The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-02-07
A DEBT, AND HOW TT
WAS PAID.
A TALE OF THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION,
concluded. H.
CHAPTER III.

The Count de Reynaud's quondam tenant
sat ID a large armchair, his head resting on
his hand, and his dark, cadaverous counte.
nance telling the tale of those sang uIusry
days as plainly as thought it had been writ
ten there-tellng the story of the frightful
scenes into which his ambition and his
thirst for vengeance had led him. The
table before him was covered with doom
meuts aud papers of all kinds.
We'll, is it all done for to-day 2" said he,
savagely. Is they led away from his pres
ence prisoner just condemned to death
mot quite, citoyen president. Here is q
woman who has been running about the
passages of the Hotel de Vile all day -
Before the speaker had time to conclude
his sentence, girl, young and
strikingly lovely, rushed into the chamber,
and stood before Gautier. Her dishevelled
hair was streaming over her shoulders, her
eyes seemed starting from their sockets, and
her face was almost livid with grief and
terror. Though dressed in the costume of
Flemish peasant, the delicscy of her fes-
lures, the beauty of her figure, and the
grace of her movements, frantic as they
were, told that she wore it only as dis
guise, and Gsutier smiled with malignant
triumph as he recognized her.
BE seated, cheyenne" said he, with q
marked tone of insolent irony.
Sir" began Madam de Reynaud, clasp
ing her hands, and fixing her eyes implor-
iugly on his face.
Call me citoyen," he interrupted, roughly
ave allow no aristocratic titles in these good
DAYS of equality"
s'Alasr' cried the countess, "ysu mus,
forgive me. for know not what l say. Ny
ideas are scsttered-my brain reals; bu. oh
"a hr
which | should address you-have pity
have mercy They have arrested my hus
band; they have taken him prisoner TO the
Hotel de Vile Yet he is innocent.
swear to you, by all hold most sacred, tina,
he is innocent Suffer me to ask you what
is 10 be his fate p
The fate which traitors and the enemies
of the Republic must expect" replied eau
tier, laughing derisively.
But he is neither cried the countess, il
voice of agony; ''he has never lifted
hand against his country, neither has b,
Joined in any conspiracy. OF what can you
accuse him, Monsieur Gautier, unless in
deed of having overwhelmed you with kind
ness? Oh sir speak, and tell me! Whs
is his supposed crime p
Crime" echoed Gautier, furiously.
he not I'D aristocrat has he not troddel
the people beneath his feet2
For moment the countess looked at tn
accuser in mute establishment and ndigns
ton, and then, in faulteriug accents, ey
claimed The accusation form YOU y
He covered beneath her flashing eyes 70
al instant, but then with an effort recovere
himself
The gratitude of private individual
said he, must never interfere with the dut
which a man owes 10 the public | al
placed here 10 punish the guilty.
And TO project the innocent ''criet
Madame de Rsynaud. Bat, sir, you mus
be iokiug-you cannot be serious-or it il
some frIghtfu dream 1t is i'm possible tina
you are about to stain your bands with ths
blood of q man who has positively been you
benetactor Did he not assist you to marry
did he not place you In the best farm OF
MS estate, and stand godfather TO your child
And now and now tears half choked
her words "a wanderer- gn outcast-
bereft of all Oh, sir, il you can save hi
life, save il !"
Countess de Raynaud," whispered tht
president, bending down to her ear, in days
gone by | knelt at your fest as you now
kneel at mine. l i'm 0lored your pity and
your mercy as you now implore mine Did
you listen TO me?-did you grant my pray
er? No! The love | sought you gave Il
him That jury of blacklist dye | nov
wash out but only with his blood Lon!
years have past since you refused to lister
to me, but day and night have never ceased
to thirst my revenge, and | grasp it in m
hand Is it likely | shall let it go? No
The Countess gazsd wildly q, him. Sh
seemed unable to comprehend the magni
tude of her misery, yet she stammered out
"Mercy mercy !"
Yes" continued Gsutler in the same 10y
tone but mercy costs dear"
Il have money! have still Jewels
shrieked the Countess.
GauLier shook his head and laughed
the laugh of demon.
mot enough" said he. HE robbed me
and for that theft"
What price oh what price, Gautier,
she asked
"His blood r. he replied.
His blood r. echoed Madame de Rey
maud. and the next moment she fell sense
less al his feet.
CHAPTER ".
The next morning thirty soldiers were
drawn up IN a small court, near the Hote
de Vile, especially devoted to executions O
this kind. In face of them stood q young
man. His countenance betrayed no sort o
emotion except, perhaps, that On his lip
there was curl of scorn and that, thong
the expression was calm and determined,
deadly pallor overspread his face In hi
hand he was permitted, as favor, to hol,
the handkerchief with which they would hav
bound MS eyes.
Now and then his eyes seemed to wande
into the distant crowd, as if in search 0
some loved object which met them not
Suddenly a piercing shrek rent the air
figure came flying across the court-and tn
naughty composure and nerve with which
Count Gustave de Reynaud had been abou
TO meet death, instantly forsook him h
started, trembed visibly, and held out hi
his arms. In moment his wife rushed init
them, and whilst locked In his embrace
wound her own frantically round his neck
But the scene was brief and transient al
flash OF lightning. The great window o
the Hotel de ' lille was thrown open witt
violence, and Francois Gautier appearec
upon the balcony. His eyes glared npor
his victim, and at a hurried sign. which h,
made to the officer on duty, Madame d,
Reynaud, fainting and half dead, was tor,
from the arms of her husband and forcibl
dragged from the scene of horror.
Hardly WAS the space cleared between tn
soldiers and the prisoner, when loud mul
muir was heard, and post chaise-th
horses covered with fosm-dashed into tn
court, and man, of colossal stature an
tsrocious countensnce, rendered still NOR
so by the mass of black hair which hun
round it, sprang from the carriage, ant
after gazlng intently on the various group
before him, walked up to the officer, an
ordered him to suspend the execution.
Gas for the prisoner" he added, sle. hi,
follow me to the Hotel de Vile"
In the hall of the revolutionary tribun,
he turned toward Monsieur de Reynaud, an
fixing his eyes on him in surprise, inquire
what were the circumstances Of his ARE
and his sentence.
Whilst the Count was detailing them, Il
countenance of the stranger darkened, q,
his lips tremblsd with fury. Hardly was &
recital finished than he folded his arm