Litchfield enquirer., 1880-02-05

four men, dressed like sAtyrs, dragging after
 them long chaas. The maids swoOned, and ] in another burst of fireworks the demons dis
 appeared.
 | It was quite plain the poor procureur was in
 the clutches of the devil He had been seen l he had been hesrd-there was no room to doubt his fate. The news spread through the | mountains.
 The next night Roquairol made his appear ance on the terrace accompanied by fourteen | devils. The widow had surrounded herself with her friends, but numbers only added to | the general terror. When Roqualrol and his | following appeared, the women fled away and shut themselves up in a large chamber
 Thither RoQuairol pursued them. Some tried to escape out of the window, some fell upon their knees, some sprinkled all the place with holy water. If drop fell on any of the dew
 ills they howled as if they had been scalded ! with hot nil they etrotohad out thnr long claws as if to catch hold of the women, and rattled the chains of a figure dressed up to represent the deceased attorney. This person. age kept crying in lamentable voice. "This chateau was i'll gotten Woe to those who inhabit it They shall burn as I burn Woe to them and woe to mel"
 This went on half through the night. The widow abandoned the castle about dawn, and took refuge in another part of her estate at the house of one of her farmers.
 Of course the affair made great noise in the country. Every one had his own views about it. The esprtts forts turned it into ridi-. cule, and said it was all nonsense. Three clergymen-a Capucin and two d66es-resolv- ed to sup in the chateau and to pass the night there. They had eight menservants in attend ance, and three women to cook for them. Ro- quairol felt that he was bound to get the bet ter of this committee of investigation. He had Ioxyo For Tbno was to be served in the great hall of the cha teau. He broke an opening through the wall of this room, and covered it with boards and tapestry. He also made an entrance from a dark garret into it's great chimney.
 All was quiet till the guests were seated at supper. They began to think their presence had laid the ghosts, and to congratulate them selves accordingly. But at the first mouthful that they put between their lips they laiddown their knives and forks and listened. The noise they heard, appeared to be behind them. They turned and saw a monstrOns bear, which, walking round the table, sniffed at the dishes. Masters and servants tumbled over one another in their fright, and all rushed to the further end of the apartment As they f1ed an ape of fearful size jumped upon the table, and upset it, putting out all the candles. Four devils came through the wall bandishing
 lighted torches, eight others (dragging after them the late prOcureuT) rushed upon the scene with howls and demoniac laughter. '1 burn! 1 burn !' erred the prOcureur. ''Ohl castle ill gotten! Woe to all those who dwell in thee! They shall burn !--they shall burn like mel" Next came eight other devils with pitchforks, and Mandrin himself came down the chimney in bulls hide with immense horns, escorted by four blackamoors with torches. Altogether there were twenty-four persons. The abbes and the menials were wild with terror The friar showed more nerve, until one of the devils set fire to his beard and then ran after the others, applying his torch to their wigs and clothing. Helter- skelter, pursuing and pursued, they rushed into the courtyard. The stampede was gen eral. The torches of the demons waved be- hind tbeir backs. The devil takes the hind most was in the minds of all of them.
 After this, Roquairol remained in possession of the castle and handed it over to Mandrin. For this service he was made lieutenant on the spot.
 All kinds of precautions were taken to pre- serve so valuable piece of property. Man drin never went to bed without firing a few fuzees out of his window, and his men, from time to time, were sent into the underground passages to drag about heavy chains. In order to prevent any one from visiting the chateau by daylight, sentry was always on duty, clad in the skin of the bear. The place was better guarded, says our pamphlet writer, than the garden of the Hesperides.
 Once domiciled in the chateau, Mandrin rapidly made progress in his vocation. He continued his counterfeiting, and took to smuggling and brigandage on large scale. All this while he was pursuing his love affair with Isaura. He supported the character of Baron de Mandrin with great success, and completely won the hearts of the young lady and her family.
 He even passed off Roquairol for gentle man, and succeeded in winning for him promise that he should have the hand of Isauras sister, Button the eve of the we'd dings an unexpected event overthrow these projects of marriage.
 An officer of the army on his way to Greno- ble heard the story of the haunted castle. He did not believe a word of it, and resolved to go and see for himself. After Investigating SO far as to feel certain that there was some haox at the bottom of the affair, he put him. self at the head of the rural police, and made a visit to the castle. The ghosts defended themselves bravely, and flung boiling oil on their assailants, but these proved the stronger party. The band was forced to fly, pursued in their turn by the enemy. Mandrin, in his character of baron, took refuge with 1saura, feeling sure that no one in he: household would suspect hlm of being captain of robbers. But one of his men betrayed him. A party of officials. disguised as burghers, came to the house. and took him into custody. lsaura thought them tradesmen from the neighboring town come to insult her lover. What a spectacle for this poor young glrl !" exclaims the biographer "She tried to excite her ser wants to come forward to his rescue They were willing to obey her, till the police stated they were acting by royal authority, and their commander asked Isaura what interest she could take in the fate of smuggler, coun- terfeiter, and robber. Isaura made no an- swer. A blush betrayed her secret. She rushed to her own chamber, and her late love turned at once to scorn and rage. She tore up all the letters of her wretched lover, she stamped upon his gifts, and to hide her shame from every eye that had witnessed her afec- tion, she took refuge in convent that very day"
 Mandrin, stupefed by the conduct of Isaura, made little or no resistance, but followed the officers to prison. The darkness of his dun- geon, the insuff1ciency of his food, and the bit terness of his thoughts, caused him to fall dan. gerously ill after few days Imprisonment. His career would have probably come to an end at this point, but for 8 most unexpected intervention.
 The bold adventurer was already famous, and several devout ladies, moved by mis. sionary spirit and by feminine curiosity, asked leave to visit him in prison. In the interview that he had with them Mandrin protested that he put no faith either in God or devil, he made light of religion, and declared it was no use talking to him of conversion while his treat ment was so unchristian. The pious ladles were much moved. How could they leave to impenitence 80 interesting criminal They exerted themselves on his behalf, until at last the governor of the prison caused him to be transferred into better cell, and treated with less rigor. Mandrin then consented to receive priest. A good friar visited him. who was charmed with the state of mind Tn which he found his penitent. The ladies congratulated ness and humanity. Mandrln lost no time in making use of his improved condition to lay plans for his escape from prison. The very first evening he found himself alone in his new cell he Mrenched an irnn har ont of his win