The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-23
except to ourselves. All this we owe to Aubin.
All, Marthe, Aubin will make up for every
thing to usn

"Then we must not grudge him to God"
In the course of the day, the Able Kerdrec
came to console them. His heart was filed
with unutterable tenderness for Aubin, who
did not appear to see anything heroic in his
own conduct. The doctor gave good hopes of
his recovery he had doubted certainly, in ex-
aiming the wound, whether the young man
| could have inflicted it on himself, but he did
not mention his suspicious.
When Yves left the house, he did SO like one
in a dream. His hatred was gone; but dull
heavy weight was at his heart thought and
feeling seemed dead alike in him; he was hardly
conscious of anything. The meadows were
covered with white veil of mist; the sun
rose higher in the heavens the birds began to
chirp and sing ali was fres''and pure;
and was he blot, stain on the loveliness of
the morning. In the distance q withered tree
stretched one bare arm, like gallows, to-
wards st. Aubin du Cormier. He hurried on.
Before him, in the dust of the road, were large
brown stains.
"It is blood !" he muttered ; and staggered
on with shudder.
He was weared with his sin, without having
the strength to repent. What he felt was
desire to be hidden, to be annihilated, to dis
appear, even if it were into the lowest hell. A
low bleatipg struck his ear; white goat had
| broken the cord which had fastened her to a
tree, and as sporting near him with her kids.
Yves coaxed the creature to him, fed her with
with some bits of bread which were in his
pocket, and united the string from her foot.
There are terrible moments in which, after
sinking deeper and deeper into an abyss of
misery and despair, only one thing seems pos
sible-suicide.
Yves did not reason or reflect; half uncon-
| sciously he made running-knot in the cord he
was stunned with suffering; his brothers. blood
was upon him. He had escaped the sentence
of the law but con science judged him, and
his own hand must be his exeoutioner. He
managed to climb the tree high enough to Sc
cure the cord to the great projecting branch.
Then he slowly unfastened his necktie, and hid
| his face one moment. A hand was laid on his
shoulder.
"a man must not die before he has made his
peace with God" 1t was the voice of Able
Kerdrec.
Yves fell on his knees.
at was here was it not And you feel the
need of expationf 1 understand and You
are right-on1y it is not for you to choose the
manner of expiration. Strike your breast, my
son, anu say, Oou 10 " Lio, Gho hoSe
miserable of sinners y"
| A sob burst from the wretched Yves.
Father, forgive me-" he said. 81 have
sinned-I must die! Aubin knows that left
him thinking him dead. My parents know the
truth, and you, father, you know it too. There
are voices in the air calling me Cain This
tree seemed to have a tongue and it said it
was a gibbet waiting for me. The blood which
I
Gods brand is on ME, it will never be effaced
"a stain is on my soul which nothing can
cleanse hated Aubn because he was good
and beloved. And Armelle, how 1 have
wrouged her! made wicked bargain with
Daniel bribed him to give her to me.
deserve death-a thousand deaths !"
81 condemn you to something more terrible,
said the priest You must live"
Yves bowed his head to the dust. 1t was
strange and solemn sight, the two men stood
at the foot of the blasted tree, on tho very spo
} where the crime of the day before had been
committed where fresh one had been on the
point of accomplishment. There was some
thing awful in the silence which ensued. L
: seemed as if it would never end. Tho Abb,
Kerdreo was praying with clasped hands ant
uplifted eyes, in a very agony of supplicatior
for light and grace and pardon. At length h
spoke again:
gives, are you sorry for all your sins, you
hatred, your crimes2"
81 am, I am! Ask God to strike me deaf
} here at your feet"
"Yves, you shall live; but you are not you
own, your life is not your own. 1t belong
henceforth to every one in trouble, to ever!
creature in danger of death. For the life
which you wickedly tried to take you owe Coo
ten lives. Wherever there is peril, by fire, b.
food, or any other way, there is your place
Do you understand me For your penance 20,
J shall save ten lives-the lives of ten-men
women, or children-and by the merits of tn,
Precious Blood of Jesus, your guilt shall b.
washed away, and remembered no more
neither by your earthly nor your heavenl!
Father"
, A loud cry broke from Yves.
els if true he said Hten lives tn he soved