Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-07-08


my heart beat and the pulses in my temples
throbbed while he readl The minutes HI
took seemed hours; and when he simply
said, els that all ?'' the sudden relief almos
made me giddy. He consented, after lit
tie, to mesmerize me. drew my chair clost
to his, and put candle close beside me-
There was little need of light, for the moor
streaming through the open windows tilleC
the room, but thought the candle NIGH
hurt his eyes. seated myself opposite tt
him and put his hands on my knees, ane
then held my hands over his eyes as 8
shade and turned my eyes on his. Moment
by moment passed, and those eyes, usually
so sleepy and small, grew larger and larger
blacker and blacker, and seemed to stant
out of his head; and then came through my
mind the awful question, shall l fail !?
Weaker and weaker grew, and an awful
vague horror filled me SO that in agony
would have screamed, but that my tongue
stuck in my mouth; just as hopeless, help
less and motionless in my body, my very
soul seemed being dragged out of me, the
thought of my dream triumph rushed
through my mind and walked me from the
deadening lethargy. Stronger l grew al
once. Taking my hands from my eyes
moved them slowly over his forehead. Fear
| full became his grasp on my knees, so that
| nearly cried out, and then l became con
scious, although saw nothing, that he was
struggling fearfully against me. For hours
! the struggle seemed to last, and my bodily
exhaustion became terrible, while his hand;
seemed to eat in my flesh. At last 1 me.
chanically put my thumb on the broad space
between his eyes. Firmly pressed and his
hands grasp grew weaker. Then almost
suddenly the life seemed to go out of his
eyes, though they remained open; his hands
fell to his sides and his head sank back.
Noiselessly got up, though I knew nc
noise would wake him, and filling glass
with cognac, drank it. Never was nee
tar so sweet. The blood rushed through my
veins, and | ceased to tremble. drew his
pistols from his pocket, took out the car
tridges, emptied the powder, put them back
and then replaced the pistols.
ran over to NJ. Poncard's, and saying
never a word, for seemed to have lost my
tongue, l beckoned to him and he followed.
Up the stairs we crept, and then leaving him
in the anteroom l walked to the door. My
hand was on the handle when the thought,
suppose he is awake! struck me. 1 listened
moment and could hear nothing but my
hearts beat and the distant moaning wind.
Suppose he was feigning sleep more surely
to catch me felt had gone too far to
draw back.
cooked my pistol and then noiselessly
turned the doorhandle. A long time stood
scarce daring to breathe; my heart beating
so that fancied its sound would disturb
him. Inch by inch pushed the door open,
and then suddenly began soft vibrating
noise, now growing louder, now softer. My
heart ceased to beat, my hand ceased to
tremble. and almost patrifed with terror I
stood and listened. After few moments the
mysterious sound struck me as being not
human, SO with as little noise as possible
pushed my head into the room.
There he sat, motionless as one dead; his
head thrown right back, the cold light OF
the moon pouring down on his face, show.
ing it's cruel hard lines and his great bull
throat, and there on his knee sat the white
cat, purring, unconscious; of her masters
fate. On tiptoes advanced, and as drew
near | saw something which nearly sickened
me. The light streaming down on his eyes
showed but two dull, white masses, for the
leyeballs, had passed into the head. Driving
away the cat, which had been trying to wake
him from his deadly sleep, told him to rise
and the voice that came from my lips was
| Again and again spoke; still he sat there,
like dead thing, SO that the notary, who
had crept in, called out, "Mon Dieu! you
have killed him." You can guess how that
alarmed me. sent Mr.. Poncard away, and,
shuddering, laid my hands on his forehead,
then passed them to and fro, flicked my
handkerchief in his face and blew on him
| Then the eyeballs slowly descended, and
feared he might have come too far round,
but his vacant look re-assured me. AS the
| eyeballs came back | felt in me strange
| feeling of double consciousness, as if had
two minds in me. l told him to rise, and
slowly the head came forward, the body
Strengthened, the legs moved and he got up.
A strange and repulsive idea come over
me that the feeling of double consciousness
was true; that, in fact, his will had passed
into me, and though his muscles obeyed his
will it'was subordinate to mine, for it was
in me, and so he seemed part of me, and l
felt as if his guilt was my guilt.
This idea SO shocked me that drew back
from the gigantic upright figure. the mon
ster who seemed part of me, and ran to M.
Poncard. He said that it was fancy, and
advised me to bathe my head, which I hur-
riedly did. l came back feeling calmer, but
in no wise relieved of my idea.
stood opposite to him, took his cold,
dead hand in mine. and said, "Do you re-
member the 3rd of February?" Slowly the
Jaw opened, and in harsh. colorless voice
came the word eyes, ssTell me what vol
did that day." In so laundering way die
he begin to speak and so fiercely did he
struggle to keep silent q felt the struggle,
for it seemed to take place in me) that
began to fear should get no account from
him.
'Ask him questions only requiring yes
or no. said the notary. How his voice
startled me, for had become. so absorbed
in my victim as to have forgotten him.
''Did you quarrel NJ. Dumont?" eyes, >
sAbout cards ?'' eyes" .'You owed hin
money ?" eyes," 'eWas that all ?'' mo
''Did he find you out in cheating, yor
scoundrel ?" called out the notary. No an
swer. Again and again came the question
No answer.
Every one of my questions had been echo
ed in my breast, and in me was fierce figh
of my will to make him answer, and his tt
resist. The notary's question only seem
ed to hear with my ears, and there was NJ
mental echo.
Then put the question and got the an
swer, eyes" Slowly dragged out th'
horrid tale till I came to the question, 'Dit
you cut his throat p" Then came so fierce
struggle in me that began to fear failure
and faint and exhausted I sat down on
chair. After ten minutes rest I bega1
again with greater strength and made hin
confess.
We then came to the most important
questions, "Had he destroyed the locket p
No. "Was it in the house?" No. "Wher
was it ?" 1t was in vain that at first triet
to get an answer, but after rest put til,
question, and there came the words, as j
torn out of his and my heart, "Under stone
at Carnac."
| NJ. Poncard and I gazed at one anothe
nearly stupefied. This was the cause of hi
interest in Carnac; this explained his Ion.
late walks. In vain did try to get from
him an Ineligible explanation of the posi-
tion of the stone; he fought every question
and was aided by the fact that it was diff
ficult thing to explain. At last, worried ant
despairing, gave up the task. What was tt
be done? We could not convict on a con
fession so strangely obtained without an,
corroborative evidence, and confession
which would surely be denied. To dig VI
the 1,500 stones would be herculean task
probably it would not be allowed; and eve
if it were, he could not be kept under arres
the while. For some time we thought i
vain