Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-07-14
A CRY IN THE NIGHT.
A Weird Posthumous Story by
Nine. George Sand.

It was early evening in Venice. The
limpid waters flashed and glistened in tho
yellow moonlight and their gurglips
mingled dreamily with the song and music
which seemed to be everywhere. June was
but iuiS begun, and the balmy air and the
soft weather had filed all the lagoons with
gondolas. From my balcony | watched
the fitting craft and gay freight go back
and forth and hither aud thither across the
limits of my vision.
At last, full of the fun, JOY and glory
which the jewellers made, called my goIi-
dolier and bade him take me out upon the
water IL mattered but little which way we
went, so our bark drifted except when il
was necessary TO dip an oar to avoid a
collision.
All Venice seemed alive with the merry,
half-mad, riotous spirit of tho sport. and at
last the water became fairly thick with
barges and gondolas. In and out among
them we went, slowly, and from every side
we were hailed with jests, laughter, bits of
music and snatches of song. The mirth and
good will with which we were surrounded
soon took the gloom and care out of my
own sad heart, and laughed, chatted and
sang with them all, and was as gay as the
gayest
low balcony an unseen woman suddenly
began singing one of the sweet songs of
France, my own dear country. The song
came from throat as flexible as a birds.
and as full of music. We paused beneath
the balcony until the song was done; then
threw the singer handful of white lilies
and we drifted slowly away.
Five minutes later all the mirth md music
on the lagoon stopped instantly, and in its
stead was great and awful silence. IL was
H. w.sal.l ~
that it seemed to curdle the blood in every
heart-which came from the balcony where
j had just thrown the lilies. One only utters
such cry when in mortal agony or NOR
tai terror; and in this case il seemed in
spired by both. There were blanched faces
and staring eyes everywhere All were
listening for "A repetition of the dreadful
sound. Ours was the only gondola which
moved. All the others seemed unclaimed
or spell-bound by that awful cry. My gon-
dolier, as If by instinct, anticipated my
wish, and sent our graceful craft flying
through the water until we were once more
under tho balcony whence the song and the
cry came Clutching the low railing /
swiftly drew myself up, but there was no
one in sight. Through a window before me
heard stified cry OF pain, and instantly
rushed in the direction il came from.
The lights were dim, but in an inner room
i saw the outline OF n woman's form, and
heard the rustic of silken garments
black shadow seemed standing between us,
and then, all at once, the woman gave the
awful cry again, sprang forward, and
threw herself into my arms. Her heart was
beating wildly, and there was agony and
terror in her every movement.
"Do not move" she said do not stir I
am in danger but ! shall be safe il you hold
me fast for moment
| clnsped her closely 10 NV breast. and
she flung her arms tightly about my neck
Then again saw the shadow. It had a
mans shape, but as it came forward the
fearful color of it, face and the still more
hideous glow In It's eyes mnde II seem like
some fend or vampire. IL came very close
TO me and breathed its hot scorching
breath into my face. From impulse.
raised my hand and struck at it. hut il
darted backward and laughed at me i'm a
way which shall never forget.
DO not, said the woman; ''do not move
at all, He will go presently aud leave us
alone"
Twas wonderfully puzzled by the strange
scene. IL seemed to me too much like the
Middle Age diablerie and nonsense to he
real. But there was no mistake about il
the woman was still in my arms painting
with fright, and yonder in the middle Of
the floor, stood the fiend, or whatever 10
was; grinning and Kissing at me. Just be-
hind me i could hear the other jewellers
who had been with me OH the lagoons Re
cover, from their surprise at the alarm
cry, they had also come to investigate, and
they were climbing over the balcony and
into the room where was standing with
the woman and the goblin. My eyes were
firmly fixed upon the latter when the
others began clambcring over the balcony.
Suddenly, and without a sound, the sinister
presence vanished. How, ] could mover
tell. II is barely possible that he darted
through some unseen door and out along
some mysterious hallway, or he might have
melted into thin air. That point havo
never been able to decide. ] only know
that was looking straight at the eerie
shape, when suddenly the space which il
had filed became empty.
Then the woman released herself from
my embrace, and, slipping her hand
through my arm she stepped forward with
me to greet those who were still coming in
through the open windows from over the
balcony.
II thank you all for coming she said,
though the danger is past now. was Sc
riously disturbed and greatly frightened
by most unwelcome intruder whom the
gentleman at my side has driven away
The object OF my alarm will not return
again, so l will detain you no further from
your sport unless you will do me the honor
to stay and partake Of my hospitality |
will order refreshments il you will permit
me.n
But the jewellers thanked her and said
no and soon j again heard their music
md laughter, as the gondolas went fitting
shout in the moonlight.
When the others had gone I, too, started
TO leave the woman at my side, but she
chung to my arm.
Must you go!n she said, plaintiveiy;
'can you not stay with me for little
winep'
1t was then, for the first time, that dis
covered how beautiful she was. Her hair
was long and heavy and yellow, like spun
gold. Few women ever have such hair;
perhaps Godiva and Brunhilde were so ia
vored, but even that is doubtful. Her face,
neck and arms were of perfect shape and
as white as marble, excepting a single
finish OF red upon each cheek. But her
foremost charm-the one wherein she sur
passed ell other women-lay in her deep,
black eyes. They were entirely, absolute
ly black; not the kind of eyes which are
commonly, by polite fiction, so termed
but there was no trace of any other color
in them or about them save the great milk
white pearls which served as their setting.
Her lashes, too, were long and dusky,
and when she wished it, completely
yelled the wonderful eyes which had
so powerfully impressed me. Though
she was somewhat taller than
women commonly are, her : exquisite
shapeliness was in no way detracted from
by her height. Somehow, every thing
about her strangely moved and affected
her. There was supple, cat-like litheness
felt that she was the occult and tangible
center Of an atmosphere of weird and in
tangible mystery. One moment would
almost fear her and the next moment
would find myself regretting that must
ever go away and leave her. Her glances
thrilled and bewildered me like some resist
less and overpowering emotion, and at the
lightest touch of her hand, or the most in
significant rustic OF her garments, every
sense tingled and every nerve quivered.
The secret OF her strange power over me
was beyond my guessing, but that it was
sufficient TO overcome any resistance i