Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-27
PART I.
Duty ". Justice

Midnight rang out from the belfrey of St
SehastiaH's Catholic Church. the most
fashionable church Of that denomination in
New York city.
1t was hot oppressive August tight
The air was heavy with electricity that
would not burst and sweep some OF the
awfu! humidity from the atmosphere.
In the reclory adjoining the church the
pastor and his two dOmestics, an old hC use
keeper and a man servant, had, in accord
arce with their usual custom, gone to led
quite early.
But Fr. darcy, the young curate, still
sat at his study window. looking out al the
night or seeming 10 do So.
He was a very handsome man, with the
kind of face that men trust and women
love. The kind Of face that haunts one
who has once seen II. because of something
strangely prophetic in the eyes.
This something il IS hard to define, but
most people have felt il at times.
There are eyes with nothing behind them.
forever.
But these other eyes. the prophetic ones,
seem to fUreteI immortal futUrity, here
or IN other worlds no knows? Only
with or without reason you feel sure that
somewhere. forever. they will continue 10
see tr. d Arcy's eyes were of this order.
In color they were gray and deep set with
heavy dark brUws and lashes- The nose
was straight and strong, with clean cut,
sensitive nOStriIS. The mouth large and
fun might have been sensuOus had .ot
years Of ascetIc training drawn and chang
ed its lines. The head was superbly shaped
and built on the shoulders. IL was covered
with heavy masses of dark curling hair
Worn close cropped almost TO tonsorial
severity.
But any one who could have gazed into
the young priests face on this particular
night would have noticed nothing but its
expression, which denoted intense mental
asoIy. Horror, fear, resolve. doubt. de-
spar. all swept over the features in turn.
one CHASED the other but to return again.
Ike The SpUkeS Of ever revolving wheel
Two months before, Henry Arthur d'Arcv
Atu Completed his long clerical course and
0ALuSt IHe imposing ceremonies of rho
CaJhoAc church, had been sOlemuIy or,laiu-
ed priest.
On The day Of his ordination. as he Law
PioStEdtv al the loot OF the altar b.fnra
utterlng the last vows OF cl,l.,-cr. r5.,,,
NiitI hopes. ambitions and resolutions VIZ.
IGHec'ed on the camera OF his mndl
Ire good he would d0l The. wonders h,
would accomplish in the world
Ike another SavOHaroIa he would wage
$500 - ne superstition that made i
S't4doln OF God service.
SiHsic-handed and alone he wc.fId sur,
i-p-A me eyes Oi The multitude the ,,ohv--.I,s
o. credulity which impeded their rrno,r,sS
ne had found the light. and he wauled All
t-S "otlu 70 enter into the grand curve nf
is OrDIt- And peIhaus-Sorr,. 1ay-ir,-.,l
unfairly MS eyes wandered to the episconaI
throne where his grace the archbishop sar
-. i.-,eiri ana regal dignity. Henry Arthur
ATtE was an ambitious man, with a pow
eI-IO'lhS ana powerful nature.
Immediately after his e linarion he was
appointed TO the curacy Of ST. Sebastian
Church. t-i
lie had entered on his duties there with
much ardOr and enthusiasm
but before one week had seen him at his
pos an extraordinary change took place
III the young priest.
rms change dated from a Saturday after
noon IN June, when for the first time he
look his seat in the confessional to f.xer-
else The enormous power of his ministry
70 hoId or retain the sins Of his fellOw-man
lie nad entered the tribunal with the
courage ana sanctity of a young Ignatius
but after having heard the confession of
LIS Hr5t peHltent he had immediately left
the confessional ami sent word that h.
would hear no more confessions that after
noon FROM that moment he was an alter
ed man lie grew silent and performed his
pFleStIy duties with duII apathy, strangely
contrary 20 his former ardor
On TINS hot August night. as he sat at
MS WINDOW looking out with unseeing gaze
could the brush of some artist have seized
the expression on his face that PAINTERS
fame and fortune were assured. In il Law q
drama such as no Hugo OF Lardon has ever
Yet told
II looked as if it had lived through the
tragedy Of each human life since man
vas born 10 sorrow as the sparks hv Ul-
ward. and each had left its trace not in
scar or wrinkle. but i'll the fathomless
agony Of the eyes and a tensiJy of the lines
around the mouth
For the monotonous agony Of mind which
for two long months had racked he young
priest there seemed 20 be no respite Day
and night the same thoughts were ALWAYS
recurring and giving birth to the same ar
gumenis- A certain apathetic heaviness