The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1892-01-08
la BRETONNE.

I Auberiys prison turned upon IT'S hinges
to allow TO pass out a roma 81 Il
tkirfy years, clad in a faded wooden
gown ard coifed in a linen cap that
framed ID a singular fashion . face
rale and pulled b. that sickly bued fat
which develops On priSOa regimen She
was a prisoner whom they had Just lib
Grated, and whom hsE companions Of de
tention called La BrefoHne.
Condemned for inianiicide. II was ex-
actly. day for day. six years ago that the
prison van mad brought her to the Cen
traIe. Now, in her former garb. and
with her small stock Of money received
from the clerk in her pocket she found
herself free and with her road Pass
stamped for Langres
The courier for Langres. however, had
long since gone Cowed and awkward
she took her way. stumbling toward the
chief inn Of the borough. and with
trembling voice asked shelter for the
night. But the inn was crowded, and
the a~ubergiste. who did not care to har-
Dor sone OF those birds from over yon-
der" counseled her ID push On to the
cabaret at the far end Of the village,
La Bretonne passed N. and more
trembling and awkward than eve
knocked az the door Of that cabaret
which, properly speaking. was bat a can
tine for laborers. The cabaretiere also
eyed her asEance. seeming doubtless a
discharged from the Centrale aud
finally refused her On the plea THAT she
had no bed to give her.
La Bretoune dared not insist. but with
bowed head pursued her way, while At
the bottom Of her soul rose and grew a
duh hatred for that world which thus
repulsed her.
She had no other resource than to gain
Langres afoot
Toward the end Of November night
comes quickly. Soon she found herself
envelopes in darkness. N a grayish road
that ran between two divisions Of the
forest, and where the north wind whis-
tied dercely. choked her with dust and
peited her with dead leaves
After six years Of sedentary and re
cluss life her legs were stiff. the muscles
knotted and her feet accustomed 10
sabots. pinched and bruised by her new
slippers. At the end Of a league she felt
them blistered and herself exhausted
She dropped upon a pile Of stones by the
wayside. shiTering and asking herself if
she was going TO be forced TO perish Of
cold and hunger in this black night. un
der this icy breeze which froze her to
the marrow
AL at once. in the solitude of the road
she seemed to hear the drouing notes OF
a voice singing She listened and dis
tinguished the air Of one Of those caress-
ing and monotonons chants with which
n soothes young children
She was not alone. them
She struggled TO her feet, and IN the
direction from which the voice amt
and there. Al the turn Of a erossroad
perceived a reddish light streaming
through the branches Five minutes
later she was before Il mud walled hoyel
whose roof, covered by squares Of sod
leaned against the rock and whose win
dow had allowed to pass that %berkoning
ray.
With anxious heart she decided to
knock
IL 44fst LE0~1E1 44A-AEAA4LAI d44fE 81 ~ Ol44
an opened the door, a peasant ON
no older than La Bretonne herself. but
faded and aged by work. Her bodice.
torn in places, displayed the skin tanned
and dirty, her red hair escaped dishev-
eled from under Il soiled stuff cap. and
her gray eyes regarded with amazeinent
the stranger whose face had in il some
thing or touching loneliness.
Good evening" said she. lifting yet
higher the suffering lamp in her hand
what do you desire:
Il am unable to go on" mur1nured
La Bretonne. in a voice broken by d
sob; the city is far, and if you will
lodge me for the night you viii do me a
service. / have money; will pay yon
for the trouble.
Enter" replied the other after a
moments hesitancyi .'but why. con
tinued she, in IA tone more curious than
suspicious. did you not sleep at Aube
riyeT:
They would not give Inc Il lodging.
lowering her blue eyes and taken with a
sudden scruple. 'be-because. see you
/ came from the Maison Centrale.
so. the Maison Centrale, but 10
ulatter-enter-l fear nothing having
known only misery. Moreover. I've a
conscience against turning a Christian
from the door Oh a night like this. I'll
give you a bed and a slice Ut cheese.
And she pulled from the caves some
bundles Of dried heather and spread
them as a pallet i'll the corner by the
fire.
do you live here alone. demanded
La Bretonne timidly.
yes, with my gachette, going on seven
years now. / earn u living by work
ing in the wood.
Your man, then, is deadf
Yes said the other brusquely. the
gachette has no father. Briefly to each
his sorrow, But come. behold your
straw, and two or three potatoes left
from supper. 1t is all | can offer YOU
She was called at the moment by a
childish voice coming from a dark nook
separated from the room by a board par
tition.
Good nighti' repeated she. the little
n cries, | must go, but sleep You WE'LL"
And taking up the lamp she passed
into the closet. leaving La Bretonne
crouched alone in the darkness
Stretched upon her heather, after she
had eaten her supper, she stroye to close
her eyes, but sleep would not come 10