The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-25
4 Ride TO DEATH.
From the French.

! And now, monsieur. you know, think,
what you have to dol" The colonel ceased.
| Captain Random wheeled like manikin turn
ed by brutal hand. Two seconds later he
was in the street. His brain was vacant, with
ont thought he walked with the automatic
step of the drInkard whom will alone main
| tains upon his indecisive legs.
Arrived at his own house, he threw himself
upon chair, leaned his elbows upon his
knees, his brow upon his hands, and remained
thus, astonshed to find himself almost calm,
| fearless, but still unable to reflect From time
to time sharp pang traversing his heart mo-
mentarily recalled to him that he suffered he
felt himself pale. He made an effort to rouse
himself, got up, opened the window and re-
garded the heavens of light, tender blue, the
| blue of the early spring morning that follows
| night Of rain.
| The trees of the garden had begun to BIOS
som, rosy clouds foated above the houses,
lowered moment upon the chimnoy-tops like
the wings of birds and then resumed their
way. Before him, bathed in pallid sunlight,
| yelled still by vaporous mist, the quadrangle
! lar bulk Of the quarters, its walls yellow and
naked. showed itself in an attitude stiff and
martial, For the first time he seemed to see
| all these things, and more quickly than ever,
! the impression of external objects acting upon
| CALLED and tortured brain. Nevertheless,
while in his lungs the fresh, pure air of the
morning circulated, and he felt and he saw
! the beauty of the world about him, by Curl
| Gus doubling of personality he followed impos-
! sibly in another self, the terrible and common
| place history that had dishonored him.
lie, Captain Random, accused ofIforgery, was
| going to be brought before courtmartlal. To-
morrow at latest he would be arrested-the
colonel had given him but twenty-four hours
had said: "And now, monsieur, you know,
| think, what you have to dol"
! He had but one passion-the horse and
! that passion had ruined him. To ride, to run
! them, to mount them ct races, and to have
stable had been the fixed idea Of his life the
! goal of all his desires and efforts the single
| thought of his soul. A marvellous horseman,
| absolutely indismountable. SO they said
| in the regiment, the men had surnamed
him "The Jockey" a name that was at
once his ambition and his pride. Tho
! maintenance OF his stable, however, had
| cost him his patrimony. He had borrowed,
! and pack of creditors loosed al his heels
! tracked and harassed him. Al last, at bay one
1 day, mad with worry and lost in one of those
/ moments when moral sense is obliterated and
conscience uses sophistries to put to sleep its
/ scruplesi he had drawn from the cash box OF
his squadron, forged signatures to the bills in
| it, eni falsiied IDS accounts in the hope of
| hiding the dencit.
Unskillfully done, the fault wasspoedily dis
covered, and tomorrow he was TO be publicly
! branded and the cavilers of the second class,
! who, in the street. rode behind him, would
then have the right to refuse TO salute him, the
right to scorn him.
''How could l have done it?" he cried
aloud, clutching the window frame in agony,
all in a sweat, his'eyes dry and staring straight
! before him in an attitude OF blank despair. He
| had vision of the ordeal awaiting him-the
five brother afficers united there to judge,
! denim and degrade him.
And now, monsieur, you know, think,
] what you have to dol"
| The phrase of the colonel returned to him
suddenly in its implacable significance, fol-
| lowed by that other one that has brain con-
veyed to him like an ecEo-"He means you to
| kill yoursefP'
He remained moment tewldered stupe-
! fed Then sob shook his breast, tears rolled
from his eyes, and, like a child, who, feeble
| and without support, has need to sustain and
soace itself by affection, he was seized with
| an infinite gratitude. an instructive thankful
| ness to the colonel who had been kind TO him
| his colonel, who had accorded him twenty
| four hours of grace, who had opened to him
! door OF salvation in permitting him to eyade
! public dsh0nor.
lie must kin himself that liberty alone re-
NAMED to him. Kill himself Finish II, and
Immediately! Death! No more hubbub, no
more uneasness or disuuietudel Indifference
TO the future! Forgetfulness Of everything
and OF himselfl
SO be it. He had had enough of this
! needy, tormented existencel
Meanwhile he had not stirred from his win
dow, unable 10 tear his regard from the spec
tacle of life that surrounded him. In the dis
| lance from the gates Of the quarters platoon
| of riders were going out for their regular ma
| neuvers. Men and horses were like pgmies,
| small but distinct. Mechanically he counted
them. Four, eight, twelve sixteen, eighteen.
! Soon the platoon was lost from sight in one Of
the cross streets, and when the last Of the
| cavaliers had disappeared around the
! turning, great emptiness filed the
| breast Of Randon. 1t seemed TO him that
| henceforth he was alone in the world aban-
| doned by every one. He drew himself back,
| slowly reclosed the sash, and re-entered his
/ chamber
/ Against the wall ON the right panoply Of
! arms fastidiously arranged caught his eye. lie
/ reflected quickly passing in review the divers
/ means of suicide that were ut his door, success
/ lively rejecting them al--the revolver, common
| place; the stroke of the poinard, theatrical,
/ poison, the method Of a nervous duchess
! drowning, fit only for n betrayed and
Suddenly he shiyercd-he had found
It, lie descended to the court and called his
/ stableman.
Saddle Ninche" said he. And he waited,
promenading from side to side. threshne tho
air with his riding whip, whistling through his
/ teeth. When they brought him his mount, q
! little mare, true bred slender. yet snowy, be
was calm again. and settling himself slowly in
/ his strrups, departed.
Erect upon his saddle, martially camped
his legs falling naturally along the TANKS Of
/ his maro,t the rens supple butperleely carried
and trinity attired ia blue cavalry coat
closely buttoned 10 his form, Captain Random
advanced at a slow step. He was pale. little
I nervous, perhaps, but he wished 10 DO impas-
Bble and gtffened himself resosutcly, in order
| 70 give himself countenance, he regarded the
BLUSH smoke Of the cigarette mounting lightly
in little eddies in the transparent clcarness Of
the atmosphere, or lifted his head 10
examine the windows Of the
houses TO surprise pair Of eyes that
contemplated him, band that drew
aside curtain, and he was happy at the little
effect produced by his passage
Impcled by foIco Of habit, he had taken
the road to the quarters. lie perceived II
presently and smiled CONTEMPORARY; never
theless continued his route. lie desired 10
see for the last time the beings aud things IA
miliar 10 him. lie gaIuted with the tips Of
lis fingers the sentry who presented arms,
gave an amicabe good-day 70 the sOus-otlicor
On guard. a man Of his own squadron made
the tour OF the barracks without dismountlng,
threw glance into the stables, directed the
officer d the day 10 remit some punishmonia
that no had inflicted the evening before,
passed 20 the gate leaped IL and turned aud
awopt the building with gare "a WpsM
Only then did bis heart tink, and, fearing
the trouble that invaded him, lao put his marc
10 tho trot, sefk.ng 10 fly his woal,noss. lie
had resumed Iho way 70 tic forest bst9Fo long