Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-10-03
AT THE CONFESSIONAL.

lamps into blurs of yellow light, re-
Elected dimly in the wet pavement. with
the fog came a chill wind which nipped
the bare toes of the newsboy, quickened
the measured tread of the gendarmes
and caused the few beated pedestrians
to hasten homewards.
Within the great cathedral all was
gloom and silence. 1t was deserted
save for a few miserables, who fingered
more for the warmth and protection
than from any motives of piety. The
sacrifcial candles twinkled with a lam
bent radiance which lent an uncanny as
pect to the barbaric splendor of the
altar, and served to exaggerate the i'm
pressive distances of the interior
Before one of the confessionals a priest
was standing, alone. His arms were
folded on his breast and his head lowered
in an attitude of meditation. He was a
man of 30 or thereabouts, tall and mas
sive, with fine partrician features, from
which his ascetic life had not entirely
erased the lines of youth and enthusiasm.
AS he stood there. enwrapt in reverie.
his face bore an homogeneous expression
OF brooding pain. 1t was as IL dead
past had come to life and was clutch
ing at his heart with cruel fingers-the
past which had drawn him to the priest
mood for refuge, and which even its
stern consolation could not Danish.
In distant loft an organ sounded. dis
sipating the images of his reverles. His
fingers touched his beads and he prayed
swiftly.
outside, the mist has settled into n
chill drizzle, and the streets were rapid
ly being deserted. A brougham CON
spicuous for it's rich appointments, swept
out of the current of vehicles and drew
up in front of the cathedral. A liveried
footman opened the door, and a woman
yelled and CARRIED in long coat stepped
out and assembled the marble steps. In
side she noticed with satisfaction the al
most deserted condition of the interior
Then she approached the solitary figure
of the priest
Father" she said, in a low voice. but
without hesitation. II wish to confess
to you. Will you hear me?"
The priest had involuntarily drawn the
cowl over his face so as to conceal his
features
Surely. madame" he replied. I'VE
will enter the confessional. If you
please"
Inside the little chapel they took their
places, he sitting behind the low rail, on
which the woman rested her arms as she
knelt before him.
Begin, my child. and may God for
give you for your transgressions."
ct have no petty list of wrong doings
to confess to you father" she began,
though there are enough of them,
Heaven knows, but l wish to tell you
the story of my life. I have never told
it before but I can no longer keep
silence"
You do we'll to come to me-" the
priest answered. mechanically. "May
the Holy Virgin intercede for you"
Years ago." she continued" no mat
ter how many, l was betrothed to a
young man. We were very much in
love with each other, and life seemed
full of bliss for us. We were not to
be married until my lovers fortune was
assured. for although he was scion OF
a noble house, his father had died and
left his affairs in an embarrassed condi-
ton. and a feeble mother was dependent
upon him for support. He was capable
and willing to work. and his prospects
were bright for an honorable career:
but-ah, well. 1t is the old story. I was
young and ambitious and impatient at
the long waiting, and longing for luxury
and social distinction. so when Baron
de"-she checked herself suddenly
when the man I afterwards married Of
fered all these things-I was weak and
foolish. and my father urged me and so
I accepted him!-and broke faith with
my lover"
Her voice broke, and she paused mo-
ment to gain her self-control.
"It is not so awful thus far. is it..
father? But the most terrible part Is
to come. Fabrice, my lo-what is It,.
father?"
The priest had uttered a half-suppress-
ed cry.
Nothing" he replied, hastily-"a
slight cough. Proceed"
my lover" she continued, suddenly
disappeared. 1t was thought that he
had committed suicide, but his body was
never found Then his poor mother
he was her idol-died of grief. See
what suffering and sorrow by folly has
brought about.
at did not take long for me to dis
cover my mistake-but II was too late.
I had bound myself to man l could
never love; my chance for happiness was
lost forever. And l have suffered-God
knows how much. Not one minute since
l first realized the awfulness of my sin
but what have endured every agony
Even in my dreams my lost Fabrice
comes to me and reproaches me- for my
faithlessness.
"Ah. l have done penannce, father
1 would thousand times rather be dead
than suffer as l do AT first l used to-
cry my eyes out, but the consolation of
tears has long been denied me; and even
time has failed to alleviate my suffer
ing.
well father, that is all. 1t is a pitt
full little story, Is 1t not? / hardly know
why 1 came to you. 1t was only an i'm
l will go now"
With the exception of the slight inter-
ruption at the name "Fabrice," the priest
had remained mute throughout the re-
cital; but 1t was a silence born of
feeling too intense for utterance. The
first intonation of the woman's voice
had thrilled and dazed him. At first
he discredited his senses; but slowly and
painfully the fact forced itself upon him
that he was listening to the drama of his
own life-that the woman kneeling be-
fore him was she for whom, nearly ten
years ago, he had renounced the life
of pleasure and ambition and sought the
seclusion of the priesthood, and whose
face he never expected to look upon
again. And now an .inscrutabe fate had
brought her to him, and he had heard
from her own lips that she had loved
him, and loved him yet
Like one in a trance he went through
the formula of absolution; and not I'M
til she arose to leave the chapel did
he come to himself. Then the full signi-
fcance of the situation flashed upon him,
and with it the alternatives; should he
let her go unspoken and live on as he
had, or should he speak to her and re-
awaken in his heart the old struggle
which he had sought long to quell?
But, no-there was no choice. The
mischief had already been DONE and he
must speak to her, come what may. He
followed her from the confessional and
spoke her name, Emile" She turned
quickly, and. lifting her veil, looked him
fu1I in the face.