Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-10-26

CITY OF Mayence. With an absorbed air
she glided by. Her white dress brushed
him gently. His heart gave furious
bound. He turned and followed her.
She entered the shop of cutler; the
young deputy entered also. She ad-
vanced to the counter and said some
thing to the man behind it. Lux failed
to catch the words, but the cultivated
voice was that of gentlewoman.
The cutler produced a tray of knives.
In the shadow of the shop door Adam
Lux saw her select oae-a poniard
knife, with an ebony haft
'"The price," she asked.
''Three francs, cheyenne" answered
the cutler
She PIT tie money Oh the counter,
concealed tl.c knife under her silk ker-
chief and returned to the garden. AS
she stated herself on one of the stone
benches abutting on the arcades Adam
Lux paused at her side.
''For PHYS sake" he entreated, 'tel
me- awho you are. have known you for
long time, but your name-what is
your manner?
She started and looked up.
"You have known me for long time,
citoyen!" she echoed gravcly. 81 do not
understand YOU"
81 am the deputy from Mayence," he
at Mayence that you twice appeared to
me. For days and weeks my sleeping
and waking dreams have been full of
you. recognized you the instant that
saw you; it was just before you en-
tered the cutters shop"
A slight alarm dawned in her eyes.
Her hand went up to her silk fichu, un-
der which she had hidden the knife.
Did she think him madman?
''One should not dream in these peril
Gus days, citoyen," she said sternly;
''there is little profit in dreams. He who
loves liberty must act"
II perceive that you are an aristocrat
you belong to the mobiles; but your
name--your manner" he insisted
She smiled sadly.
Pardon, cannot tell it now, citoyen,
but before many hours it will be in
every mouth" She arose from the
bench. He put out a hand to detain her.
'.Stay! Stay!' he entreated 'sDo not
leave mel love you ardently. Strange,
incomprehensible as this passion may
seem to you, it will either save or de-
stroy me. claim you! Whoever you
are, know that you belong to me, or
why were you revealed 10 me in the
spirit before my eyes could look ON your
living, breathing beauty? If you golike
this, leaving me no clew to your where
abouts, may never see you again"
Gravely, coldly she answered: "Do
not talk to me of love, citoyen: | cannot
comprehend you-I belong only to
France! Before the revolution l was
Republican. You will surely see me
again, and then," with strange and
solemn expression, ''you will under
stand everything. Now, citoyen, adieu."
Promise" he urged wildly, "that it
shall be so--that shall see you again"
Il promise" she answered, and moved
RAPIDLY away.
Another day dawned and dwindled.
.It-vas the l3th Of July, the anniversary
eyeoi the fall of the Bastillo The heat
was intense and the streets of Paris
swarlned with people. Adam Lux left
the convention at twilight Marat the
horrible was iii; he had not app cared il.
tie chamber that day. Engrossed with
his mysterious love rather than the af-
fairs Of the public, Adam Lux dined at
cafe with other deputies.
2 In the l. lst of their meal, Harriet.
the commandment of the national guards,
appeared in the door Of the cafe.
Look TO yourselves, deputies!' he
shouted. ''i;rat is dead! He has Just
been assissinated, and by the hand of a
young girl
The deputies with one accord rushed
Into the street. A terrific mob was surg
ing by, filing the air with cries and i'm
precautions. Lux found himself swept
away with it to the Rue des Cordeliers,
where Marat lived. 1t was small, di-
lapidated house and about its door that
raging, roaring multitude surged like
sea. Yes, the leader of La Montague
had been stabbed to death by the hand
of woman. Adam Lux, pressing up to
the threshold, looked and saw the muir
deress coming down the stair, her arms
pinioned, bayonets surrounding her, the
aambeaux of the gendarmes glaring upon
her face, which had in it the sublimity
If supreme sacrifice. 1t was his dream
,laidcn.
lit is the face of an angel" said
woman near Adam Lux. ho is she?"
Another voice answered, "An aristo-
crat who has journeyed from Caen to do
this s.lecd-Charlotte Corday''
A squad of fusileers rushed up ana
cleared Il passage for the prisoner.
Poor people!' murmured Charlotte
Corday, looking with pitying eyes upon
the bowling mob, 'you wish my death,
when you owe Inc an altar for freeing
you from u monster.
1t was 8 o'clock of a July morning
when up the dark, deep stair il the base
nent wall Of. the Palais de Justi.e the
gendar1nes conducted Charlotte Corday
to her trial before the revolutionary
tribunal.
She took her place on the bench of the
prisoners-the ma1edictions of the people
died away in murmurs Of admiration.
Never before had murder worn such an
aspect. Eor beauty was marvellous; her
frmncss and intrepidity amazed even
her judges.
"Details are needless" she said calmly;
''it was who killed Marat!''
"What did you think to effect by it?''
Restore peace to my country. | took
his life to save France"
"Why did you hate him?"
.For his crimes"
'Do you, then, think that you have
assassinated all the Marats?'
''Since he is dead others will tremble."
Adam Lux was seated near the pris-
oner. His eyes never left her face.
When the president of the tribunal
passed sentence of death the Mayence
deputy leaped from his chair and ex-
tended his arms in passionate protest.
mo, nor he cried wildly; "for the
love of heaven, mop
1t was the only voice raised against
her fate and she recognized the man who
had conceived for her such a strange and
mystic passion; he was faithful in this
terrible hour-he dared to speak in the
face of her judges. She turned and
L