The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-07-23
THE FIERY DEATH.

10 the stake with her! Away with
Che sorceress! Gods curse be on her
for her evil doings!" shouted the mob.
1t was early morning. yet even at that
''our the judgment hall of the little
town of Bourdonnis was thronged with
the populace. Men, women and chill
dren, old and young, the noble and the
burgher, priests, soldiers and common
people, crowded the spacious hall and
cried madly for her blood.
The evening before female, closely
yelled and attended by two servants,
whose. dark countenances bespoke the
sons of Ethiopia, had arrived at Bour-
donnis and put up at one of the princi-
pal hostelries of the place Strange
rumors soon arose respecting her. Her
garL, her mien, her language and her
complexion were said to be those of
Saracen, against which accused
race the chivalry of Europe and the
church itself varied in vain. These ru-
mors gained additional strength when
the landlord of the inn where she had
stopped was heard to say that he had
seen her practicing sorcery, charge
easily credited in that age, and one
which few, especially IN case like this,
had the hardihood to disbelieve. In
less than an hour the whole popula alton
OF the town was about, surrounding the
hos:elry, and crying out for vengeance
against the sorceress. Such commo-
tons were both frequent and sanguinary
in that superstitions age.
The soldicry, however, interfered by
arresting the unsuspecting victim OF
these rumors, and at this early hour the
prisoner had been brought into the
judgment hall to await the mockery
of trial.
ANSWER me, daughter of Belial !"
said the judge, as soon as the murmurs
Of The mob allowed him to be heard.
"Wlll you confess your crime? Speak,
or you die! Know you that the rack,
aye! fire itself, awaits you If your OBJ
stinacy continues"
The prisoner was slight girlish crea-
ture, sitting with her face buried in her
hands, directly opposite to the Judge.
She was apparently young and her fig
ure, SO far as could be seen through the
thick veil which shrouded her form, was
light and agile as that OF sylph. To
the judges question she made no an
swer. She only shook her head des-
nondingly, and those nigh her fancied
they heard her sob.
At these fearful words, repeated now
for the second time, and growlcd fortl,
with an ominous tiercencss, appalling,
oven to tho nearer, the prisoner was
observed to tremble, whether with fear
her veil up with sudden effort, she
rose to her feet turned hastily around to
the mob, and disclosed u countenance OF
such surprising loneliness to their gaze
that even those who had cried out most
rmrclentingly for her blood now shrank
abashed into silence, while others who
had been less eager for her condemna-
ton audiby murmured in her favor.
"What would ye have of me?" she
said, addressing the judge, and for the
first time standing unveiled before him.
AS there is Gol in whom we both
believe, l have told you only the
truth. l am a stranger, foreigner
a defenseless woman, but not tho
less the aflianced bride OF one of youl
proudest noblemen, the Count lie Gar
onne."
The tone in which she spoke was low
but oh! how touchin9ly sweet; and he1
words were uttered in broken French
with porceptble oriental accent
Loud murlnrrs rose in her favor as she
ceased speaking. The tide was turning
But the judge now spoke.
cont on thee, woman Of hell! Out OF
thee for a base slanderer of 4 noble O.
France and a holy crusader! Thou the
betrothed bride OF Garonne! AS sool
would the eagle mate with the vulture
I tell thee woman, that thy story of hay
ing been shipwreckcd in coming t.
France, and Ct all thy train having beer
lost except thy two Ethiopian myrmi
dons. is foul lie, and am almost mind
ed to wiring the truth from thee on the
rack"
II have said it," said the prisoner
in firm voice, for she felt that he1
life depended on her firmness, "and i
you will give but one week. ont
little week, and I will prove i
before man as we'll as God. l cam,
from Syria in the same fleet with M,
lord, but under charge of his mother
confessor-now saint in heaven !-bu
being separated by q storm, in which
our galley was shipwrecked, I Wa
thrown unprotected OH your shores.
am stranger here. My servents ever
have deserted me. L do no one harm
plot no treason. All ask is to pas
on my way. OH" she continued in
burst of emotion, "if you have daugh
ter think what would be your feeling
if she was thus to be set upon in
strange land" and she burst into teapf,
Again the crowd murn,ured in her ia
vOr.
Woman" sternly interposed TIN
judge, unmoved by her emotion, "looI
at the victim OF your sorcery, and seel
no longer to deceive us by your lies
Send forth, Philip the Derormed!"
At the words of the Judge, an officia
bearing white wand stepped into ,
side room, and in a moment reappearet
with cripple hideously dcformed
whom the populace recognized as tn
landlord Of the hostelry. When con
fronted with the prisoner he glared a
her with look of demoniacal hatred.
know you this woman" asked tn
Judge.
Gay! to my COST" answered the Grip
pie. 1T is through her incantatio1
that am the being I am. It was b,,
yesterday she came to my inn, attended
by two heathenish Philippians, whom
have heard palmers from the Holy Ian,
say are kept by the Panims-God'
who, three years ago, brought on IN
ban be theirs no sooner beheld he
than recognized her to he the sorceres