text:  Long live the dark science and the black old gentleman who professes it when they lighten our path so brilliantly!" "Let us breathe a little at our ease until he returns " said he who appeared the more important personage of the two; and throwing himself into a chair and removing his mask he discovered the pale face of a young man who might have been said to possess some beauty in spite of the irregularity of his features had not the expression of that face been marred by a pinched and peevish look of weakness and indecision