Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-05-01

Remember your promise" whisper
ed his travelling companion, &c and W,
will not forget ours.
1t then seemed to him that he entered
d large, vestibule, then crossed severa
vast, dark rooms, which he was certain
were all vaulted, and at last he was lee
into large saloon, where the bandagt
was taken from his eyes. The wall
were all hung with black, and few
torches east dim sepulchral light ovel
the apartment. Ten men, in magisteria
robes, were seated at some distance from
him, and though they were unmasked
the light was SO faint that he could moi
distinguish their features. All the infe
rior actors in this drama stood around,
with Grape upon their faces. - ' '.+-
Immediately after the executioner had
entered this apparent hall of Judgment,
o door in the opposite wall was flung
open, and two men appeared, leading O
lady whose face was concealed by long
veil. She was tall, light, and evidently
young, and wore long and flowing
dress of violet velvet She was placed
in the center of this boiling circle, where
she stood erect, CALI, and motionless,
her hands folded and covered by the
long and graceful sleeves of her dress.
All were profoundly silent, and he who
seemed of most authority among them
rose, and, addressing the executioner in
German (Which all the Alsatians under
stand), said:
You have been brought here to in
fict in secret the merited punishment of
secret crime. You will behead this
woman, who, though rnanswerable to a
public tribunal, is stained with unpar-
donable guilt"
The executioner-all executioner as he
was-was an honest man. He would un-
hesitatingly put people to death by or
ders ofthe magistrates of Colmar, and q
mandate signed by them, sealed with the
great corporate seal and the Feu,'- de-Hs,
reviewed by the kings commissioners,
and registered in the records of the
town; but this was quite another affair
nothing better than al assassination. for
how could he know what right these men
had to exercise the authority of legal
Judges when their very faces were q
mystery to him 2 After few moments
reflection, he summoned sufficient cour-
age to say, with an unhesitating
voice: 3
81 cannot obey you I" .a. a-. 4-...
All around he heard swords drawn
from their scabbards, from which he sus-
pected that those magistrates were not
quite SO pacific as would be suitable to
their Office. He looked at the lady;
there she stood in the same position, ap-
parently calm and undisturbed, as if
these proceedings had no interest for
her.
You have promised obedience to our
commands" said the voice of the man
who had brought him; "and you will
feel the weight of our vengeance if you
do not keep your word. ~ H
"When [ promised, it was under the
impression that your proceedings would
be legal, though secret. I am not on
assassin; and, gentlemen, whoever you
may be, I refuse to execute your orders;
and will not touch hair of that
woman's head. Beside, what crime has
she committed 2"
The president looked at his colleagues,
as if to get their opinion; and then, ris-
ing quickly, said in voice of thunder:
You ask what crime this woman has
committed! Listen, and you shall hear;
and the horror of the tale will nerve
your arm to infict on her a punishment
which is, however, unequal to her guilt.
This woman y
Enough" " said the lady, stretching
forth her hand, "enough. You may de-
prive me of life; but you may not, ought
not, reveal to a man like that the secret
that your ears have heard. If am
guilty, punish mel submit; and that
is more than you have right to ex-
pect.
This alteration vas succeeded bv a
solemn, death-ike eilence, only inter
rupted by the monotonous ticking of a
large clock covered by the gloomy hang
ings. Eleven struck.
"There is not M .nent to be lost"
said the president; "cbey!" ..
A large, sharp sword was presented to
him, like those used ly executioners in
Switzerland. ta.. 49,. s-s o.. .ef-.
"No," said he, "no; put her to death
yourself. You are an illegal Judge, and
you may as well be an illegal execu-
TONER
During this the condemned did not
stir.
Listen" said the first speaker; "do
you value your life ?"
eyes, for the sake of my wife and
little daughter, whose sole support I
am." i.af .a. .
every good-decide then; if you have
not beheaded this woman before the
quarter strikes, will send bullet
through your head"
"Why not kill her yourself? 1t would
be as little crime as to kill me-"
The judge trembled under his long
robe; but, commanding himself, he
said, coldly, "Decide." @
The executioner had resisted with