The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-02-25
CHRONICLES or COUNT ANTONIO.


me. have done already" answered An
tonic. Therefore. L will ask nothing for
myself and nothing may ] ask for you or
for my friends. But IL ask nothing but
that right and justice be done, IL may be
that. my sin in laying hands on the sacred
bones will be the less"
Now, after Antonio and his men were
gone the archbishop's train stayed long by
the stream on the road. lamenting and
fearing to go forward. Yet at last they
went forward, and being come to the next
village found all the people awaiting them
at the bounds. And when the people saw
the disorder of the procession, and that
the pikemcn had no pixies, they ran for
ward eagerly, asking what had befallen;
and learning of the calamity, they were
greatly afraid and cursed Antonio; and
many of them accompanied the archbishop
on his way to the city. where he came
toward evening; and a great concourse of
people awaited his coming there, and the
duke himself sat on a lofty seat in the
great square, prepared to receive the
sacred bones and go with them to the
cathedral, where they were to be exposed
to tine gaze of the people at high mass. And
they set the archbishopS chair down be-
fore the dukes seat, and the archbishop
came and stood before the duke. and his
priests and the pikemen with him. And
the duke started up from his seat, crying:
y sAtAA airs you. ana SANK bdCh dBdAh,
and sat waiting to hear what the arch
bishop had 10 say.
Then the archbishop, his robes still damp
and grcatly disordered, his limbs trembling
in anger and in fear. raised his voice: and
all the multitude in the square were silent
while he declared to his highness what
things Count Antonio had done and re-
haarScd the message that he had sent. And
when the archbishop told how Antonio had
sworn that as God liveth he would scatter
the ashes Of the sacred bones to the winds
the men caught their breath with n gasp
and the women murmured affrightediy,
Christ save us" and Duke Valentine dug
the nails Of his hand whereon his head
rested into the flesh of his checks. For all
the city held that according to the words
St Prisian had uttered before he suffered,
the power and prosperity OF the duchy and
the favor Of heaven to IL rested in the pres
cree among them and the faithful preserva-
tion and generation of those most holy
relies. And the archbishop having ended
the message cried: God pardon my lips
that repeat such words" and fell on his
knees before Duke Valentine. crying: Jus
tice or him. my lord justice!" And many
In the thrcng echoed his cry, but others,
among them many of the appreuticed
lads who loved Antonio. muttered low one
to another 'But the duke has taken the
sweetheart from him." and they looked On
the duke with no favorable looks.
Then Duke Valentine rose frnn his seat
and stood OH the topmost step of it. and
be called sundry Of his lords AMI officers
around him and then be oecEonea for ST.
Ience and he said:
before the sun sets tomorrow .he Lady
Lucia shall take the VOWS" and he, with
his train. took their way. the piSoT'cn
clearing a path for them. 10 the Tala e.
And now. indeed. was silence: and all mar
veled and were struck dumb that the duke
said naught concerning ihe bones of It
prieian. and they searched ore another
faces FOR the meaning Of his words. tut
the archbishop arose, and speaking 10 no
mon went to the cathedral ana knelt there
before The a.ta~ in the chao i Of ST. Pris'Sn,
and there abode on his knees.
Surely never. from that DAY until this
hour. has such a night passed in The city
Of Farniola. For the duke sert orders for
everr man I'm his guard N be lady TO
start at break of day m pursuit Of Antonio,
and through the hours Of tae nigh' they
We're busted IN preparing their provisions
and acc0utremcuts. But "a air loofs were
heavy aud their tourl IS tied, for they
knew, every man of them, that though the
duke might az the end take Antonio, yet
he could not come at him before the Time
that Antonio had said. And this the towns
meH knew well also, and they gathered
themselves in groups in the great square,
saying: Before the duke comes at him the
sacred bones win be burned, and what will
then hefall the duchy2" And those who
were friendly TO Antonio. foremost among
them being the apprenticcd lads. spread
themselves here and there among the peo-
rle. asking cunniugly whether it concerned
the people Of Forniola more that the bless
ing Of St Prisiau should abide with them
or Laat a reluctant maiden should be forced
to take the veil; and some grew bold 10
yyhispcr under their breath that the bust
hoe hon NHa.Fg ATga
not send beauty and love that priests should
should bury them in convent walls. Ana
tbs. girls OF the city, ever most bold by
reason % their helplessnesS. stirred up the
young men who coUrted them, leading them
on and saying. lie is ii true lover who
risks his soul for his love" or Il would
had one who would steal the bones of 81
prisian for my sake, but none such have !,
with other stirring and inilaming taunts,
reckiessIy nng from poutns ups anu from
under eyes that challenged ana an tne
while Duke Valentine sat alone IN MS
cabinet listening TO the tumuit that SOUND
- Nth nutiied din through the walls o. the
palace. -, .,t,- +, oor+ai,, -.
-s,,,,7 peter a turbulent fellow, who
"a l,a.o INT out Of his craft CUNT because
~ ,,,a,,13 not abide by the Jaws oil the
r,et and lived now as he best could, b.
80. ,,,,irtatn,, in a large measure by those
,-.,,,,-,.-s..tion. This nlalE loving nau&ht
49,. vyss worthy Of love in Count Antonio,
- loved him because he delied the duke.
ana about midnight, having drank much
,,.ins h.. came irto the square and gath
.-sd tosether the apprentices, saying: Il
have A matter 10 say TO you-aEd to you
snd to YOU" till there We're many scores
~ them round him. Then he harangued
trern. and more came round; and when at
last Peter cried, Give us back the sacred
homes" 4 thousand voices answered him:
ave. give IS back the bones" And when
the pskemen would have seized him, men,
and women also made a ring round him,
81 that he could not be taken. And sober
mon also. of age and substance, hearkened
10 him saving: He is kraye. but he
sre;,ks truth now" 50 that very great
thrCny assembled. every man having staff
ami many also knives: and TO those that
had not knives the women and girls
brought them, thrllsting them into their
hands Nay, sundry priests also were
among the people. moaning and wringing
their hands and saying that the favor OF
St pTisian would be lost forever TO the
city. And the square was thronged SO that
a man could not move unless all moved,
nor raise his hand 10 his head save by
the favor OF is ncghbOr. Yet presently
the who'll mas Ian 10 move, like great
wave Of wate ard the palace OF the
duke. where a. zen stood in ranks
Ns.as1sN Ia