The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-08
A LIVING TOMB.


interest stranger. AS somo slight re
turn for his kindness 1 asked him to
lunch with me. Wo went to tho hotel
Very old, with snowy hair and. face
Us ruddy rs pippin Of his province, my
companion carried sunshine wherever he
went Ho had cheery greeting for
all, and 1t was easy to SEQ that oil ven
Grated him
Yes, monsieur, my people know me, "
ne said In answer to some remark.
'Forty-sevcn years have laborcd
among them. 1t is almost lifetime.
The church has called me often. My
friends say l might hnvo been bishop,
but l could not leave''
group of men oxcitodly gesticulat-
Ing stood round the hotel door. They
camo to meet us hurriedly
Have you heard. fathcr-havo you
heard?'' they cried
mo. my friends" no answered
What Is tho news?''
Several spoke at once, but this is the
gist of what they said:
you know tho old castle is sold2 To
rich bourgeois Tho place is tun-
bic down Ho will havo it repaired
Pierrc Vnlois and jean Prudhommo
went with their tools this morning to
take down somo masonry. NJ Grous-
set, tho purchascr-ho was there too
They found IL skeleton III tho wall -
Sacred namc!' cried tho priest,
white as n corpse. Eat Vallon? No.
Not Il milo away? Impossiblel'
1T is true"
Father Aloysius turned TO me Hc
shook like man with the aguc
You will pardon me, monsieur? l
must 90 at once This Is Il great discov-
cry. l will verify it and RETURN
Ho fastened away l,lnchcd alone
1t was 4 o'clock when no c,lmo back,
still pale and very subducd.
Il have been rude" he said II
cave again thousand pardonS I could
no. tear myself away. Forty seven years
! tavo sought what chance has brought
to light today. You shall hear
Forty seven years ago camo to this
village. had been asked to tal1o charge
of it i'll tho absence Of tho cure It was
my second night here-so dark ono
could not SEQ ones hand Twas tired 1
had been visiting tho sick I lay down
in my soutanc and slept A loud knock
ing awolo me.
Who is there?' cried
Friends of tho church., voioo an
swercd.
"Iopcned tho door. Two mon entered,
tall and well dressed. 1 could not 500
their faces They wore masks
Arc you tho cure?' said the man
who had answered me-a foreigner by
his accent
II explained
No matter, no said; one priest is
as good as another. a man is dying
He wishes to receive absolution Will
You go?'
II hcsitated. will you explain why
you wear those masks?' said
'Ho laughed. 1T is tho simplest thing
in the world We do not wish to DO
recognized Now, will you go? Your
poor will benefit
e" L am ready, l replied
"a carriage stood outside tho door.
My poor lamp revealed it 1 entered it
with tho spokesman. The other mount
ed tho box. Many times tho carriage
turned completely round
Does your companion not know tho
way?' 1 asked.
4" 1t Is very dark, was tho reply.
II have been reminded of tho circum-
stances, apparently trivial, today. At
the time I suspected nothing. I know
now that the carriage was turned to
confuse me. My companion was taci-
turn. Hc answered mo No, Yes
Many miles we travelled, go or
more. Two hours wo had journeyed
when the carriage stopped i'll paved
yard.
'Wo alight here, said my morose
companion.
81 followed him. The coachman do
scendcd. could not sec him. I could
not distinguish tho carriage
% Is it necessary to blindfold the
priest?' he asked.
No, > was the reply.
Twas disquietcd, but not afraid. A
poor monk need not fear robbers
Give me your hand, said my fell
low traveller.
II obcyed. He led me along n passage
between high walls.
"The sounds told me. Wo crossed an
other paved yard and climbed stone
staircase. The apartment we entered
was tagged. My guide halted
g THE priest is here, no said i'll
loud voice. l saw nothing. His voice
echoed as if in an empty room of vast
size.
Where is the dying man?' I asked
Stand close to the wall He plac-
cd me III position. Cold air struck my
face-a draft. There was q cavity.
Tho priest is here my guide repeated.