The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-08-03

And can battle toughly,
And not wind while I'm alive,
Shall touch that cheek too roughly!
|
SWORN on THE CRUCIFIX.
| FROM THE FRENCH OF II. DE BALZAC.
A little beyond the boundary of the town
Of Vendome, on the banks of the Loire,
stands gloomy old house with a high,
steep roof. 1t is quite solitary, but between
tand the river is a garden. Here the box
borders, which once were closely trimmed
to mark the edges of the paths, now spread
where and as they will. Fruit trees, which
bear fruit no longer, and which have been
ncared for the last ten years, have thrust
ont their beughs in every direction, and
have struggled into thick brushweod.-
The untrimmed espoliers project like ar,
boris. The paths were at one time neatly
sraveled; but now they are chokcd up with
purslain, so that there is scarce sign Of
path left visible. / spectator would say
J that at some time past this was the favor,
tie retreat of some country gentleman,
delighting in his roses and lilies-a lover
Of gardening, in fact, and before all things
lover of good fruit He would see a
summer-hohse, or ratler the remains OF
one, and in it's shade a able, not yet quite
eaten away by time.
The melancholy silene which prevails in
this spot is disturbed oily by birds, cats,
weasels, rats and mice, who are free to
move about, fight, and devour one another
as they will. An invisible hand has writ
ten on all the place the we'd mystery. If,
driven by curiosity, you vent to look at
the side of the house whichfaces the road,
you would see large doc, round at the
top, riddled with holes by he children Of
the neighborhood, who ha, doomed it to
destruction ten years ago. Through the
gaps in it one can see that pefect harmony
exists between the deserted interior and
the decay and ruin withou, The same
disorder reigns here also. The paving
stones in the urt.yard are pshed away
by tufts of weeds. The walls re furrowed
with enormous cracks. The steps are
thrust out of their places; the ell-cord is
rotten. the spouts are broken. elias fire
fallen from heaven and passe, over the
place. Or has some tribunal ndemned
it to be sown with salt? Did i owners
insult their God, or bestray their tuntry?"
Such are the questions that sugge them
selves; but there is no one to answr them.
The empty, deserted house in an 1igma,
of which none can tell the meang. 1t
was formerly little freehold farmsnd it
bears the name of La Grande Bret'he.-
During my stay at Vendome, whaer l
had gone to attend patient, it was 10 of
my few pleasures to contemplate this
strange abode. 1t was letter than ahis-
torical ruin. AS was rambling abolmy
dream kingdom one evening, the ind
caused an old rusty weathercock to TN;
the cry it uttered seemed to be the gan
rung from the house itself, at the MONT
when finished drama, tragic enougfn
its plot, by which l accounted for Is
monument of sorrow. J shuddered, d |
returned to my auberge, prey 10 the gloo
lest thoughts. After supper, my hoste
entered my chamber with an air of m.
terry, and said:
IN. Regnault is here, monsieur"
"Who is NJ. Regnault?''
at can't be that you don't know NJ
Regnault," she said, as she went away.
Presently there appeared before me
tall l,nk man, dressed in black, and hold
ing his hat in his hand; who, with his re
treating forehead, his little conical head
and his pale face of the color of mudd.
| water. entered the room like ram read,
to charge at his rival. The unknown wor'
q threadbare black coat; but he had a dia
mond in his shirt frill, and gold rings il
| his ears.
"With whom have l the honor of speak
ing, monsieur ." l asked.
| He took chair, and seated himself il
front of the fire, laid his hat upon the tabl
began to rub his hands, and said:
elbow cold it is! am NJ. Regnault
monsieur"
| l bowed.
81 am" he went on, "a notary at Ven
DOME"
"Charmed to hear it, monsieur" ex
claimed: "but I have no idea of making
| my will at present, for reasons we'll know
to myself
"One moment" he said, raising hi
hands to enioin silence. "Pardon me
monsieur, pardon me; but am told tina
you sometimes 60 and walk about the gar
den at La Grande Breteche ?''
"Yes, monsieur"
Gone moment,'' he said, repeating the
gesture with his hand. I" 1t is legal of
Tense. l come, monsieur, in the name anc
as the executor of the late Countess DE-
Merret, to beg yon to discontinue your Wis
it's. One moment. am not turk, and
uOu U WduG " udhC ooo eh"o ~ ~ =" ~ AiiaS
Besides, it is only natural that you should
be ignorant of the circumstances which
compel me to allow the most eligible family
residence in Vendome to fall into ruin
At the same time, monsieur, you appear tc
have some education, and you ought to
know that the law prohibits, under heavy
penalties, the intrusion of a stranger into
property which is shut up by the owner.
A hedge is as good as wall. But the
present state of the house may serve as an
excuse for your curiosity. There is moth
ing l should like better than to give you
the run of the place; but, charged as | am
with the execution of the will of Madame
de Merret, the testatrix, have the honor,
monsieur, to beg that you will not enter