The Washington times., 1895-02-17

moment. Bena, and the thing is donel' Then
Lorenzo tore his casque from his head and
hung down his sword, and rushed unarmed
between AnIonio'S men and Sancho's men,
shouting louder than be had thought ever to
shout: 1.-The promise! the promisep And at
the same moment so 1t is toidI but tell it
as it is told, there came from heaven a great
flash OF lightning. which, aiding the lIghi OF
the flames, fully revealed the features OF Lo-
renzo. Back fell Sancho men, and Antonio's 8
arrested Il cir swords. And then they all
cried as men cry in great Joy: 1.-THE promise.
the promise!' And for momeat ali stood
still where they We're And the ilames leaped
higher; and. as Antonio had said, they were
seen by The great tirong that gazed from the
city walls; AMI they were seen 10y Duke VAL
eDtiue as he watched from the wall OF his gar
den by the river; and be went pale. gnawing
his neis
Then the Count Antonio leaped on the burn
Ing pile. though 1t seemed that no man could
pass alive through it. Yet God was with
him, and he gained the top OF it, and. stoop-
ing, seized the golden easket and flung it
down, clear OF the pile, even at the Lord Lo-
reDzos fe {. and when Lorenzo sought to lift
it the heat o. II Diistered his hands, and he
cried out with the pain. But Count Antonio,
choked by tie smoke his hair and his eve
brow score ed by the fire, staggered half
way down the pile and then sank on his
knees. And there he had died but that Tom
nsasino. Bena, and Sancho, each eager 20 out
strip the other. rushed in and drew him forth,
and fetched water and gave it to him. so that
be breathed again and lived. But the flames
leaped higher and higher, and they said on the
city wallis
God help u.s. God help usl The sacred
bones are burnt" And wonen, aye, and
men, too, fell 10 weeping. and there was
grt at sorrow. fear. and desolatiOn. And the
duke gnawed his nails even 10 the quick.
and spat the blood from his mouth, cursing
Antonio.
But Lorenzo, having perceived that the
greater number were against Antonio. cried
out to sanchos 9 men: "Seize him and bring
him herei' For the dukes promise carried
no safety to Antonio. But Sancho answered
him:-
Now that the sacred bones nre safe, we
have no quarrel with my lord, Antonio" and
he and his men went and laid down their
swords by tue feet of Antonio, where he lay
on the ground. his head on TommRsno 5 lap.
So that the whole band were now round An
tonic. and Lorenzo had but four with him.
He asks war" growled Bena to Tomma-
sina. shall he not have war. my Iord?'
And Tommasino laughed. answering:
Here is a drum ard of bloodl''
But Count Antonio, raising himself, said:
"Is the archbishop here9''
Then Lorenzo vent and brought the arch
bishop. VINO coming, stood before Antonio,
and rehearsed to him the oath that Duke Val
entine had taken and told him how the Lady
Lucia was already free and in her own house.
and made him aware also of the great :umult
that had happened in the city. And Antonio
listened TO his tale in silence. Then the arch
bishop raised hand toward heaven aad
spoke in a solemn aud sad voice:
Behold, there are ten of the dukes guard
dead in the city, and there are twelve OF tEe
townsmen dead; and here IN the opening OF
the neck there lie dead five men of those
who followed you. my lord. Twenty and
seven men are there that have died over this
business. pray more have not died q the
city since set forth. And for wha, has this
been done, my lord? And more than the
death OF all these is there For these sacred
bones have been foulIy and irreligiouSly
stolen and carried away, used with vie
irreyerenee, and brought into imminent haz-
ard OF utter destruction: and had they been
destroyed and their ashes scattered 10 the
four winds. according TO your blasphenous
oath. l know not what would have Defalien
the country where such an act was done.
And for what has this been done, my lord?
1t has been done that proud and violent
man may have his will and that his passion
may be satisfied. Heavy indeed is the bur-
den on your soul. my lord; yes. on your soul
is the weight OF saerilege and of much blOod.'
The archbishop ceased and bis hand dropped
10 his side. The iiames on the pile were burning
low, and a stiffness fell on all the company.
But at last Count Antonio rose 10 his leet aud
stood with his elbow on Tommasino's shoul-
der, leaning on Tommasino. His face was
weary and sad, and he was very pale save
where in one spot the fame had scorched his
cheek to an angry red. And looking round
on ths archbishop, and on the Lord Lorenzo,
and On them all, he answered sadly:
I'm truth, my lord archbishop, my burden
is heavy. For am an outlaw, and excom-
municated. Twenty and seven 6nen have
died through my act, and I have used the sa-
cred bones foully and brought item into i'm
minent peril of total destruction according to
my oath. All this is true. my lord. And vet 1
know not. For Almighty God, whom ali we,
whether honest men or robbers men of law,
or lawless, humbly worship. Almighty God
has His own scales, my lord. And / know
not which thing be in those scales the heay-
ier-that twenty and seven men should die
and that the bones of the blessed ST. Prisian
should be brought in peril, aye. or should be
utterly destroyed-or again that one weak
girl. who has no protection save in the justice
and pity OF man. should be denied justice and
bereft OF pity. and that no man should harken
to her weeping.
fSay. my lord, for it is yours to teach and
mine 10 learn, which of these things should
God count the greater sin? And for myself
have asked nothing, and for my fr ends here.
whom love--aye. even those I have killed
for my oath's sake l have loved-I have
dared to asK nothing. But asked only that
justice should be done and mercy regar ded
Where, my lord. is the greater sin?''
But the archbishop answered not a word
to Count Astonio. but he and the Lord Lo-
renzo came and lifted tho golden easket, and,
no man OF Antonio's company seeking to
hinder them, they went back with it to the
city and showed 1t to the people; and after
that the people had reioiced greatly that the
sacred bones which they had thought to be
destroyed were sale. the archbishop carried
the golden casket back to the shrine in the
village of Rilano. where it rests 10 this day.
But Count Antonio buried the five men of
his band whom he and Bena had slain, and
with the rest he abode still in the hills, while
the Lady Lucia dwelt in her own house in
the city, and the duke. honoring the oath
which he mad sworn before all the people, did
not seek to constraip her to wed any man,
and restored TO her the estate that he had
taken from her. Yet the duke hated Count
Antonio the more for what he had done, aud
sought the more how he nigh. lay hands on
him and put him to death.
TO BE CONTINUED.