, 1870-07-16
THE TREASURE STONES

bont-
No one was at home; the master, mistrees
children. and servants we're gone to midnl8h
mass. The sound OF church bells we're sn
heard ACROSS the heath, now covered with
thin layer Of snow. Ouly an old woman, to-
old and infi1m to go to church, was sitting u
beside the fire.
A beggar was in the ats.le, asleep batweel
lean OF that drew the little plow, and An oil
ass, worn with carrying bundles OF heather O
Of roshes dried in the sun. The poor man ha'
reached the farm after the departure OF tn
fnr1oer, and the old woman had given cAk
OF black bread and cup Of milk, and then al
lowed him to 60 to bed in the stable.
He elept peacefully till he was awakened b,
voices neN him. He listened, thinking it wa
the people ct the farm come home ont h
soon perceived to his alnazemeut. that the o.
and the .Ass beside him we're conveEsinR il
good Breton" The asa had turned toward th,
OK. who was reposing on his litter; and tht
beggar Scrlven remembered he had heard i
said by old people that, in memory Of the hos
pita1ity shown by the OF and the ass to the IN
fant Jesus, once year, at midnight on Christ
mas eve, the inhabitants Of the stable were on
dowed With the gift Of speech. and were Abls
to converse about their Affairs like human be-
ingB.
scriven was sharp and clever. It Was not
for nothing that he had carried his wallet
from parish to parish, making capital OF hit
broken leg. and living ~ = beggar on tht
charity Of kind folks, He did not make the
least movement that might betray his pre-.
renee, lest be should silence his bed-fellovs
whose conversation he was so eager to hear
| Ihe OK vas saving to the ass, Zone neve,
does what one wants to do. II I we're not
tied here would go and take walk on the
heath, that might be at liberty at once; and
i met Beneadik, the plowulan Of Pluvigner,
l would tell him Something
What would you tell hm?" asked the ass,
4 u n ,aH a. hv,f
"Ah, you do not like Beneadik as do. He
doea not drive You; and that good-for-no:h-
| leg hao1o has given you so many blows that
you can hardly stand any more. But the mas
ter nag never had such q plowmAu as Benea-
dix. He talks to me as il we're Christian ;
and if he pricks me at all when 70 too slow,
IT is 30 gently that I scarcely feel it. He is
always afraid OF doing harm, and has no Wish
but to DO good. II he looks often toward
MaHemik, it is no wonder, for be wants to
make her his wife. II he only knew! He
would soon be rich enough to buy the farm,
the furniture, and all the land; and the mas
| ter, instead OF BnubbinE him, would stand be-
| fofe him cap in hand"
! scfiven began to listen With all his ears and
the ass, who was lying on his litter OF heather,
turned himself languidly around.
"lou mean that you want him to find the
treasure that the Stones OF pIouhinec will
leave uncovered one Of these dayB7 BY tho
and the 6ve-leayed clover, they would be Of
some use to him when the stones 60 down to
drink ut the Intel! But it happens only once
IN hundred years, and he will know nothing
about It,"
Resides" rejoined the OF, III there can
not be found in these parts baptized Chris-
tlan who will give his life for him, he will be
crushed by the Stones when they coma back
But after all, he would never let another be
killed for him, and the good God will show him
aome other way of becoming rich enough to
marry MnJiemik."
The aas had fallen asleep, and all WAS again
silent in the stable. seriveu alone Was awake,
with a terrible temptation gnAwinG at his heart.
Why should le not profit BY the knowledge Of
the existence OF this treasure which had just
been revealed to him IN go strange manner ?
Ho wall tired OF begging. It Was no longer
the good trade that il ased to be; the times
were hard, and although charitable people
might still give tho beggat tho best place in
the chimney corner, and the largest pieeo Of
bread, il-natured folks often lot him whit at
the door, aud after all threw him only dry
crust. He knew very well where 10 find the
magicai herbs-on the way az you go from the
sea-cozst to the country where it ne FER freezes,
where the myttlcs nIe in Hover in winter, aud
violetB open in February In the woods Scrivon
stopped, however, in his meditations when he
came to the last condition Of the great enter
prise. Where was he to find baptized Chris
tian who would gire his lifo for him?
He did not yet dare to ask himself aloud how
ho should delnde any one. and allure him to
his death. Eu. the devil had already suggest
cd dark schemes to him. The treasure gilt
fancicd ho saw Land=ful Of gold, diamonds,
and large bags Of silver, and between sleeping
and waking he gave himself up to these dan-
Ecrous Dreams After he WIS quite aslsep,
the master and mistress, with their children
and servants, returned from church.
1,aTS T. 1,rf,],s ~, !,
cadik.. who was stranging tho htters Of the
animals. Ho did not know him, but
the caresses 10 bestowed on the OK
from time to time, ~ well as the
sweet wor1s he exchanged in low tones with
Marienik, who vas helping her mother in the
more carefully. W,ckedness had already es-
tabhshcd itself in Scriyen's heart. When he
left the farm about midday hiB wallet was we'll
furnished He looked forward to the Stones
Of Plouhinec, which stood cut in the enow L.
regular and clear, like a troop OF soldiers
tenPlated them for minute; then he vent
back to take smother look at Beneadik, and at
last plunged into the heath, walking ip the d.
rection OF the Sea-
Three OF four days had passed, and the
ehort winters day had begun to close. The
ground Was stM covered with SNOW, and the
OK ruminated softly in tle stable, blessing
Heaven that had wrapped earth in white
shroud.
No work could be done, and Beueadik,
whistling gaily, in spite Of the growing dark
ness, VIVA striking Que OF the largest Of the
stones ot Plouhinec with chisel and ham,
mer. Tho poor fellow wAs not, however, re-
ally Eay, for ths mistress, who lad observed
that Marienik liked to Talk to him, had warned
her husband, who onre gaEc the Pluyigner
cause Of this abrupt dismissal, the master
said, IA man who has not twenty white pieces
in hs pocket ought not to think Of speaking
TO 3 girl"
On this, poor Deneaaik hung his head, for
ho had not more than twelve, although ho had
paid for the shoes LIE had bought ia the
autumn 10 dance at the ''Grand Pardon" and
he had put his offering on the altar, and in
the priests purse, like . good Christian
To console himself for the thought Of leAv-
ing Na17emik, he had begun to carve some-
thing on big stone, when he was startled by
hearing Soice beside him.
What arc you doing Z" asked tho heggar
Sctiycn; and Eoneadik turned round. It SEEM
ed Rs it the other had suddenly risen out Of
the earth. tDoes the master pay you to
make drawings on the atones?"
!" The master has dismissed me-that il
whxt he has done,' replied Benead,k. His
heart was full, and he was surprised at the
bcggars bold tone. II am going to have
moro time to n5eetf than want, and mean
WDl4e, tHRL Aldy uIu HuIRt l I'LL AHA4AS
this stone with the sign OF my ealvation. It
is said TINT inf ormer days these stones have
seen human blood flow in tho devils service.
1t won't do any harm nnw for this one to bear
Oh it tho tign OF tho Cross"
And Bepeadik quietly finished his work, COM
pleting the cfoss he had begun to cut upon the
stone.
"Listen to me-" said the beggar, in low
voice. "What would you givo me it we're to
make you rich enough to marry Mariemik to-
norrow If you like, or even to look elsewhere
md higher if you have mind to do 80 =
Beneadiks tools dropped from his hands,
"Ilich," he gaEped, in choking, voice :
s.Masiemik!" He was so much excited that he
could not ind words, but he looked eagerly at
the beggar.. :,
~ know said scnven, +" that theee stones, y
and he touched the large one on which Benes-
dix had just cut the aign Of the cross,
twill this very night tear themselves up
from the ground on which they rest,
and 90 to drink at the river Intel.
Under them ia hidden treasure 10 great
that no eye has ever soen the Like. A single
person would never DO able TO- carry it of be-
fore the estones came back to thor place; but il
you will helV. me, swea1 by your patron saint
that sou sha,l never again need to bow your
head to any man"
Beneadf seized the beggar's hands in his,
not noticing how they tremblel. 1T You will
only make me- rich enough to 51laln Marie
mix from her father" he cried, "you may
take III the rest; you shall have my gratitude
into tho bargain, and my services by day and
ly night, IN fair weather or foul: except
Ma1iemk and my hopeof heaven, will refuse
you nothing that you can ask OF me-"
Scriyen smiled; but it WAS dark by this
time, and, beaides, Beneadk was too happy
and tco Gustfu1 to comprehend the look Of
troubled Joy that passed over the face OF his
companion.
II viii stay here and watch beside the
stones," said tie beggar II have something
in my gourd which will keep ont the cold.
You lave still place at the freplacs aud ta.
bio Of the farmhouse; go back to supper, and
when you look ut Mariemik say to yourself
that tomorrow she will be yours il cur enter