The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-04-11

panied Dy memorandum was s0Tt or
club orator, who lived on the first floor
of the house in which our hero had a
room. Paul was so preoccupied with the
disturbed state OF his affections that he
had failed to perceive that this formida-
BILE fellow-lodger logged his footsteps
one day when he was on his daily round.
Before that happened, however, nearly
three months of his life had been spent
in q state of enchantment. And he had
not altogether limited himself to ten acts
Of tender pantomine; his feelings had
also been set down in words. Each night,
after dark, by the light of his solitary
lamp, Paul took ten sheets of paper,
seized his pen and wrote ten letters,
folded them with cate and skill and in
the morning put them into his pocket.
Paul JGnqUIrd, merchant, the most deUoted
OF men" As each note was without any
address, Paul pulled them out at ran
dom, and, after having shown one to
each lady at the window for moment,
laid it on the doorstep and at once disap-
peared.
We left him breathless, pale, half
fainting on a bench beside the old ser
want who had told him of the arrest of
Madame Arnaud. When Paul came to
himself he was so weak that he burst
into tears; then, striking himself on the
forehead, he exclaimed; alas alas.
can they all, then, for my sake, have been
put in PRISON." He rose up like a mad
man; superhuman strength seemed to
animate his weakened frame; he rushed
. 40 Il IL
his heart was ready to burst; his features
were distorted. He was too excited to
reflect that he might be bringing ruin on
himself and on the ten poor women whom
| he loved. The forms of the five whom
| he loved best seemed floating before his
eyes, with their faces bathed in tears;
| defiled by the rude touch of revolution
airy officials and about to pass into the
rougher grasp of the executioner. He
rushed up to the strong gate of the great
/ prison his face was red, his breath was
short; he seized the knocker and knocked
violently.
I The subordinates of Brutus that night
had made splendid haul. PauPs ten
fair women had been taken out of their
beds and had been forced to dress and go
to prison. Early in the morning the
president of the revolutionary tribunal
/ (who had ordered the jailer 10 put them
in one ROOM came in to see him, and
frightened them out of their wits in the
sinister way in which he looked at them
like wild beast glaring at his vic
tins.
DWELL, citoyenais," he said in his clear,
high voice, land how do you employ
your time at home?"
One of them replied: "Citizen, we
take care of our households"
eyes; and you stand at the windows
when you hear anybody whistling in the
street." added Brutus meaningiy.
The oldest of the ladies might be 30,
the youngest II. They looked at each
other after this speech with frightened
air.
At last the boldest, Madame Arnaud,
the young widow, who was about twenty
six, ventured to say, "What harm can
there be in looking out of the window
1t can have nothing to do with conspir-
ing against the republic"
81 have received" continued Brutus,
in his most solemn tones, "certain infor-
nation concerning each of you. l know
that you are all royalist, and that you
have each sworn not to be married or re-
married, as the case may be, till the re-
public shall have been Oyerthrown.
mean to see you married, every one of
you; but married after my fashion. Do
you hear me|'
They were defenseless women. The
terrible words of Brutus rightly seemed
to them their death doom. Trembling
under the influence of his inhuman
irony, which chilled their very souls,
they huddled together in their prison
chamber with an instinct of in some way
gaining protection from each other.
Brutus breathed hard and snapped his
little eyes. He was enjoying their dis
tress and confusion.
"Come, citos ennes," he said. You
are very pretty, and find am gettiDC
foolishly soft-hearted as l gaze at i.
So, if any of you can find a husband all
ready to take her, / will set her at lib
erty and pardon her at once. Now
understands: Those of you who can
name upon the spot any citizen willing
this day to marry her, may leave this
room and 90 before the civil magistrate
to be married; after which she may re-
turn to her husbands home. As soon as
any lady names citizen | will send for
him. If he agrees, you will get your
liberty; if he declines, sentence this
evening and death tomorrow Each of
you may write down name upon bit
of paper and give it carefully folded to
me- Then | will read it aloud"
Brutus here distributed ten slips of
paper. Each of the prisoners wrote
, down a name.
When he had got them into his hands
the monster unfolded the first and read, ,
"Paul Vanguard, merchant"
He unfolded the second and read,
"Paul VANGUARD, merchant"
Eight times more he read the same
!, name. Imagine, if you can, the amaze
ment of these ten poor women.
At this point came in a jailer who
said to Brutus that man almost out of
his senses was making an intolerable
noise outside the prison gate, demanding
to get in. Brutus desired the jailer to
bring him to him.
\ The man was soon brought in. He
saw the ten fair women, and paused with
his arms in the air.
Paul VANGUARD" cried they all with
one voice.
"Ha. ha! Is that Paul VANGUARD, the
happy manW exclaimed the hideous
Brutus, with an expression OF amuse-
ment on his pale features.
at is horrible! horriblew cried Paul
as pale as death, recognizing his ten be-
loved ones.
The lovely widow, Madame Arnaud
here stepped forward, and pointing to
the rest, said:
odd you whistle for them, too?'
An absurdity is sometimes irresistible,
even when the executioner is waiting for
his victim. A laugh burst from them
all, in which Brutus joined.
I " CHoyennes," he cried, "Paul JAN
guard can not marry YOU all before an
officer of the municp 4iity; the law for
bids it. But our Nv only claims au-
thority over the living; perhaps after
death you may all be mis- wives"