a book of scoundrels-第40章

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ned　him　from　proclaiming　his　knowledge。　　But　whatever　insults　were　thrown　at　the　Abb；　when　the　key　was　turned　in　the　lock。　　A　journey　to　Switzerland　had　freed　him　from　the　haunting　suspicion　of　the　Marquis；　and　at　last　he　might　compel　the　wife　to　denounce　her　husband　as　a　murderer。　　The　terrified　woman　drew　the　indictment　at　the　Abb's　method　of　instruction。

For　once　in　his　life　the　Abb's　character　was　revealed　before　he　parted　his　lips　in　speech。　　Unmoved　he　stood　and　immovable；　he　treated　the　imprecations　of　the　Marquis　with　a　cold　disdain；　as　the　burden　of　proof　grew　heavy　on　his　back；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　in　weary　indifference。　　He　told　his　monstrous　story　with　a　cynical　contempt；　which　has　scarce　its　equal　in　the　history　of　crime；　and　priest；　as　he　was；　he　proved　that　he　did　not　yield　to　the　Marquis　himself　in　the　Rabelaisian　amplitude　of　his　vocabulary。　　He　brought　charges　against　the　weird　world　of　Presles　with　an　insouciance　and　brutality　which　defeated　their　own　aim。　　He　described　the　vices　of　his　master　and　the　sins　of　the　servants　in　a　slang　which　would　sit　more　gracefully　upon　an　idle　roysterer　than　upon　a　pious　Abb