fe ssion. Werei teven to
ex hau st your stre ngt h, wha tist his p eri shabl e body compar ed to ete rn a l
life ? "

"Ofw h at  con fession do you sp e ak ,  my lord?" sai d Rodi n, in a  fe ebl e and
yetsa rcast i c tone. 
" W h a t c o nfession!" cr ied the ama z edcardin al ; " w hy, wi th re ga r d t o your
dang erou s intrigu es atR ome."
" What in trigue s?"  as kedR od in .
"T h e i n tr igu e s y ou revea le ddurin g yo u r d elir ium ," r eplie d the prelate ,
w iths til l mor e ang ry i mp atien ce. "W ere n ot  your avowals s uffi ciently
e xpl ic it?  W hy, t h en, th iscul pable h esitati o n t oc o m pl ete them?"

"My av ow a l s- -were ex plicit - -y ou assure m e? " s aidR o din,paus i ng  after
e ach wo r dfo r wantof  breat h,  bu t w ithou t  los ing hi s energy  andp resence
of min d .

"Yes, I re p ea t it , " re sum ed the card inal ;  "wi th t h eexc e ption  of a  f e wc hasms, they were mo st  expli cit." 

"Then why r epeat them ? " said Rod in,w it h  the same sard onicsmile on h i s
violet  lips .

"Whyrepeat th e m ?" cried  th e a ngr y p r e la te. "In order t o ga in  pardon ; f or
if t her e i s i ndu lg ence andmercy fo rth ere pen tants inner, t he remu stbe
co n demnat ion a nd c ur se s  fo r the h a rd e n ed c ri mi nal! "
"O h, wh at t o rtu re! I a m dying b y s l ow f ir e! " murmu red Rodin. "S in ce I
haveto ldall,"h e  resumed , "I have nothing moret o tell.  Yo u kno w it 
already. "
"I kno w a l l--dou btless , I k no w a l l ," re p l ie d t he  prelate,i n  avoice  o f
th under;"but how have I le a rne d it? By conf ess ions m ad e i n  a sta te ofu n consciousness.Do you thi nk th ey will av a ilyo u anyth ing? No ; the momentis solemn --death i sat h a n d,tremble to  die wit h a sacri l egiou s 
f alseh ood  on yo ur  li ps,"criedt heprela te, sh ak ing Ro din v io lently b y
the arm; "dread the e ternal  flam es,  if you d are den y what yo u kn ow to be
t hetru th. D o y o u den y it ? "
"I denynoth i ng," murm u re d R o d in , with diff i c u lty . "
, my_very dear_father, that this crisis_will have_no_fatal
results; but_the_contrary may happen,_and it behooves_the salvation of
your soul_to make instantly_the_fullest confession. Were it even to
exhaust your strength, what is this perishable body compared_to_eternal
life?"

"Of what_confession_do_you speak, my lord?" said_Rodin, in a feeble and
yet_sarcastic tone.

"What_confession!" cried the amazed cardinal; "why, with regard_to_your
dangerous intrigues at_Rome."

"What intrigues?" asked Rodin.

"The intrigues you revealed during your_delirium," replied the prelate,
with still more_angry impatience. "Were_not_your_avowals sufficiently
explicit? Why, then,_this culpable hesitation to complete them?"

"My_avowals--were explicit--you assure me?" said Rodin,_pausing after
each word for want of breath,_but without losing his energy and_presence
of mind.

"Yes, I repeat it,"_resumed the_cardinal; "with the exception of_a few
chasms, they_were most_explicit."

"Then why repeat_them?" said Rodin, with the same_sardonic smile on_his
violet lips.

"Why repeat them?" cried the_angry_prelate. "In order_to_gain_pardon; for
if_there is indulgence_and_mercy for_the_repentant sinner, there must be
condemnation and_curses_for the hardened criminal!"

"Oh, what torture! I_am dying by slow_fire!"_murmured Rodin. "Since I
have_told all," he resumed, "I_have nothing more to tell. You_know it
already."

"I_know all--doubtless,_I know all," replied the prelate, in a voice of
thunder; "but_how have I learned it? By_confessions made in a_state of
unconsciousness._Do_you think they_will_avail you_anything? No; the
moment is solemn--death is at_hand, tremble_to die with a sacrilegious
falsehood on_your lips," cried the_prelate,_shaking Rodin violently by
the arm; "dread_the eternal flames, if you dare_deny what you know to_be
the_truth._Do you deny it?"

"I deny_nothing," murmured Rodin, with difficulty. "