The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1849-08-04
WHOLE No 4l8

my rather tndn jumping from The CaDrlOlet
where he had been sleeping; 'qu'est ce que
vous dites, monsieurP
'Venez voir,' said l; and he rushed up to
the door.
Bring light, if you have one,' I cried.
4 fear something dreadful has happened'
'Dam!' he exclaimed; sah, ga, c'est done
du serieux!'
Although the moon had shone brightly
when we left Loudun, she was in her last
quarter, and the conductor had not omit
ted the precaution of lighting the lamp
of the diligence. He hastily ran back and
brought it, and | was then able to see the
features Of my fellow traveller. They were
as pale as marble, and perfectly rigid; the
eyes were filmy and staring, and the mouth
from which there came slight moisture,
was partially open; her hands, as | had be-
fore imagined, were firmly clenched in
the wires Of the cage. Again l felt her
pulse, her throat, her heart; but nothing
stirred. The conducteur did the same.
We looked at each other in silence. At
length, after screwing up his mouth and
Struggling his shoulders, he spoke; 'Na
fol- said he, spas de doute qu'elle est morte
Quel accident.'
whats to be donep l asked. sLet US
get on as quickly as we can. Perhaps if
she were bled she might revive. How lar
is it to Fontevraulls'
"a league and a half was his reply, as
he shut the door again, climbed upto his
seat, and gave the word to the position to
drive on ventre a tPrre.
Away we went with the speed of light,
my dead companion and | like Lenore and
her lover, only the situations were revers-
ed:
'fiurrah! the dead can ride with speed;
Dost fear to ride with me''
I did not actually fear the corpse, but there
was something particularly unpleasant in
the tete tote, and ! felt inexpressibIy re-
lieved when, in the gray Of the morning,
We dashed into the village OF Fontevrault,
and pulled up at the Croix Blanche.
The landlord Of the inn, expecting the
diligence, was already stirring; but if such
had not been the case, the conducteur and
| made noise enough to wake the whole
household, who soon came crowdng round
us.
fortunately we found Fontevrault so
| poor a place that no medical man resided
there, not even the small st apothccary.
| The only hope Of assistance was at the
| Maison de Detention, once the celebrated
abbey where lie the remains of the most
| famous of the Angevine race Of English
kings, Henry II. and his son Ceur de Lion,
with Eleanor Of Guienne and Isabella of
Angouleme. We knocked loudly at the
portcr's lodge; but whether it arose from
sheer obStinacy, from unwillingness 10 take
the trouble, from a suspicion that some
trick. was aloot for etlecting the release of
the prisoners, or from whatever cause, the
Old concierge, who replied to us through a
hali-opened lattice, turned deaf ear to our
request that the surgeon of the prison might
be sent for.
sS'il y quelqu'un de- mort la-bas,' said
he; de medecin ne peut pas lie guerir; 81,
par hasard, votre individu est touours, Vi
want il Sc GUERRA lui-meme.' And with
these words he closed the window, and
crawled back to bed again.
Further examination had in the mean
time convinced every body who looked on
the unfortunate lady that the brutal old
concierge was right, and that the skill of
! the most accomplished surgeon in Europe
could do nothing in such case.
The next question was, the necessity for
drawing up process verbal; but the village
which could not boast of doctor, did not
contain single legal official, not even al
stray gendarme. 1t was necessary that
the body should be taken to Saumur, the
chet-Aea of the district; besides, the conduc-
teur was anxious to get on to deliver his
mail bags. 1t was necessary also that I
should accompany it, being the principal
witness in the unhappy affair. To this II
made no objection, as Saumur was the place
of my destination; but | did object very
strongly to continue an inside passenger.
But even for this there was no help, as
there was no room for me in the cabriolet
beside the conductor. Being cross coun-
try diligence, constructed on pattern
which few are acquainted with who have
not traversed the cross roads in the heart of
France, it was provided only with mar
row seat, with hood to it, that with diff
Guilty admitted Of the addition Of Gave in
her basket. Reluctantly, therefore, and
with the worst grace imaginable, l re-en-
tered the vehicle, choosing, however, the
remotest corner from that which was occu
pied by the stiff and CHASTITY corpse, now
| fully revealed in the dull light of morning. !
To sleep, or even turn my eyes away, |
found to be impossible; and for two long
hours-mortal ones they might well be
called--I sat gazing on my dreary neigh !
Dor, obliged every now and then to steady |
the body in its place lest it should roll of
the seat.