Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-03-02

There was q long silence. The clerk
took down my answer and as I listened to
the scratching Of his pen. | wondered what
that had 10 do with the kick had given to
Rapp.
You are the author Of - said Van
spreckdal; "whsrs did you g., the sub
jvel2"
"lt fancy sketch"
You have no, copied the details any.
whcrcg"
"No. sir; I have imagined them all"
&" And thI. woman" pursued the judge,
"vho ]. being murdered on the edge Of
ihs we'll have you imagined her al.o'"
4" Undoubtedly"
"You have never seen her %
Never"
Van Sprcekdal rose. as II indignant. then
seating himself, he appeared to consult his
colleague in low voice. Suddenly he said
to the jailer
Take the prisoner to the carriage. We
aro going t. see the M',rsrsisas,s."
. wa, placed in carriage with two po.
liccmen. One Of them, on the way, offered
pinch Of ,nuT to hi. comrade. extended
my nngcrs mechanically to the box. lie
drcw /, back quickly. The blood mounted
into nv face. md turasl away my had
to conceal my emotion.
"Ifyou look out Of ihs vinloS," ,aid
the man Of the .nuf.boI. Eve shall BE-
obliged to put manacles on you"
/ when the carriage stopped, one o' them
alightsd, while the other held me by the
collar; then. seeing hi. oomrade ready to
receive the, be pushed ms on, rudely. We
entered narrow alley. with broken, irr,s.
ullF pavement, Ayell5N III moisture stood
on the walls, vShallny f.tii odor. |
walked in darkness. with two meu behind
ne. Farther on appeared tho light OF an
inner court.
M advanced, feeling OF terror took
possession Of me, like the unnatural horror
/ Of a nightmare. recoiled ins,inetivc'y.
"G1 on 80 crioi one Of the policemen
behind me. putting hi. hand upon my
shoulder; march ?"
Ny terror was no longer instructive when
I aw bsrorO me the court which had
,ks,ched the night before; its walls gar.
nr.hcd with hooks, the wood.pie, the ladder.
tho rabbi,.hu', III, Len-coop, etc. Not
sky.li:h,, great or small had been mliisd.
| VS.. ihunder,,ruek at this strange revela.
ton
Near the well were tho two judges. At
their feet wa. the old woman. lying on her
back. her long gray hair Struggling over her
form. her face li,ii, her e-', unua,urally
wide, her tongue between her teeth IL
was horrible spectacle
Well" -nid Van Sprsckdal, in a col.
emn tone. {" wha, have you 10 say?"
was silent.
"Do YOU confess that you threw this
woman, Theresa Decker. into the veil, ai.
ter having .tr4nslsd her, to steal her mo-
ncy7"
NO" | cried, 4" no d. no' know ,hi.
woman. have never seen her. May God
help me-
\ That is enough" he replied, in dry
voice. and departed with hi. companion.
I was carried back to prison in stat. Of
profound stupidity. knew not wha, to
tlink My conscience, even, began to
trouble me. asked myself Il | had not
really lyasas.inated tn. old woman. pa.,cd
a wrctchcd night Of doubt, bcwildsrment
and despair.
with the dawn some Of my black thoughts
disappeared. felt moro confidence in iny-
self, md. at ths same time, desire to zee
what wa, going on IN the world without.
. Other prisoners before mo had climbed 10
the narrow aperture. They had dug hols,
in the wall, that they might mount more
easily. climbed there in my turn, and
when, .,re,chins my neck forwnrd, | saw
the crowd. the life. the movement. teirs
flowed ablndanty down nv checks. |
thought no longer Of suicide. ioIperien,,d
the .tronges. desire TO live. They nigh.
condemn mo to the hardest labor, u.isht at.
I '.,h a cannon.ball to my leg, II they would
only let mo livc; to live was to be happy.
Tho old market opposite my window.
with il. roof like an cItinsuishsr resting on
heavy pillars, offered a fne spectacle. Tho
old women. seated my their basket. OF yeee-
tables, their cages Of poultry. and baskets
oi eggs behind them; the jews, old elO,he.
dealers, with face. the color OF lockwood
the butchers, with n,ked arms, ehoppiug
meat at their stalls; the peasants, with
large Eel, hat. planted on the naps OF the
neck, their hands behind their backs, and
smoking TRANQUILITY their pipes then the
noise. the tumult OF the crowd, tho tones OF
the voice. the expressive gestures, the uneS'
pected attitudes, which bctray at distance
,ho progress Of a di'pate. or paint the char
ac,er of an individusl--all this captivs,ed
ine /; and in spite Of my sad position ! f'''
happy 10 be in the world.
While I was looking on. man passed
with hi. back bent, bearing an enormous
quarter Of h,cf on his shoulders. HIS arm.
were naked. his elbows in the air. and his
head inclined on bic breast. Ills aoatng
hair. like that OF salVa,or's "Sicsmbrs.
concealed bis face; and yet, at the tirss
glance. thrill ran through my ,eins.
cit il he ~ ! exclaimed.