The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-09-06
LANCASTER, OHIO, THURSDAY, SEPT, 6, 1860


that | was speaking to the proprietor Of
the chateau.
"You are Monsieur CO" asked.
He arose and looked at me in wild
manner.
81 was" he answered, but am so no
longer. am nobody"
Then seeing my astonishment he cried:
"Not another word, young man. DO
not question.
Il must do so, Monsieur" 1 answered,
"for was witness most unwilling to
your trouble, and perhaps my irienship,
or air may alleviate il or assist you"
"You are right, you are right" be
said after p,oment's thought: mot that
You can in any way change my fate, but
you can received and become the depos.
tory Of my last wishes, that is all any one
can do for me-"
He rose, and closing the door came and
! sat besidemes--I was overcome by his
melancholy!
There was something solemn in lis
words, and his pbysiognomy especially,
bad an expression such as | had never
sen. He was pale, and his dark eyes
flashed with excitement; and at times his
face, though worn by suffering, was con-
tlacted by an ronical and sardeuic smile.
"What | am about 10 tell you," lie
said, "will confuse your reasoning pow
ers. You'll doubt and disbelieve. Often
myself am inclined 10 do so--tha, is,
would fain do it; but the incontestible
proofs remain; and there exists in every
thing which surrounds as, in our organi
zaIion eveo, strager mysteries. to which
we are obliged TO submit our reason, with
out comprehending them"
He paused an instant to recollect his
ideas and continued:
81 was born in this chateau. ] had
two brothers, elder ones, 10 whom this
house by right would lave belonged.
had no prospect before me but the church
nevertheless my heart was filed with ideas
Of greatness and ambiti, ms. which fer.
mented there continually. Made wretch.
ed at the thought Of my own obscurity
ever grasping after lame, only dreamp
about the means Of acquiring it, and thi,
pursuing thought made me inseusible t(
all worldly pleasure within my reach, anC
10 all the sweets of existence BESIDES
The present was nothing to me. exs
ted only in the future, and that future
presented itself 10 me in most lueubri
ous aspect, l was nearly thirty years oI
age, and still mere cipher in existence
| had done nothing on the road 10 fame
Everywhere around Inc heard OF the
literary regulations obtained in PARIS
found an echo to resound their praises il
the very heart of the provinces, All,
often exclaimed, if could only create I
name for myself in the world of letters
1t would be fame, and that is the onl,
happiness this world possesses.
: "The sole confident of my sorrows wa
an old servant, negro who had resides
in. the chateau long before my birth; h
certainly was the oldest person in it, 70
} no one recollected having seen him entel
The country people even asserted that b
had known Marshal Fabert, and been wit
him when he died"
| l started. My interlocutor perceive
it and hastily asked me what was the ma
ter. "Nothing sir,' l replied; but i
t spite of myself, | could not help thinhin
Of the black man of whom my host ha
. spoken previously. Monsieur dc G.
D continued:
"Ono day ZsSo Chat was the negroe
t name saw me giving way more than usu'
to my despair, and curslng the useless Ii
5 | was leading. In my anguish | exclaiu
e ed
] I'D give ten years Of my life 10 be
e the head of our first authors
Ten years. he replied coldly, 1T
paying very dear for very little. New
. mind. l accept your ten years-I then
Now remember your promise; III kte
!. mine!
u 4 will not attempt to depict my Surpri
] to you. thought that age had weake
G his reason. l shrugged my shoulder
smiling at his words, and few DAYS sfle
+. wards quilted the chateau for Paris
\. There | found myself int, oduced into Il
society of the lterati. Their example e
C couraged me and Ipublished several wor
J, the success of which it would ill becou
d me to boast of, were it not for the purpo
of detailing what have to relate.
Paris was speaking of them, and The p
7 pers were filed with my praises. L
:. name | had assumed became celebrate
!, and only yesterday, young man; yOu you
" self Admired
n Here another movement Of surprise
= my part interrupted his recital.
- Then you are not the Due de c.
'o | cried.
/, No. he coldly answered.
Il And said to myself, "A celebrat
~ ~ author, who can it be? Is it Mormont
:, or D. Alambert? Can it be VolIairc?'
My unknown acquaintance sighed
Is contemptuous expression curled his
ot and he continued: ...
This literary reputation which l h
he so ardently coveted soon became insu
a Glen. for my soul. l aspired after me
e. noble success, and I said to Zago, W
re had followed me to Paris and never
n. me. there is no true glory except Il
It's which is acquired 10 the field. What
en- literary man or poet2 What inde
tn compared with the general of au army!
That is the destiny am desirous OF, a
To would give freely ten years Of my exi
= ence to possess
IT. 'Iaccept and take them; they belong