Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-02-12

there God, righteous God, who looked
down from Heaven and permitted this iniqui-
ty, this wretchedness? And after a while
said, Yes, there is a God, and he will ayen-
ge." One prayer alone crossed my lips |
wearied Heaven with it night and day" Oh,
righteous God, ayenge me ~
Twenty-Five years passed still my thirst /
for vengeance was as great as bitter. had |
not forgotten, no, not more than that morn
ing when awoke from my long trance, and |
every time when beheld the misery, and op- |
preston, and anguish around me, ] cried |
more fervently still, -" Oh God avenge us - |
was old and gray my back was bent, though I
my years numbered but two score and FIVE.
hardly ever spoke; they called me IL Muet,
and children ran away frightened from me.
Then whispers of discomfort in Paris, then
something more than discomfort. a man
called Camille Desmoulins, crying" To arms
Deliyeranee from our oppressors ~ had head
ed the people, and marched through the
town, green cockades flying, slaves and axes
in their hands. Later, the bakers and wine
merchants shops were closed, and the multi
tude of mad Paris, with the tricolor this time,
thronged the Hotel de Vile and the public
streets; the houses were broken into, the
prisoners set free. Then said to myself,
% 1t is coming and set off for Paris Never
once in all those twenty-five years had the
Marquis de Foissac returned TO the chateau,
but still said to myself, 81 Though it tarry,
yet viii God give me my vengeance before
die"
I got to Paris footsore, weary from my
march, but my heart was strong and then
nv life began; fever filed me, and knew
fatirue no more. Ny hands helped to make
the barrieades my voice joined in the shout
=. Who're. Ia BGstiHe est prise'' was IN the
s,,roir, crowd when the Queen stood on the
b,le5nv with her children, and for a moment
INV heart softened, moment only, and then
my thirst for revenge came back stronger,
more furious. than ever. | went to Nersail-
les with the mob, clamOring for bread. |
hclred to drag the naughty aristocrats from
their chariots, and make them walk with
their fine shoes through the dirt, hooted and
Melted led the terrible crowd Of men and
women, thirsting for blood as thirsted to
the Hotel Fossac, in the Faubourg ST. Ger
main The Marquis had fed with his
bis wife and child. A rage of disappoint-
mcnt filed my heart, but yet ! said =. My
time viii come" | tore down his tapestries.
broke to pieces his beautiful Seyres, his
costly furniture emptied the wine in his
cellars, and left the house a miserable wreck.
Then I took my way from Paris back to the
fair South. Among the pillaging Staying par
ties l met on 'Ae roau, many whose idee7
knew stopped me and bade me Join them, but
/ went on. on to my vengeance; / knew II
waited for me now. When | was within Sc
ven miles Of my native place, came on
n'lue oI men anu "ollen' shouting sJIclNi- ,
my win reI caps upon thel heaus' oraAu-
ishinS axes khi'es' even scyl ana rear ping
HOOKS Ihcn l Went 10 the ~. mafEel-Ii'ae' i,.
CRYING. &c Cltizens- listen to me y. There was
silence. ana then-then Tor the irst time in
my lie opened my lips to tell the story of
tcroniquc. hle spoke You might have
heard pin drop then, when my recital was
finished 1t was answered with a low, hoarse
murmur.
'' Vengeance / cIled d" vengeance -
righteous God leads us on To- vengeance. Fol-
low me
'' engeance they echoed. ' Lead on.
citizen y, and with fury IN their eyes and
hearts. they followed on through the village,
through the woods, new crowds joining us
constantly till our number was increased to
hundreds. We reached the chateau there
were few lights here and there, which were
extinguished when the inmates heard us aI-
lroach. No answer came 70 our demand Tor
admitta1cc the door was larricadcd. and de-
fed our efforts. Then led tie way hound
through the gardens 20 the back entrance.
and there we forced our way in- Ny COM
Taui1ns swamed through the fine apartments
and the kitchens, ] alone rushed ON TO seek
my vengeance. / nn through therolms-at
last ! came 70 one. the door Of which refused
my efforts. Follow me i' / shouted, and
at my voice several of the mob ! led came
rushing.
Break me in thc door ! erred, and
after some resistance l' zen crashing ln"aIds.
For q second staggered, "reat Heaven IL
was .he roo. room ia winch Nef'niiue was muir
dered. . lHe remembrance s'iued me 20 mao
he-,- mere by 'he "ihu'" S'oeN 'Ae MAT
guis' whom ior nearly twSn'y-sI1 year, my my,
eyes Ead nor Deleid-an ola man now sum
with his fine feathers and eyi-looking eyes.
In a corner covered a woman, stlll young
aud girl As the door weat crashing NJ,
and he saw the furious faces behind it, he
turned and levcled pistol az the girl. Ii
missed fire; in moment spmng upon him
and pinioned hi= arms. He tried to free HIM
self, others surrounded him, and some rush
ed upon the women.
Back" / thundered, You are under
my orders. Take the man ami the woman
do them no harm until | come 20 You, ana
leave the g.rl to me" They obeyei
" Your lives for his if he escape, or You
Kill him till come to you.' know not
what effect had on those savage natures, but
they obeyed me ike children.
b. Do what YOU viii with me, shrieked
the Marquis; '' murder me, bat spare that
innocent child They forced him and the
Marquis away.
went up to the covering girl, my heart
filed with relentless fury. She was beauti-
iGl; her long fair hair unbound, her blue
eyes tull Of terror.
slowly | drew from my breast the dagger
which had been hidden there for siX-and-
twenty years unused.
81 Plunge that in your heart, | said, grasp
ing her arm.
' Mercy =" she ialtered, 81 mercy
IS Such mercy your father showed We
r5ique.'
Oh, Monsieur .' she gaspcd, '' know
not even who was Neronique. If have done
you any wrong, have mercy upon me.
There came upon Us burst Of fcndis.
yelis
" Come J cried, not one grain Of pts
= in my breast; will You stab yourself, ol
viii YOU wait until these hell-dogs come up
on YOU
{ - Oh save save met she implored IN hen
agony.
s,,o ,.or whom I stoo5 bv and saw We
, ronioue diei''
The horrid noise came nearer.
:. 1ark - | bissed in her ear. q. do YOU
still delov9 IF tbar enter here II will be r..
lofe :.
cor from INV hand while | watched her witt
D greedy ewes. The voices and stems were clos,
at hand. With conyulsiye crv she plung
ed the steel into her heart. and fell II th,
3 aoor. Then wild exultation filled me
D. . p;.. l;.i., a. Ni,..,,; .- ! -i,,,+l ..