The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-05-14
FATALISM.


at the club! Too exquisite, in fact, for
my friend Robert Mercier and | had
made such hole in it that, on rising
from the table, we felt vague sensation
of sleepiness and congestion.
"Will you take walk with me!'
asked Robert. "Let us go to my rooms.
want to show you two new pictures"
"All right"
1t was long since I had had an oppor-
tunity of an hours stroll with this good
comrade, and it was a source of regret to
me. 1t was but few years before that
he led an outdoor life, and one met him
constantly. But Suddenly he stopped
going to the races, to the theatre, to the
club, into society, without any apparent
reason to explain this change. 1 was
thinking of these things as walked with
him through the Champs-Elysees.
1t was one o'clock. At that hour of
the day it was too late for the riders to
be out, and too early for the flow of the
elegant society equipages toward the
Bois de Boulogne. The cold, deserted
avenue had the freezing appearance of
some broad country road. Scarcely were
there few cabs here and there, the
drivers muffled up in red comforters,
with their right hand, which held the
relns, thrust into their coat. A file of dirt
carts, loaded with the debris of the Ex-
position, was passing along. From time
to time, also, some sober and richly
cushioned landau, with a footman on the
seat, and, inside, the long light hair of
children, and the sharp profile of a gov
erncss.
We were walking very fast, oppressed
by the cold, smoking our cigars with
rLpid puffs, and not saying much, when
with a common movement we stopped to
look at superb bay cob, harnessed to a
tilbury, who was coming in our direc-
ton at gait that showed supple strength
and perfect rhythm. Just then we were
opposite the Palaise de lIndustrie, al
most at the corner of the Avenue Marigny.
At the precise moment when the horse
was passing by us, he slipped with all
four feet, and fell to the ground heavily.
Passers-by came running up. Soon
there was group, talking and gcsticu-
lating. At last the horse was extricated,
raised up and led away by the bride.
The carriage, one of the shafts of which
was broken, was hauled to the nearest
carriage. house by team of officious by
standers, among them, of course, a
kitchen maid.
As We moved off, I said to my friend:
ga fine invention, decidedly, this wooden
pavement! At the least frost, the slight
est drizzle, these horses are unable to
stand up. have seen seven or eight
accidents myself, on this very spot,
within year.
Robert, turning very pale, answered
me in very strange voice, that was also
little hard:
eff so many accidents happen on this
spot, it is my fault"
Your fault 2 You are mad
s'No: but morally am innocent"
And he continued, for my air of
amazement implied all possible interroga-
tions for enlightenment
"Ah, my dear fellow, how incidents
Of no apparent importance sometimes up
set our whole lives. You must have
asked yourself why l have changed my
wsy of living. l am going to tell you
the story, which has opened my eyes to
the invisible world"
This phrase, and especially its conclu-
sion, filled me with some anxiety.
Whether it was the duck pie, or the fear
of seeing Robert go mad, do not know,
but I felt a disagreeablc cramp in my
stomach. With wandering eyes and con-
tracted brow he continued:
"You remember George Sauviniere and
his tragic death about two years and u
half ago. On reaching home one night,
found letter in which he announced
to me his intention of killing himself. l
Immediately hurried to the little hotel in
the Rue des SauSsaics, dismal den where
he had lived since his misfortune ar
rived too late; he had hanged himself.
While the servant went in search of a
useless doctor and to notify the police, !
remained tuere, ;-lOne WIFI tlc DOuS,
which we had stretched upon the bed.
Around the neck very slight violet
freak, couutenancc that was almost
milling, the cnin thrown \ little forward
IS l took few steps toward the mantel
zee to light two candles, my foot caught
the rope that we mad cut and thrown
. on the ground. A curiosity seized me
= curiosity that was mingled with a
t., of t:mid respect-to geta closer view
examine and feel this thing that had
led. 1t was curtain cord. covered
tn rcd worsted. and looking Harmless:
ough; and while was handling it.
i;nking what it was this and filled
with that astonishment which always
comes from finding 81 paltry and simple
the factors of the problem of death, which
seems to US so gigantic, there came to m!
mind that old superstition which makes
the rope with which man has beer
hanged an infallible talisman of gooc
luck"
'Well, you took the rope. But 1 d'
not see the relation"
"Wait! No, did not take the rope
The police officer who was coming woulc
ask to see it, and I should blush little
at this fit Of superstition. But 1 cut of
little piece of it, two Or three inches ir