The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-24
'Nothing of the sort.p

81 have wished to sleep this long time, but
al neither, after the bad dream. MY fire has
gone the way of your candle. May 1 come and
sit by yours Two o'clock It will so soon be
four, that l. is not worth the trouble TO go TO
bed again.
"I shall not take the trouble to 60 TO bed at
all now;n said Yendale; "sit here and keep me
company, and we,come.n
Going back to his room to arrange his dress,
Obenreizer soon returned in a loose cloak and
slippers, and they sat down on opposite sides of
the hearth. In the interval, Vendale had re-
plenished. the fire from the wood-basket in his
room, and ObenTeizer had put upon the table
flask and cup from his.
Common cabaret brandy, I am afraid" he
said, pouring out; thought upon the road, and
not like yours from Cripple Corner. But yours
is exhausted: so much the worse. cold night,
cold time OF night cold country, and
cold house. This may be better than nothing;
try t.n
Veudale took the cup, and did so.
How do you find it?"
at has a coarse after-havor," said vendale,
giving back the cup with slight shudder, ''and
don't like it,"
''You are right" said Obenreizer, tasting, and
smacking his lips; it has a coarse after-aayor.
and 1 don't like il. Boob it burns, though ~
He had flung what remained in the cup upo0
the fire.
Each of them leaned an elbow on the table,
reclined his head upon his hand, and sat looking
at the fiaring logs 0benrezer remained watch
ful and still; but Vendale, after certain nervous
IWlICn6S anu SldTtB, III one OF WHICH D6 rose 10
his feet and looked wildly about him, fell into
the strangest confusion OF dreams. He carried
his papers IN leather case or pocket book, in
an inner breast-pocket of his buttoned travel
ling coat; and whatever he dreamed of, in the
lethargy that got possession OF him, something
importunate in these papers called him out of
that dream, though he could not wake from 1t.
He was belated on the steppes of Russia (some
shadowy person gave the name of the place)
with Marguerite; and yet the sensation of a
hand at his bt4ast, softly feeling the outline of
the pocket-book as he lay asleep before the fire,
was present to him. He was shipwrecked in an
open boat at sea, and having lost his clothes,
had no other covering than an old sail; and yet
a creeping hand, tracing outside all the other
pockets of the dress he actually wore, for
papers, and finding none answer its touch,
warned him 10 rouse himself.
He was in the ancient vault at Cripple Corner,
to which was transferred the very bed substantial
and present in that very room at Basle; and
Wild,ng mot dead, as he had supposed, and yet
he did not wonder much) shook him, and whis-
pered, Look at that man Don't you see he
has risen, and is turning the pillow? Why
should he turn the pillow, if not to seek those
papers that are IN your breast? AwakeW And
yet he slept, and wandered off into other
dreams.
Watchful and still, with his elbow on the table
and his head upon thai hand his companion at
length said: "Vendale We are called. Past
Four" Then, opening his eyes, he saw, turned
sideways on him, the ilmy face of Obenreizer.
you have been in a heavy Sleep" he said.
The fatigue OF constant travelling and the
cold ~
II am broad awake now," cried Vendale,
sspITingng up, but with an unsteady footing.
a may have dozed, but seem to have been
patiently looking at the fire. Whether or no, we
must wash, aud breakfast, and turn out. Past
four, Vendale; past fourl"
1t was said IN tone to rouse him. for already
he was half asleep again. In his preparation
for the day, too, and at his breakfast, he was
often virtually asleep while in mechanical ac-
tiOn. 1t was not until the cold dark day was
closing in, that he had any distincter impress
sioLs of the ride than jiDgling bells, bitter
weather, slipping horses, froWning hillsides
bleak woods, and stoppage at some wayside
house of entertainments where they had passed
through cowhouse to reach the travellers
room above. He had been conscious of little
more, except of ObenreiZer sitting thoughtful at
his side all day, and ey eing him much.
But when he shook off his stupor, 0benreizer
was not at his side The carriage was stopping
to bait at another wayslde house; aud line of
long narrow carts, laden with casks of wine,
and drawn by horses with quantity OF blue
collar and headgear, were batting too. These
came from the direction in which the travellers
were going, and Obenreizer( mot thoughtful now
but cheerful and alerD was talking with tue
foremost driver. AS Vendale stretched his
limbs, circulated his blood and cleared off the
lees OF his lethaIgy, with sharp run to and fro
in the bracing air, the line of carts moved on;
the drivers all saluting Obenrezer as they
passed him.
who are thoseg" asked vendale.
pany's" replied Obenreizer. "rhose are our
casks of wine." He was singing to himself and
lighting a cigar.
~ have been drearily dull company to-day"
said Vendale. 81 don't know what has been the
matter with me-"
"You hadno sleep last night; and a kind of
brain-congestion frequently comes, at first, of
such cold" said Obenreizer. 81 have seen it
often. After all, we shall have our journey for
nothing, it seems"
"How for nothingW
''The House is at Milan. You know we are a
Wine House at Neuchatel and a Silk House at
MilanS Well, silk happening 10 press OF sud
den, more than Wine, Deresnier was summoned
TO Milan. ROLAND, the other party, has been
taken i'll since his departure, and the doctors
will allow him TO see no one. A letter awaits
you at Neuchatel to tell you so. / have it from
our chief carrier whom you saw me talking with.
lie was surprised to see me, and said that he had
that word for you if he met you. What do you
do? Go backP ~
GO on" said Vendale.
"On? Yes. Across the Alps, and down to
Mlan.n Obenreizer stopped in his smoking to
look at Vendale, and then smoked heavily,
looked up the road, looked down the road,
looked down at the stones in the road at his
~ have a very serious matter in CHARGE"
said Vendale "moTe of these missing forms
may be turned to as bad account, or worse
am urged to lose no time in helping the House
10 take the thief; and nothing shall turn me
"No ~ cried Obenreizer, taking out his cigar
to smile, and giving his hand to his fellow
traveller. "Then nothing shall turn me back,
Ho, driver Despatch. Quick there Let us
They travelled through the night. There had
been snow, and there was a partial thaw, and
they mostly travelled at foot-pace and always
with many stoppages to breathe the splashed
and houndering horses. After an hours broad
a