Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-06-13

on his breast. I think I see him now,
drawn up to his full height, with his lip
curling defiance, and his eye looking
through us like flash of sword, as he
said in his clear, scornful voice: 81 am
told that you have something to say to
me. Here | am. What do you want?"
But there was no answer. At the sight
of his face, and the sound of his voice,
coming among us in this way like an all
powerful master, the old fear of him and
his branded into us by ages of oppres-
sion, rose up again stronger than ever
and the whole crowd of furious men
hung their heads like rated school-boys,
and melted away before him. Tyrant
and servant of the devil though he was,
he did deed that day worthy of Twelve
Paladins; and perhaps the good God may
vet have mercy upon him, for he was a
brave man!
But although the Marquis escaped for
that time, his day was near at hand; for
now came news that the people had
marched upon Versailles, that the king
and queen had been brought to Paris,
and that the assembly had decreed the
abolition of taxation, monopoly, aristo-
cratic oppression, and had pronounced
all men free and equal forevermore.
Every fresh bit of news worked like fire
in our blood, and at last the people of
Besancon got up as one man, and swore
that, come what might, they would
have the Chateau de Quesnoy down, and
make an end of the old wolf that lived in
it; and up they went, hundreds upon
hundreds.
can remember, as if it were yester-
day, seeing them filing out of town,
and the mass of red caps showing like a
long smear of blood upon the white
road; and l, as boy will do, followed
them to see what would happen. They
had expected to find the chateau barri-
caded, and to meet with some resist
ance; but mol the garden gate was open,
so was the hall door, and on the
threshold stood the old marquis him
self, saying quietly:
Enter; all is ready for you"
There was something in his voice, and
look, and manner that made them shrink
even then; but they had gone too far to
turn back. They poured into the cha
teau, with shouts and laughter, and
scraps of Republican songs, till every
room was full and the leaders took pos
session of the great banquet hail. and set
the marquis in a great carved chair at
the head of the table, swearing he should
see them drink his good wine before they
killed him. And there they reveled till
half of them were under the table; and
the others could hardly stand to light
torches which they had stuck up round
the hall. Just about night fall q had
climbed into tree near a window, and
sould see all that went on), | saw old
Mercandon, the steward, glide up to his
masters chair, and say in low voice:
"M. lie Marquis, all is ready"
Are all the lackeys gomez"
"All, NJ. lie Marquis"
Go you too, then, and leave me to fin
ish it alone"
But the old steward only hung his
head, and answered.:
NJ lie Marquis, [ carried you in my
arms when you were child, and do you
drive me away now"'
CAS- you will, then, my good fellow"
said the Marquis; / shall at least have
one honest man beside me at the last
And then he rose slowly to his feet
(for until that moment, he had sat like
statue), and looked around upon them
all. Monsieur, if | live to a hundred,
| shall never forget that sight! the old
noble standing up like a tower, with the
long gray hair falling back from his
grand calm face; the great vaulted hall,
with its huge groined arches and dark
paneling of oak; the course figures of
peasants, lolling in the great chairs or
wallowing upon the floor, their rough
faces all swollen and disfgured by drink
and fury, and lust of blood-the red
torch faring ftfully over ALL There
was that in the old mans face which
silenced the loudest of the rioters; and
you might have heard pin fall as he
spoke:
Worthy guests YOU have done honor
to my good cheer, and it is time that I
thank you as you deserve. This is the
first time thas my chateau has been de-
filed by the moot of Republican canaille
and it shall be the last! Go, tell your
master, the devil, how the last of the De
Quesnoys repaid your insolence Vive
lie roi! F"
He seized fambeau which stood near
hIm, and, stopping down. lifted a trap
door in the floor, and dropped the torch
through it. And then (God preserve us!)
came crash as if the earth had split
islander, and all the air was one hot
blast of fire, and I felt a shock like an
earthquake, and knew nothing more
When | came to myself was lying on
the soft earth of one of the hower-beds-I
dizzy and stunned, as if I had fallen
from the top of a tower, but, thank God,
unhurt Holy Virgin!: what sight it
was when [ looked round! ALI about me
was. reck of smoke and dust as from
the mouth Of furnace; and dimly
through the cloud could see, on the
spot where the chateau had stood, black
broken walls, and great masses of stone
flung here and there, and smoking tim
bers,. and worse things than that-legs
and arms, and heads scattered on every
side like the leaves in autumn The
Marquis had filled the cellars with gun
powder, and of all who entered the
chateau not one was left aliyeI Nav