THE RED DRAGON

Provence yet; it was more than a thousand years ago. Living in this country at that time were two brothers who resided with their father in an old castle on the mountain. One was named Jehan, the other André. André, the younger, was as wicked as his brother Jehan was good. However, he let nothing of his evil heart show until the day when his old father was on the point of death.

Then jealousy took hold of him. He knew that his brother, following the customs of the time, was going to inherit all the fortune and all the paternal titles, and that he, André, would be nothing more in the castle than Jehan’s chief servant.

He quickly resolved to kill his elder brother and thus remain the sole possessor of all the goods.

One night, therefore, while everyone was sleeping, he crept quietly to his brother’s room, and having thrown himself like a wolf upon the latter, he pierced his chest with a dagger. Poor Jehan said, "Ah!" and died.

Then the murderer fled to the tower he occupied and waited for the day.

When he learned what had happened the next morning, the father of the two young men expired from grief, and André had what he had so greatly desired, the fortune and the honors; for, as no one had dared to suspect him, people believed that Jehan had been murdered by thieves who were then ravaging the countryside. Such was, at least, the rumor that the new lord had spread.

And as he was justly feared in his domain, no one dared to contradict him.

Perhaps you believe that he lived in peace, as happens to many guilty men? No! If human justice could not reach him, God’s justice did not fail him.