, 1873-08-10
A STRANGE ADVENTURE.


nor pure winter, though combining tho
worst uuAlilics OF both. After tho long md
wenry passago OF tho NovHkl Prospect, n1,11lo
dcop In hnlf-tliawcl SNOW, bumped ngaiuBt by
sulky foot-paeaongors, noar1y run down by charg-
ing slolgcs,wotted In snoaking, spiritlosR 1nall-
nor by tho rain, which tlrzzlesdown as II 1t could
not 1nuBtor enorgy enough for good lloarty pour
--aftcr all this it is no light satisfaction to rcaoh
tho open sen Of tho vaBt Theatre Square, entor
the hospitablo door of tho grcnt library, commit
one's wot coat and Bpatterol goloBheB to tho
ready attendant, In his perennial bottlc-greon
cont with its aurfaco rash of brass buttons, and
spring mp tho spacious stairway with comfort
hblo feeling Of escape from tho waste, bowling
Wilderness outeido, into which nothing aball ill.,
duce one to venture again for Hoyoral hours to
come. It tH truo that, OH your first outranco,
you do experience haunting sensation Of bsing
back again lit the " Finnl Schools +" for your
degree oxannation-n fantasy considerably
aided by tho dead silence Of tho great hnll, the
long range OF tabloH with thcir busy occupants,
md tho b1ack-robed 1guro Of tho curator on
thronod ut tho far end, like an image Of passio1l-
less Fato; but this lilo most other carly im-
prossiona," il not long In wcaring of.
uoro, then, 1t was tint rrosontol myself
carly one afternoon on such dny as havo do
hcribcd above, in tic hopc Of getting peep at
the Latest addition to tho library-a raro wind
fall, described In the oflcial report us "a collcc-
tlon In tho Spanish language, Of all tho docu-
ments relating to Simon Bolivar, tho Liberator
OF Peru and Colombia, published ut Coraccas,
la20-S3, in "a vols. Alto; only threo copies OF
which aro known to oxtnt in Europe,-one in the
Library Of Dar,nutadt, another in that Of sto.
Genovieve ut Paris and tho third in tito British
Museum" Unhappily had boon forostalled by
nuaBian aavanr, and was fain to console my
self with re-roading, for tho tenth or olcv-
enth tirnc, Of ono Of Niltolai Gogol's weird
modleys Of broad farco aud overwhelming hor-
, ror, oyer '; which T fingered, far beyond my
the other occupants Of tho room ii
which l eat "a smaller and gloom
ior one than tho great salon devoted to Journals
and magazincB) had dropped OF one by one, till
Wne loft quito alone; aud the utter silence and
loneliness, the latenoss of tho hour, tic dimly-
Lighted room, with ita long ranges Of dusty folios
and worln-oaten manuscripts, as well az tho
frightful story that had beon reading, COM
! no experience for years pant. ALI of sudden,
just ut tho moment when my nerves were
strained to tho utmost, became conscious Of a
feoling Of uneasincsB akin to that which aronBos
tho sleeper when somc ono gazos steadfastly in
his face: locked up, aud found myself con-
fronted by tall, slender, delicate-foaturod man,
in doep black, who WAS gazing at me With the
intenso carncatnosy Of one who acou tho object for
which hn hnH long atrivon In vain ~ 1oaf sS;t1;
lis reach. So Suddenly and silently Ind ho
riBon upon me TINT could not restrain slight
Blart, Which lo seemed to notice, s''e'3'
"Pardou mo il disturb yoi,," said lie In n aoft
b.,t st strangely impressive voice and allow mo
you aro rosiacnt Of st. Petersburg ~
shortly on q foreign tour, Allow ,no ia ak, in
inquiring?' '' '''0 '''
!" will frankly own TINT have" le replied.
with courteous bow a" it il in your power to
do ME great tnyor."
Now, when a perfect stranger tells you TINT
you can do him great favor, il is natural to an
tcipaso the request Of ~ trilng loan," and to
feel ono'H pnrso-strings quiver in ovory nerve
but on tho raoaus uiator principle, I was per-
fectly easy upon TINT head. My npprehonsious
took another form. Tho famous q Piohlor rob-
berics " Ind been discovered but fow weeks bo-
fore, and il respectable German professor (j>
could le guilty Of such wholesale plundorinr.
might not oven a man Heemingly reputable aB
my new acquaintance harbor similar desiens3
And yet, when looked agan at lis lpely-cut fon-
turcs and grand n'assivo forehead, I felt ashamed
OF my 1nonoutary suspicious.
~ am aware TINT, an g stranger to you, am
taklng .5tg great great liberty he resumed, changing
trust to your Kindness to lot the urgency of tho
case excuso my want Of ceremony. The fact is.
am OIL the brink Of great discovery to science,
aud can SEQ TINT you arc admirably qualified to
aABist NO."
II, qualified to assist you, my doar H;r 2" an
swerea I, compaAslonatoly; "no mnn less 10, I
assure you! lnye received sound classical
! odueation.n sufficient guarantee that know
| nothing Of science or Of anything else likely to
he useful"
"You are pleaaod to jost I conclude" sad
tho unknown with slight s!nilo; ~ hayo my
self the greatest respect for tho English univer-
eitlcs, though, unhappily, have mover hnd tho
pleasure Of visiting tlou, But it is not of such
qualifications as these that speak. have boon
observing you for tho last ton minutes, before
| addressing yon, and havo convinced myself tlat
of NIL whom layo met in st. Petersburg, you
aro capable Of doing whnt 1requiro.'
| Was the 1nan mad His tone was perfectly
calm and ratlona but tho light in lis eyes as ho
| spoke tho last words wns decidedly " ,ilca1ny."
A vague recollection fitted acrosB my mind Of
m old German legend, tho dramatis rersong Of
which were q student ind q courteous stranger
fxx1, Il 1orte H. L..