, 1883-10-20

the pivot designed to receive it. lie
bent down once more and set it in
motion. The crowd saluted with
terrific shouts the first rotation Of
the new weather cock of the steeple.
The poor wretch had now only to
come down. BY letting himself
slide first along the cross, then along
the pole, he would find at the sum
nit of the spire the ropes he had
used to pull up the pole and the
vane he had then only to coil a rope
around each leg and to let himself
slide down, his back conveniently
against the roof. In three minutes
at the utmost he would have been on
the platform.
But those shouts, those shouts Of
triumph given forth by the crowd,
took away the remainder of his
reason. .......-....
a glow of pride as coarse as him
self, as terribly grandas the courage
he had just shown, prompted him
with the mad~desire to surpass, by
an act of audacity still more incrcd-
ibIe, all he had done until then.
He placed himself astride the bird,
and by a violent effort, set it in mo-
tion.
AT the sight of this frightful act Of
folly, the crowd was struck dumb
and motionless, every heart terrified,
every eye distended, staring at the
weather cock turning, turning.
One, two, three, four, five minutes
passed.
The vane was still revolving.
The man, who at first had saluted
with his cap, was now bent forward,
clasping with his arms the neck of
the bird. He tried to pass one of his
legs over the tail of the bird, but
whether owing to his presence Of
mind having already left him, or to
the too great height of the obstacle,
he did not succeed. He tried again
by stretching out his legs to reach
the cross, but he moved them vainly
in the air. lie had probably taken
a spring to get astride the bird, for
his feet did not find any point of sup
port, and he was seen to cross them
under the stomach Of the bird.
And then the man sat up erect,
stretching out his arms with ges-
ture of supreme pride.
He remained thus.
And the Vane was still turning.
While this vertigo-inspiring scene
was going on, the agitation of the
crowd was increasing. Looks alone
were exchanged, for no one dared to
speak. Some women began to make
signs of the cross Finally a pierre
ing scream was head a young girl
had fallen backward in a ft.. In
stantly, as if by electricity, several
woman swoOned children screamed
and cried, and men, wild and dis
tracted, began to run about, scream
ing without knowing what they were
doing or saying.
A quarter of an hour had passed.
The weather cock had at last stopped,
but, strange and terrible sight, the
man continued mOtiOnless, his legs
crossed and ,his arms spread out,
Somebody suggested that the priest
who was still in the vestry room,
waiting for the conclusion of the
matter, had better be told of what
had occurred.
He tried at first to reassure those
who spoke to him, but it was with a
throbbing heartand feeling Of faint
ness that he we went out to see, with
his own eyes, what was going on.
So far not having witnessed any
Of the awful scene, he was not 50
much impressed as the other specta-
tors. The man sat so upright, his
position was so distinct and so firm,
that one could easily imagine this
prolonged posture to be a bravadO
carried beyond measure. Thus spoke
the priest, but, even while speaking,
terror crept into his heart, and he
sent for the physician, with an en-
treaty to bring his telescope.
A few minutes later the telescope
was pointed at the top of the spire,
and the doctor having applied his
eye to the instrument, sprang back
wards with a scream of horror hear
ing which, the priest hastened to
look in his turn.
In the black circle Of the objective,
detached on the light ground of the
sky, the man was seen stiff and mo-
tiOnless like statue, contracted by
frightful rictus, his ashy, pale face
was blotted on the cheeks by two
large black spots, and the end of his
tongue protruded through the open
lips, between the clenched teeth;
the eyes glaring and fixed, were
turned upwards, and of them moth
ing was visible but the whites, which
were cOngested with blood.
The priest stood there, with his
eyes applied to the telescope, as if
turned to stone by the horrible sight.
But he was man in whom the in
ward sentiment of holy duty ruled
and strengthed all human weakness.
He fell on his knees, and lifting
towards heaven his outstretched
arms, and his eyes full of tears, he
exclaimed, sobbing:
"Merciful God send Thy servant
a divine inspiration to save this
Christian
A circle had been formed around
him, but at a distance, and as if the
people were afraid to approach. lie