The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-07-13
After a while the carriage stopped and

my arm and led me up a flight of steps,
then along a hall, then up a staircase
and finally along a corridor. Judged
from the height and width of the stair
case, which was of stone or marble, and
the rich carpeting or the passage or cor
ridor, that I was in a grand mansion.
sit down. M. Godin. There is a
chair Immediately behind you. When
YOU hear me close the door of this room
you may uncover your eyes and begin.
You are to paint precisely as it is the
what is lying on that bed. You must
finish before five o'clock tomorrow
morning. When you are ready to go
away you must rebandage your eyes,
then sound a bell you will find on the
table. A person will come and conduct
you to your studio. In ten or twelve
days l will send for the picture; it must
be packed SO that no n can see it, and
you must pack it yourself. The person
who viii COM for it will pay you the
second thousand francs. You will find
refreshments on the table. NowI leave
you. Do not forget the conditions you
have promised to keep"
l heard him close the door. Then l
eagerly tore the bandage from my face.
The glare of a brilliantly-lighted room
oppressed my eyes for a few seconds, and
l could only distinguish that the apart
ment was large and magnifcently fur
nished. AS my vision grew clearer |
saw that almost Immediately in front of
me wa a very handsome coffin standing
On a platform or dais covered with black
velvet. I had been prepared for some
thing strange, but the sudden sight of
the coffin made me shudder. In a mo-
ment or two, however, 1 gathered cour-
age enough to walk toward it. 1t was
empty. The lid stood by the side, and
some of the silver screws had fallen on
the floor. 1 picked one up and looked
at it. The head was badlymauled. Evil
IDENTIFY the coffin had been openedby some
Impractical hand. Where was its for
mer occupant Instinctively 1 turned
toward the bed. On it was lying the
body of a woman. 1 looked at the face.
l think it was the most beautiful l ever
a The expression was SO calm and
happy it was difficult to believe she was
not merely sleeping. l had only noticed
the face. As my eyes passed from that
to the figure a sight met them which
drew from me a cry of horror and rage.
Her breast was barred, and through her
heart a jeweled-handled dagger was
buried to the hilt!
1 felt i'll and faint. Invent to the table
and took along draught of brandy. Then
l came back to the bedside. 1t was not,
as L had tried to persuade myself, a hor-
rid dream, a p~hantasy. There was the
dagger, driven with unerring aim and
deadly force. 1 noticed that so skillfully
had the blow been given that only two
clots of blood had escaped from the
wound. The bleeding must have been
wholly internal. AgainI glanced at the
sweet, p~eacefulface. There was nothing
in it to indicate the agony which l had
been taught to look for in painful and
sudden death.
Where was 1? Upon what frightful
tragedy had I lighted? Had this muir
dered woman been a faithless wife, or
was she some innocent girl who had been
enticed here to meet ruin and death:
What should 1 dop What could l dof
My first impulse was to raise an alarm,
but a moments reflection convinced me
of the uselessness and danger of such a
proceeding, 1t was evident that the per-
son or persons who had committed this
CIlI1c WOtlu uOI HCSlbdUc al dllOtlGI W
secure safety. l had no idea in what
quarter of Paris 1 was, nor of how to
gain egress from the house. Beside, ]
had heard the door locked behind me.
But why should any one desire to per.
petuate that terrible sight? This was a
question I could not answer, though
racked my brain for a response. Then
L looked again at the body and the fright
full fascination of the subject began to
enthrall me. Its grim awfulness appealed
to something in my artistic nature and
urged me with irresistible force to begin
work. 1 had always had a touch oil
morbidness in my inspirations, yet had
never conceived such a combination OF
the beautiful and the horrible. Yes,
whatever 1 might feel it my duty to dc
on the morrow, l would work my best
that night.
An absorbing desire to express no
only what Isaw but what I felt took pos
session of me. Never before had
painted so quickly or so well. / obtained
with a few touches effects that l had be
fore vainly labored to produce. 1t al
most seemed as if I were controlled by
some overwhelming force. The sou
dsIlu pOWCI VI d SlCd1 dlblSb Idu lcIupOI
arily passed into me, and my poor hand.
and eyes were but the lei throngl
which another was working.
The hours flew rapidly by, but 1 la
bored unintermittingly. The figure grew
upon the canvas and began to look life
like in its deathlike fidelity. At last my
aching hands and arms compelled me t
rest. l looked everywhere for som
mark or sign by which l could discover
in whose house l was. Not the faintes
clue rewarded my search-nothing bear
ing a name, initial or monogram was t.
be found. Everything wa of the mos
costly and luxurious description. None,
had been lavishly spent in every direc
ton. The coffin was almost a work o
art; its chased handles and bars were O
silver and gold, but the name-plate hat
not been attached. I noticed every dc
tail with great minuteness, because | de
termined that the maker of so UNUSUAL,
splendid a coffin could easily be found
and that through him was the cleares
and easiest way of bringing to justic'
the perpetrators of this foul crime.
Then 1 went back to my painting AM
again the fever of inspired work seizec
Hle. was scarcely SenSlDIe OI Inc laps
of time till the clock upon the mantel
piece warned me that it was already five
After considerable trouble L managed t.
pack my sketch in a way that woult
COVERT without injuring the moist colors
1 collected my brushes and tubes, tiet
the handkerchief over my eyes and rans
the bell. Almost Immediately / heart
the door unlocked and the sad vote,
whose tones had become so thorough,
impressed on my memory asked:
"How have you succeeded"
'Well."
81 am very glad. 1 will now tax
you to your studio. Come with me-"
He led me through the passage, dow
the staircase and to the carriage. Whel
l had seated myself he took his place b,
my side. The horses were urged to
very rapid pace, so fast, indeed, that
wondered the police did not interfere
My companion did not utter a word
When the carriage stopped he helpe'
me to descend, took me as far as the frs
staircase and said:
"When O reach the next landin,