The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-07-04

| CHOSE Ouc Oh Il HlS SucI uOoI. 1I was Cdlleu
the violet chamber, or the Bishops cham.
ber, because a great uncle of the present
Count de Boisbriand, Bishop of Tours
under Henri ", had occupied it. The
violet hangings and the oak wainscotings
rendered this apartment rather gloomy, but
the large mantelpiece, sculptured in white
marble, which decorated it, and especially
the large stone balcony from which could
be seen the whole valley, pleased Diane,
and she ordered her maids to bring all her
luggage into the violet chamber.
''Remain up, if you like, my pretty sis
ter" said Marguerite, "but our servants
arc tired, your nephews are falling asleep,
and as for me, [ can hold out no longer.
With your permission shall go to bed the
same time as my children IF you wish to
read, here are the keys of the library, which
adjoins your room. | wish you good
evening"
"Mademoiselle la Comtesse is right, y
said DANES favorite maid, "and Mademoi-
selle would do well to act like her. 1t is a
week since we have slept in good bed,
and as for me [ am longing for mine.
"Well," said Diane, arrange my hair
and 90 to bed, Nicole | shall undress
myself very well, for once; but [ have no
desire for sleep and l shall sit up whatever
you do
Nieole did not need to be told twice.
She arranged her mistress's hair, smoothed
the bed, poked the fire and retired to the
ante-room where she was to sleep.
Diane took taper and passed into the
library to seek book. She saw there a
genealogical tree on parchment, ornamented
with many painted and gilded escutcheons,
some scores of books on the dusty shelves.
She got up on chair and read their titles,
mostly Latin, announcing works of the
ology, history and law. Not romance,
not novel, alas 1t was a perfect bish-
ops library. The fair Diane sighed, and
looking around her perceived that this
small apartment had another door besides
the one by which she had entered. She
opened it and saw winding stairs, very
narrow, which led into round tower. She
hesitated to ascend, when bat, frightened
by the light, quenched it by flap of his
wing. This disagreeable incident put an
end to this evenings discoveries. Diane
returned to the violet chamber, went to bed
and fell asleep.
The next morning she sent Nicole for
an old steward, and asked him whittier led
this door.
''Is is that of the chamber of the Astrol-
oyer, Mademoiselle," said the good man.
at is so called because a famous Astrolo-
ger named Albumazar occupied it in the
reign of Catherine de Medicis He had at
first been in her service, but he was dis
graced, and dismissed from tie Chateau of
Blois; he came to beg an asylum from the
Count de Boisbriand, your great, great,
grandfather, Mademoiselle. He spentmany
years at the Chateau de Lussault, and
taught the young NJ. de Boisbriand more
magical secrets than is fitting for a Chris
tian to know They say that the astrolo-
ger was carried off in flesh and blood by
the devil on account of certain compact
which he had made with him. What is
certain is that Albumazar disappeared one
night without any one knowing what had
become of him, and that Monsieur was
greatly blamed for having maintained a
disciple of Belzebub. 1t did not bring
him happiness, he died young and suffered
violent death.
II would like to go into that room, said
Diane.
81 would not advise you to do so, Made
moiselle, said the steward, "even when the
door would be wide open. But it has been
condemned for a very long time. 1t is
Monsieur, the count who keeps the key
and he has never confded it to anyone
As for me, who am here fifty years, never
thought of entering that room. Has Ma
demoiselle any other orders to give me 2"
"None," said Diane, with sulky air
''It is very annoying, it is raining, | cannot
go out; and the only place in this wild
chateau where [ wish to go is locked p
"If Mademoiselle would like to visit the
armory," said the steward, "she would see
some very curious things there"
II do not care for old irons, said Diane
''you may retire.
She returned in the evening, the next
day, every day, to stare at this locked door
and sometimes shaking it, sometimes apply
ing an eye to the keyhole, she sought t
divine what the mysterious room contained
The lock was ornamented with salamander'
delicately chiseled, the door was of oak
furnished with solid hinges, and through
the heyhole was to be seen large retort Of
Venice glass placed on tripod. To know
anything more was impossible, and days
weeks and months passed without any
change in the situation.
Now, one day that Diane, impatient al
finding nothing amusing to read in the
library, had decided to get upon the ladder
and to examine the highest shelf which
contained some manuscript, she threw down
in moving one of them, something metal
and descended from the ladder to pick il
up. 1t was rather thick key, ornamentec
with salamander. AT this sight, Diane
leaped for joy, and rushing up the stairs
ran to try the key in the lock. She open
ed it!
On hearing the grating of the rusty Dol
the young girl hesitated an instant. | hat
better, thought she, ask the permission. O
my sister, but she would refuse. She is 81
wise, so submissive to all that my brothel
wishes Bah after all the Astrologer il
not there since the devil carried him away
And this true daughter of Eve entered
the mysterious room.
1t was a round vaulted room, lighted b,
a single oval window and furnished yer.
simply. A canopied bed, whose tapestrie
were all in rags, chemical furnace, trunk
large armchair, two tables loaded will
crucibles and retorts, encountered thi
apartment. As for the rest, neither death
head nor stuffed owl, nothing frightening
but many cobwebs and much dust. Sh
opened the trunk; it contained only clothe
which were crumbling into dust. But OF
one of the tables before the armchair anC
near an antique iron lamp with three burn
ers rather thick manuscript bound II
black leather and whose clasps were orna
mented with cabalistic signs attracted tn
attention of Diane 1t was open, as if the
former occupant of this chamber had beel
suddenly obliged to suspend his labors ant
indeed, the line unfinished, the pen on tn
ground and the overturned ink-bottle whic
had stained some pages of the manuscript
showed that the vigil of the Astrologer ha
been violently interrupted.
l.. Il fool