Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-02-22
,"COUNT SIX"

A group of friends sat slipping theil
muddy yellow bitters outside a cafe in the
Boulevard Michel, and their conversation
ran upon recently executed anarchists and
the imperturbability with which they met
their doom at the final hour.
Hem, Caillot grew excited.
1T is couragel' he exclaimed. "It is
mettle, fortitudc-made of a strong stom-
ach and nerves of IRON"
"Allons donc!' rejoined Roussell, the
sculptor. Its nothing of the kind. It's
fear, terror, cowardice, more likely"
You call it terror, MONSIEUR"
Il do, and believe l name it rightly. +"
Then you are a coward yourself You
have no stomach, no pluck, no nerve"
Several strangers crowded round the ia
bles, and passersby formed an attractive
group upon the pavement. A pretty scene
was expected. But they were mistaken.
No; Jean Roussell looked very unlike
an insulted man thirsting for revenge,
Had not his fellow students at the Ecolc
DIES Beaux Arts been intimately assured of
his pluck they would have denounced him
all round as a veritabc poule mouillce, and
what so vivid picture of shame and pitt
d
Perhaps" replied Roussell quietly,
you are unable to imagine yourself in the
unique position Of a man doomed to the
guillotine, but you may not always be so
unfortunate"
Il should know how to die" said Gail
lot spitefully
Certainly. You would die as you were
told There would be no option. When
the procureur came to your cell and said,
Your hour has come, be courageous If
you were able to walk to NJ. Dciblcr with
out physical assistance or the friendly
drink it would be the result of terror, not
fortitude."
"Our opinions of my courage are at
variance, NJ. Roussell. l am willing to
put it to the test"
The crowd grew expectant again.
"A show of bombast is not my idea of
courage" replied Roussell. Courage is
exhibited, if at all, under unfavorable
conditions. Good evening, messieurs. "
And Roussell, to everybody intense as
constituent and disappointment, arose
from his table and walked away.
Henri Caillot kept bookstall at one Of
tho galleries outside the Odeon thcater,
and it was his custom each evening to
take constitutional in the Luxembourg
garden opposite before adjourning to
cafe in the Boulevard Michel.
The rain one night prematurcly drove
the band out of the garden, and the idlers
with it, but Caillot was not to be deferred
from his exercise.
He had regular courso--in at the
northeast gate, around the fountain and
across the garden to whore the gay par
terrcs that night looked swamped and
sorry.
He usually sat ON bench near the
western ratings, but the rain was too
heavy, and darkness was falling rapidly, so
he took u return path, strolling leisurely,
with his umbrella we'll down over his
shoulders.
OF sudden he stopped, lifted his UNI
brella to aid his vision and listened
THAT surely wasn't thunderI' he said
aloud.
He was answered by an uncarthly
shrek.
The unexpected reply made him start
and look behind him. But no human
thing was visible. He pcered right and
left into the semidarknCss and assumed
his original position. Neither man nor
beast could he see. His impulse was to walk
quickly away, and he was about to obey
it, but was arrested by repetition of the
noise, Enthusiastically close at hand.
He felt creepy.
That sound cmanated from no human
throat. The strongest lungs were incnpa-
bic of yielding SO eerie a blast, no vocal
chords produce it. A tram car horn with
satan believing at the end might achieve
it.
By accident his eyes fell upon the bronze
statuary near the ratings not 20 feet dis
tant, representing Faun playing with
panther.
Holy Virginp' he exclaimed involun
tarily.
Tho jaws of the panther were moving!
And when they had opened they bel
lowed again, more terribly than before.
A cold shudder shook Caillot. He would
have fled, but he was powerless. The slow
ly moving jaws, opening and shutting
with strange regularity fascinated him.
He knew the animal well. He had scanned
it with curiosity many time when it was
mere lump of immovahlo bronze, with
jaws rigidly set that now parted and
closed, and eyes benignly gazing that now
glared with the zest Of a coming mcn'
And he was sure the beasts hclC
swollen with expectation.
Holy Virgin!' he exclaimed again i..u
crossed himself, expecting each second, to
see the animal spring, to feel its hungry
breath and the blow of its striking body.
But the panther did not spring 1t only
moved it's massive jaws and beloved and
beloved until the garden echoed with the
blasts, and Caillot's head began to swell
and his nerves to grow limp. He was sick
unto fleeing, but his feet were glued. He
could have fallen PROSTATE in fit of ter
ror, but the rain refreshed and preserved
him. So he stood where he was, fascinat-
ed, as bird to the tortuOus gyratiOns of
snake, and gazed upon the panther S head
until, as he looked, the animals jaws
shut to and remained closed, the below
ing ceased, and instead he heard voice
that in cultural tones snapped out an i'm
perative command:
Count six monsieurp'
Caillot made no reply. His senses had
been SO stupeled by the sight Of the living
statuary that he did not realize the mean.
ing of the words until another sound
reached his ears and terrified his brain
into action.
The statuary movedl The panther was
preparing to spring, he was sure of it,
Count six, monsieurP' The command
was repeated
"Holy Virgin, save meri entreated Gail