Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-08-26
esysd by pa ner.

stopped at the door OF an inn in the
village of Rouelle which adjoins the park
Of Malrpalson. The hostess went out TO
receive hin. and having given bis horse
70 the stabie-boy, he ordered dinner.
He was shown into the best room in the
house and tie busy host set about pre-
uarjne the repast. In a few minutes
another traveller on horseback stopped
at the inn aud also ordered his dinner
81 am very sorry l cannot accomo-
date you," said the hostess: but every
thing we have Ii the house has been
bespoke by gentleman who arrived a
few minutes before you"
$50 up stairs" said the traveller,
s'and tell your guest / shall be Obliged
to him if he will permit me to share
his dinner and Will defray my poi Ition
Of the expense"
Tie hostess delivered the message to
the first traveller, who politely replied:
Tell the gentleman L shall be glad
of his company, but that it is not my
practice to accept payment from persons
whom invite to dine with me. p"
The second traveller accordingly went
up stairs, and having expressed his
acknowledgements for the kind reception
he had received, they both sat down to
the table.
The dinner was AS cheerful as could
be expected, considering the shO7t ac-
aualntance of the parties; but during
the desert. when some excellent wine
WAS placed before them, the CONVERSE
tion became more unreStrained, and
the second traveller ventured to ask his
obliging Amphitryon what had brought
him into that part of the country,
where he appeared TO be stranger.
~ have been ordered here, +" he re-
piled, "by the cardinal"
by the cardinall' resumed his CON-
panion. Pardon my curiosity, sir, if
inquire whether you have given his
eminence any offence?"
"By no MEANS" replied the first
traveller; and it is only to free myself
from any such Imputation that L have
come here. The fact is, there has been
published At Rochelle, my native town,
virtulent satire upon the public con.
duct and personal character of the car
dinal, several copies of which have
peen addressed to the king, and though
never wrote a single word that has
appeared III print, am uDjustly ac-
cused of being the author OF TINS
pamphlet. Nothing obtains such ready
belief as the whisperings of folly and
ill-uarure, and | have therefore lost DO
time in obeyIng the summons of his
eminence in the hope of effectuaDy re-
futing the charge that has been brought
against mt"
Sir" said his companion, with an
expression of marked anxiety, return
thanks to kind Providence for the for
tunate incident that introduced you TO
me to-day. | have also been summon
ed hither by the cardinal, and for no
other purpose l am convinced than that
of beheading you"
4 thrill of horror passed through the
the frame of the person to whom these
words were addressed
Yes, sir" resumed the speaker,
my task would have hesn to behead
you. am the exeCutloneT IF neigh
boring town. and whenever the cardi-
nal has any secret act of vengeance to
perform, rect i've orders to repair to
the castle. The particulars | have just
heard you relate, together with the
hour of your appointment here, all con-
vince me beyond doubt that you are
marked out as a victim. But fear
nothing, L Will secure your escape. Or
der your horse instantly, ana go with
me. l will acquit myself of the debt
of gratitude which your courtesy has
imposed upon me-"
The horror and alarm of the poor
IEaruiOI naaJ iJo moro easily conceived
than described. He instantly ordered
the horse TO be saddled, and having
paid the bill he and his companion set
out, taking private road through the
wood Of Bertrand.
do you see" said the guide, as they
approached the castle, THAT grated
window, which almost reaches the
crannies of the central turret? In that
dungeon sentences against which there
is no appeal are pronounced and execu-
ted. and the mutilated bodies hurled
down into the moat below, where they
are speedily destroyed by quicklime.
Neglect not to observe my instructions.
Conceal yourself behind that hedge,
and If within the space of an hour you
see light glimmering at the window
which | have pointed out, then you
may conclude that | am ordered here
TO execute vengeance upon another;
but If, on the contrary, you see no
light, rely on it you yourself are the in
tended victim. In that case, lose not
an in tant. Profit by the darkness of
the night and the swiftness OF your
horse. Gain the frontier, and there
plead your cause as you see lit; but per-
mt me to tell you that it is absurd to
justify yourself against the imputatioD
of an offence which you have not COM
mitted; for, where despotism reigns,
truth and justice are pOwerleSs."
Having expressed unbOunded graft
tude to his tutelar saint, the traveller
withdrew to his hiding place. The
suspicious of the cardinals agent
proved well founded. NOlight appear
ed at the window o. the tuTret, and at
the expiration of an hour the traveller
galloped off. He Immediately quilted
France, and did not venture back until
after the death Of the cardinal.
On returning to his native country,
his first business was to visit the inn
Of Rouelle, and to make inquiries re-
specting his benefactOr, who, however,
had not been heard of for several years.
He then related his adventure, which
became local tradition, and has con
ferIed celebrity on the inn of RoueIle.
known by the sign Of the white
Horse" The room in which the two
travellers dined is shown TO this day,
and is called the Room of the Good