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TWELVE。 And as the new Editor* of the Cornhill Magazineand HE； I
promise you； won't stand any nonsensewill only allow seven pages；
I am obliged to leave off at THE VERY MOST INTERESTING POINT OF THE
STORY。
* Mr。 Thackeray retired from the Editorship of the Cornhill
Magazine in March； 1862
III
〃Are you of our fraternity？ I see you are not。 The secret which
Mademoiselle de Bechamel confided to me in her mad triumph and wild
hoyden spiritsshe was but a child； poor thing； poor thing； scarce
fifteen；but I love them younga folly not unusual with the old！〃
（Here Mr。 Pinto thrust his knuckles into his hollow eyes； and； I am
sorry to say； so little regardful was he of personal cleanliness；
that his tears made streaks of white over his guarled dark hands。）
〃Ah； at fifteen； poor child； thy fate was terrible！ Go to！ It is
not good to love me； friend。 They prosper not who do。 I divine
you。 You need not say what you are thinking〃
In truth； I was thinking； if girls fall in love with this sallow；
hook…nosed； glass…eyed； wooden…legged； dirty； hideous old man； with
the sham teeth； they have a queer taste。 THAT is what I was
thinking。
〃Jack Wilkes said the handsomest man in London had but half an
hour's start of him。 And； without vanity； I am scarcely uglier
than Jack Wilkes。 We were members of the same club at Medenham
Abbey； Jack and I； and had many a merry night together。 Well； sir；
IMary of Scotland knew me but as a little hunchbacked music
master； and yet； and yet； I think she was not indifferent to her
David Rizand SHE came to misfortune。 They all dothey all do！〃
〃Sir； you are wandering from your point！〃 I said； with some
severity。 For； really； for this old humbug to hint that he had
been the baboon who frightened the club at Medenham； that he had
been in the Inquisition at Valladolidthat under the name of D。
Riz； as he called it； he had known the lovely Queen of Scotswas a
LITTLE too much。 〃Sir；〃 then I said； 〃you were speaking about a
Miss Bechamel。 I really have not time to hear all of your
biography。〃
〃Faith； the good wine gets into my head。〃 （I should think so； the
old toper！ Four bottles all but two glasses。） 〃To return to poor
Blanche。 As I sat laughing； joking with her； she let slip a word；
a little word； which filled me with dismay。 Some one had told her
a part of the Secretthe secret which has been divulged scarce
thrice in three thousand yearsthe Secret of the Freemasons。 Do
you know what happens to those uninitiate who learn that secret？ to
those wretched men； the initiate who reveal it？〃
As Pinto spoke to me； he looked through and through me with his
horrible piercing glance； so that I sat quite uneasily on my bench。
He continued： 〃Did I question her awake？ I knew she would lie to
me。 Poor child！ I loved her no less because I did not believe a
word she said。 I loved her blue eye； her golden hair； her
delicious voice； that was true in song； though when she spoke；
false as Eblis！ You are aware that I possess in rather a
remarkable degree what we have agreed to call the mesmeric power。
I set the unhappy girl to sleep。 THEN she was obliged to tell me
all。 It was as I had surmised。 Goby de Mouchy； my wretched；
besotted miserable secretary； in his visits to the chateau of the
Marquis de Bechamel； who was one of our society； had seen Blanche。
I suppose it was because she had been warned that he was worthless；
and poor； artful and a coward； she loved him。 She wormed out of
the besotted wretch the secrets of our Order。 'Did he tell you the
NUMBER ONE？' I asked。
〃She said； 'Yes。'
〃'Did he；' I further inquired； 'tell you the'
〃'Oh； don't ask me； don't ask me！' she said； writhing on the sofa；
where she lay in the presence of the Marquis de Bechamel； her most
unhappy father。 Poor Bechamel； poor Bechamel！ How pale he looked
as I spoke！ 'Did he tell you；' I repeated with a dreadful calm；
'the NUMBER TWO？' She said； 'Yes。'
〃The poor old marquis rose up； and clasping his hands； fell on his
knees before Count Cagl Bah！ I went by a different name then。
Vat's in a name？ Dat vich ye call a Rosicrucian by any other name
vil smell as sveet。 'Monsieur；' he said； 'I am oldI am rich。 I
have five hundred thousand livres of rentes in Picardy。 I have
half as much in Artois。 I have two hundred and eighty thousand on
the Grand Livre。 I am promised by my Sovereign a dukedom and his
orders with a reversion to my heir。 I am a Grandee of Spain of the
First Class； and Duke of Volovento。 Take my titles； my ready
money； my life； my honor； everything I have in the world； but don't
ask the THIRD QUESTION。'
〃'Godfroid de Bouillon； Comte de Bechamel； Grandee of Spain and
Prince of Volovento； in our Assembly what was the oath you swore？'
The old man writhed as he remembered its terrific purport。
〃Though my heart was racked with agony； and I would have died； aye；
cheerfully〃 （died； indeed； as if THAT were a penalty！） 〃to spare
yonder lovely child a pang； I said to her calmly； 'Blanche de
Bechamel； did Goby de Mouchy tell you secret NUMBER THREE？'
〃She whispered a oui that was quite faint； faint and small。 But
her poor father fell in convulsions at her feet。
〃She died suddenly that night。 Did I not tell you those I love
come to no good？ When General Bonaparte crossed the Saint Bernard；
he saw in the convent an old monk with a white beard； wandering
about the corridors； cheerful and rather stout； but madmad as a
March hare。 'General；' I said to him； 'did you ever see that face
before？' He had not。 He had not mingled much with the higher
classes of our society before the Revolution。 I knew the poor old
man well enough； he was the last of a noble race； and I loved his
child。〃
〃And did she die by？〃
〃Man！ did I say so？ Do I whisper the secrets of the Vehmgericht？
I say she died that night： and hehe； the heartless； the villain；
the betrayer；you saw him seated in yonder curiosity shop； by
yonder guillotine； with his scoundrelly head in his lap。
〃You saw how slight that instrument was？ It was one of the first
which Guillotin made； and which he showed to private friends in a
hangar in the Rue Picpus； where he lived。 The invention created
some little conversation among scientific men at the time； though I
remember a machine in Edinburgh of a very similar construction； two
hundredwell； many； many years agoand at a breakfast which
Guillotin gave he showed us the instrument； and much talk arose
among us as to whether people suffered under it。
〃And now I must tell you what befell the traitor who had caused all
this suffering。 Did he know that the poor child's death was a
SENTENCE？ He felt a cowardly satisfaction that with her was gone
the secret of his treason。 Then he began to doubt。 I had MEANS to
penetrate all his thoughts； as well as to know his acts。 Then he
became a slave to a horrible fear。 He