Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-10-14

tonight than hospitality But YOU shall
not need TO complain of your supper
He drew aside the curtain as he spoke.
and passed into the next room before
us, not giving a thought apparently to
the possibility that we might strike liza.
from behind. There certainly was an
odd quality apparent in him At times
which seemed to contradict what we
knew of him.
The room we entered was rather long
than wide, hung with tapestry, and
lighted by silver lamps. Rich plate en-
bossed. afterwards learned. by Cellini.
the Florentine-who died THAI wear, 1
remember-and richer glass from Ven
ice, with a crowd of meaner vessels
filled with meats and drinks covered the
table; disordered as by the attacks of a
numerous party. But save a servant or
two by the distant dresser, and an &C.
clesiastic at the far end of the table, the
room was empty.
The priest rose as we ent cred, the
vidame saluting him as if they had not
met that day. You are welcome, NJ.
lie Coadjuteur," he said; saying it cold
~, however, l thought. And the two
eyed one another with little favor; rath-
er as birds Of prey about TO quarrel over
the spoil, than as host and guest. Per-
haps the coadjutor's glittering eyes and
great beak-like nose made me think of
this.
"Ho! ho!" he said, looking piercingly
at us-and no doubt we must have
seemed q miserable and detected crew
enough. ''Who are these? Not the
first fruits of the night, eh?"
The vidame looked darby at him.
enc" he answered, brusquely. They are
not. 1 am not particular out of doors,
coadiutor, as you know, but this is my
house, and we are going to supper. Per-
haps you do not comprehend the dis
tinction. Still it eXists-for me-" with
a sheer.
This was as good as Greek to US. But
I so shrank from the priests malignant
eyes, which would not quit us, and felt
SO much digust mingled with my anger
that when Beers by gesture invited
me to sit down, drew back. Il will
not eat with YOU" / said sullenly;
speaking out of kind Of dull OBJ
stinacy, or perhaps childish petul-
ance.
IT did not occur to me that this would
pierce the vidame's armor. Yet dull
red showed for an instant in his cheek,
and he eyed me with look, that was
not all ferocity, though the veins in his
temples swelled. a moment, neverthe-
less, and he was himself again. AR
mand." he said quietly to the servant,
''these gentlemen will not sup with me.
Lay for them at the other end
Men are odd. The moment he gave
way to me l repented of my words. 1t
was almost with reluctance that 1 fol-
lowed the servant to the lower part of
the table. More than this, mingled with
the hatred | felt for the vidame, there
was now strange sentiment towards
hin-almost of admiration; that had
its birth, think in the moment when /
held his life i my hand, and he had not
hinched.
We ate in silence; even after Croisette
by graspng my hand under the table
had begged me not to judge him hastily.
The two at the upper end talked fast,
and from the little that reached us, |
judged that the priest was pressing
some course on his host, which the lat
ter declined to take.
Once Beers raised his voice. 81 have
my own ends to serve" he broke out
angrily, adding a fierce oath which the
priest did not rebuke, land l shall serve
them. But there | stop. You have your
own. Well, serve them, but do not talk
to me of the cause! The cause? To
hell with the causei have my cause,
and you have yours, and my lord of
Guise has his! And you viii not make
me believe that there is any other?"
THE king's?" suggested the priest,
smiling sourly.
Say rather the italian woman's!"
the vidame answered recllessly -mean-
ing the queen mother. Catherine de
Medici, | supposed.
We'll then, the cause of the church ~
the priest persisted.
bah! The church? 1t is YOU. nv
friend!" Beers reioined, rudeIy tap
ping his compartments that moment
in the act of crossing himself-on the
chest. The church?" he continued:
no, no, my friend. 1 win tell you
what you are doing. You want me to
help you to get rid of your branch, and
you offer in return to aid me with mine
-and then, say you, there will be no
stick left to beat either of us. But YOU
may understand once for all'-and the
Nidame struck his hand heavily down
among the glasses-"that l will have
no interference with my work, master
clerk! Nonel Do you hear? And as
for yours, it is no business of mine.
That is plain speaking. is it not?'
The priests hand shook as he raised
q full glass to his lips. but he made no
rejoinder, and the yidame, seeing we
had finished, rose. "Armand!" he
cried, his face still dark, take these
gentlemen to their chamber You I'M
derstand?"
We stifiy acknowledged his salute
the priest taking no notice of us-and