“A few years later I heard that Moiron had again been called to the emperor's attention on account of his exemplary conduct in the prison at Toulon and was now employed as a servant by the director of the penitentiary. “For a long time I heard nothing more of this man. But about two years ago, while I was spending a summer near Lille with my cousin, De Larielle, I was informed one evening, just as we were sitting down to dinner, that a young priest wished to speak to me. “I had him shown in and he begged me to come to a dying man who desired absolutely to see me. This had often happened to me in my long career as a magistrate, and, although I had been set aside by the Republic, I was still often called upon in similar circumstances. I therefore followed the priest, who led me to a miserable little room in a large tenement house. “There I found a strange-looking man on a bed of straw, sitting with his back against the wall, in order to get his breath. He was a sort of skeleton, with dark, gleaming eyes. “As soon as he saw me, he murmured: 'Don't you recognize me?' “'No.' “'I am Moiron.' “I felt a shiver run through me, and I asked 'The schoolmaster?' “'Yes.' “'How do you happen to be here?' “'The story is too long. I haven't time to tell it. I was going to die --and that priest was brought to me--and as I knew that you were here I sent for you. It is to you that I wish to confess--since you were the one who once saved my life.' “His hands clutched the straw of his bed through the sheet and he continued in a hoarse, forcible and low tone: 'You see--I owe you the truth--I owe it to you--for it must be told to some one before I leave this earth. “'It is I who killed the children--all of them. I did it--for revenge! “'Listen. I was an honest, straightforward, pure man--adoring God--this good Father--this Master who teaches us to love, and not the false God, the executioner, the robber, the murderer who governs the earth. I had never done any harm; I had never committed an evil act. I was as good as it is possible to be, monsieur.