The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-06-14
THE WEREWOLF.

When surfeited with the adulation
which | received at court and Wearied
by the constant round Of gayety which
constituted my life in Paris, it was my
habit to seek as a retreat the old manor
house of Kerzigolet, an estate lost in
the depths of Brittany, and which had
belonged for centuries to my husbands
family. Bounded as it was upon one
side by the sea and upon the other by
the forest, my seclusion was complete.
Still, in order to lose for short space
my identity, indeed my very personal
ity and sex, adopted male attire and
so arrayed in hunting suit spent
few weeks securing the woods, hunting,
fishing and riding with old Gruigny
(my husbands overseer) as sole compan-
ion and attendant Maids, fripperies
and furbelows were for the time left be-
hind in the gay metropolis.
Here / was as free as air Even in
the village, five miles westward, was
known only as IN. lie Marquis, +" and
when staggered jauntily up the aisle
of the little village church on a Sunday
morning, with my spurs jangling and
my sword clanking behind me, who
could have dreamed that was the IA
nous toast and beauty of the court
the celebrated "Marquise de B. ?"
The forest abounded in game Cru
igny and l rarely failed to return from
our expeditions with game bags over
laden with feathery and furry spoils.
Many were the legends and stories
told in the outlying villages Of that al
most impenetrable forest, and it had
been my ambition for years to explore
it even to its very Depth but had ever
been held in check by old Gruigny, who
told me, crossing himself the while, the
most blood curdling tales relating to a
certain werewolf which was said by
the peasants to haunt the heart of the
grand, mysterious woods.
1t is not that Nine. la Marqrise
would fear wolf, were or not were, !"
the old man would grumble in his thick
mustache, ''but it is always preferable
to meet foe, canny or uncanny, in
spot where a gun can be leveled straight
at him, and in that tangled under
growth, as Nine. La Marquise knows,
there would be no use in aiming at all. "
One evening, about an hour before
sunset, as l was sauntering slowly
homeward on horseback along the edge
of the forest, the reins hanging loose
on my mares neck, / noticed with sur
prise that the four dogs who accompa-
MED me had disappeared. l whistled
and called for time in vain, and final
ly concluded that they had lost me run
ming after game and would find their
way back to the manor house before
me, for l was still good three miles
from home Before the thought had
fairly formed itself in my mind, how
ever, a chorus of frantic, furious banks
broke upon my ear, rising and falling
in widest excitement
What have they unearthed?'' Iwon-
dered "It can surely be no ordinary
game, - and as the sound grew nearer
and seemed to be scarcely 100 yards dis
tant l rose in my stirrups and tried to
peer through the dense foliage 1t was
just then that my mare took fright and
started on dead run, not down the
road, but half rearing she swerved as
though terrified and turned into mar
row forest glade l snatched at the reins
helplessly, for with the bit between her
teeth l was powerless, and she tore
blindly on as though maddened by fear.
Scarcely had | time indeed to bend my
head upon the creature's name and by
SO doing avoid being stunned, if not
killed, by the low branches of the trees
which crisscrossed thickly above my
head
In this position and clinging tightly
to both name and pommel l could see
behind me. The hounds continued their
thunderous baying, when, suddenly
bursting through the dense thicket,
saw tremendous wolf emerge, closely
followed by the furious dogs Straight
on it came after me Could it be giving
me chase? tThe werewolfr' murmur-
ed and closed my eyes in an agony of
terror
How long that mad ride lasted new
er knew. When awoke as from long
sleep, which was in reality deep
swoon found myself in the midst of a
clearing in an unknown part of the for
est, while the moon poured its rays full
into my face, lighting up the space
around me with brilliancy Horse, dogs
and wolf had disappeared. Twas alone
Slowly regaining my senses found,
to my surprise, that was absolutely
uninjured, and as | started to my feet
in bewilderment, wondering which way
to turn, felt gentle touch upon my
shoulder. Turning, with a suppressed
shrek, saw an old man, beggar he
seemed to be by the poverty of his
clothing, standing tall and straight in
the moonlight before me. saw him
plainly. l see him plainly today in
memory In one hand he held gourd,
and fastened to his shoulders was
knapsack. Speeches. with terror,
started to run. "Do not flee, sweet an
gel of France, p" he said in the gentlest
of tones, speaking the familiar patois
of Brittany lyon will only lose your
way. Let me guide you home, for l
know all the forests paths . He wait
ed few moments for my reply, but
was too overcome by emotion to articu-
late, and he continued, still in his ma
tive tongue: 81 have watched over your
Elumber for an hour, and in two hours
more it will be midnight Tell me your
destination, pray, that I n ay lead you
thither without delay
stammered the name of the manor
house.
''Ah, that is your home, is itP'' he
exclaimed. Follow me, then, little
fairy Of the manor, sweet little angel
of Francep' And obeyed, keeping close
behind him in the darkness, with my
fears allayed by the excessive gentle
ness Of his manner.
1t was only at the end of long, long
hour that we emerged from the forest.
Across the moor l saw with joy the IA
miliar outline of the castle standing up
in bold but ghostly whiteness against
the deep black Of the trees not 100 yards |
away.
Come in with me, :" / said at last, |
tilnidly addressing my strange guide
for the first time Come In with me
huu ISsb anu 10 te1Ioaueu Will mSStt
and wine. want to reward you, too,
for your kindness in taking this long,
weary walk out of your way to oblige
me.
The old mendicant shook his head as
if in anger.
"No. no, no, !" he repeated vehement
ly. "Iwant nothing, will accept moth
ing" But after few moments hesita-
ton he added with almost angelic sweet
ness, Your eyes have given me SO
great joy that need nothing more,
and he turned hastily back toward the
forest.
Drawing small silken purse from
my pocket, in which had that morn
ing placed four gold coins ran after
the singular old man and begged his ac-
captanca of It aa q rnYneY1a branCa NOT a q |