The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-09-25

Suddenly he felt the earth give
way under him, and he was precipi
tated several feet downwards. At
the same time he noticed that the
opening closed over his head. Fort
unately he had received no injury in
his fall, and he soon saw that he was
in very difficult, even desperate,
position. He was in a hole many
feet underground; he was convinced
that it was impossible that anyone
would find him there, and that he
would in all probability starve to
death. Now, for the first time he
saw how imprudent he had been to
follow the figure. Long after, when
an old man, he used to confess that,
of the many dangers to which he
had been exposed during his life,
not one had made such strong i'm
preston on his mind as this-when
he found himself in subterra oean
hole with no hope of ever getting
out again. So strong, indeed. was
this impression that his senses for
sock him and he fell to the ground.
Being a man of firm nerves, however,
he soon recovered. and now began
to consider if there was anything he
could do. For long time it seemed
that there could be no possible way
of getting out of this hole. But
presently he remembered that sub
terranean passages are often to be
found underneath old castles, lead
ing up to daylight at some distant
spot. This he supposed was SINH
lar passage, and he began at once to
examine it, 1t was, in truth, mar
row, though long, passage. When
he had proceeded forty or fifty PAGES
he heard voices. Going further he
soon discovered that only wooden
partition separated him from the
speakers. He listened.
eff he has not broken his neck in
the fall" one man was saying, I'VE
must make an end of him. There's
no doubt he's a very fearless man,
and he'd soon make known that it's no
ghosts that live here. We should
soon be found out and brought to
the gallows for false coiners. He'll
have to die"
The others, three or four of them,
as it seemed, agreed to this.
Now that he had heard with what
sort of people be had to do, and what
they were resolved to do with him.
he struck the wall with his fist and
called out loudly:
Now, listen to what have to say.
/ am a French officer of rank. |
have left four servants in the village,
and they cannot return to Paris with
out me. To morrow they will assured
ly search the castle through for me,
and will not fail to find out your
den. But if you will set me free |
will save you. l promise you to say
nothing of what l have seen and
heard here. | will only tell that |
was surrounded by frightful appari-
tions all night. l promise you this.
You may rely upon my word, for it
has never yet been broken, and never
shall be-"
The false coiners, apparently con-
founded, held their peace.
Presently Villars heard them speak
ing together, but he could not
understand word. They were evil
IDENTIFY now convinced that they were
in close neighborhood with a very
resolute man, armed with two pis-
tolls and a sword, and whom, there
fore, they could not overpower with
out great danger to their lives. Again,
the firing of the pistols would no
doubt be heard in the village, and
this might easily lead to the dis
covery of their den. Such consider
atoms seemed to have led the men
to have changed their resolve; for, a
quarter of an hour afterwards, one
of them called out:
"We will set you free if you will
take your oath on the Bible not to
split on u.s."
II WILL" said Villars.
So they tore board from the wall
and handing him Bible (which was
afterwards explained in answer to
his question, they kept there for the
purpose), swore him upon it, an l
then took him back by a different
way to the bedroom. 1t was day
light before he could again get to
sleep, and it was therefore late in the
day when he returned to the village.
where everyone, and especially his
men, had been in great anxiety about
him, and were now rejoiced to see
him again. Mindful of bis promise,
he simply told them that he had been
visited by aparitions too fearful to be