The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-24
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"ho 6OrCere0Sl zoos curse D0 on lef
for her evil doings!" shouted the mob.
1t was early morning, yet even at that
.iour the judgment hall of tho little
town of Bourdonnis was tlronged with
the populace. Men, women and chill.
dren, old and young, the noble and tho
burgher, priests, soldiers and common
people, crowded the spacious hall and
cried madly for her blood.
The evening before q female, closely
yelled and attended by two servants,
whose dark countenances bespoke the
sons of Ethiopia, had arrived at Bour.
donnis and put up ut one of the princi-
pal obstetrics of the place. Strange
rumors soon arose respecting her. Her
garL, her mien, her language and her
complexion were said to he those of
Saracen, against which accused
race the chivalry of Europe and the
church itself warred in vain. These ru-
mors gained additional strength when
the landlord of the inn where she had
stopped was heard to say that lie had
seen her practicing sorcery, charge
easily credited in that age, and one
which few. especially III case like this
lad the hardihood to disbelieve. In
less than an hour the whole population
Of tho town was about, surrounding the
hos.clry, and crying out for vengeance
against tho sorccrcss. Such commo-
tions were both frequent and sanguinary
in that superstitious age.
The soltliery, however, interfcred by
arresting the transporting victim OF
these rumors, and at this carly hour the
prisoner had been brought into the
Judgment hall to await the mockery
of trial.
"Answcr mo, daughter of Belial !"
said the judge, as soon as the mnrmurs
of ille mob allowed him to 1,e heard.
"Wlll YOU confess your crime? Speak.
or you die! Know you that the rack,
aye! fire itself, awaits yol If your OBJ
stinacy continucs?"
The prisoner was slight girlish crea-
tire, sitting with her face buried in her
hands, directly opposite to the Judge.
She was apparently young and her fig
IRE, so for rs could be seen through the
thick veil which slroudcd her form, was
light and agile as that Of a sylph. To
the judges question she made no an
swer. She only shook Ter head des-
nondingly, and those nigh her fssrietl
they heard her sob.
At these fearful words, repeated now
for tine second time, and growled forth
with MI aminous fierceness, arpalling
even to tho bearer, the prisoner wis
observed to tremblc. whether with fear
or otherwise we lilaow not, and lifting
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
',nrelentingly for her blood now sllsank
ahaslied into silence. while others who
had been less eager for her eondemna-
ton aulibly murmnred in her favor.
"What would We have OF ns2" she
said, addressing the judge, and for tho
first time standing unveiled before him.
As there is n God in whom we both
believe, l have told you only the
truth. I am q stranger, q foreigner,
u defense}ass woman, but not the
less the affiancal bride of one of Your
proudest noblemeh, the Count lie Gar
onne."
The tone in which she spoke was low,
but oh! how touchingly sweet: and he,
words were uttered in broken French,
with n pafceptible oriental accent.
Loud murmurs rose in her favor as sha
ceased speaking. The tide was turning.
But the Judge now spoke.
Out on thee, woman of hell! Out on
thee for base slanderer of q noble of
France and holy crusader! Thou the
bctrothed bride of Garonne! As soon
would the eagle mate with the vulture.
! tell thee woman, that thy story of hay
ing been shipwrecked in coming to
France, and CT all thy train having been
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 her
life depended on her firmness. "and if
you will give but one week, one
little week. and viii prove it
before man as we'll MS God. / came
from Syria in the same fleet with ay
lord, but under charge OF his mothers
confessor-now saint in heasen!-but
being separated by storm, in which
our galley was shipwreckel, ] Was
thrown unprotected on your shores. II
am stranger here. My seryenis even
have deserted me. do no one harm.
plot no treason. All / ask liz to pass
on my way. OH" she continued ia n
burst of emotion, eff You have u daugl..
ter think what would be your feelings
If she was thus to be set upon in a
strange land, and she burst into tears.
Again the crowd murmured in her ia
Tor.
Woman" sternly interposed the
Judge, nnmoyed by her emotion, "look
at the victim Of your sorcery, and seek
no longer to decisive us by your lies.
Send forth, Philip the Deformed!"
At the words Of the Judge, an official
hearing white wand stepped into a
side room, and in moment reappea.ed
with a cripple hideously deformed,
whom the populace recognized as the
landlord Of the hostelry. When con-
fronted with the prisoner lao alared ut
hor with look Of Economical hatred.
"Know you this woman ?" asked the
Judge.
cay! to my cost" an.wered the Grip
pie. ut is through hex incarnation
that 1 am the being [ am. u was but
yesterday she came to my inn, attended
by two heathenish Philippians, whom /
have beard palmers from the Holy Land
say are kept 10y the Panims-God's
who, three years ago, brought on me
ban bo tlcirsl no sooner beheld her
than recognized her to lie the sorceress
the disease by which i an crippled. I
could tell her among :hoaeand. The
curse of God light on her for q cI;ll of
the evil one, and the witness erouAd
his teeth together and GLANCED fiercely