Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-07-09

/
order offered him by Louis XIV: they spoke par
Iticuorly of the wonderful good fortune which had
raised him from common soldier to the rank OF
| Marshal of France--hc mar. Of no family, the
son Of a printer 1t was the only instance they
could then cite of such good fortune which, even
in the lifetime of Fabert, had appeared cXtraor
binary that the common people did not hesitate to
assign Supernatural causes for his elevation
They said that from his infancy he had been oc-
copied with magic and sorcery; that he had made
a compact with the devil; and our inn-kecper, who
added the crcduity Of Breton peasant to the fool
lshuess Of Champalgnois, assured us, with the
greatest confidence, that in the castle Of the Duke
of C., where Fabert had died, black man had
been seen, whom no one knew, TO enter his cham
Der, and carry away the soul Of the Marshal, which
he before had bought, and which now belonged to
him: and that even now, in the month of May, the
anniversary Of the death Of Fabcrt, little light,
carried by the black man, could be seen. These
stories cnycnod the repast, and we drank bottle
Of champaign in honor of tic familiar demon of
Fabert, praying that he might be pleased to take
us also under his projections, and enable us to WIN
some battles as famous as those Of CoOure and
Maice
The next morning rose at an early hour, and
repaired 10 the castle Of the Duke Of c., an in
mcnse Gothic pile, which, perhaps, | should not
have noticed at any other time, but which, | con
TESS regarded with u curiosity mingled with emo
ton, recalling 10 mind the story Of the In1keeper
Of the previous evening.
The servant to whom | applied was ignorant
whether his master in, and especially whether
he could receive any one gave him my name
and he went out, leaving me in kind of arnory,
decorated with hunting implements and family por.
traits. | waited some time, and no one came. The
career Of glory and honor upon which am to en-
ter said TO myself, commences in this 0nte-cham-
bcr, and became somewhat impalient-and had
already counted all the family portraits several
times over, and all the cross beams Of the ceiling,
when heard slight noise in the wanscotng. ltI
was halt-closod door blown open by the wind.
coI 4 and perceived very pretty boudoir, lighted
by TWO great windows and glass door that led out
upon magnificent park took few steps towards
this apartment and stopped at sight which had at
hrst escaped me- a man, with his back towards
The door | had just entered, was yng upon a sofa
he rose and without percelying INC, FASTENED, sud
denly, towards the window. His face was bathcd
IN tears; the deepest despair was imprinted upon
all his features; he stood for some time motionlcss
his head buried in his hands, he then began to pace
rapidly up and down the apartment
WIS standing near him, he perceived me and
started; distressed and embarrassed at my own in
discretion, ! attempted TO retire, and murnured a
few words by way Of excuse
"Who are you? What do you wish% said he
to me, with loud tone of voice, selling me by the
arm
uIll OF DCIHITu, Oh hOCLG bernard, ana ar
rived from Brittany E. "
6 know know" said lie, and he threw him
self into my arms, made me sit down by his side,
spoke TO me hurricdly Of my father and all my rel
alyes, whom he knew so well, that had no doubt !
he must be the owner of the castle.
You are the Duke Of c. said | TO him.
lie rose and eyed me in an excited manner. He |
replied to me, 4" was SO, but am so no longer | |
am no longer anytling;" and seeing my astonish.
mcnt he eXclaimed-
"Not word, young man, do not interrupt me-"
eft, sir, have been an unwilling witness of your
sorrows and your grief, and fmy friendly devotion
can afford any consolation,
Yes, yes, you are rights not that you can in
any way affect my fate, but you can at least, be
witness to my last will and estamentit is the on
ly service ask of YOU"
lie went and closed the door and returned to .
scat himself near me, who awaited what he had TO .
say with romulous emotion, He was grave and
serious. His face also had an expression such us
| had never seen before.
His forehead, which attentively examined SEEM |
ed, to be marked by some fatality. His face was
pale Ibis black eyes sparked like lightning, and
from time TO time his features although altered by
suffering, were contracted by an nonical and an
almost Internal SMILE
"\Vhat | am about 10 tell YOU" said he to me-
"will confound you! You will doubt-you will
not 14acvc--I myself very often my ownsclf doubt
ing-at least | would be glad ;o-but the proofs
are here-and in every thing that surrounds us,
even my own organization, there are many other
mysteries which we are compelled to acknowledge
without beirg able TO comprehend them"
He stopped moment, us if to collect his thoughts,
passed his hand over his forehead and continued -
81 was born in this castle; | had two brothers,
my elders, to whom the honor and property of our
house were to descend had nothing to expect
but the family mantle and collar. In the mean
while thoughts Of ambition and glory iermcnted in
my brain ard made my heart beat
was unhappy in consequence of my obscurity,
and DESTROYS Of renown, and thought only of the
means of acquiring the latter. THIS idea made me
insenslble to all the pleasures and encymens Of
life. The present was nothing TO me. | existed
only in the future, and this future presented to
me under the most gloomy aspects. was then
thirty years Of age and was still nothing; then
on all sides literary regulations were growing up
at the capital, the fame Of which reached even
province
Ali | often said to myself, if could only win
for myself reputation IN the career of letters 1t
would be permanent genown, and that alone is
happiness
The confdant of my griefs an ancient do
nestle, an old negro, who was in this castle long
before my BIRTH lie was surely the oldest mem
Der Of The household for no one remembered when
he entered it. The country people even pretended
r;at he had served the Marshal Faber and had
been present at his DEATH"
AT this moment he saw me mako motion of
surprisc-hc stopped, and asked what was the mat
/ ter
"Not'ling," said /; but, in spite of myself, |
could not help thinking of the back man of whom
our innkeeper had spoken he night before.
M. dc c. proceeded:
"Onc day, before lago, Chat was the name Of
this negro) gave way TO despair upon my obscu-
rity, and the uselessness of my life and eXclaim,
ed would give ten years Of my life to be plac-
ed in the front rank of our authors'
Ten years. said he TO me- coldly-' that Is a
good dea. 1t IS paying dearly for little thing
but, no matter, accept your offer of ten years /
take them remember your prorniso-l will fulfil
mine'
= | cannot describe TO you my surprise at hearing
HIM speak in this manner, imagined that age had
weakened his reason. | shrugged my shoulders,