The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-07-23


"It is not your fortune that tempts
me" said Gertrude to him, greatly flat.
tered.
Wenceslas bowed, as if he would say,
"I understand I have other attrac
tions."
"I feel deep interest in you," pur.
sued she, "and would willingly give
you my hand if you will render me q
service that will prove your courage"
"You have but to command me, said
the handsome young man f; "I am en-
tirely at your service"
"Well, then, you must know that one
of my relatives has been killed in O
duel He is in the woods, and we are
making every effort to secure him an
honorable burial. In the meantime
the body is to be placed in the Roman
tomb at nine o'clock this evening. As
the tomb is neither covered nor en-.
closed, we very greatly fear it may be
disturbed therefore I beg of you to
go there at half-past nine."
"To the witches den? What an
idea %
"You are afraid already? Non Dieu,
how faint-hearted the young men are. u
am not afraid, but you are giving
me very queer commission.
"Call it fancy il you will, but can
only confde this to one who is very de.
voted, for it is absolutely necessary to
conceal this mystery from everybody.
You must go there at exactly half past
nine, and you must dress yourself to
personate an angel of light, and carry a
torch in your hand. The fearful stories
90 Ill l, I. 1.
iect, will be of service to you, and
those who may be scheming to carry
away or rob the dead, will, upon seeing
you sitting at the foot of the tomb with
your torch in your hand, be SO terrified
that none will dare approach. At mid
night you may return home. Will you
do it ?"
81 will," said Wenceslas, who feared
to displease her.
81 must be certain that you have
performed this service but remember,
not word about it to any one, and at
this price, my hand is yours"
Wenceslas regained his usual COM
posure, smothering as best he could
those superstitious fears which some
times assail the strongest minds. He
swore that he would be both obedient
and discreet, and that at half-past nine
precisely he would be at his post, where
he would watch the dead 80 carefully
that not even a bat should approach.
He soon took his leave in order to make
his preparations.
A few moments afterward Lambart
Won Moll, also faithful, appeared to
render homage to the young lady. He
was lawyer, and everybody predicted
a brilliant future for him.
eff you really love me-" said the
coquette, "I am going to prove it.
Some of the neighbors whom you know,
and who are our enemies, wish to injure
us. For this purpose they have placed
a dead body in the Roman tomb, which
belongs to our family. l wish you to
make every possible effort to carry of
the corpse"
"T" interrupted Lambert.
Certainly. I know that you are
brave"
"That is true, but this is such a
ridiculous commission"
"The body will doubtless be guarded
by mere children, and in order to dis
perse them you must blacken your face
and make yourself as ugly as you are
handsome in short, disguise yourself
as demon. Call it a ridiculous COM
mission, if you will but go to the
Roman tomb at precisely ten-take up
the body and bring it here, and you
will gain all my gratitude"
Lambert Won Moll reflected for a
moment, and deciding that it was not
too great price for the heart of Ger
trude, he, like the two others, promised
punctuality and discretion, and accord
ingly withdrew to make his prepara-
tions.
Sigismund de Vletter then came to
pay his respects to Mr.. and Mrs. Stock
he wished Gertrude good evening, and
conversed few moments with her,
while taking a turn in the garden.
Having drawn him aside, Gertrude,
who had her projects, proposed he
should in his turn assume character
in her comedy. But Sigismund, who
perceived some malicious intention in
spite of her grave tones, told her that
/ tor anything serious or important she
might command hiu.; but that such
childishness was only proper for child
ren. The coquette, not finding him
very complaisant, left him.
The night was very cold, and at 9
o'clock Giles Collin arrived at the Ro-
man tomb. He had furnished himself
with small lantern, not being very
courageous. He went all around the
tomb, and carefully examined the
bushes and every place in which he
thought any one might be concealed,
and then, not at all reassured by the
silence and solitude which surrounded
him, he extinguished his light, and en-.
long white sheet which he had brought,
concealed under his coat, then extend
ing himself at full length in the tomb,
soon became as gloomy and motionless
as the object he personated. Very
lugubrious were the thoughts that
passed through his mind while lying
there on his winding-sheet. A very
long quarter of an hour had elapsed
when he was startled by the cry of
screech-owl. He uncovered his eyes
and looked around, but could see
nothing except some vague reflections
of light in the direction of the town.
Soon, however, he heard, through the
silence of the night, footsteps which
were evidently coming toward him. He
raised his head rays of light caught
terious phantom, habited in a long
robe of cloth of silver which was con-
fined by blue girdle. The head of
this apparition was crowned with stars
(made of gilt paper, while from its
shoulders foated two large pieces of
muslin, representing wings.