The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-12

only worthy libation to Barran-S atha
mas, who alone can bestow new life
Then the Lady Sybilla answered him.
Il pray you, Giles de Retz, as you
hope for mercy, STAY not these maidens
and this youth. Take me and bind me
instead, for the sacrifice of death.
have wrought enough of evil Take of
my blood and work out your purpose.
Let me give you the libation you de-
sire. GILES de Retz, if ever l have
aided you, grant me this boon now. I
beseech you, let these innocents go and
bind me upon the altar in their place"
Long and loud laughed Giles de
Retz, a hard, evil and relentless laugh.
Sybilla de Thouars an innocent
maidens sacrifice Barran- Sathanas
himself laughs at the jest. He would
have no pleasure in your death. Soul
and body you are his already. He de-
sires only the blood and suffering of
the innocent-of those on whom he has
never set his mark. Nay, these three
shall surely die, and in that bath un-
der his altar L shall lave me from head
to foot in the red milk of innocence.
have no more need of you, Sybilla
mine. You have done your work, and
for reward you can depart to your own
place. Out OF my way, 1 say. Henriet,
1OlLOu, QUICK. I6lnON6 InlS WOIIldIl
from before the ALTAR"
Then, struggling strongly in their
hands, the servitors carried Lady Sy
billa to the further end of the chapel,
where they abode on either side, hold
ing her fast. And as the last grains of
sand began to swirl toward their fall
and little whirlpool to form funnel
wise in the midst of the hourglass, the
butcher was left alone with his victims
he Io+ g ,,-o,, ole
Giles de Retz turned toward the
image, and lifting up his hand solemn
~ he cried in great voice, 20 Barran-
SathanaS, be We'll pleased to behold
this innocent blood spilled slowly in
thine honor. AS the red fount flows
and the red fire burns, restore my
youth and make me strong. Faithfully
Will l serve thee and thee alone, re-
nOuncing all other. O, Barran- Satha-
mas, great and only Lord, receive my
sacrifice. 1t is the houri"
And so saying, he laid hold of Maud
Lindsay by the hair and raised the
curved knife on high.
Then from the end of the chapel to
which the Lady Sybilla had been taken
there came a sound. With a great,
despairing effort, she burst from her
captors' hands and ran forward. She
kneit down on the marble slab whereon
the maids had stood Vt their first en-
tering, and as she knelt she held aloft
a golden crucifiX.
IF there be a God in heaven, let him
manifest himself nowr' she cried. BY
the virtue of this cross of Jesus Christ
I call upo2 him.
Then, suddenly, all the place was
filed with a mighty, rushing noise.
The last. grains ran low in the hour
glass. 1t shifted in its strand and
turned over. A tremor like that of an
earthquake Shook all the castle TO it's
foundations. The solid keep itself
rocked like vessel in a stormy sea-
The great image overturned, and in
its fall GILES de Retz was stricken
senseless to the earth. The next mo-
mighty tide, the doors of the temple
were opened with a clang. and through
them a crowd of armed men came
rushing in. with triumphant Shouts
and angry cries for vengeance.
Sholto was far ahead of the others,
and, as if led by the unerring instinct
of love, he ran to the altar, wherein
his love lay, white as death, but with
out d mark upon her fair body.
1t was the work of a moment to cut
their cords and chafe the numbed
wrists and ankles. James Douglas took
the little Margaret, Sholto had his
sweetheart in his arms. while Laurence
recovered quickly enough to aid his
father in securing GILES de Retz and
his servants. La Meffraye they took
not, for she lay dead within the inner
chamber, where yet burned the great
fire which was used to consume the
bodies OF the demons victims. Two
gaping wounds were found in her
breast, in the same place in which the
dagger Of Laurence MacKim had smit-
ten the She-wolf as she sprang upon
him. But Astarte, witch or werewolf,
was never seen again, either by star
light. moonlight. nor in the eye of day.
Truly of GILES de Retz was it said,
His demon hath deserted him.
Beneath. in the courts and quadran-
giles. swarming through the towers and
ciambering perilously on the roofs,
surged the press of the furious popu-
lace. 1t was all that Duke John and
his officers could do to keep the prison.
ers inward and to prevent them from
being torn limb from limb Gas had per-
haps been fittesD and tossed alive into
the flaming funeral pyre of castle
Machecoul. which, lighted by 100 hands,
presently begun to fame like volcano
TO the skies.
For the hour that comes to every
eYil-doer had come to Giles de Retz.
And in that hour. as it shall ever be,
the devil in whom he trusted had for
saken him.
But the Lady Sybilla stood on the
garden tower that in happier days had
been her pleasaunce, and watched. And
as she watched she kissed the golden
crucifiI of the child Margaret. And
her heart rejoiced because the lives Of
the innocent, as well as the death of
the guilty, had been given her for her
portion.
And now, o Lord, am ready to pay
the price" she said.