Whilst the little one-eyed man was, attending to Rodin, Samuel carefully replaced the securities in the iron casket.  Thanks to his unconquerable energy, and to the joy he felt at seeing himself so near the term of his labors, Rodin mastered this attack of weakness, and drawing himself up, calm and proud, he said to Caboccini:  “It is nothing.  I did not survive the cholera to die of joy on the first of June.”

And, though still frightfully pale, the countenance of the Jesuit shone with audacious confidence.  But now, when Rodin appeared to be quite recovered, Father Caboccini seemed suddenly transformed.  Though short, fat, and one-eyed, his features assumed on the instant so firm, harsh, and commanding an expression, that Rodin recoiled a step as he looked at him.  Then Father Caboccini, drawing a paper from his pocket, kissed it respectfully, glanced sternly at Rodin, and read as follows, in a severe and menacing tone: 

“’On receipt of the present rescript, the Reverend Father Rodin will deliver up all his powers to the Reverend Father Caboccini, who is alone commissioned, with the Reverend Father d’Aigrigny, to receive the inheritance of the Rennepont family, if, in His eternal justice, the Lord should restore this property, of which our Company has been wronged.

“’Moreover, on receipt of the present rescript, the Reverend Father Rodin, in charge of a person to be named by the Reverend Father Caboccini, shall be conveyed to our house in the Town of Laval, to be kept in strict seclusion in his cell until further orders.’”

Then Father Caboccini handed the rescript to Rodin, that the latter might read the signature of the General of the Company.  Samuel, greatly interested by this scene, drew a few steps nearer, leaving the casket half-open.  Suddenly, Rodin burst into a loud laugh—­a laugh of joy, contempt and triumph, impossible to describe.  Father Caboccini looked at him with angry astonishment; when Rodin, growing still more imperious and haughty, and with an air of more sovereign disdain than ever, pushed aside the paper with the back of his dirty hand and said:  “What is the date of that scribble?”

“The eleventh of May,” answered Father Caboccini in amazement.

“Here is a brief, that I received last night from Rome, under date of the eighteenth.  It informs me that I am appointed general of the order.  Read!”

Father Caboccini took the paper, read it, and remained thunderstruck.  Then, returning it humbly to Rodin, he respectfully bent his knee before him.  Thus seemed the ambitious views of Rodin accomplished.  In spite of the hatred and suspicion of that party, of which Cardinal Malipieri was the representative and the chief, Rodin, by address and craft, audacity and persuasion, and in consequence of the high esteem in which his partisans at Rome held his rare capacity, had succeeded in deposing his General, and in procuring his own elevation to that eminent post.  Now,