The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-05-28


the chamber into which it opened. That at The
eastern extremity was hung, for example, in
blue-and wildly bne were its windows. The
second chamber was purple in its ornaments
and tapestries, and here the panes were purple.
The third was green throughout and 50 were
the easements. The fourth was finished and
lighted with orange-the fifth with whte-the
sixth with violet. The seventh apartment was
closely shrouded in black velvet tapestry that
hung all over the ceiling aud down the walls,
falling in heavy folds upon a carpet OF the same
material and hue. Now, in no one Of the sew
en- apartments was there any candle or candeI-
abrum, amid the profusion OF golden ornaments
that lay scattered TO and fro or depended from
the roof. There was no light Of any kind en-
anating from lamp or candle within the suite OF
chambers. But in the corridors that followed
the suite, there stood, opposite to each window,
a heavy tripod, bearing brazler OF fire, that
projected IFS rays through the tinted glass aud
so glaringly Illuminated the room. And thus
were produced a multitude Of gaudy and fanlas-
tic appearances. But in the western or back
chamber the effect of the fre-lght that streamed
upon the dark hanging through the blood tin
ted panes, was gbasly in the extreme, and pro-
duced so wild look upon the countenances OF
those who entered, that there were few OF the
company bold enough 10 set foot within It's pre-
cinctS at all.
1t was in this apartment also, that there
stood against the western wall, gigantic clock
Of ebony. Its pendulum swung to and fro with
dull heavy monoonous clang: and when the
minute hand made the circuit Of the face, and
the hour was to be stricken, there came from
the brazen lungs Of the clock a sound which
was clear and loud and deep and exceedingly y
musical, but olso peculiar note and emphasis
that, at each lapse Of an hour, the musicians Of
the orchestra were constrained to pause, momen-
tariy, in their Performance, 10 hearken to the
sound; and thus the walters per force ceased
their evouIions and there was brief disconccrL
OF the whole gay company; and while the
ch ines ofthe clock YET rang ii was observed
that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged
and sedate passed their hands over their brows
as if in confused revery and meditation. But
when the echoes had fully ceased, high laugh
Ter at once pervadsd the assembly; the musicians
looked at each other and smiled as il at their
own nervousness aud folly, and made wh,sP~f-
ing vows, each to the other, that the next CHI
ming Of the clock should produce in them no
similar emotion; and then after the lapse Of six
ty minutes, (which embrace three thousand six
hundred seconds of the Time that nies,) there
came yet another Ginning Of the clock, and
then We're the same dlsconcprt and tremuous-
ness and meditation as before.
But in spite Of these things, it was gay and
magnificent reyel. The tastes Of The duke were
peculiar. He had tine eye for coIors and ef-
i-cts. He disrezarded the decora Of mere FASH
ion. His plans were bold and fiery, and hi,
conceptions giowed with barbaric luslre. There
are some who would have thought him mad
His followers knew that he was not. it was
necessary to hear and see and touch him 10 be
S2lrc that he was not.
He had directed, in great part, the movable
embellishments Of the seven chambers, upon oc-
cason Of this great fete; and it was his own gui-
ding taste which had given character to the
masqueraders. But sure they were grotesque.
There were much q lare and glitter and piQuau-
Cy and phantasm much Of which has since been
seen 10 "Hernani." There were arabesque
figures with unSulted limbs and appointments.
There Were deliriOus tanCies such as the mad
man fashions There were much Of the beau
Itul, much Of the wanton, much OF the bizarre.
aud something Of the terrible, and not little ol
that which might have excited disgust. To
and flo IN the seven chambers there Stalked, in
fact, multitude of dreams. And these-the
dreams-w writhed in and about, taking hue from
the rooms, and causing the wild music of the or
chesra TO seem as the echo OF their steps. And,
anon, there strikes the ebony clock which stands
in the ball Of the velvet. And then, for a mo-
ment, all is still, all is silent save the voice oil
the clock. The dreams are stiff frozen as they
stand. But the echoes of the chime die away
they have endured but an instant and light,
half subdued laughter floats after them as they
depart. And now again he music swelIs, and
the dreams live, and writhe to and fro more
meTriIy than ever, taking hue from the many
tinted windows through which stream the rays
from the tripods. But to the chamber which lies
most westward Of the seven, there are now none
of the maskers who venture; for the night is wa
ming away, and there flows a ruddpr light
through the blood colored panes and the black
ness ofthe sable draPery appals; aud TO him
whose foot falls upon the sable carpet, there
comes from the near clock of ebony a muflpd
peal more solemnly emphatic than acy which
reaches their ears who indulge in the more re-
mote gaities OF the other apartments.
But these other apartments were densely
crowded, and in them beat irverishIy the heart
oflife. And the reyel went whirling on, until
at length there commenced the sounding OF
midnight upon the clock. And then the music
ceased, as | have told; and the eyolutions of the
WALKERS were quieted; and there was an uneasy
cessation OF ali things as before. But now there
were twelve strokes to be sounded by the bell
of the clock; and thus it happened, perhaps
that more of thought crept, with more Of time,
into the meditations OF the thoughtful among
those who revelled. And thus too, it happened,
perhaps, that before the last echoes of the last
chimes had utterly sunk into silence, there
were many individuals in the crowd who had
found leisure to become aware of the presence
ola masked figure which had arrested the atten-