The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-25


during this visit that the Court cred
tied him with seeing-I think, on the
Friday before the Feast Of the Virgin
the Great Huntsman; and even went
so far as TO specify the part of the
forest in which he came upon 1t and
the forrn-that of a gigantic black
horseman, surrounded by hounds
which it assumed. The specter had not
been seen since the year 1898; never
theless. the story spread widely, those
who whispered citing in it's support
not only the remarkable agitation into
which the Queen fell publicly on the
evening of that day but also some
strange particulars that attended the
Kings return from the forest; and,
being taken UP and repeated, and con-
hrmed, as many thought, by the I'M
happy sequence of his death, the fable
found little later almost universal
credence, so that it may now be found
even in books.
AS it happened. however, L was that
day at Fontainebleau, and hunted with
the king; and, favored both by chance
and the confidence with which my
master never failed to honor me, am
able not only to refute this story, but
TO narrate the actual facts from which
some. know, who boast that they had
the tale from the kings own mouth
I undertake TO prove either that they
are romancers who seek to add an
inch to their stature, or dull fellows
who placed their own Interpretation on
the hasty words he vouchsafed such
chatterers.
AS a fact, the king. On that day
wishing to discuss with IRE the pre-
parations for the queens er+ry, babe
me keep close to him, since he had
more inclination for my company than
the chase. But the crowd that attended
him was so large, the day being fine
and warm-and comprised, besides, so
many ladies, whose badinage and gal
ETY. he could never forego-that J. found
him insensibiy drawn from me. Far
from being displeased, was glad to
see him forget the moodiness which
had of late oppressed him; and beyond
keeping within sight of him, gave up
for the time, all thought Of affairs,
and found in the beauty of the specta-
Gle sufficient compensa tion. The bright
dresses and waving feathers of the
p.t ~ showed to the greatest advan-
tage as the long cayalcade wound
through the heather and rocks Of the
valley below the Agreements; and
on the huntsmen, with their great
horns. or the hounds straining in the
sashes| was equally charmed with
sight at once joyous and gallant,
and one TO which the calls of duty had
of late made me stranger.
On a sudden quarry was started,
and the company, galloping off pell-
NELL. with merry burst of music,
were in a moment dispersed, some
taking this track and others that,
through the rocks and debris that
make that part of the forest d1fhcu!t.
Singing out the king, I Kept as near
him as possible until the chase LED US
snto fhe Apremont coverts, where, the
trees growing thickly. and the rides
cu+ through them being intricate, L
csnshf sight of him flying down
ride bordered by dark-green box trees,
against which his white hunting coat
showed wildly; but now he was aIone,
and riding in direcelon, w.il fro,,, The The
moment carried him farther from the
1lne of the chase, and entangieo MIN
more deeply III the forest I5
S1,or7sinec that he had made PAD
oar+ and r,as in error, l dashed the
sr111rs into my horse, ana gallopeu
after him; then. finding that he sun
ba1d his own, and that did not over
- HIM ,;1t that, on the contrary,
he was riding at the top OF MS speeu'
called to him. You are III error,
eire thinkv I cried. ''The hounds
are the other wayr'
ne heard. for he raised his hand
and without turning his head, made
me a. sign; but whether Of assent or
denial. l could not tell. And he still
held on his course. Then, tor mo,
,nent. 7 fancied that his horse had
srot the better of him, and was running
away. but no sooner had The thought
occurred TO me than [ saw that he was
sr.urring it, and exciting 1t 70 its ut
most speed, so that we reached the
end of that ride, and rushed through
gnother and still another, always max
ing. I did not fail to note, for the most
retired part of the forest.
We had proceeded in this way about
q nile, and the sound of the hunt had
quite died away behind us, and was
beginning to chafe, as well as to mar
vel, at conduct so singular, when at
last l saw that he was slackening his
pace. My horse, which was on the
point Of failing, began, in turn, to
overhaul his, while looked out with
sharpened curiosity for the object or
pursuit. I could see nothing, however,
and no one: and had just satisfied my
self that this was one of the droll
freaks in which he would sometimes
indulge, and that in a second or two
he would turn and laugh at my dis
comfture. when, on a sudden, with a
final pull Of the reins, he did turn,
and showed me a face flushed with
passion and chagrin.
[ was so taken aback that [ cried
out. Mon Dieu! sire" I said. what
is it?'' What is the matter?'
Matter enough" he cried with an
oath. And on that hating his horse,
he looked at me as if he would read
my heart. "Ventre de Saint Girls" he
said, in a voice that made me tremble,
If were sure that there was no mis-
take, 1 WOULD would never see
your face again.
/ uttered an exclamation.
Have you not deceived me?' quoth
he.
''Oh. sire. I am weary of these sus-
picionsi" 1 answered, affecting an in
difference 1 did not feel IF your
majesty does not"
But he cut me short. Answer mep'
he said, harshly, his mouth working in
his beard and his eyes cleaning with
excitement. Have you not deceived
me?"
mo. .sirer" T said.
seYet you have told me day by day
that Madame de Condo remained in
Brusseis?"
Certainly"
"And you still say so?"
'.Most certainlyr' I answered firmly.
beginning to think that his passion
had turned his brain. 81 mad dis
patches to that effect this morning.