The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-03-15


bout. and Marat at his desk again, notion
less, save the rapid movement of his fingers,
and the corresponding working Of his mouth
the scenes of the past night came back with
terrible freshness, and she felt that there was
no hope. She dried her tears, and sat up.
A lbertine gave her slice n bread for her
breakfast. which she took and held in her
hand, but did not eat. for she was not hungry.
Then she thought of Ursue, and wondered
where she went when she got out Of the gar
den, and thought how she would greve if she
could see what dismal room her little Chris
tine was in, and what friehtful people were
that man and woman. Then she thought
how dreadful it would be to live there always.
ard how much plcasanter it would be to be
dead, and laid in pretty green grave in the
convent buri;l ground, where Crsule would
plant some roses, and come sometimes and
SIT by her. These thoughts brought the tears
to her eyes again, but she did not weep She
thought she should never weep again, nor
laugh There was dull throbbinc pain in
her head, and pressure in her throat and
chest, from the violence of her grief, but she
} did not know tie cause. She had never felt
anything like it before. and she thought per-
haps she was going to die now, and hoped
she was
Despair is dark and terrible in any human
breast, but it has deeper shadow when it
comes between the heart of child and the
sunny hopes and rainbow hucs of life But
youth has this advantaSe-it is too buovant
to be passive long and. as the time wore on.
occasional CLEANS OF light would find their
way to the heart of Christine
She was frequently surprised into a mo-
mentary forgettulrcss Of her sorrow, bv the
' novelty of her situation. Sometimes, when
tired of watching the movements OF Albe,,
= tine, she crcpt up The stairs into the court
II was paved with stone. but the pavcmen,
was broken and uneven. and lon. TUFTS of
grass were growing in many places brtwcen
the stones. Here she c,u d g. the m ssive
walls of the old building. aLi she amused
herself with wondering what it could have
y been built so hi.h and strong for and if it
was ever convent; and, if it was. how sh.
would pity the poor nuns and scholars. who
had n" garden, and only the paved court for
y recreation: and then she ritcd herself. and
= the tears would nnw atrc>h for she had only
the narrow court and nobody TO speak to-
= She did not like to talk TO Albrrtinc, she
: could scarcely tell why. and particularly #
the latter was in one Of her ai1c,tlonAt,
D moods for then she tried, TO fond. her. and
: insisted upon her calling her mother. This
she steadily refused To do. and these efforts
on The part of Albcrtine only increased the
loathinS of the child, who would much rath-
: er she would be cross and I,crvsh. as she Of
ten was, for then She could STAY out in the
y sunshine, and not be molescd
Another raw of light was the daily visit Of
Antoine. He always spoke cheerfullv to her
and she soon came TO watch for his coming
as that Of her best friend. When II was far
= she would be ready As soon as the sun was uT
e TO 20 out into the court, where she would 81,
: down on large stcnr, and wait for him to O.
meet him. put her hand in his, and lead him
to the door, and there wait for him TO come
out again with his roll of papers.
It "What do>t thou do with these papers .
IS she asked one morning, as he came up into
r the court
= IL help to print them"
o "Do they make books, when they are
rrinted?"
NO-newspapers."
e "What, those wicked papers that Mara
and Bertie read sometimes, about putting thu
:. king and queen to death, and the drcaliu
F. guillotine ?"
l. Yes, they are the same. Marat writes
them, my little politician but | see thou az
u an aristocrat," said Antoine, laughing.
u II do not know what an aristocrat is, bu
c ! wish thou wouldst not print such bad pa
pers any more, Antoine. 1t frie ehtens me Z,
~ hear them read And then they told hov
'e the convent was burnt, and the poor nuns St
r. frightened, and the father confcssor il!-treat
y ed, and put in prison, as it it was all yer,
4 funny. Oh Antoine, it is very dreadful 4
]" live with such people '" And she burst int
e tears.
: Now 30 not cry, dear little Christine
o but tell me, why didst thou come here at all?
"Oh did not come myself-they brough
'S me Marat and that other man. And Derti
ID says must live here always, and that she
'e my mother that | was stolen away from
al her. and put into the convent But kno,
y it is not so. had mother onc", but sh.
Il was pretty and good and Ursule told me
had none now
~ WHO'S Crsule?" asked Antoine, VIII
had forgotten bis haste, and sat down on
loose paving stone to listen, while Christina
stood by with quiverine lip.
G. "Sister Ursule is nun, and lived in tn
convent She loved me so much, and was s.
= kind. thought perhaps she would find me
H. and take me away from this dreadful place
p hut it is so long now, that she will neve
Is ..~>o I &b;,L