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 life; for scarcely had his brother cast his eyes upon him, ere he stabbed him to the heart! Horror overcame me at that instant, and I fainted away, nor recovered my senses till a few minutes ago: when I recovered, I had not however power, or rather resolution to move; I feared beholding or stumbling over the body of my dear and murdered Lord.'

'I dreaded Lafroy's testimony against you (continued the monk); I therefore endeavoured to extenuate your conduct, and excite his pity by relating the artifices which had been practised on you. What I said had the desired effect; he no longer, he declared, considered you guilty, and, of his own accord, took a solemn oath never to give information against you.

'I asked him whether he had any knowledge of Claude, and also whether he did not think his brother in league with him? He had no personal knowledge of the villain, he replied; all he knew concerning him was that he was a vine-dresser, who lived a little