Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-06-22


thel n merry. | regret no more the
AigtEt of one than that Of the other.
Bara 'das shook his heal. To him,
Adricn was as great an enigma as to
his late comrades in camp and at
backgammon board. Fiery in war.
he was yet lukewarm to glory; all
mirth in action, in repose he was
gloomy. He never cOnfided even 10
Baradas. who had known him longest,
though fortune of late had severed
them, and led the one 30 the rank of
courtier, count and favorite, and the
other TO the titles OF she widest
gallant and bravest knight in France.
The gloomy secret was one that
haunted him as of old men we're
possessed of fiepdsl Wherever he
turned the grave yawned dark be-
fore him, for he was perpe!ually UNI
der sentence. In the enthusiasm of
youth, having joined the unsuccess-
full revolt in Languedoc and been
captured, he was sent to the Bas bile.
When he heard of the general par
don which the duke of Orleans won
for himself and all in the revolt who
obeyed his orders. Mauprat naturally
expected release with his confeder-
ates. But it happened that while
leading young spirits reckless as
himself, he seized on the town of
FavlauX. Orleans blamed the cheva-
lier for acting without his orders"
Upon which quibble Richelieu RACED
his name from the general pardon.
Nevertheless he released him from
the Bastile 90 call him into his pres
cnce. He told him that he deserved
death, but the headsman having
blunted his AK lately on lordlier
necks, he would allow him TO receive
Il soldiers fate. He bade him Join
mis- troops. then on the march against
the Spaniards. Your memory's
stainless, he said; they who shared
your crime exiled or dead: your
king shall never learn it, The
young knight fought bravelY. but
when the cardinal reviewed the
troops, and his eyes met Mauprst's.
he .rowned, and summoning him
forth. censured him roundly. declar-
ing that he had stunned tho sword
beware the AK; twill fall one day"
he added, and stunned by this awful
threat of Damocles, Mauprat retired
10 his country home.
1t was misery there; his compan-
ions had marched away with him in
that grievous Instruction, and their
parents demanded news OF him as if
he were charged with their blood
"Iou had gone to the court" con-
cluded the chevalier, having related
this explanation OF his strange de-
meanor in more modest terms than
used above. Il came to Paris TO
revel away my last moments, like
our fathers in the year 1000. who,
thinking the world doomed, took no
concern to the morrow. But preached
all the wine casks and set all the
lutes twanging.
death is my cure-all! the trumpet
sounding truce to an impossible COM
bat. What life would be worth pur-
chasing at the price of so many suf-
ferings so much anguish and
superhuman effort as one requires
who contests that scarlet incubus
which weighs on the heart Of
France?n
"Richelieu your enemy" quericd
Baradas, who appeared to gather
nothing else from all he had inn
patiently heard. "Good! That is no
slip of the tongue. Good! You
meet me just when | put my hands
to the lever which shall overthrow
that hideous idol! Rise, be lively,
hopeful and come and salute your
old commander, the prince of
Orleans! This night we concert TO
make the final revolution which will
carry the cardinal down to perdi-
ton.
another conspiracy" said Maui
prat. calmly. land under CASTOR
aguin-that Italian of the decadence!
Brother, companionship with him
not only imperils the cause, out sui
lies the soul! To save his dainty
neck no would surrender his bravest
captain, his most hoodwinked friend.
Don: put Castor, the faithless, at
your head"