The morning news., 1888-11-04

| in the afternoon the good Able Cornille lad
| brought to her the sacred ''viaticum." Then
| in the evening, as the chill of death grad
ually crept over her, a great desire came to
! her to receive the extreme unction, that
celestial remedy, instituted for the cure of
both the soul and body. Before losing
consciousness, her last words, scarcely MUIR
INJURED, were understood by Hubertlne, as
in hesitating sentences she expressed her
wish for the holy oils.
"Yes-oh yes-as quickly-as possible
| before it is too late"
| But death advanced. They had waited
until day, and the Able, having been noti-
| fed, was about to come
Everything was now ready to receive the
clergyman. The Huberts had just finished
! arranging the room. Under the gay sun
light, which at this early morning hour
| struck fully upon the window panes, 1t
| looked pure as the dawn in the nudity of Its
| great white walls. The table had been COW
| cred with a fresh damask cloth. AT tho
| right and the left Of the crucifix, two large
| wax tapers were burning in the silver can
| delabrum which had been brought up from
| the parlor, and there were also there the
consecrated waters, the asperges brush,
ever of water with its basin and napkin,
and two plates of white porcelain, one Of
which was filed with long bit' of cotton
and the other with the little ''cornetS" of
| paper. The greenhouses of the lower town
| had been thoroughly scar ned, but the Only
lnodorous flowers that had been found we g
| the peonies-great, white peonies, elormouF
tufts of which adorned the table, like a
| shimmering Of white lace. And in the
midst of this intense whiteness, Angei-
| ique, dying with closed eyes, still breathed
gently with half perceptible breath.
The doctor, who mad made his first morn
ing visit, had said that she could not live
through the day. Shs might, indeed, pass
| away at any moment, without even having
come to her senses at all. The Huberts,
resolute and grave, waited in silent despair.
Notwithstanding their grief aud tears, 1t
was evidently Necessary that this should DO
| the end. 1t they had ever wished for this
death, preferrng to lose their dear child
rather than to have her rebelious, it was
evident that God also wished it with them,
aud now that in this last trying moment
they were quite powerless, they could only
submit then5elves to the inc yitable. They
regretted nothing, although their sorrow
seemed greater than they could bear. Sine
she, their darling, had been there, suffering
from her long lines, they had taken tte
entire care of her day and night refusing
all aid offered them from outside. TAey
were still there alone in this supreme hour,
| and they waited.
Hubert, scarcely knowing what he did,
walked mechanically to the porcelain stove,
the door of which he opened, for the gentle
roaring of the flaming wood sounded 20 him
like a plaintlve moan; then there was per-
feet silence. The peonies seemed evea TO
turn paler in the soft heat of the room.
Hubertine, stronger than her husband,
and still fully conscious of all she did, list
ened to the SQUADS Of the cathedral as they
came to her from behind the walls. During
the past moment the old st mes had vibrated
from the sI lnging Of the bell of great
tower. IL must certainly be the Abbe Cor
mile leaving the church with the saci Cd
OILS, she thought; 50 she went down stairs,
that she might receive him at the door of
the house.
Two nlnutes later, the narrow stairway
of tie little tower was filed with a great
murmuring sound. Then in the warm
chamber, Hubert struck with astonish-
uient suddenly began to trenlble, whilst
a religious fear, mingled with a faint hope,
made him fall upon his knees. Instead OF
tine old Clergyman whom they had ex-
pected, it was monseigneur who entered
| Yes! MonSeigneur, in lace surplice, having
the violet stole, and carrying the silver yes
sci in which was the oil for the sick, wnict
| he himself had blessed on Holy Thursday
His eagle-like eyes were fixed, as he looked
straight before him, his beautiful pale face
was really majestic, under the thick, curly
masses of his white hair. Behind him
walked the Able Cornille, like simple
| clerk, carrying IN one hand a crucifix, and
uuder the other arm a book of ritual serv.
ice.
| Standing for moment upon the thresh
old the bishop said in deep, grave voice
Pax huic domu.h%
"Et omnibus habitantibus in 60, I" replied
the priest in lower tone.
When they had entered, Hubertine, who
had come up the stairs after them, she alsC
c1s-r nd
and knelt by the side of her husband. Both
of them prostrated themselves most hum
bly,. and prayed fervently from the depths
of their souls.
A few hours after his last visit to Angel
ique, Felicien had had the terrible and
dreaded explanation with his father. E lrly
in the morning of that same day he had
forced open the doors, he had penetrated
even into the oratory, where the bishop
was still at prayer, after one of those
nights of frightful struggling against the
memories of the past, which
would SO constantly reappear be-
fore him. In the soul of this
hitherto always respectful son, until now
kept submissive by fear, rebellion against
authority, so long a time stitied, suddenly
broke forth and the collision of these two
men, of the same blood. with natures
equally prompt to violence. was intense
The old man had left his devotional chair
and with cheeks growing purple by de
grees, he listened silently as he stood there
in his proud obstinacy. The young man.
with face equally infamed, poured out
everything that was in his heart, speaking
in a voice that little by littla grew louder
and rebuking. He said that Angelique was
not only ill., but dying. He told him that in
pressing moment OF temptation, over
come by his deep affection, he had wished
to take her away with him that they might
flee together, and that she, with the sub
missive humility of saint, and chaste as q
lily, had refused to accompany him. Would
it not be most abomina0le murder to al.
low this obedient young girl to die, because
she had been unwilling TO accept him unless
when offered to her by the hand of his
fathers She loved him so sincerely that she
could die for him. In fact, she could have
had him, with his name and his fortune,
but she had said NO" and triumphant
over her feelings, she had struggled with
herself in order to do her duty. Now, after
such proof of her goodness, could he per-
init her to suffer so much grief! Like her
he would be willing to give up everything
to die, even, if it might be, and he realize
that he was cowardly. He despised himself
for not being at her side, that they might
pass out of life together, by the same
breath Was it possible that any one could
be so cruel as to wish to torment them, that
they should both have so sad a death
when one word, one simple word, would Sc
cure them such bliss! All! the pride OF