The daily gazette., 1875-06-10

4
full cathedral was about to burst forth
in splendor; but suddenly the vision
was disturbed, and the eye could dis
tinguish nothing.
Well, do you desire my plans" ask-
cd the old man of the artist. The lat.
ter heaved profound sigh.
"Do you desire itp SpeakW And,
as he said these words, he drew ON the
wall in fiery lines the sketch of q por-
tai which he instantly effaced.
i will do what you require" replied
Tomorrow, then, at midniRhty'
On the morrow the artist awoke in
lively and joyous spirits. He had for
gotten all, except that he was at length
to obtain the plan Of the invisible cath
edral of which he had 80 long dreamed.
He opened his window the weather was
the finest in the world. The Rhine
flowed on in the form OF crescent, its
waters glittering beneath the sunlight.
while upon its banks Cologne seemed to
descend and glide gently from the hill
to the shore, and from the shore into
| the waves that bathed the foot Of its
ramparts.
"Let us see," said the artist, where
shall 1 place my cathedral p and he
looked around in search of some suitable
spot. While he was thus occupied by
thoughts of joy and pride, he saw his
old nurse issue from the house clothed
in black.
where are you going. my good
womant" cried the artist where are
you going, thus clothed in black ?"
Il am going to Saints-Apotres, to
mass of deliverance for soul in purga-
tory" and she moved away.
"a mass of deliverance
And Immediately shutting the window
and throwing himself on his bed, melt
| ing into tears:
"a mass Of delvieranee ?" he ex-
claimed. "But there will be neither
mass nor prayers that can deliver me
Lost, lost forever Lost because l have
willed it!
1t was in this state that his nurse
found him when she returned from
| church.
She inquired the cause Of his aggita-
| ton and, as at first he did not answer,
she began to implore him with such
tenderness and weeping that the artist.
unable longer to resist, told her OF the
| promises &e had made.
The old woman seemed petrified at the
| recital Sell his soul to the demon is
| it possiblee He had then forgotten his
baptismal promises, and the prayers
which she had taught him long time
ago? He pust go instantly to confess
sion.
The artist sobbed. Now the image Of
his eyes. fascinated his spirit and
anon, the idea of his eternal damnation
awoke within him SO keen and poignant
that he shook convulsively on his bed.
The nurse, at loss what to do, re-
solved to go and consult her eonfessor.
She related to him the affair.
The priest: "a cathedral which would
make Cologne the wonder Of Germany"
"But, my father"
"a cathedral to which crowds would
flock in pilgrimage from all quarters!
After having thought and meditated,
"My good woman" said the priest, hand
ing to her silvar reliquary, here Is
relic Of the eleven thousand virgins.
| Give this to your master let him carry
it with him to this rendezvous. Let
| him try to force from the demon the
plan of this wonderful cathedral before
having signed any contract. and then
let him shew this relic.''
| 1t was half-past seven o'clock when
the architect quit his dwelling, leaving
his nurse at prayers, and having prayed
ing. Under his cloak he bore the relic
which was to serve as his safeguard
At the spot agreed upon he found the
demon, who this evening had assumed
ne disguise.
"Fesr nothing" said he to the srchi-
tect, who was troubling; "fear nothing
and approach"
The architect approached
''There is the plan for the cathedral,
and here is the contract which yen must.
sign"
depended his salvation. He prayed
mentally. commencing himself to God ),
then. grasping with one hand the mar
yelous plan, and displaying in the other
the sacred relic, he cried:
"In the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Ghost, and by the virtue
of this sacred relic, begone, Satan, be-
gone!'
ment.
"Sonlo priest has counseled you, said
he to the artist; sit is q trick OF the
church, -,
He fingered yet awhile, apparently
searching if he could not recover his
plan. or throw himself upon the artist
and strike him dead. But the latter
stood upon his guard, pressing the plan
against his breast, and using the sacred
: relic as buckler.
81 am vanqulshed! exciaimeu oatan'
"but shall know how to avenge myself,
in spite of thy priests and thy relics.
This church that thou hast fobbed me
of shall never be finished. And as for
thee, will efface thy name from the
memory of men. Thou shalt not be
: mine. Architect of Cologne, but thou
shalt be forgotten and unknownP' And
J with these words the demon suddenly
: disappeared.
These last words had made Q singular
8 ;mnression upon the artist. forgotten
and upknownp' He returned home sad.
although master of the wonderful plan; ,, n;
. However. next day he caused Use , mass ass.s Of
ward the construction of the cathedral
, was commenced. The artist, es he saw
it each day rising higher and higher.
, hoped that the demons predctieas
: would be falsifed; and as for his name,
he promised himself to have it engraved
: on a brazen tablet fastened in portal.
4 Vain hope! Very soon dissensions be.