a book of scoundrels-第39章

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he　dignity　of　his　work　demanded　a　fitting　costume。　　And　Bruneau　wore　the　grey　suit　not　without　a　hope　of　disguise。　　Yet　you　like　to　think　that　the　Abb　was　still　impoverished。　　Already　he　had　robbed　his　vicar；　and　the　suspicion　of　the　Abb



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