Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-06-04
HIS REPENTANCE

ine chateau OF florneut was the
terror OF the Breton people. The
country folk made the sign OF Che
cross as they passed by. and murmur(as,
There is the accused ones castlem
About the walls that sur
rounded the grounds was a brier
hedge which no one dared TO cross.
The servants passed each other by
like shadows afraid to speak above
a whisper No one dared to address
the master. Only the young Count
Robert found favor in the eyes of the
lord OF the manor the old Duke de
Kerberzorf his uncle.
AT the time when this story begins
Robert was seated at the old mans
feet He was seated in tho great
ducal chair; his chair; his face was
livid. his eyes cleaning. and his coun-
tenance distorted with fear He was
listening intently. one would have
said that he was the ghost OF terror.
Beside him on a poryhyry column
burned small golden lamp set with
precious stones. Behind it stood a
tall negro. who, as each minute passed.
let fall single drop OF oil upon the
flame. Close to the old mans with
cred hand lay an ak. and the negro
would have atoned with his life for a
single forgetfulness Of duty.
The duke was even paler than
usual; his long white hair was matted
upon his temples and from his ter
ror-stricken eyes great tears rolled
down into his silver hazard
MY dear lord. is your suffering
worsep" asked Robert gently.
The duke shuddered; he was still
listening intently.
Then the old duke rose up like a
specter
Listen. Robert" he said. List
en-" The old man had not spoken
fer twenty years. His sepulchral
voice echoed through the great hall.
and the ancient armor hanging on the
walls gave forth a metallic sound.
The young count was petrifiei with
fright
Twenty years ago j had son; he
was handsome, brave and generous
He loved a young peasant girl and
wished to marry her. but refused my
consent; l could not countenance such
an outrage. My son pleaded with me-
but was inaexible; my escutcheon
would have been eternally disgraced.
was wrong my boy. / was wrong!
Never give way TO pride! It's NOR
tai sin!' Sobs choked the old mans
utterance. but he continued:
The maiden was beautiful and
virtuous l offered her money; she
refused it. Then l had her carried
of and imprisoned in the tower of
the castle. Several months passed;
my son was faithful to his word. to
my PRIDE / decided to kill the
maiden. so / sent word to her secretly
to escape at the first opportunity A
silken ladder was given her, and she
was carefully instructed as to its use
and how to fasten it to the window.
She prepared for flight Then 1
arranged an infamous trap for her.
Listen Robert! listen! | had the
stones of the window sill loosened. so
that 1t would give way beneath her
weight carrying the unfortunate girl
with 1t as it fell, and she would be
dashed to pieces upon the marble
floor OF the courtyard below.
That night fell asleep in the fear
OF God. Then / was transported to
an immensely of clouds Innumer-
able arches followed each other in
never ending succession. Beneath
these arches small golden lamps were
swinging gently to and fro. so numer.
Gus that it would have taken years to
count them, Some burst suddenly
into flame others were as suddenly
extinguished. Some burned with a
fierce light others Aickered for a long
time before they died out completely.
Each one of these lamps was
guarded by an angel All the new
lamps were tended by fair. white an
gels with faces OF unspeakable beauty:
by others stood black angels ugly and
evil, looking and these seemed to
await with impotence the moment
when the flames should be finally ex-
tiaguished.
I" What Is all thls?' / asked my
guide.
4" These lamps are the souls OF
men he replied. The ones which
start suddenly into fame are the souls
OF newborn infants and spotless an
gels guard them. Here are the souls
OF those who have reached the time OF
life when they can think for them
selves and the Spirit OF Evil and the
Spirit OF Good dispute their possess
sion Those lamps which are flicker
ing and fading out are the souls of the
dying SeeP he cried pointing out
several flames which were oa the point
OF extinction. seel at the supreme
moment the soul almost always turns
20 the Spirit OF Goodr
"Then / asked him 10 show me my
own lamp.
" Comet said the strange being
who conducted mo