The times., 1899-07-16
Carlos Oath.


tlat L Dlane MOntalllS 5 sister. ue duuSu
simply; she only did her duty"
'Joseph!' cried Father Andrea, lifting
his hands in expostulation, do you say
that?"
Serafno laughed.
Yes, even l. Say that my blood claims
me in the end. am no Frenchman. |
hate them, like any other Corsican, for all
my fine schooling at Ajaccio. Look,
father, at the gendarme there, lounging
on the bench before the inn. / could dash
my fists in his face with the greatest
good will. Angelo turned gendarme.
That's why he deserved a dogs death, not
because he killed Carlo. Besides, he was
a cur" and Serafino told the rest OF his
story. The old priest listened with
frowning face until Serafino stopped.
and you have hidden this for ten
years % he said. severely.
II make it known now" said Se1afino,
and at that the old mans severity soft
ened into sadness.
True, my son." he said, ''it must be
made known now," and, with sigh. he
fetched sheet of paper and his inkpot
and set them before Serafino.
Write" he said.
serahno took the pen and wrote, and
this is what he wrote:
On the 18th day of March. ten years
ago. the night being wild and stormy, Car
10 Giammarehi came down from Mount
Padro to Isola Rossa and supped with me,
as he had often done before. He left my
house an hour before dawn. The next aft
ernoon a boy stopped me at my door, and
asking whether | was Joseph Serafino,
thrust letter into my hand and ran oil.
| The letter, written by friend of Gimmar-
Chi informed me that Giammarchi had been
shot at Gaybreak, four miles from the town.
10 lay at
sore need of a priest. ! was entreated,
| therefore, to bring a priest with me, and
/ come to a certain spot among the vineyards
after sundown. This / did, and bringing
Father Andrea with me, was met by the
man who wrote the letter. He led us 10 a
| little hut in thicket of shrubby oak trees,
where we found Carlo stretched upon a
| mattress of boughs and as ii seemed al
his last breath. Father Andrea, however.
refused him absolution until he should
swear that if. by any chance. he got well
of his wound, he would never again lift
hand or weapon against a fellow-man For
a while Carlo was obdurate.
"It was Angelo Montalu who shot me. >
he said. He knew / was with Serafino
and lay in wait. If get well, and let him
go, the very children will sing the rim
becco as / pass
You weigh your soul against a rim
becco?" asked the priest, and he pleaded
with Carlo until the outlaw took the oath
| But God send | die" he added, and turn
ed his face to the wall.
Yet Carlo did not die, and as soon as b,
could be moved his friends carried him TO
| little village remote among the hills, ant
| there tended him. Meanwhile Angelo
Montalti. believing that now he had killet
iGiammarchi, crossed to France, and, think
ing TO make fortune. most deseryedly los
what he had. A year later he came bacl
penniless to Isola Rosa, and, hearing tha
Carlo was still alive, enlisted as a gen
darme. being thus privileged TO kill CARL
and suffer no disability himself.
However, he had to find Giammarchi first
and there was but one man in Isola Ross;
who could show him the way, and that mai
was the least disposed to help him, TO
Carlo Giammarchi was my friend. How
ever, did show Angelo the way, for it wa
my habit to visit Giammarchi in the vii
lage where he lay, still weak from hi
wound, and Angelo set spies TO follow me
On my last visit | found to my surpris
that the village was deserted except for
few women and children.
There is fiesta in the next hamlet,
Carlo explained But it is unlikely tn
gendarmes will on this one day come her
TO search for me-"
But even while he spoke child cam
running up the hillside. crying that tn
gendarmes were coming. / snatched u
my rifle, Carlo picked up his, but with
certain hesitation, as though his oat
weighed upon him.
4 must needs live in the forest" h
said, and we hurried out of the cottag
and up the slope behind the village. w
had only climbed 200 yards when Carlo
breath failed him.
Il can go no further he said, and drop
Ill
lock and looked downward Half a mil
below could see the shouder-belts an
rifles flashing among the jumpers like S
many mirrors, and then / heard shou
1t seemed to come from much nearer, froI
. the very borders OF the village. / locke
, that way and saw gendarme standing /
front of the cottage. l remembered hi
shadow on the white plaster of the wal
He held his rifle 10 his cheek, and th
next moment / saw the smoke and hear
the singing of a bullet yard above m
, head. l jumped of the hillock and LITE
: Carlo. Half-dragging half-pushing hin
: got him up to narrow patch of albatI
9. which stretched across the slope III
strip of shrubbery was dense, and leayin
Carlo on the edge OF it, / pushed inwar
a to discover the safest hiding place. But
= had not moved more than ten PAGES befoI
g / heard a startled exclamation behind M
. / turned around Carlo was holding th
:. twigs apart and peering down the slop
v All fatigue had faded from his face h
e very beard seemed alert. l ran back an
4 looked over his shoulder One gendarm
was running up the slope, his body dot
o bled forward. 1t was Angelo Montalti.
He made a mark to tempt saint, an
q my fingers itched for a shot at him Car
6 loaded his rifle Twice he raised IL to h
9 shoulder twice he lowered it Then /
, sprang through the thicket and out upc
!. the opposite side. From the border OF Il
4 shrubbery an open incline rose to the gre
ofrest. II Carlo could cross the open spa
he would be safe. l advanced immediate
|, to Montaltl.
. where's Giammarchi?" he cried.
= Not here. 1t was me you shot at, Al
= gelo."
Not herei" said he, with a sneer. I'VE
St Mega is the saint for an advocate
! worship" and he ran past me. l was ju
= putting out my hand TO catch him when
y noticed the tin cartrldge-box which swul
: at his side. ! drew my hand back. Ange
q pushed through the thicket, and l follow
him. Carlo was half way up the slope, b
:, he moved at a stumble, with one hand
$ the wound in his chest.
: Not here," Montalti flung the words
IL me. "Signor Advocate, you and will ia
e about the lie afterward."
''He had your life in his hands and
let you CO."
"The more fool he" said Montalti.
/ tossed the cartridge he had fired at me o
1t of his rifle and felt for another. The lid
IF his cartridge-box was open. the box W
/ empty.
you must have spilled them all VIII
n you ran, said |.
! give me yours" said he, turning. wi
an oath.