Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-13
HlislelIanp.
From Belgr1via.
EVeline's Visitant.
A GHOST STORY.


GHOST STORY.
Il was at masked ball at the Palais Royal
that my fatal quarrel with my first cousin
Andre de BrIsssc began The quarrel was
about a woman. The women who followed the
footsteps of Pnillip of Orleans were the causes
of many such disputes and there was scarcely
one fair head in all that glittering throng, which
TO a man versed in social histories and mys-
teres might not have seemed bedabbled with
blood.
| shall no record the name of her for love
Of whom Andre de Brissac and crossed one Of
the bridges, IN the dim August dawn, on our
way the ground beyond the church Of
-. German Ces Pres.
There were many beautiful vipers in tn ose
days, and she Was one Of them. | can feel the
chill breath a that August morning blowing
in my face as | sit IN my dismal chamber at
my chateau of Puy Verdun tonight, alone in
the stiffness, writing the strange story of my
life. | can see the white mist rising from the
rver the grim outline of the chatelet, and the
,qI4re towers of Notre Dame black against
the pale gray sky. Even more vvidly can
recall Andres fair Young face. as he stood op-
pos'te to me with MS two iriends-scoundrels
both, and alike eager for that unnatural fray.
We were strange group to be seen in a cum
mer sunrise, al of US fresh from the heat and
ci4mor of the Regents saloons Andre in a
quaint huntng-dress copied from family por
Irlit at Puy Verdun. | customed as one of
Laws Mississippi Indians. the other men in
like garIsh frIppery, adorned with broderies
and I5wels that looked wan in the pale light OF
the dawn.
Our quarrel had been fierce one-l quar-
rel which could have but result, and that
the dIrest. | had struck him and the welt
raised by my open nand crimson upon his
fair womanish face as be stood opposite me.
The eastern sun shone on the face presently
and dyed the cruel mark with deeper red
but the sting of my own wrongs fresh, snd
| had not yet learned TO despise myself for
that brutal outrage.
To Andre de Brissac such an insult was most
terrible He was the favorite of fortune, the
favorJe nt women and | was nothing-a
rough soldier who had done my country good
service, but in the boudoir OF a P,rabere a
mannerles bOor.
We fought, and | wounded him mortally.
Life had been very sweet for him and | think
jhat frerZy OF despair took possession of him
when he felt tie iife-blood ebbing away. He
beckoned me to him IS he lay on the ground.
! went, and knelt at his side.
Forgive me Andre !" | murmured.
He took no more need of my words than if
that pteous entreaty had beer the idle ripple
OF the river al hand.
. Listen to me, Hector de Brissac," he said.
am not one who believes that man has
done with earth because MS eye glszes and his
Jaw stiffsns. Eney viii bury the old
vault a. Puy Nerdun; and you viii be the
master Of the Chateau. An, | know no liz ht-
lv they take things in these days, and how
Dubois viii laugh wnen he hears tnat Ca has
been killed iu a due. They will bury me, and
sing masaes for my soul but you aud have
not finished cur attsIr yet, my cousin. L will
be with you when you least look to see mel,
with this ugly scar upon the face that women
have praised and loved. | aili come to you
when your lie eems brightest. | will come
between you and ali tia YOU hold fairest and
dearest. Ny ghostiy mana shaIl dlop poison
in your cup Of JOY. My shadosy fJrm shall
shut the sunlight from our life Men with
such iron will as mine can do what they please,
Hector de Brssac. IL ls my will 20 haunt you
Nhen | sm dead. -
All this in short broken sentences he whs-
pered INTO my had need to bend my
tar close to his dying lips but he ron will OF
Andre de Brlssac SO enough 10 do bat
tie with death, and J believe he said all he
wished 10 soy before his head tell back upon
the velvet CLOAK they had spread beneath hlm,
never TO be LII ed again
As he lay there you woud have f.ncied him
fragile suipliug, teo far and fraIl for The
struggle called Ilie bu there those who
remember the bret manhood Of Andre de
BrIssaC. and no csn bser witness 10 the terri
be force Of that proud nature.
stood looking down at the young face with
that foul malk upon il and God knows wa,
sorry FOR hat | had iae.
o; those bi4sphemou, threats which he had
whispered in my | to'k no heed. l
soldier and q believer. There nothing sb
soluteiy dreadful 10 me in the thought that
had killed ms man. | had killed many mel
on the battlefield q; end this one had done m,
d cruel wong.
My friends would hay- cross The frontit
10 escape tie cOnst quenc-s OF my act but
was ready L. lace tnose consequences, and
renamed in FraLce. kept aloof from tn
court, aud received hint Lat | had best con
lne myself I. my own provH ce. Many masse
were cnanted III the lHJle cnapel Of Puy Yer
dun for the soul of NJ, dead COUSIN and hi
coffin filled nch he IN The vault of our ances
tors.
Ills death had made me rich man an,
the thought that II was so, made my newly &C
qured wealth very hateful 10 me. lived
lonely existence 10 the old chateau, where
rarely held converse win any out the servant
OF the household, all OF whom had served m
cousIG, and none OF whom liked me.
L. was hard and bitter lite. 1t CALLED me
when rode through the village 10 rec th
peasant caIidren shrink away from me- hay
L assed item by. Strange reports tad gon
forth about me anu there were those wh
whispered that nad given my soul to the Ev
One as tie price Of my cousins heritog.
From my boy hood | had been dark of yisay
and Stern If manner ; and hence. perhaps, n
woman's love had ever been mIle. | remeu
ber my mo hers tee In all It's changes of ez
preston but Can iememter no look Of affet
ton that shoDe m-. That ether W.
man, beneath whose feet | III my heart ",
eased To receive my ht m 49,. but she nevs
loved ne ana The eId wa. tresc cry.
Lao srown naitfui to myself aud had wei
nign b gun TO hale my ieiio. Creatures. abe
ev.Ish desire seized upon ne, pined to
back in he press and throng of the ou y wor
once again. | went back to Paris, where
kept mys'l aloof from the cour and whel
an sngel took compassion upon me.
She the daughter Of o.d comrade.
man whose merits bad been neglected, who