Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-04-24
WHOLE NUMBER 641.

one OF my dresses TO ht Catherlne,
and in reading over and over Pierre's
ardent letter, which she had seen but
once, as [ had kept it for safety in my
possession while we were IN the con
vent. She grew more reconciled to
herself, and was content to say her
prayers without rosary. Our room
was very quiet, overlooking the or
chard, where pyramids of apples
were piled under the trees, and per-
fumed the autumn air with their scent.
There was nothing to scare or startle
her; and tomorrow Pierre might
come The day passed well; but
during the second afternoon the land
lady made her appearance, and in
tlmated that we must leave, with an
: air OF decision which gave me clearly
to understand that she meant to turn
US out.
} NWhy ?n inquired
She would not say why, only we
must go, and go at once. 1t did not
occur to me that | should have any
: trouble in finding another lodging,
and | bade her leave US alone, while
we prepared for our departure. Cath
crimes dress was finished, and | had
bought her a dark-colored hood at
the village shop. She put them on,
| and appeared as a wan, meagre, wOr-
} ried woman, in poor circumstances,
who had had all grace and dignity
/ trodden out of her. Again, some
! very poignant doubts of NJ. De For
ville'S satisfaction crossed me, and |
wished heartily that he would come,
or that we were both back in the con-
vent. Yet was really fond of Cath
crime, and very sorry for her.
We went to nearly every house in
: that village, and were refused shelter
in each; but after | had caught a
glimpse at the convent priest, | was
no longer mystifed. We must make
;, the best of our way, while the day
light lasted, to some other village, and
get a place Of refuge for one night
2 before we were hunted On again on
the morrow. | said nothing to Cath
r crime, but | took the broad road lead
: ing from the village, and shook off
; the dust from my feet as [ left it. 1t
: was getting near sunset, and all the
t afternoon the sky had been gathering
stormy-loOking clouds, torn at the
t edges, as if some strong upper cur
D rent of wind was rending them into
/ fringes. ! talked to Catherine gayly
b for at every utter extremity my spir
: its rose into almost bOiSterOus buoy
0 ancy and | was brought up so close
S to the unknown future now that
could not guess where we should be
e or what we might be doing in another
hour. On and on we walked brisk
p ly; Catherine glad to fee from tn,
X lnhospltable village, and L anxious t
n reach another before nightfaIl. Th
road was very solitary, with but fey
le passengers, as most French countr
= roads are, and for the first two 0
S, three miles | did not care to inquir
i where it would lead US, less immed
is ately persecution should track ou
h. steps. We came to no village; an
O. the few farmsteads we passed, Will
20 it was light enough to see them, lool
or ed too dirty and miserable to invit
d, US to seek shelter there. We wer
IN on in hope Of finding something be
u ter, until the dusk darkened rattle
d. quickly into night, from the tnicknes
0, of the clouds which overspread th
1t sky.
le did not know how far or ho,
+ long we had walked, out [ felt an ez
u treme fatigue os ertaking me. | coul
q no longer see GATHERINGS face nor ha
e she spoken to me for some time, an
e. | dared not ask her how she felt
n The wind began to whirl past US i
e sudden gusts, and howl dismall,
# among the trees which crowded th
II hedgerows and made our path darker
There was vague, OmlnOus roar of
r, ghostly tone, somewhere in the blacI
k distance; whether Of wind or sea
.e could not tell. We strayed somehow
IS or other out of our road, and los
g ourselves in a thick wood, which nigh
s, prove to be one of those old forest
d of indefinite extent, where wolve
is find lair, which still exists in France
1t Suddenly, without an instant's warn
a ing, a torrent OF rain fell, patterin'
Lr upon the autumn leaves with a multi
lie tudiuous sound, and the sky grey
| blacker every minute, though W
le could distinguish the ebony trunk
II and branches OF the trees, enclosing
k us as in a net on every hand and W
ID could just make out, in a small ho
Ie low OF an old trunk a tiny white i'll
n age of the Virgin in a bower of art
" fetal white roses. Catherine san
10 down on the mass of dead leaves be
s, fore it, and began to pray, while
s. stood by, listening to the bowling O.
n- the 6tful wind, and the deep, constan
roar of the sea, if it was the sea, an
le shivering under the pelting rain-drops
N There reached US at last the faint not
Y Of bell tinkling far away.
IS Il am going to die" said Gather
ID inc, solemnly; al hear the bell of th
y convent | have forsaken. 1t is th
IN sign of approaching death. o, hol
s, Mary, holy St. Catherine, have pit
d upon US ?''
N "Don't be foolish" said, rathe
r Grossly; at cannot be the conver
III bell"
ID I" have heard it for sixteen years,
st she answered, "and | should know