The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-09 00:00:00

ADRIENNE;

THE SHADOW OF THE PAST.
[Liz merest sesizavin.J
CHAPTER XVII.
Iron several hours Adrienne slept heavily, and breath-
lessfy ; but so soon as the physical portion of her being
was sufficiently rested, the spiritual essence began to
Play its usual pranks. She arose with her eyes wide
open looking straight before her, yet evidently seeing
nothing.
the dressed herself carefully, and then, in- place of
her shawl, she drew the white coverlet from the bed,
and threw it over her person. It was a moonlit night,
and with noiseless steps, the somnambulist glided
across the upper gallery, and descended the staircase.
The white figure flitted from door to door in the old
house, and tried the fastenings. Not one yielded be-
fore her, and, with a slight stamp and a muttered ex-
pression of disappointment, she passed on and reached
the room which Eady had spoken of as inaccessible to
every one save M. Lecour.
The door yielded to her touch, snd a flood of light
streamed out ef the mysterious apartment. In the
centre of the floor stood a table, on which a dozen wax
Candles were burning, and M. Lecour, with his back
to the door, stood in front of an iron safe, constructed
in the wall, the contents of which he was absorbed in
examining. A small casket, filled with diamonds of
great lustre and purity, was in his hands, and he
turned them from side to side, to watch, with the
greed of the miser and the taste of the artist, the many
changing hues they assumed. There was only a single
Chair in the room, but the walls were covered witn
Paintings from the pencil of M. Lecour, depicting the
most stirring events of the revolution.
As Adrienne passed within the doorway, an enor-
mous bloodhound, chained to the wall, made a bound
towards her, with fierce eyes and gleaming teeth—
but he suddenly crouched at her feet, and uttered a
low, pitiful whine. Absorbed in his employment, M.
Lecour did not heed the noise he made. He held up
a large rose diamond, and muttered—
'Here is a prince's ransom shut up in these brilliant
beauties. Ah, what on earth can be compared to the
diamond in splendour and value? Here they are of
all known shades—blue, black, rose, and yellow. This
great sparkler was the centre of a cluster in the famous
Qtv en's necklace. That was one of the slanders
which paved the way to the scaffold for you, Marie
Antoinette. A woman's vanity tamed against her.
I Ha! ha! was there not some justice in that?
Yee, I triumph in the thought that a noble, a prince,
was the originator of that brilliant swindle ; his accom-
plice a woman of royal blood, though unacknowledged
by the race from which she sprang. Truly, old things
have passed away, when the blood of a consecrated
king could he poured forth as ruthlessly as that of the
vilest churl.
"The world is awakening to its true destiny, and
the rights of man, as man, have begun to be recog-
nised. Ah ! that awful upheaving of the masses was
a warning that future ages will do well not to forget.
These gems are to me a cabinet of history. Here is
one that once gleamed upon the brow of Catherine of
Russia; cold, hard, glittering, it is emblematic of its
wearer. This hoop, set with brilliants, belonged to
the majestic and unfortunate Madame Roland. She
Was truly a queen among women; one on whom the
great Master of Life had placed his own signet."
Suddenly his brow contracted, his eyes flashed, and
he snatched up a ring, in which a single carbuncle, of
remarkable size and brilliancy, was set. His voice
grew harsh and loud, as he exclaimed—
" How did this find its way among my historical
gems? H. D. to L. M. Ha! an ominous present
iron] him to her, for the stone is like crystallised blood.
Ugh! see how it glints back the red light."
The hound again uttered a low, melancholy whine,
prolonged so indefinitely that it attracted the atten-
tion of hic master; he turned sharply round, and saw
the figure wrapped in white, which had now passed
half-way across the floor, and paused, with an ex-
pression of intense suffering and dread upon her fea-
tures.
The casket fell from the paralysed hands of M.
Lecour, and its glittering contents were scattered at
his feet. One hasty glance convinced him that the
White Terror was upon him, and he cowered down in
abject fear.
Adrienne raised her arm, pointed slowly to the
different pictures, and her rigid lips unclosed to
utter—
" There ! there! the phantoms step out from their
frames; each weird form carries his head in his hand,
and they flit around, and point to you, old man, as
their airy lips mutter—
"To you—to you I owe my doom."
"I see them, I hear them, though they are im-
palpable to mortal touch, inaudible to your sealed
senses."

The sound of her voice brought back self-possession
to M. Lecour. His first impulse was to bound up in a
fury, and punish her for her intrusion ; but he
Instantly comprehended the condition in which she
was, and a moment's reflection convinced him that it
would be far better to remove her from the apartment
before consciousness returned, than to be guilty of any
violence towards her there. He would take good care
that she did not again intrude into this sanctuary, in
Which he hoarded his most precious possessions.
As M. Lecour drew near her, he paused an instant,
and looked upon the colourless face and striking atti-
tude of the somnambulist. A cold shiver passed
through his frame as he muttered --
" Good Heavens! it is her very self Is it not a
curse to me that one of my race should have assumed
her form and bearing ? I must get rid of this creature;
she is becoming an incubus upon me. I cannot endure
her presence much longer. Ah! if she would awake
here, her doom would be sealed. Living, she should
never pass yonder threshold !"
The thoughts that flitted through his mind seemed
to be read by the sleeping girl, for she turned towards
him, and impressively said—
', , Vengetnce is mine, and I will repay,' is the awful
utterance of Jehovah. You dare not touch me here,
for the very shadows of your victims flit around me,
and form a cordon between us which it is impossible
for you to pass. Let me go—let me go, for the very
atmosphere of this dreadful room is stifling to me!'
Adrienne passed him with that same gliding motion
Which gave her so much the appearance of a spirit,
and rapidly ascended the staircase to her own room.
M. Lecour followed, and watched her until the door
Closed upon her, and then returned to gather up his
jewels and put them in the iron safe he had caused to
be inclosed in the wall of the room.
The dog still lay crouched upon the floor, moaning
as if in fear or pain. His master brutauy said—
up, old Cerberus, and do not behave as if you
are in your dotage. What is there in the appearance
of a sleeping girl to make you act like a whipped
cur?"
He pulled roughly at the chain, as a hint to its
wearer that he had better return to his usual lair; the
motion seemed to arouse the dog to sudden fury
against his master, and he sprang upon him with a
savage growl. The glaring eyes and foaming mouth
warned M. Lecour of his danger, and he sprang back
with as much agility as he could command, but his
muscles were not what they once had been, and he did
not get quite beyond the reach of the ferocious animal.
His fangs fastened upon the long dressing-robe usually
worn by his master, and in so doing grazed the akin of
his right hand.
M. Lecour found himself at the mercy of an in-
furiated beast, which, until that moment, he had
believed completely under his command. But one
hope of escape was left him; he thrust his hand
Within his breast, drew forth a glittering blade, and
With sure aim plunged it into the heart of the enraged
animal.
The hound fell mortally wounded at his feet, and
his blood gushed over his master, as he tore his gown
from the frothing mouth of the creature he had lately
believed devoted to him. He scarcely noticed the
trifling scratch his hand had received, as he sat down
to collect his thoughts, and a bitter feeling Of desola-
tion came upon him as he watched the last struggles
of the dying animal. Unconsciously he spoke aloud—
"I thought this wretch was my slave; that the
hand that fed him would surely be loved by him; and
there he lies, slain in my own defence. It is surely
• written that I shall destroy all that comes within my
sphere—all, all, for have I not dons so throughout all
my Lilo? Why hope or expect to escape my doom
now? I have good cause to be a fatalist. Yes, I was
evidently foredoomed to become an agent of evil, and
I must work out my destiny.
" The girl brought on this catastrophe; why should
her presence in this forbidden spot have caused my
_ faithful guardian to turn against me? Is it that she
Is inimical to me? Ha! let ler look to herself, for,
grandchild as she asserts herself to be, I will put her
from my path, if I have reason to _ believe her either a
spy or a stumbling-block upon it."
He spurned the stiffening body of the dog aside, and
proceeded to search for the scattered diamonds. With
all the greed of avarice shining in his eyes he peered
around, and looked in every crevice till the number
was come pleted ; but the ring, which he had held in
his hand at the moment he discovered the intrusion of
Adrienne, was nowhere to be found. He remembered
throwing toward her the hand that grasped it, and it
had probably fallen among the meshes of her long
hair, which was hanging loosely around her shoulders.
If it had done so, how could Adrienne account for
its possession, without recalling the whole scene in
which she had borne so critical a part? He had often
read that somnambulists retain no recollection of the
places they visit in their nocturnal rambles ; and this
alone say, d poor Adrienne from a severe investigation
in the even's of the night. Convinced that the ring
had been unconsciously taken away by her, M. Lecour
secured his casket, locked his safe, and replaced the
picture whit Is concealed its position. After extin-
guishing al the candles except one, he unlocked the
chain of the murdered hound, and kicked his body
outside the TOOM ; then securely fastening the door,
he rapidly esc-need the staircase, and took refuge in
his own apartment.
On the ioll.,wtrg morning Adrienne awoke with
vague tel 5- of eppression, and the consciousness that
some unpleasaiit impression had been made upon her
senses durieg the hours of sleep, but ehe- retained no
clear recoil() tion of its cause. The flitting memories
that at moments came to her, seethed like fragments
of a wild cri am, and she commenced her morning
toilet with the resolution to banieh such weird fantasies
from her mind.
She lifted her robe from the chair on which it had
been placed on the previous night, and to her intense

astonishment a ring rolled from its folds upon the
floor. A stone of a deep vivid red colour flashed back
the morning sunshine, and she examined it in a state
of fearful perplexity. It bore four initials which were
not familiar to her, though she recognised two of
them as probably belonging to the former lady of
Belliar.
How came it in her room? was the question that
suggested itself, but to which she could give no
answer. While Adrienne sat with it in her hand,
vainly pondering over this new mystery, Eady came
in with eyes distended to nearly twice their usual
size, and looking husky from extreme fright.
Startled by her appearance, her Young lady quickly
inqu;red—
" What has happened, Eady ? Is mom pere
"I darsn't go in to ax," was the dreary response.
"I clar' to Moses, of de sight I seen down stairs hav'n't
tuck away all my bref."
"What was it ?" asked Adrienne, excited nearly as
much as the old woman.

' Dat cussed dog what kap' watch in de room o' de
picters, is a lyin' down afore the door in a pool o' his
own
_blood, wi' a great gash in his breae.”

Adrienne started up and exclaimed—
Who could have done it? perhaps something has
happened to my grandfather. He would never have
killed his faithful guardian himself. Let us go at
once Eady, and see if he is safe."
In her excitement and alarm she forgot the ring,
and it fell upon the floor. Eady snatched it up, look-
ing more scared and bewildered than before. She
falteringly asked—
"s Wh-a-r did you get this from, young mistis ?"
• That is what I should be glad to know myself. I
found it in the folds of my dress this morning, though
how it came there I am sure I cannot tell."

Whar was you las' nite?' asked the woman in a
frightened tone. "Oh, lor ! oh, lor ! dis ring was in
dat room yonder, as sure as you'm a livin' creetur, an'
It's some trick o' his'n, to git you in his power, dat
put it 'bout you. Oh, chile, lis feared for you, I is
feared for you."
Adrienne put her hand to her brow, and slowly
said— _ _ _

"I have a faint recollection of seeing the interior of
the picture-room, but it must have been in a dream,
for I awoke in bed as usual this morning."
"But how came you by de ring? Dere's de onsole-
fi able mist'ry. Young mistis, you is a sleep-walker,
an' you mus' ha' been in dat room; but I warns you,
of you Tally yer life, not to let on dat sich a thing have
happened to you. I tell you it is as much as your life
is worth to let him know dat you 'member bin in dat
place. I wonder ef he killed de dog to keep him off
you. I don' b'lieve he did, coz he'd sooner ha' set him
on you, ef he fon& you 'trudin' whar you warn't
wanted. I knows die here ring, an' it was in the per-
session o' my marster, I can swar."
"it is a lady's ring," said Adrienne, "and I suppose
It must once have belonged to his wife."
"Yes," replied Eady, drearily enough. "It b'ionged
to her afore she ever sot her unfort'nit eyes on him.
I don' know de laist'ry o' dat shinin' thing, but I has
seen de mistis cry over it many times, when she didn't
know anybody was iisarnin' of her. When she were
a lyin in her coffin, he came an' said dat it were a
shame dat sich a valemble stone should be put in de
grave, an' he tuck it off her finger hisself. From dat
day till now, I hasn't ever seen it ag'in."
While she talked on, Eady keenly regarded Adrienne,
and after she finished speaking she muttered—
"Oh, ef I darst to speak out, but I darsn't. I'd
bett,,r not just yit. Poor thing what can she do to
help us all ?"
Adrienne was affected by the woman's terror, and
she asked—

"If this ring really belongs to M. Leoour, how can
I return it to him without arousing inquiries which I
could not safely answer? I have no idea how it came
Into my possession, and if he finds me with it, he may
suspect me of prying into his secret places."
" Dat's God's trufe, young mistis ; an' ef he 'spect
you of any sich preceeding', it ain't much longer you'd
stay along of us. I don't say whar you'd go, but it
'ud be to some place whar we'd never hear of you any
mo.' Ef you'll listen to my 'vice, jes' give me that
ring, an, l'lltake it down an' drap it 'bout de dog.
Mebbe I can make him b'lieve it were found thar."

As Adrienne was thoroughly frightened, and did not
know very well what course to pursue, she at once
adopted this suggestion ; she surrendered the ring to
Eady, who impressively added :
" Now don' you let on dat you ever seen it afore; an'
be sure you don't let him knew a .breath o' your
drem, for it wouldn't be safe for you, I tell you.'
"You must think M. Lecour a terrible being, Eady,"
said Adrienne, with a shudder she could not repress.
I wonder you are not afraid to live in the house with
a man you mistrust so much."
"I wouldn't ef I could git away, young mistis. I
is feared o' him, an' wi' good cause too, as you'd know
of I could tell you all. Dis blood-red stone ain't
harder nor colder'n his heart. Heart! 'deed, he's got
no sieh inconvenient thing 'bout his pusson. Since
you's come here, you mus' take care o' your own
safety, an' ef you'll listen to me, you'll never let him
know dat you 's diskivered any o' his doin's."
"I do not think he would harm me, Eady, for I am
his daughter's child."
"An' much he'd care about elect, when his evil natur'
was up, was the contemptuous response. "I know
what he's up to when de cruel blood is roused, for I's
seen his doin's afore to-day. I tell you your gran'ther
is a orfle, a fearsome man to deal wi' I You's warned,
young mistis, an' now I mus' go and see what's 'come
& him."