The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-29
PART V.

after all"
PART V.
The idea that Corinne de Montesson
would ever succumb to such a fate
seemed to amuse the masqueraders
very much. They greeted her words
with extravagant enthusiasm One
love sick swain-whose DEVILS head
was set mockingly upon plate before
him-turned toward her eyes full of
sheepish affection and exclaimed:
"St. John, Corinne, if you go to the
nuns at Charenton, you will take half
Paris with you"
I'VE shall have to build a city there"
cried another.
Such a place of worship never Will
have been seen," said a third.
II go as man-in- waiting" lisped a
pretty boy, who was busy with a dish
of venison.
And the king, what does he go ASP"
asked demon whose head was tucked
away under his chair.
Yes" cried Corinne, joyfully "the
king, where is he? Come forth, sir,
and let us see you"
"Sacre bleu," answered a voice from
the further end of the table, ''the king
is very WELL thank you, Mademoiselle-
but he will be the better when he has
eaten this pastry"
Could the Able have seen the king at
that moment, his fears would have
vanished like the wind. Truth to tell
his Majesty looked exceedingly un-
kinSly, seated as he was, astride a
small chair and holding a very large
pastry between his knees. But the
wretched priest in the bedroom above
knew of none of these things. While
the masqueraders below were at the
zenith of their merriment, the miser-
able Able was pacing his elegant pris-
on and every turn he took brought a
fresh exclamation to his lips.
"Oh!' he would moan, "a year in the
Bastile at the least-that l should have
left my home for this! A year in the
Bastile, where they put you in cages
SO that your bones are bent, or in
bitches where the floors are deep in
slime! Heaven be merciful to mel
have thrown wine in the kings face!
Fool that / was! His dress should have
taught me better manners. And now
they will punish me-ohy misera BILE
day, unhappy hour-what would 1 not
give to be in my bed at Yvette again"
He, good man, had lived so noble q
life that fear had not in all his years
been an enemy to him. But now he
feared northumberland so that for
long while he started at every whisp-
er of the wind or creak of board; +;
feared until he forgot that he was
hungry and had not supped. BY and
by, however, one of his restless pac-
ings carried him into the cabinet
which opened off the bed-chamber;
and there he beheld the little table
with the flowers and the wax lights
and the lagon of wine and the we'll
dressed capon.
BAIL" he exclaimed, angrily, 1.-THE
wine is but colored water, the capon is
made of bread; they shall not befool
me second time"
He thought it a cruel jest and vowed
he would not be the victim of it; and
so he began to pace the room again;
but his steps carried him, despite his
resolution, straight into the cabinet
again, and at the third time of his
coming, hunger and thirst so far pre-
vailed that he poured a little of the
wine from the fiagon and ventured to
| take it.
oh" cried he, filling the goblet to
| the brlm, "can it be true-upon my
word, this is very like the wine of
| Burgundy-Saint John! l have nsver
| tasted a better imitation"
There was almost a smile upon the
Abbe's face now; and he began with
eager hands to help himself to the ca
| a "a LOT 1a ho toH l.
| self at the little table, and was busy
| with a groaning plate. Only when his
| meal was done did a haunting memory
| OF his nights work come back to him
and at that, the wine was soured and
| the bread turned bitter Ha looked at
the great carved bed and told himself
that sleep was not for such as he. He
heard a bell without strike the hour of
| midnight, and the new-come day
seemed to be the herald of his mis-
fortunes Once or twice he went to
the door of his prison-chamber and
listened, but could discern no sound
neither of voices nor of steps
| Heaven be good to mel" cried he
beginning to pace his room again. III
l could only lay this night in my bed
at Yvette."
| ii0 at lHt IlJDeleSSneSS OF tne
| desire; but, to his intense amazement
| his sigh was echoed from the opposite
| side of the room. And he was very
much surprised when, upon turning
round, he beheld, standing there by q
picture let into the panel of the wains-
cotting, two of the masked men who
had met him on the, road earlier in the
| evening Indeed, the Able rubbed his
eyes to make sure that il was not a
dream; and 1t was not until the taller
OF the two spoke that he believed alto.
gether in the reality of that which he
| saw.
MY Lord Bishop" said the stranger
I'VE have kept our promise and you see
us again. Is 1t gladly?"
"Gentlemen" cried the Able, "glad.
ly, indeed, o, heaven knows! You
have heard of my. misfortunes?"
The masked man raised his hand.
"Hush!" he said "A word may cost
| you your life. We know all and have
come to save you. Follow me, 'Seig,
neur, and say nothing, whatever you
may see or hear"
With this he laid his hand upon a
button In the picture and the panel slid
back noiselessly, showing a narrow
aperture, through which the two mer
| passed, ana then the dazed Able. The
aperture thus disclosed gave access tC
a narrow flight Of stairs, at the foot OF
which was a little door, opening al