Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-14
MONSIEUR LIE CURE.

with pItiless intensity upon the straight white
roads OF the little Ardennes village. The white
houses, over every third door of which hung the
sun-dried bush which proclaimed the estamnst;
the bright mustard meadows; the red roof OF the
Old tiled church: ali added to the general sense OF
heat and color which was pervading the August
noon. Into this atmosphere Of warmth and sun
light there came a sudden shadow which seemed
TO disturb and almost 10 stain it-MOnsieur lie
Cure.
A TALL gaunt man, bowed somewhat at the
shoulders. and with his hands clasped behind his
back be came slowly out OF the porch and began
pacing the little gayly-decxed garden. The sun
rays n ckerei Little as though reluctant to rest
upon the somber figure.
While he was pacing up and down. waiting for
the shrfn voice OF Jeanne Marfe-an old waIloon
who served him Ia the triple qualification OF cook
hOusekeeper and gsrdener-tO summon him 20
his midday meal another actor arrived upon the
scene. Ibis was man in a tourists suit, who
appeared suddenly upon the ridge Of a little Mill
beyond the farthest field. and &c seemed to the
watching eyes OF the priest as though he had
emerged straight from the blue haze formed by
the distant sunlight. The newcomer was an Eng
hshman, handsome and well set-up, who twiTfed
his dainty red gold mOustache, as he whistled
lively air, and who altogether bore the jaunty,
satisfied air OF a man who was perfectly content
with himself. As he passed, he turned Tor a longer
look at the solitary figure which was apparently
noting his own movements, and then went on his
beggarly priest. he thought. Good Lord! he
unless the man were as duh as the earth at his
feet!
And while the two men stood looking at each
other, a small cloud. no bigger than mans
hand. crept up between them and marred the
olesrness OF the sky.
Two days arterward and In the tiny bedroom
OF the whItewa 5ned vicarage, a man lay mute and
Unconscious, dying apparently. The whole OF the
little lethargic village was agOg with excitement,
and the sturdy ldOOrer who had found the injured
man, the 1axen-haIred Child who had been the
nrst 10 carry the Intelligence To Monsieur lie cure
and Jednne-Marie, who could furnish the freshest
Items of news, ali foind themselves suddenly in
earnest request. He was an Englishman. this un-
known stranger: that went without saying, for,
Judging BY his dusty and trayelstanet clothes,
he must have been walking for miles In that burn
Ing sun when every sensible Belgian mad kept
carefully within doors He must have been g1dfy,
too, from the effects OF that sun, for even dogs
and Enslishnen must somewhere have brain 10
be affected BY such sutr ness, Orelse his loot must
have slipped, or he could never have met with 30
trgntiui dent. In falling upon the harrow be
had gLsncd open his head, and run its sharp edge
into his 81 e, and it was then that &c paUrre must
have become Unconscious, and have lam there ut
Ter the mercy or the storm. how 10 had poured,
mon Dsea' tne whole evening aud night the rain
had been peItin2 him merClleSoly. Small wonder
that lire had been almost eXtiBct when In the
mOrniDg le maitre Correct had found him. and
MOaSieT e cure had had him carried To his own
home. ALI! he had good soul, an ctretieHne
that cure VI theirs. Not much Use perhaps for
everyday affairs, nor One TO whom In my conf
fences would be carried. but oUseryant OF every
PARISH duty. and without doubt saint. Why,
LOOK LOW Affected he had been when rrst con-
injured man. How white his own face had grown,
and how strangely he had muttered In that un-
cOuth English tongue which hdd 50 strong fasci-
nation rVr him that Jeanne-Marie had declared he
Whispered 10 In his sleep. The stranger had fallen
into good hands in fIliins into ms.
Thus the village .Oss4ps, while hour after hour
the priest stood by the bedside. AMI fought with
death Tor the soul Of the unconscious maH.
"a doctor Is unnecessary. | can do all there is
to bc done and the fever viii 90 of SELF he
said quietly. wneu the SUGGESTION was hgZarJed
that "a TWEEN y-miie walk nlIgnt possibly md The
doctor at home; and 10 one Was IN u position ID
dispute his verdict
As tine went on there was something almost hor-
rlOle Ia The Ieverlsh anxiety WITH which he
watched his patient. With the exception Of the
one na1 hour which Was necessary ior morning
mass he never lett MIN night or day, and would
spend " hole hours in ,aZinS xedly at the Ino ion
less bIbdageJ nsure, or llsteuing with atten-
tIJu that wds painful IN 1T edseruesS to the dis
Jointed words which fell nom the sick man in his
deiiTium.
IL was the ninth day, when he was bending over
him. Thai into the blue eyes there shot tue nrst
CLEAN Of returning Consciousness, and with IL
there came 4 sudden lOOk OF terror Is he saw the
thin. DARK lace OF the silent priest As a ruler
comprehension came slowly 10 hin the dim haIl-
memory winch the SIGHT mai awakened Il Dated into
tue background, and faint Smile nfckered on the
Iai- APs-
Ing slowly and with jim, ully. And then, recOl-
levtIns himself, he added, pardon, monsieur,
altrlS-O bore"
lis uursr went to a cracked jug which stood by
the door and poured hlm out Ole vi Jcanne-Mare'5
con UeiOD>.
You speak English" he answered CURLY.
you are English?" The other hesitated
"P4Ttly, he said at last.
Il remember the aecident," went on the sick
man. alter pause. ~ Ou putin. me Through.
i owe yOu a great deal
"Ies, pulling you through. and You will
owe a very great deal repealed his host me-
cndnicaily. ana Gis yOlce.s ,unded even harsLer
and more H4OnOJ OuOus Ju4n usual.
After that tlerc was reLGTn Of the fever and
except Tor tue necessary blndaging Tor the next
Few days the patent Was ieII pretty much To MIN
seii, ale The priest took long solitary walks,
Fastening over the ground at 81 Violent a speed
Tat each night ne would come home fooIsore aud
thoroughly Tired out.
la only one Way did he vary those days from the
quiet, equaOe LIE lac Was accustomed 10 lead and
That Was that he avoided the Old church where so
many VI his hours had previously been spent. The
mass once over he hurried away frOui tine place
wltnOuJ ever Il backward glance, and a great
wooden crucinx, which IL had OeeR his especial
pride TO sep iree iFom dust, hung above the altar
heeIeSteu anu ulcsred Ior.
On the ntth evening as he entered the yicarage
he was met by Jednne-Aarie, VINO told him that
tne EnslsnmAn ndI Ueen ASKING Tor han. Would
he not 80 10 MN al once? line pOtage could easily
be Kept not until he c.iIle down AGAIN.
Monsieur le cure ds-ented With a smile As a
rule, MS Odd servant would have kepi cardinal or
prIsaut anke waiting Father than delay his own
supper, but he knew. o. past experience, how Ioy-
able men anu women found this guest oil mis-. and
the Old NalOOn had evidently proved no exceu-
ton IL threw on his oyeFcUal, for the rain h "a
been falling tnrOu ghOut the day, and he wa, wet
a. well Tired. aad then he went straight up into
the little BEDROOM
"An there you arr" said his patient, cheerily
"NUn I you spare an hOur Tor 4 talk with In I'm
SICK 70 death VI staring at these detestable walls
and am stll TOO weak, eOaIOund IA, u he able to
sand by myself"
TAe prlesJ H. hted a candle, and placing IL well
behind the head Of the bed 50 that the light was
hung iuli upon the face upon the pillows, nile his
owl lace was LETT IN ep shadow, he glanced le -
Nrely round the room before replying IL was mean
lAls-r aOe, poverty rtcken, Ike eyerythin. else
ABOUT his home The walls were whftew asaed, the
boards were bare, and the very Oed-lnen Was OF
tbe coArsest OF Its kind Again that rare smile
Il am sorry / could not put you in a larser
ROOM. he said. almost apOOgetlcsly 'but my ODD
ser,1nt Is getting too ancient give up uer bed
Then have taken your room? Where do You
sleep7'
''oA. anywhere; I'm not particular" said Mon
sleur II Cure hastily And now tell me about
70 rsef- Ought lot your friends be written to-
IhJy must Dc very uneasy
'HOh. no, II j. ali rtgAt,' said the other CON-
EientIy. lie had SOit, mtlcdIOus yulce and the
wCrds rang unsteady. III Tell you all about m
AN sure IL II quite time told You Of nv sell for
even after ali your goodness to me YOU haven't M.
IenOit-st idea who / am 3y name Is Valentine
fdlrlie."
.'ie~?" To Judge by the tone OF that quiet
'yes, u might almost have been thought thai the
priest anew the UaIee before Il WAS spoken.
Il am novelist, 80 there IS no especial work
waiting Tor Inc. and l AIN supposed u Os on th..
tramp, and am hot expected 10 turn Up at home
Until OC.OOer. There, now, what Is your uame?"
lie Fere lOuriCES That's how ] am registered
tGt The people round here call Lue Monsieur lie
Cure"