Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-02-16

~y-ll-yE
- '"A'NI ~
"He tcdS .lDtng on n sort Of SICK chair or
lounge"
owed truly his fortune to that girl
who, the next day after the death Of
the ono whom she had piously attended,
found herself poor and isolated IN a lit
tie house il q steep street, near the
chateau. above Blois felt that what
ever this unknown father left ought not
to go to distant relatives, who cared
nothing for bin, did not even know
him, were ignorant of his sulTerings
and perhaps even of his existence and
who by law would inherit
"a dying man, yes, There could be
no question about it, and DR. Vilandry,
whom | begged to accompany me to see
my friend, did not hide it from me.
Revere was dying of a kidney difficulty
which had made rapid progress.
1T was necessary, then, since he was
not alone in the world that be should
think Of tho one of whom he had spoken
and whom he loved.
l. VI lONt Etl, tiIhI tlllIl Nubln
have no right to name. I love her. She
is good, tender, admirable If l did not
see that she rcsemblcd me--for she docs
resemble me- should tell thee that she
was beautiful. I would be proud to cry
aloud, This is my daughterW TO
promenade with her on my ARMAND l
must hide this secret from all the
world. That is my torture. And it is
the Chastisement of all that has not
been right i'll my life. All, sad, uuhap-
by loves! That same malediction for
the past came to his lips us it had come
to his thoughts The old workman, bur
dened with labor throughout the week,
who could promenade on the Boulevard
de Clichy on Sunday, with his daugh-
ter on his arm, was happier than Ro-
we're And-a strange thing, sentiment
of shame and rcmOrse-feelinS himself
travelling fast to his last resting place
i'll the cemetery, he expressed no wish
to see that child TO send for her to
come from Blois under some preteXt or
other, easy enough to find.
Ono, he experienced fierce desire
for solitude, he shrank from an inter
view in which he feared all his grief
words. He feared for himself, for his
weakness for the strange feeling he ex-
perienced in his head.
LIT seems as if it oscillated upon my
shoulders, he said. If Marthe came
and he repeated the name as "a child
would have pronounced it who was Just
learning to name the letters of Il word
L would give her but the sad spectacle
of broken down man and leave on her
mind only rhe impression of a human
ruin. And then--and then-not to see
her, not to havo the right to see her,
that is all right-it is my chastise-
ment.
LET it be so / understood. I feared
that an interview would be mortal; no
had been so terribly agitated when he
had sent for me that other time.
"But | at least wished to recall to
him his former wish which he had ex-
pressed of providing for the girls flu
ture. desired that he should make up
for the past, since money is one of the
forms of reparatiCn. But l dared not
speak to,him again in regard to it or of
that trust of which he had spoken.
"He said to me, this strong man
whom death had never frightened and
whom he had braved many times, he
said to me now, weakened by this ill
ness which was killing him hour by
hour:
of knew that my end was near, l
would decide But | have time.
Thine! Each day brought him lit
tie nearer to that life about which |
feared to say to him, The time has
come. The fear, in urging him to Il last
resolution, of seeming like an eXecu-
TONER whose presence seemed to say,
To-day is the day, prevented me. Iou
understand, monsieur? And why not?
ought to wait no longer Rovere's con-
iidence had made of me II second Revere
who possessed the strength and force OF
will which the first one now lacked.
felt that l held in my hands, so to
ner, but | looked upon her AS II martyr
IN her vocation of nurse to the old par
alytic to whom she was paying, III love,
the debt of the dead wife. | said to my
self: 1t is TO me, to ME alone that Ro-
we're must give instructions of what he
wishes to leave to his daughter, and II
is for mo to urge him to do this. 1t is
for me to brace his weakened will,
was resolved. 1t was duty. Each day
the unhappy man strength failed,
saw it-this human ruin, One morning,
when | Went to his apartments | found
him in singular state of terror. He re-
lated me story, | knew not what, of a
thief, whose victim he was. The lock O!
his door had been forced, his safe open
ed. Then suddenly, interrupting him
self, he began to laugh-a feeble laugh,
which made me i'll
81 am fool, he said. Il am dream,
ing awake. / continue in the daytime
the Nightmares Of the night. \ thici
here! No one has come. Nine, MonichC
has watched. But my head is SO weak
so weak! l have known SO many rascal,
in my life Rascals always return
heinz
'He made sad attempt at laugh.
1T was dolirium-a delirium which
soon passed away, but which frightened
Inc, IL returned with increased force
each day and at shorter intervals,
well, said to myself, during 8
lucid interview, He must do what hC
has resolved to do, what he had willeC
to do, what he wishes to dot And
| Il lad ,f,l,t hnf tl,.N