New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-06-18


room, when a spectacle met my sight which had
not at first notired ,.
| I enteres vas lyng on Il couch. He rose without
| uerceiying me. and hurried 70 the WINDOW; His
eheeks we're bathed III tears, and deep despair was
/ ;mnrinfed On his features. For some moments he
ssnod pcrfaetiy still, his face hidden in his hands
4 then LII began walking with hasty strides about
i the room.
! me-, and gave shuddering start. Grieyed and an
moved at my own thoughtlessness and ndiscretion,
A tried to withdraw, uttering some words OF eN-
s.Who are your What do you wants'' he asked
| in q loud voice, seizing me By the arm i a IL
"Iam the Ghevaiier Bernard de "a Roche Ber-
| nard, 2 Ireplied; and come from Brittany.
\ "A know know he interrupted me with, at
the same time warmly shaking both my hands.
BE then made me sit beside him, and questioned I
| me about my father and all my family, IN tone
which convinced me that was speaking to the
proprietor of the Chateau. t
es'Y 'You are Monsieur C---2'' asked.
He rose and looked at me in a wild manner.
.eIwas,'l he answered, = but am so no longer. /
/ am nohody.''s
Then, seeing my astonishment, he cried:
: Not another word, young man. Do not qnes-
tion nie.''
..Imust do so, monsieur 2 answered, :" for I
was Witness most unwillingly, ofyour trouble, and
perhaps my friendship or aid may alleviate it, or
assist you.
AL 1Ou are fI&ht, YOU are TiHnG, lie SitlQ aIter
moments thought; not that you can in any way
change my fate, but you can receive and become |
the depository of my last wishes; that is the only
service any one can do me-
He rose, and closing the door, came and sat be- |
side me. was overcome by his melancholy 1
| There was something solemn in his words, and his
| physiognomy especially had an expression such as
| I had never before seen. He was very pale, and
i his dark eyes flashed with excitement; and from
4 time to time his face, though worn BY suffering,
was contracted BY an ironical and sardonic smile;
4 What am about to tell you, !, he sad, VIII
/ confuse your reasoning powers. You'll doubt and /
j disbelieve. Often myself am inclined to do So
l that is would fain do it; but the ineontestable
proofs remain and there exists IN thing which
surrounds us, In our organization even, stranger
mysteries, to which we are forced to submit our
reason, without comprehending them.
He paused an instant to collect his ideas, and
continued: s5
II was born in this chateau. had two brothers,
elder ones, to whom this house, by right, would
have belonged had no prospect before me but
the church, nevertheless, my heart was filed with
ideas of greatness and ambition, which fermented
there continually. Made wretched by the thought
Of my own obscurty, ever grasping at fame, Ion'T
dreamed about the means of acquiring ID 40 one =
pursuing thought made to al Word tl
e,sasapes ffsach and to ali the
me- The present was as nothing t
pIeasag only existed in the future, and that futur
a presented itself to me under the most lugubrlou
aspect. was nearly thirty years OF age and ST.
oi mere cipher in existence; had done nothing o.
Il
ct the literary regulations obtained in Paris, whic
found an echo to resound their praises in the yer
y = heart of the provinces. .Ah!' often exclaimed,
N, i could only create name for myself in the worl
- Of letters It would be fame, and that is the onl
happiness the world possesses!
w s' The sole oonfdant of my sorrows was an oil
as servant, negro, who had resided in the chatea
long before my birth: he certainly was the oldes
person in it, for no one recollected ever havin
seen him enter the country people even asserte
that he had known Marshal Fabert, and had bee
IN Y y | with him when be died"
AZ started. My interlocntor it, and hast
~ ity asEed me what was the matter
. ~ Nothing, y replied; but in spite OF myself,
N N thought of the black man of whom my host, tn
III previous evening, had spoken Monsieur de c.
s sn continued
be be one day Zago (that was the negros name) sa,
" me giving way more than usual to my despair, an
~ cursing the useless life was leading. In my ar
y, guish, exclaimed:
i'd give ten years Of my life to be at the hea
II u of our first authors
nd % Ten years he replied, coldly. It is payin
\. very dear for very lutte. Never mind. / accer
~ your ten years. take them. Now, remembe
y, your promise III keep mine
- = will not attempt TO depict my surprise to vol
/, ! thought that age had weakened his reason.
~ shrugged my shoulders. smiling at his words an
GU few days aiterward quilted the chateau for Par
There found myself introduced into the societ
" of all the derdti. Their example encouraged me
~ and ! published several works, the success I
ne s which il would ilbecome me to boast of, were
~ not for the purpose Of detailing what have to n
: late. All Paris was speaking of them, and th
'to papers were filled with my praises. The name
B. had assumed became celebrated; and only yeste
''se day. young man. you yourself admired--"
- Here another movement of surprise on my pa
aits interrupted his recital.
Ns' Then you are not the DUO de G-----F cried.
-. mo- he coldy answered.
sas And said to myself 81 celebrated author wi
sne can he be- Is it Marmontel, or d. Alembert? ia
ING sas it be Votaire n g5 s z3#5 5ra z5]5,f sz#g
'he 'he nv unknown acquaintance sighed; d contemp
id uous expression cnrled his lip, and he continued
NJ n This literary reputation which had so a
~, IDENTIFY coveted became very shortly insuficer
aug for my soul. aspred after more noble SUI
!. cesses. aud said to Zago, who had followed N
ier to Paris, and never left me, There is no tru
glory except that which is acquired in the fell
Y Y What il a literary man or poeI2 What indee,
ny compared with a general of army? That
an AM the destiny am desirous Of, and to possess
eW would give freely ten years of my existence
t. / accept and take them; they belong to IA
.,ny Don't forget it,, said zago9
VI, Here the narrator again paused, observing IL
ar sort of trouble and hesitation which my count
II = nance bespoke.
aH 9.s told you, young man,, he said, that yc
es would find difficulty in believing me- 1t seen
III to you like dream--a chimera; and to mYse
~, ~, too Nevertheless the grades and honors whit
.l .na obtained were illusion The soldiers wi
IN were led on in battle, the redoubts which we
~ Nv carried the coors which were taken, and the vi
90 tories with which France rang again-all were n
. doing, all that glory was mine "
me He walked about with immense strides, al
my spoke with enthusiasm aud fire. was thunde
I, i st Rek with amazement, and asked myself, ..Wi
m Ine can this be near me Is ii Caigny? Can it
Vas | Richelieu? Or is it the Marechal de SAKE"
Nv From the state oil exataton, with which he h;
my NY spoken, my unknown fell into complete state
III ~ mental prnstration and, approaching me, sal
as, a5, with u s0mbre air
aasu "Iago said truly and when, q little later, d
gusted with this vain gtary aspred to somethiI
more positive, and desired gold aud riches, at Il
' W. price OF five Or six more years of my life,
~ granted my desire -chateaux, lands forests. III
.y.i 'ayi morning even all these my possessio
VI aud, it you doubt my word, il you disbelieve abo
n Zago, wait, wait awhile. He will come, you sh
see him, aud you will yourself observe, with yo
nm nas own eyes, that which conteunds my reason,
Dus which is, most unhappiiy only too true.n
nj He approached the chimney piece and gaz
@ @ye at the clock with gesture OF horror, as he W
~ ~ pered:
fa. y. Only this morning. at break Of day. felt
weak and ill that could scarcely move | IA
ons as for my valet. II was Zago appeared. What
,in ms the matter with me p cried.
wy Wy Master, nothing but what is perfectly natnr
ana ana The huur approaches
owe owe '.What huur2n asked.
ave we Can you not guess? Heaven awarded J
@ le., sixty years Of life. You We're thirty when CO
sun sa menced 1heying yon.n
Fe n. sZago!n cried in horror {" do you speak 81
= ~ d ously2'
ssa sos Yes. master. In five years you have sp'