Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-04

| Presently Octave Ianinskl las ne VIII D
designated in future) raised his head ant
passing his hand over his eyes looked abou
! him, puzzled and bewildered. Gradually
recovering consciousness, and perception o
the objects around him, his eyes first restee
on himself, lying on divan. Not in {
mirror. but in reality, he actually saw him
self. Uttering a loud exclamation, anc
| hearing voice which was not his own, he
was filed with a vague sense OF terror
The exchange of souls having been effected
during the magnetic sleep, he had no re-
membrance of the event. His mind, max
ing use of unfamiliar organs, was like
workman, who, losing his customary tools,
is obliged to resort to those he has nevel
before used. Poor exiled Psyche, beating
her wings restleasly against the dome Of
this unfamiliar crapium, was lost IN the
labyrinth of this brain, where fingered only
| the traces Of the ideas which had occupied
it originally.
"WelI, well !" said the doctor, after en-
joying the surprise of Octave Labinski,
"and how are you pleased with your new
residence? How do you find yourself now
that you are installed in the body of this
charming cavalier, hetman, hospodar, or
| illdB4dbS, hIS uuSOduu VI VIC liipSI DShhtA-
| full woman in the world | conclude you
10 longer wish to die, now that the doors
of the Hotel Labinski are opened wide to
you, and you fear no such repulse from
Plascovie as you received in the Villa Sal
Watt when you spoke of love to her. Now
you will no longer doubt the power Of old
Balthazar Cherbonneau, who, as you see,
has actually the power of changing one
identity fer another, and who could give
you still further proofs of his skill"
Doctor" said Octave Labinski, "you
have the power of god, or perhaps 1
should say of a demon"
"Oh Oh make yourself easy; you
need have no fear there is not the least
deviltry in all this. Your salvation is not
in the least imperiled l shall not oblige
you to sign any compact with your blood
All that has just transpired ia perfectly
simple"
"And how can I repay you? How can
ever reward you for this estimable
service?'
You owe me nothing; you interest
me and for an old fellow Ike me, bronzed
under every sun in the universe, hardened
to everything by experience, an emotion is
a rare blessing. You have given me a
revelation-the revelation of loye-aud you
must know that we Missionaries, dabblers in
alchemy, magic and philosophy, are always
But" he added, get up now and move
about; find out if you are at home in your
new surroundings.
0beying the doctor, Octave Labinski rose
and walked several times up and down the
room already he was feeling more at
ease; although inhabited by another soul,
the body OF the Count still retained the
force of habit; and the new inhabitant
yielded himself to the guidance of these
physical memories, realizing the import
ance of his reserving the air and carriage
of the old proprietor.
elf had not myself superintended your
change of residence" said Dr. Cherbon.
mean, laughing, 81 would never believe
that anything at all extraordinary had &C.
Cured this evening, and 1 should take you
for the veritable, authentic, legitimate,
Lithuanian Count Olaf Labinski, whose ego
still sleeps in yonder chrysalis, which you
have contemptuously thrown aside. But
it is almost II o'clock; you must go, or
Plascovie will accuse you OF preferring
lansquenet or baccarat. You must not be-
gin your married life by quarrel-it
would be an evil omen. Then l will amuse
myself in reyiving your old envelope with
all the tenderness and attention it de-
serves"
Perceiving the justice OF the doctors re-
marks, Octave Labinski hurried away. At
the entrance stood the Counts magnificent
bay horses, paving the ground, gnawing
their bits with impatience, and covered
with foam. At the sound of the young
mans step the footman threw open the
carriage door, and Octave, at first turning
mechanically in the direction of his quiet
brougham, entered the elegant coupe, with
the order to drive "to the hotel" The
distance was short, and in few moments
the carriage, turning into the large sanded
courtyard, drew up under an awning.
With the singularly rapid perception with
which we are sometimes gifted at certain
solemn crises in our lives. Octave Labinski,
with one swift glance, took in every detail
of the large court, lighted with gas, sur
rounded by handsome buildings, and orna.
mented with beautiful orange trees placed
at regular intervals.
As his foot touched the threshold he
stopped, puzzled, bewildered and anxious,
his heart beating violently. Possessing
only the body of Count Olaf, only bis out
ward physique, all the ideas that had form
erly dwelt in this brain had fed into the
soul of the former proprietor conse-
quently he was of course utterly ignorant
of the interior arrangement of this beau
tiful hotel which would hereafter be his
home. a staircase was before him he
assembled it, hoping to be guided Alright by
the instinct which so often comes to our
aid. The white marble brought out in
strong relief the rich red of the strip of
moquette, and the glowing colors OF the
rare exotics crowding the jardinieres placed
on each stair. The second floor was
in elaborate mosaic, and on the walls hung
four pictures by Bordone, Bonifazzio
Palma lie Yieux aad Paul Veronese, all of
which harmonized with the stately beauty
of.the staircase. Drawing aside heavy
portiere, Octave Labinski found himself in
an immense ante chamber. where. several
servants, aroused from sleep by his en-.
trance, started up as if moved by con-
cealed spring, ranging themselves along
the wall with all the immovability of
Eastern slaves.
Passing on, he entered saloon in white
and gold. There was 10 one there
Octave rang the bell. a femme de
chambre appeared.
"Can madame receive me ;"
MADAME la Comtesse is engaged az her
toilet, but will be visible in few mo-
ments.
Left alone with the body of Octave de
Saville and the soul of Count Olaf Lab
nski, DR.. Cherbonneau Immediately pro-
ceeded to restore the unconscious figure to
life. After few passes Olaf de Saville
tpray permit the combination of two names
in designating dual personsge) was
aroused from the dreamless sleep, or rather
the cataleptic trance in which he was lying
stiff and motionless on the divan he raised
himself with an automatic movement,
without any action of the will, and stag
gering with sort of vertigo. All the
different objects wavered before his eyes :;
the doctor at first seemed to be the figure
of the Sannyasi Of Elephanta. Moving
his arms as a bird moves Its wings, all the
extraordinary spectacles he had witnessed
before falling into his magnetic sleep were
still reflected on his brain, and he recov-
cred full consciousness very slowly. Grad.
ually the phantasmagoria dissolved, and
he saw everything under its normal aspect !;
NJ Ralth1z,r CbarboDnnau uyaa M lonoe