The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-10-17
CREsCEN T.
THE ooMPAoT.....A LEGEND or FLANDERS.

was at Brussels, in a street leading from La Rue
N0tGe-D es-somneit--Which they still call
1.-THE DEVILS owner "a small house of neat and
modest appearance, the iHhabant Of which was
celebrated architect, whose history contains sage
lesson and useful moral
This architect was called Olivier He had
amassed BY skful speCDlatiOns tOlerable fortune,
when he undertook TO construct the bridge over the
rushing waters which cross the Seine at It's entry
into Brussels, between the gates of Het and Ander
lecht. He calculated on finding there a solid foun-
daon, but he was obliged to go to enormous eX-
penae in order 10 strengthen the foundation, which
was upon a very marshy and miserable soil. How
ever the first stone of the new bridge was laid on
the 28th of April 1858, is proved by an inscrp-
ton discovered some time since, during some partial
repairs which it was undergoing, and which in
sCripdOn bears the names of Necke, Bruyere, and
Bassery, chief officers present at the ceremony.
Olivier pursued his work with courage and per-
severance. Soon the capital which he possessed
WIS 3s5oGred by b. He saw thEt he had been
fearfuIy deceived in the undertaking; his enIer-
prise was scarcely one-third raised, he was
obliged to suspend the work, not having means TO
proreed any farther.
This thought maddened him, he was a ruined
man, about being dishonoTed, the public looking to
him for a ratification Of his engagements, those
whom he had EMPLOYED awaiting the means of pro-
curing their daily bread; he rushed wildly to his
friends, and he sought their assistance for few
months, but those who had offered him their purses
when they knew he did not require them, closed
them again under some pitful pretext when they
saw him in want; and, heart-sick and disguised at
the name of friendship, he returned grlet-sricken
to his home. He shut himself up alone, in order TO
mediate on the part he ought to take, satisiaC
tory step having yet occurred to his mind. All
those upon whom he had confidently looked for as
sistanCe had abandoned him. Friendship he looked
upon as a vision, which fled at the approach of
gloom. He numbered over those who had so often
protested their devotion 10 his interests, but who,
in the hour of need, had forgotten their protesta-
TONS and looked smilingly by upon the ruin which
awaited him. But a nobler view Of humanity soon
presented itseli-he thought OF the loved one to-
whom he was about being espoused he remember
ed her devotion, in insisting upon his drawing upon
the means she had at her disposal But her resOur-
ces were not sufficient, and distress soon Teappeared
One evening Olivier returned to his home his
heart filled with despair and his mind debating the
pr0priety of flying rather than endure ms cOmplica
ted smbarrassments any longer. Shame had quito
flight his courage, and his pride had outstrode his
patience. The nightwas falling, and it was gloomy
and cherries. The wind whispered hercely, and
the rain fell in lorrents-all nature appeared to
manifest a sympathy with his sutierngs.
On entering his house, it was announced to him
thai gentleman awaiting his arrival. He
assembled the staircase eagerly, and entering his
chamber saw, seated by the fire, a gentleman
dressed in green.
You are at present in some embarrassment
said the stranger, without further preface
Who has told you that p said Olivier.
Your friends, or those whom you consider your
friends; but you have not had much to boast Of in
that way. If nobody comes to your aid tomorrow,
you are ruined, cooly replied the stranger.
- know it, said Olivier, " md yet / dare TO
ask you what motive has brought you hither."
There was d Elementary silence. The candle,
which the servant had left behind, threw around a
pale and sckly light, but the eyes of the unknown
flashed and glstened, and lighted the spot where he
sat Ills features were coarse, and smile, the
bitterness of which he tried 10 dissemble, displayed
itself upon his thin and parched lips. After he had
looked for some minutes at the excited architect, he
slowly said, $ feel interested in your welfare"
Olivier trembled from head to foot. He wished
to lake the hand Of the man whom he already
looked upon as his beneiactOr, but the stranger
avoided this by promptly Withdrawing his hand,
which was covered with a black glove.
mo demonstrations, said he, cOldly; Il lend
upon interest, alone"
.:Itmatters not" said Oliver, wildly, my blood,
my life-all shall be yours, if you relieve me from
my present embarrassment"
The eyes of the stranger sparkled still brighter.
" OF what sum are you in want . he demanded,
Sc think we shall soon understand each other"
9 For the present, a small sum will Suffice, re-
piled the architect, but to save my credit, must
finish my undertaking, and for that purpose one
hundred thousand forms -"
g You shall have them, if nv conditions are
complied with" interrupted the stranger.
& comply without even hearing them, said Oil
vier, q" it is heaven, ever merciful that has sent
you TO my rescue"
No, not heaven" said the green man, with a
Wrlnkled brow, " but you cannot comply with con-
ditions Of the nature of which you are ignorant. |
have come a considerable distance to see you. |
appreciate your great talents, and am DESTROYS that
you should belong to me, both in life and in DEATH
The architect started.
Let lis understand each other perfectly" said
the unknown, - give you ten years. at the expira-
ton of that term you must follow me shall bring
you where l choose; must be master, you shall
be my property"
Olivier, surprised, without being able to ana
lyZe the sensations he experienced, and fearing to
admit what he was beginning TO suspect, looked
sadly and uneasiiy at his guest. HIS heart beat
with violence when he saw the stranger cOolly
draw from his pocket the bill for one hundred thou
sand forms, to be paid at sight, upon the first house
in Brussels.
Remember, " he emplaticaIIy artcuIated,
without my assistance you must perish. Sign,
then, this engagement At the same time he pre-
scented sheet Of parchment, and with his right
hand he drew forth gold pen.
Excuse me- at length said the beWlldered
architect, g this scene COnfOunds me; let me know,
at least whose debtor l shall be"
THAT cannot be a matter OF interest to you,
said the unknown; s. shall leave you ten years in
your own country. / repeat it, that although you
shall be mine yet you shall never hear Of me during
that period, and tomorrow YOU credit shall be re-
stored. A young bride awaits you. You hesitate!
Perhaps one hundred thousand forms is not sulli-
cient here is half a million"
Olivier, in his delrium, no longer possessed his
reasoning faculties-at the sghtof so much money,
the possession of which would make him rich, glo-
rious, and distinguished He seized the two
goved hands of the unknown, and frantically
pressed them to his lips, and hastily snatched the
gold pen, he signed the engagenent-to follow in
ten years the unknown who had purchased him.
When this was done, the green man folded the
parchment, placed 1t in his pocket, and withdrew,
saying, "Adieu IN ten years, upon this day, you
will be ready"
8 shall be ready said Olivier.
How profoundly the architect afterwards medi-
tated on what had passed He could not sleep,
but remained the whole night gazing upon his half
million.
The next day be procured his cash, and satisfied
all his engagements He publicly announced that
his object of late was to try the stability Of his
and hta Of