Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-08-03

loathed by charity, might ask for
justice Not with the fawning tone
and the crawling mein OF some whom
j see around you-these counts and
princes, ready TO kneel for favors-
but erect and loud, as men who ask
mans rights! My liege. my Louis,
do you refuse me justice-what.
even longer audience in the pale
presence of the baflled murder? l
tell you that here your carpet is de-
filed by the foot of him who ought
TO wear your favor under your royal
arms-three fleur-de-lis in verify,
but branded on his shoulder
lord cardinal. one by one you
have severed from me the bonds of
human love-" faltercd the monarch.
afraid to know more as he caught
glimpse of Gaston's countenance con-
vulsel with n timorous tremor.
"Have done with plots and treason,
which have spattered all my reign!
How many unfounded, your police
may know. Now leave me amidst
my trustiest friends, my closest kim
dred, who will, as before, guard me
from villains. Go home, and sleep
away your perpetual phantom-the
midnight assassin who opens your
curtains and wears the face now OF
Chalais, now of Boutellle! FAREWELL"
1t was almost a formal dismissal.
For once, az least, his detractors
confessed, the great Statesman
seemed to move his lips in fervent
prayer.
When he lifted up his voice. never
in youth had it worn sweeter,
fuller tone, and the first word spell
bound the host and his familiars
rudely making for the door.
"Sweet heaven, grant an old man
patiencem said Richelieu. III am
reproached for blOOdthirstiness--I q
churchman, too-in a realm where
malice dares to act vigorously in no
dread OF the dungeon and no regard
of the rack. Here clemency is an
error, ruinous TO thrones. l know
that the scythe of severity alone
should be applied to the roots OF our
noXious weeds! Better for your sue
cessors, whose troublous times will
be but faint replica of your woes,
my lord, had | dug up those roots
and bruised them 10 a powder for
dissipation to all the winds! Sire,
from the foot of that great throne
these hands have raised aloft on an
Olympus, looking down on mortals
and worshiped by their awe, before
its foot, l say, will you spurn the
gray-haired man who gave you en-
pire and now sues for safety?"
He knelt, as he had not done for
five years. without a supporting arm
TO ease his fall or raise him up.
when you see your eminencc
really at the foot OF the throne OF
heaven" returned the heartless be-
| ing, with all the sarcasm which had
been sheltered, without utterance, in
his bosom a lifelong, then we will
listen to you"
He went away on the arm OF his
brother, the wouldbe murderer and
usurper, and both followed most
closely by Baradas. who would have
given half the kingdom which he
coveted for the assassin's courage to
stab him there and then in the back.
Unaided, abandoned, Richelieu
tottered to his feet. leaving to slide
of him the counterpart OF the Capu-
chin's robe, in which he had entered
the palace He appeared in a cava-
lier's costume. which became him
we'll, with orders and stars upon the
bosom,
lit Is not for Richelieu to go out
Of the serpent's den showing that
the poison has soaked to his heart.
All! old mountain" unused he, as nc
proudly went through the room
where all turned away from the sol.
itary figure which no change of at
tire disfgured, "the snow deepens or
your crest, the storm lashes your
bosom as 6ercely as ever, and the
little unwashed boys of the village
are dancing round the fire they kin.
died at your feet! Beware, Baradas,
lest the great mass split with the
fame, and laundering down, grinC
you and your kind into undistin
guishable atomsm
/ Trio RE CONTINUFD.