New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-02-10

r
Amen, say 1; and what callest thou Eng
1ish gold %
'' The doolfu' compensation, O whilk men say
he had his share"
ss Man, thou Hest, and they who say so lie!
for to the last moment his voice was raised
against that traitorous measure of Queensbury
and stair, and now every energy Of his soul is
bent to its undoing r replied the Major, ercely,
as he put spurs to his horse and rode rapidly |
down the dark, and then grassy, street, at the
end Of which the clank of his horses hoofs died |
away, as he diyerged upon the open ground that |
lay northward of the town, and by which he had |
to approach the tower of Balc0mie I
The Frenchman remained long buried in |
thought, and as he slipped his wine, gazed dream
lily on the changing embers that g1owed on the |
hearth, and cast warm light on the blue delft |
lining of the fireplace The "reminiscences Of the |
war in Flanders had called up many sad and |
many bitter recollection. ee.s
81 would rather,'' thought he, &c that the |
man am about to encounter tomorrow was not |
Scot, for the kindness of tonight, and Of that
terrible. night in the snow-clad plain Of Arras,
inspire me with warm love for all the people |
OF this land But my promise must beredeemed, |
my adventure achieved, or thou, my dear, my
rash Athaiie, art lost to mep' and he paused to
gaze with earnestness upon a jewel that gilt
tered on his hand. 1t was hair ring, bound
with gold, and little shield bearing initials,
clasped the small brown tress that was so inge-
niously woven round it, -,,.
As he gazed on the trinket, his full dark ewes
frightened for moment, as the mild memories
OF love and fondness rose in his heart and A
bright smile played upon his naughty lip and
lofty brow. Other thoughts arose, and the
eyebrows that almost met over the straight Gre
clan nose Of Lemercier, were knit as he recalled
the omnious words of his recent acquaintance-
:" Mademoisele Athalie must be q brisk dame
to urge her favored Chevalier on a venture 80
Desperate
One bitter pang shot through his heart, but
he thrust the thought aside, and pressed the
ring to his lips
s'Oh, Athalie, he said in a low voice, 81 we're
worse than villain to suspect thee
At that moment midnight tolled from the dull
old bell of Grail, and the strangeness of the
sound brought keenly home to the lonely heart
of Lemercier that he was in foreign land
The hour passed, but the Major did not re-
turn. ..5..,
Morning came
With gray dawn Lemercier was awake, and
few minutes found him dressed md ready
He attired himself with particular care, putting
on coat and vest, the embroidery of which pre-
sented as few conspicuous marks as possible to
an antagonists eye. He clasped his coat from
the cravat to the waist, and compressed his EN-
broidered belt He adjusted his white silk roll
up stockings with great exactness; tied up the
flowing curls of his wig with white ribbon,
placed scarlet feather in his hat, and then
took his sword The edge and point of the blade,
the shell and pommel, grasp and guard of the
hilt were all examined with scrupulous care for
the last time; he drew on his gloves with care,
and giving the landlord the reconing, which he
might never return to pay, Lemercer called for
his horse and rode through the main street Of
Grail.
| Following the directions he had received from
| his host, he hastily quilted the deserted and
| grass-gr street of the burgh (the very as
pect of which he feared would chill him. and
proceeded towards the ancient obelisk still known
as the Standing-ston Of Sauchope. which had
been named as the place of rendezvous by that
messenger who had not returned, and against
whom nj. Lemereier felt his anger a little ex-
cited 4....
| 1t was cool March morning; the sky was
clear and blue, and the few silver clouds that
hoated through it became edged with gold as til,
sun rose from his bed in the eastern sea-tha
FURNISHED sea from which the cool fresh breez
swept over the level coast. The fields were as
suming q vernal greenness, the buds were swell
ing on hedge and tree, and the vegetation OF til
summer that was to come-the summer that Le
mercier might never see-was springing frol
amid the brown remains of the autumn tina
had gone, an autumn that he had passed wit
; Athalie amid the gayeties and gardens of Pari
and Versailles.
At the distance of mile he saw the stron
square tower of Belcomie, the residence of his an
tagonist One side was involved in shadow, tn
other shone redly in the rising sun, and tn
morning smoke from its broad chimneys curle
in dusky columns into the blue sky. The cay
Of the rocks that followed the plough, who's
shining share turned up the aromatic soil, tn
merry whistle of the bonneted ploughboys, tn
voices of the blackbrd and the mavis, made hin
sad, and pleased was Lemercier to leave behin'
him all such sounds of life, and reach the will
and solitary place where the obelisk stood;
grim and time-worn relic of the Druid ages O.
the Danish wars. A rough misshapen remnan
of antiquity it still remains to mark the scene Q
this hostile meeting, which yet forms one of th
most famous traditions of the East Neuk.
As Lemerceir rode up he perceived gentle
man standing near the stone. His back was to
wards him, and he was apparently intent on ca
ressing his charger, whose reins he had throw
neglgently over his arm
Lemercier thought he recognized the hal
edged with white feathers, the -bottome
wig, and the peculiar lacing Of the white velve
coat, and on the stranger turning he immediate
+ ly knew his friend of the preceding night.
&c Bon jour, my dear sir, said Lemercier
GA good morning. replied the other, an
they politely raised their little cooked hats.
at had some misgivings when Monsieur di
not return to me- said the Frenchman. '' 81
William has accepted my challenger"
"Yes, Monsieur, and is now before you,' re
piled the other, springing on horseback g Ian
Sir Hiliiam Hope, Of Hopetoun, and am her
at your service
"You!'' exclaimed the Frenchman, in tone
, of blended astonishment and grief; all unsa
what you have said | cannot point my swor
, against the breast Of my best benefactor-
against him to whom owe both honor and lif
| Can forget that night on the plains of Arras
All my God what mistake; what misfol
e tune. All! Athalie, to what have you so III
thinkingly urged me''
's'Think of her only, and forget all of me sa'
that am your antagonist, your enemy, as
stand between thee and her Come on, NJ. l.
mercicr, do not forget your promise to Maaemc
selle; we will sheath our swords on the fir
t blood drawn
q $50 be it, then, if the first be thine,'' Al
!, unsheathing their long and keen edged rapie
! they put spurs to their horses, and closing |
r hand to hand, engaged with admirable skill al
!, address.
q The skill of one swordsman seemed equall'
D only by that Of the other.
Lemercier was the first fencer at the Court
!. France, where fencing was an accomplishing
}, known to all, and there was no man in Brita
equal to Sir William Hope, whose Compile
IS Fencing Master was long famous among Il
| r. tLon Ia ofl lnfnnra