New-York tribune., 1896-09-27
burning ,or on the hearth seemed to give out

Ouaint and strunRe
day Of Henri Quatre; and IT was gen''1nai hnsa
of that period. nicely attired IN siken hoae,
who bowed urbanely and motioneo us W tne m
board where places for two sho"eu sna. We
alone were expected. Yet for moment we
naused obliyious of manners at the most rae,
thin narrow, cleyer, cunning, nlgh preu, WIN
srangeookng back ncb syeS had anu certain a antique
phrases that reminded me OF an essay OF the
ssieur de Moptaign.. For the Sieur de Belaire
appeared to have that nice sens ., ~ ,hn % setting
oiIerade which Mr. Irving brings 10 the setting
~ a NAV where accuracy in every detail ~ 10
he sought The mouth put into the expression
20 ,hia f,entlemans face-with cruel lines ana
oaoor white teeth now and again showing
something beying the graces of EXQUISITE 9reed,
ing. Yet when he spoke this feeling taden' ana
we took on his motion, our places. -,
"You have kept me waiting, gentlemen said
no with suavity land yet think you VIII ma
the dinner not so bad for country mouse
We again cried out that a mistake had Deen
oode wben no smilingly said that this was not
go and that we're It not for the favor OF tne
storm he should have dined alone The man
who had admitted US returned ana became ,ne
waiter gliding about, serving us, ana pouIins
out from a dusty flagon some hedVy VIM ma ma
sDarkled with delicious suggestlVeness "a, anu sen'
through us n subtle fire that stole the chill away.
Va hogan to talk with loOsened tongues Whlie
our host watched us as II amused at our SUI
iects-as IL he. indeed were gentleman vi tne
old time who heard us as one n'isht .nc iS
doubtable Baron Munchausen; watched us WIN
q sneer that was only half covert; ana yet whlis
listening said absolutely nothing or hinseiI; anu
h
ot tho exact taste which had made tnls perlect
illusion OF a long gone day: Ana When We hau
done-remarking at the oddity OF the Vaus, az
VOL az al their appetZing qualites-ne sun saio
naupht Of himself leaving US wondering the
more at the Sieur de Bellaire-tnat we neFcI
should have heard Of him, ana Una, any pesoon p,
even with mllllonalreS ) po"ei N'"'N P'
such erect .,o, T eau, n
CLEAN of his eyes and twitcning Oh MS n' npS'
81 will explain. Now, know you are Weary,
Theodore will show You your lodging wnich
hope may prove satisfactory.
When we answered that nothing could be more
pleasingly perfect than this cnoce hospta'S ,,rt ~
belated strangers, he bowed with sudden curt
dismissal while the man. candle in hand' Deck
oned to the door. Not wishing 10 press our az ap
probation in thus sudden display Oa nia norri
ness we followed. through internlnapie c~Viil- ~
dors into a great damp tapestried ona'ipei, PEI
where the servant lit a score OF candles ,nde pu.
seemed to increase sense OF siooi,, r,sa,,S, 90
bed such as you may see IN the museum VI
Clunv was at one side. but the room was siisu
Iarly cheerless as the servants steps souhueu
and faded outside the closed door: Ihen we
turned TO question each others impressions,
TO express our wonder to pause win sudoeh
horror and amazement at a full-length portray
of our host opposite the bed 'Ihere ne sloou,
looking at us in Henri Quatre costume-the same
restless eyes-the gleam of white teeth unuer
thin exasperating lips. And Watching gre"
to fear and hate that race
Pierson shared my feeling. The Whole al
venture had been so unaccountabe. the OBJECT
OF our entertainer-even on the score or ecceh-
tricity-so inexplicable. that sane ana strong
rs we were, we readily agreed TO lie down Oh
the bed without removing our clothes and to
leave the candles burning. A heavy KEY turned
rustly In the lock. When 1 crept to persons
side he already seemed to be sunken In sumner
as was reasonable after our many weary miles
that day. But I could not sleep. exhausted as
NE dread ID and Vet at last nature had Ter way.
awakened suddenly with the dread gripping
my heart-awoke horribly In the pain or night
mare my eyes on the portrait OF the Sieur de
Bellaire that the still Pickering candles showed.
or was it the portrait? l stared; ieareu
All such horrid fear that 1t was sicKenlns
me even now The Sieur de Bellaire was ad-
vancng out of his frame-was nearing me-and,
suddenly leaning forward, thrust his teeth INTO
my throat could feel a singing biting pam
and then had strength to exert myselt agalnst
the Thing We strove mightily-I for life the
Thing for desire. I know of nothing more terri
BILE than that struggle; know OF n1tning eise Use
veins even now. For this was a struggle OF IRE
and death the Thing was ice that froze my
heart that wanted my warm blood TO thaW its
own iciness Of death: and as we rolled anu ana
struggled heard no sound from Person was
cruel thing with the bestal fangs had the bet
ter: and the desire for my own life was greater
than its desire for 1t. And mastered It,. Yes
life mastered the thing of death that fought
for the life in me: and when knew that had
thrust It from me my life went out or me-
| And yet don't know. If it had been that
| ded-that Person ded-I should not be telling
this story. | awoke with a sense or warmth
among tall grass. and the life-giving sun on my my
| reach of moor the sun of the daybreak caught
| in the yellow grasstops. NO person-no living
thing was in view; yes, there was mouse on a
| near road: but where was the battlemented
| house Of the night before? And saw Pierson
| sleeping at my side and then, raising himself ne
| turned on me a fearful, questioning stare.
| noticed our wheels lying at sides. as If we
| had fallen from them where we were. Ana then
| had pain at the throat and. feeling there
knew it had been torn and was still bleeding
and Persons throat had some unaccountable
mark
Shortly we began to question each other in
hoarse unnatural voices, and his story was as
mine Yet we said nothing in surprise. We did
not call each other liars, For we knew. And
So too lame to mount even when we found the
path. we turned toward the house we had seen
-limping with aching muscles.
The house proved to be the inn we had been
seeking in the nights storm There we break
tasted and then began TO ask in the taproom
of the Seur de Bellaire, of the House or the
Bronze Fox Perhaps they did not understand,
for as we questioned they skunk away. But a
barefooted mendcant, brown-cowled monk
who listening. came forward crossing NM
self and surprising us with excellent English.
You passed a night in the House of the
Bronze Fox?"
There is none He died in Henri Quatres
reign"
He died? And the house?"
There Is only the cellar where the house
was"
And what of that saw"
"Who knows?' The monk paused strangely:
Have you ever heard that there may be dead
who try to steal the life from the living| he
said with strange, searchful eyes on me. We
paused. looking at each other and then, TOO
late-for the monk had gone-tried to inquire
of the men in the inn. They but stared at us
stupidly as not understanding
PersOn pulled me out into the sunshine his
face ashen. and motioned to wheels |
understood and with that same impulse OF
flight too mounted. The sun had dried the mud
on the road the summer morning drove the
night out of our brains: and as we wheeled along
our pulses again beating regularly the events OF
the night grew DINNER. They seemed but parts
of a nightmare II was as II we both had had
fall in the storm that had left us unconscious
until dawn: that had put the same scars on our
| throats: that had stirred the same fancies In
| orr brains Nor now can be positive that IL