The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-30
CHAPTER |.


tables, but all save two Of the guests had
taken their leave Of their aged host.
These we're an army officer and a civil
service man, both intimate friends, and
the Marquis protested against their .eav-
ing so early.
Draw your chairs up in front of the
fire." said he. II have some delicious
Camembert and will order bottle of that
rare old Amontllsdo to be opened There
is something strangely, mysteriously fa.-
cinating about the hour of midnight to
me. and, to be honest with you, don't
care TO be left alone at that hour. I'm
afraid"
Afraid. Marquis?" laughed the army
officer Il can't believe il. lou don't
know the meaning OF tina word. You mis-
take the nature of the sensation. a strong
and healthy man is never afraid in the face
OF danger. He may be agitated, excited,
sOicltOus, but foar-bah! that's quite an
other thing"
" GU may sheer all you choose, replied
the Marquis, IN his genial way; 'Dut tell
you Pm afraid"
The army officer drew one or two deep
puffs at his cigar, and then broke the ST.
lence which had settled upon the group by
saying:
Let me explain myself. Fear is one of
the most fTightful of things, hideous SEN
Sation, as If the verysoul were undergoing
decomposition. 1t is a terrible spasm OF
the brain, OF the heart, the very recollec-
ton of which gives one agonlZlng shud-
ders But none OF this is possible to the
brave man, neither a. the moment OF at
tack nor when facing Inevitable death.
nor, IN fact, when facing any known peril.
But l grant you, dear Marquis, 1t might
occur under extraordinary circumstances,
afr,s3a in RI on m ~ han
the risk is vague and uudetinabls. Gsnu-
inc fear must be, ! appreheud, something
ike a sudden realization of the fantastic
terrors suffered by tbs common people III
the dark ages. A man who believes In
ghosts and firmly believes that he is gazing
upon q midnight vsitsnt from another
world must experience to its full extent
The frishtful sensation of fear"
And |, my friend, exclaimed the Mar
Quis, Il once experienced that frlghtful
sensation 10 sucn degree that the firm
earth seemed 10 melt beneath my feet to
single foothold. and my very soul to go
TO pieces and to leave NE TO topple over
into the abyss OF eternal night"
"Ah. a ghost story. my dear Marquis"
said the civilian, lsuGtinsly.
Yes, ghsst story, my friend (con-
tinued the Marquis, and yet Al heart I'm
no coward. I've taken many risks in my
day, run many chances OF my life, fought
dnes and been left ior dead by assassns
l was once condemned TO be hanged
as an insuTgent in South Amer
lea, and on another occasion was
thrown overheard on the China COST
Each and every time | gave myself up for
lost. but | didn't shrink. | faced death
like man. And yet, my friends. there
WAS no sensation OF fear in any such ex-
perience, not tings Of it; but ali it was
quite different III the case which | am
about To relate to you. There. it i. striking
midnight. and. would you believe it. l
never hear = clock striking that hour thsL
there doesn't fash through my mind
remembrance Of that night, although it
was more than forty years ago. To nv
dying day | shall never free myself from
the shock. And yet that terrible sensa-
lion lasted only few brief minutes,
but 80 intense was tile fear l suffered
that l have never bsen able to rid my
soul OF its effects. Any sudden sound
in the dead OF night, any white figure
dlmiy seen IN the dark, makes me start.
10 90 perfectly honest with you, I'm
afraid OF ia dark. When man has
passed. gl5 q eat y-Bitn milestone no eau
afford TO betfrsnk. 1t is permissible for
a man Of that sEs 10 Iurn pale In The face
Of some fantastic peril, but let the daDCer
be real and tangible and | will meet it just
as calmly "a ever. To such degree did
this adventure disturb the serenity of my
existence, SO profound, so mysterious, was
VIC IHuucUC6 WHICH IL Uhu uDOE He, Iu9L
from that day to this | have never spoken
Of il to = living soul. | stored away the
secret in those depths Of memory n which
We hide painful secrets or secrets involving
shame or dIshonor, together with all the
indispensable weaknesses OF our eXistence.
II was in 1927, in the month of July,
and my regiment was stationed at RoueD.
One day, while out for q walk on the
quay. | net = man whose face WAS IA
miliRr TO NE, and yet | could not exactly
place hun. Instinctiyely | cams TO halt.
and as l did 40 he stepped forward and
took me by the hand Il was Saint-Gery.
a school friend. whom / had not seen for
ten years. As boy he had been extremely
a., plain-iooking; rs man ne was repulsive.
With the sQuatty figure Of a cut-down
Hercules, neck of extraordinary thick
ness and face Redeemed with scr0fulOus
faint, Saint-Gery was not man for your
soul to 90 ont unto. Although we were Of
the same age, he now looked ten years my
senior. hi. hair WAS prematnrely gray.
and his whole manner denoted mental
unrest bordering almost upon insanity.
SEint-G-ry was the last OF his race. [
suddenly remembered that, ana also the
fact that he owned an estate a few miles
out from Rouon. In q rambling and half
violent manner he informed mo that he
had quilted his chateau only few day.
before our meeting, and that it was his
firm resolve neVer to enter 1t again. l
couldn't bring myself to question him con-
corning this strange determination. There
was a something about the man that wa.
intensely dlsDlessing to NE. and yet |
must confess that this very responsiveness
somewhat fascinated NE.
Thank heaven for this meeting" said
he abruptly, ''for have favor to ask Of
you. 1t is 20 ride out TO my old homo and
get SONS papers for me. III tell you
where to ind them-in my room in my
writing-desk. For certain reasons don't
want to send an ordinary messenger, but |
may trust You. Here's the kew to the out
side door. that's the key 10 nv room and
that to my desk. [ want you to go this
very afternoon. L | give you few lines
To Roger, my man in charge of the place"
My hrst Impulse WAS to excuse myself,
Dut on second thought my love of the mJs-
FERROUS, my fondBe.s for adventure lea me
to accept Life was intolerably dull at the
post, and 1t would be pleasant break in
the monotony. 1t wa. only ten or twelve
miles out TO the old chateau. All / would
have to do was to bring back with NE two
packages OF letters aud third package,
tied with red tape ana bearing his name
all three In the top drawer to the right.
ut i. hardly necessary for me TO tell
yOu," hs added, that you mist not ex-
anime these papers, even specifically"
These words offended me and | made