The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-08-20

|
dows of night fell over the world, the sha
| dow OF tie dark angels wings fell on hi
! face, and spread thence over all the house
! They i,ad laid him out III the room where
/ he died, and there they brought me to him
/ The house was a rambling sort OF build
/ ing, which had been erected piecemea!
and could boast of dates varying from til,
/ time OF the Stu;,rts to that Of the present
| Sovereign. Apart from the main building
an connected with it only by a long clO- -
! corridor, stood Il tower which in older
I times had probably formed a part of g
| former mansion on the same spot, and re
manned firm and unshaken, while the rest
had fallen into utter ruin. This tower my
father, actuated by some strange fancy, had
caused to be put in order and furnished
with all the possible appliances OF modern
luxury without disturbing the insignia oi
ancient heraidry or the ornamental de
vices of past generations. Thus the interi
or presented "a unique, and yet not disa
greeable mosaic of ancient and modern art
and taste Here was q stays horn hung
with the swords and musket of some laird
Of the oldcn times, and next to 1t some de
vice of modern upholstery displayed in
window curtains. There was set OF ar
NOR Of TIE chivalric days, and leaning
against il ha@ wound about a spear staff,
and Immediately adjoining. book case
filled with the choicest productions oi mo
d-ra genius The walls were concealed 10y
rich folds of silk worked with figures OF
various shapes and design by the hand OF
some ancient artist There were rrotc,pue
representations OF genii dragons, all the
supernatural beings with which the super
stition Of the middle aGe- loved to people
earth and air, mingled with scenes from
history or romance, executed with power
and skill IN the del.ucation OF features and
expression. which many 4 painter might
coyet Th., tapestry had been presented
for the sake of the embroidery, while the
window curtains, being OF Il more modern
texture. and gloss made the other dec"ra-
tipns look gloomy and dingy. The door
was Of -Oi.a oak and carved with the arms
Of the family who had long held the
place but had been supplied for cpnv"n-
fence with a -pr!nE lock, which could be
opened from without only by ker.
Below th.~ room WIS It sort OF vault, on
the level OF the erouHd, vi icl WAS lighted
by "a small window at h height OF about
i've feet from the ;.oor From this room a
winding -tl,ca-- led u the one just d :
,,ribe,i. l.. an entrance which was hidden
flrori,e haunt. my father had passed the
hour, Of LIS sickness here he had died,
and here they bad laid Inn out to await
burial. here tAc body had lain twenty-iour
hours, and according to custom had been
watched constantly They relied on me,
they saii. to perform that duty on the
n.-lt O.. nv arrival However inu> h my
oyya horror at the appearance Of the corpse
might hlv, ifiur-c,-d ne otherwise. my
uc..luc-- O.; relation 70 the dead man for
laie my refusal, and | retired 70 rest until
l. . clock, when my vigil was 70 COM
mcnce. Tired and weary though / was,
the grief which ! felt. and a sort Of morbid
honor ~ ;he anticipation of the night ;
watch ba.iicd nay attempts TO sleep, and
v, ',ca II the apI United hour | WAS sum
i.I',i.rjt. Va, tpbi!y unit 'or tie Office
Ny nerves were uu-trUns my lody weak
cncd hy want 90! rest. and -r.yf - such an
extent. :A.t was incapable %! amy "X"--
'iou c..... oi t,ly or mind i>.tam d,
however. OF IN. wc.kut-s. and uuw':l NJ to
bUra another - account %: my foolish
i.ar. ut,,,d ,io call. and Withdrew I"
tse chamh.l ot ;uc dead ~ entered |
found IL! tHiu.- a. ! hav" already de
Scg.b.G them. with OF" ar two tr!tliuC cX-
certiou~. The room was lighted 10y four
ca Hdir~tick- placed about the corpse. and
two more ou a tatir - at which was
s,nead with book. and papers to relieve
the solitude of tie watch Tn" tapestry
appeared brighter. and the colors more
brilliant than 10y diyli,ht aud ! no longer
woid red at th" taste which !cG my father
20 preserve it The servants and assist
aut- 1T NV duty were to remain IN the
chamber AT the other end of the corridor,
whence they could be summoned by q
b,ll. whose cord hung near me. These
{ crs Icing explained, the old house stew
ard, who acted AZ usher, departed, "ni his
footsteps cchoin" through the passage, and
followed hv tie osina Of the door, told
me that was alone with the dead first
lonke ed at the body. The face by that dim
light seemed even more chast.y than be
fore. and t!.e symptoms of modification
were more distinct and rcpulsive | turn
cd away To eek tor something less horri-
blc. aal taking up a book attempted to
read The application and the utter 81
lcncc brought about what | could not Of
feet before. and ! fell into deep sleep
When ] awolle the candles had burned
low, and the long untIimmed wicks threw
heavy shadows in all parts of the room,
and gave everything a dimness which seem
ed well suited TO the place, and in accord
ance with the character Of my occupation.
! rose and began to examine the tapestry
more particularly, and to study the figures.
One scene which first attracted my atten-
ton was a rcpres sCntation of the temptation
OF our Lord The face of the Saviour had
been partly efiaccd 10y some rude act of Vi
olcnce which had rent the fabric. and the
attempt 10 repair it had produced but a mi
seial l. scar. On the other hand the face
of Satan. As well as the whole figure. was
admirably preserved. 1t was nearly as
lar.e as life. and worked with skill
which made it seem to stand out from the
silk BACKGROUND III bold relief 1t was re-
ore. ltcd according TO the popular idea OF
the tabricators age. as furnished with
horns and IA tail. and was ebony black in
all parts OF the naked body. The face was
human in feature, but marked by an eX-
preston OF mingled hatred, fear, and Yet
OF triumph, which 10 face but a demon :
could wear; and | wondered that human
IMAGINATION could have conceived so horri
BE a countenance. The beads which had
been wrought into the eyes gave them q
brilliancy which recalled like a flash the
remembrance OF my strange encounter OF
the day He was represented, probably.
at the time when he was pointing to the
Kingdoms Wnlcii Kay DeHetitil tneHl, anu MS
right arm was raised and his toretinger ex-
t ,nded, as if to mark them for attention.
SO lite-l!ke was the posture and SO perfect
the execution that instinctively and mvo-
Iluntari!y turned to see at what it pointed.
/ Fr, m where | stood it seemed to point
riqht at tie c9Gf'n, and as Withdrew my eyes
hastily from that object, there seemed to
be a characteristic o. his expression which
L., l
4 to be a delight st Ia.n inflicted, and q
moclsing smile which, as the head nodded
1 from the motion of air behind the tapestry
seemed to repeat as plain as whisper in the
/ ear. Don't you know ?-he is dead"
/ shuddered. turned away and, snuffing my
two candles, took up the first book touch
i s,,l Ionnn a renl Ii rroyel to l1