The Dickinson press., 1891-07-18

on rising from the table, we felt a
vague sensation of slcepiness and
congestion.
"Will you take a walk with me-"
asked Robert. "Let us go to my
rooms. l want to showyoutwo new
pictures"
"All right"
We we're walking very fast, Cypress
ed by the cold, smoking our cigars
with raPidputfsa and not snying much,
when with a common movement we
stopped to look alta superb bay cob,
harnessed to Il tilbury, who was
coming in our direction at Il gate
that showed supple strength and per-
feet rhythm. Just then we We're OPP
posite the Pukais de l'lndustrie, 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. There he lay,
entangled in the shafts and traces;
with an air of bewildared abandon.
Passers-by came running up. Soon
there was a group, talking and ges-
ticulating. At last the horse was X
tricated, raisedup and led away by
the bride. The carriage, one of the
shafts of which was broken, was haul
ed to the nearest carriage house by a
team of o%tticious by-standers, among
them, OF course, u kitchen maid.
As we moved Off Isaid to my friend:
ga fine invention, decidedly, this
wooden pavement! At the least frost,
the slightest drizzle, these poor
horses are unable to stand up. l
haveseen ven or eighta 'cidents my.
self, on this veryspot, wi,hina year"
Robert, turning very pale, answer
ed me ina strange voice that was al
SO a little hard:
eff so many accidents happen on
this spot, it is my fault"
"Your fault? You are mad!"
"No; but morally l am innocent"
And he continued, for my sir of
amazement implied all possible in
terrogations for enlightment:
"Ah! mydear fellow, how Incidents
of no apparent importance some
times upset our whole lives! You
must have asked yourself why have
changed my way Of living. am 60
ing to tell you Che story which has
opened my eyes to the invisible
world"
This phrase, and especially its con-
clusion, filled me with some anxiety.
Whether it was the duck pie, or the
fear Of seeing. Robert go mad, do
not know, but / f 1t a disagreeabl BILE
cramp in mystomach. With wander
ing eyes and contracted brow he con-
tinued:
"You remember George Sauviniere
and his targic death abouttwo years
and u half ago. On reaching home
one night, l found a letter in which
he announced to me his intention of
killing himself. l Immediately hur-
ried to the little hotel in the Rue des
Saussaies, a dismal den where he had
lived since his misfortune. l arrived
too late; he hanged himself. While
the servant went in search ola useless
doctor and to notify the police,
remained there, alone with the body
which we had stretched upon
the bed. Around the neck a very
slight violet streak, a countenance
that vas almost smiling, the chin
thrown a little forward. AS l took
n few steps toward the mantel-piece
to light two candles, my foot caught
in the rope that we had cut and
thrown upont the ground. .Acuriosity
seized me-a curiosity that was min
gled with a sort of timid respect-to
get a closer view, to examine and Ice
this thing that had killed. 1t was /;
curtain cord, covered with red wor
sted, and looking bourgeois ant
harmless enough, and. while | VIII:
handling it, thinking What! it wa.
this!and filed with that astonishmcn'
which always come from finding Sc
paltry and simply the factors of TIN,
problem ofdeath, which seems to us 81
gigantic. there came tomymind tina.
old superstition which makes tn
rope with which a man has beel
hanged an infallible talisman ofgoo,
luck"
"Me!l, you cook the rope. But
do not see the relation
"Wait! No, | did not take tn
rope. The police officer who WA
coming would ask to see it, and
would bush a little at this fit c
superstition. But cut off Al littl
piece of it, two or three inches i
length, which On reaching home,
carefully placed in my pocketbook.
"And then?"
"Then, starting from the momen
when l had this bit of rope in m,
possession, l began to digest badly
Ihad constantn nightmare that too,
no particular form at first, and then
little by little, became more definite
and every night | again saw Sauvin
iere, with his little violet strea'
around his neck. 1t was dreadful
1t came to a pass where l was afrai
to go to sleep. spent many night
in gambling at the club. And wha
ill-luck l had! You can imagine
Finally, l was taken sick. The do,
tors knew not what to do. 70
understand, of course that | was NO
going to tell them my dreams. a
that time l was with Marthe-yo
know Marthe. One day she told m
that her cook knew a certain Sagg
You do not know him? A wonde
full man, my dear fellow, a sorcerer.
Robert uttered this word with q
i~ndescribable expsession OF anxio,
respect.
"But the rope? Where did tn;
"Then this cook had Saggi consu
the cards for her. Marthe wanted
see him. and advise me to consu
him. Let me tell you that this Sag,
Is astonishing-rightful, even. Yc
have never paid any attention
soscsey2"