The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-18
WANDERING
CHAPTER v.

priest and l walked behind. We descend
ed to the entrance where the man with
the big book sat taking stock Of another
| wretch between officers I saw as I
shaded my face with the load, that his
inattentive eye dwelt on my surplice.
which would have passed me anywhere
! in France.
Good might, monsieur the cure" said
the turnkey letting us through the outer
door.
Good might, good might" the priest
responded. -.,;,
And to you. sacristan." -
Good night" I muttered, and he came
a step after me. The candle was yet In
his hand, showing him my bulk, and per-
haps the small clothes he had longed to
vend I expected hue and cry, but walked
on after the priest, and heard the heavy
doors jar. and breathed' again. - 81"
! Hearkening behind and in front, on the
right and the left, followed him in the
direction of what have since learned to
call the Jardin des Plantes. 1t is near Ste.
Pelagie. - ..-.' - - -'
The priest, wearicd by his long office,
spoke only once about the darkness: for
| it was a cloudy night; and did not attend
| to my muttered response. l do not know
what sympathy the excellent old man
might have shown to an escaped prisoner
who had cholzed his sacristan, and 1 had
no mind to test it. He turned corner
and with the wall angle between us,
eased down the sacred furniture, drew off
the surplice and laid that upon it, and
took to my heels up the left hand street;
for the guard had brought me across the
river to Ste. Pelagie.
1 had no hat. and the cut of my coat
showed that had lost a waistcoat. Avoid
ing the little circles Of yellowness made
by lamp posts, I reached without mishap
of falling into the hands Of any patrol, a
bridge crossing to an island point, and
| Of Of va inf n q
opposite shore. At intervals along the
parapet dim lights were placed.
| Compared to Lake George, which wound
like a river, and the mighty st. Lawrence
as I remem bered it, the Seine was mar
row stream. Some boats made constella-
splitting it into two branches was almost
the heart of Paris. There were other
foot passengers on the BRIDGE and 4 gay
carriage rolled by. I did not see any
gendarmes, and only one foot passenger
troubled me.
was on the bridge above the left arm
Of the river when an ear trained in the
woods caught his footstep, pausing as
mine paused, and hurrying mine hur-
ried If the sacristan had been found in
r Ste. Felagie pursuer would not track
me so delicately, and neither would Skene-
dOnk hold back on the trail. I stopped
in the shade when we two were alone
( on the second span. and wheeled, GER
l tain of catching my man under the flare
3 Of a cresset. I caught him, and knew thai
l it was Bellenger following me.
My mind was made up in an instant.
walked back to settle matters with him
though slaughter was far from my
, thoughts had done him no harm; but
| he was my enemy, and should be forced tt
, let me alone.
The fellow who had appeared so feeble
at his cabin that I opened the door for
, him, and so poor spirited that his intellect
claimed pity. stood up as finn as a bear al
r feet understanding.
Not another thing do remember. The
facts are simply these: faced Bel1enger
T no blows passed; my mind flashed banl
with a partial return of that old eclipse
which has fallen upon me after strong ex
element, in more than one critical mo
ment The hiatus seems brief when
awake. though it may have lasted hours
I know the eclipse has been upon me, like
the wing shadow of eternity; but I have
scarcely let go of time.
could not prove that Bellenger dragged
me to the parapet and threw me into tn,
river. If I had known it I should hav,
e laughed at his doing so, for I could swim
y like a fish. through or under water and ST
i on the lake bottom holding my breath un
: til SkenedOnk had been known to dive 70
/ me.
L aC
= was feeling Of cold.
I thought I was lying in one of the shall
S low runlets that come into Lake George
I and the pebbles were uneasy bed chill
! ing my shoulders. I was too stiff to move
= or even turn my head to lift out of waite
0 the ear on which it rested. But coult
f unclose my eyelids, and this is what
E saw: A man naked to his waist. half re
e clining against a leaning slab of marble
= down which q layer Of water CONSTANT,
i moved. His legs were clothed and hi
n other garments lay across them. Hi
l face had sagged in my direction. Their
e was a deep slash across his forehead, AM
0 he showed his teeth and his CLASSY eyes a
S the joke.
= Beyond this silent figure was a woman
as silent. The ridge of his body could no
hide the long hair spread upon her breast
I considered the company and the moist
ure into which had fallen with unspeak
able amazement. We were in low an,
D wide stone chamber with groined ceiling
supported by stone pillars A row o
lamps was arranged above us, so that n
: trait or feature night escape a beholder
n That we were put there for show entere
my mind slowly and brought indignation
: To be so helpless and so exposed was a.
II outrage against which I struggled i
nightmare impotence; for I was bare t
my hips also and I knew not what othe
y marks 1 carried beside those which ha
"a SCARED me all my conscious life
e Now IN the distance, and echoing, fee
Is descended stairs. -"- .r ..' f.. -
~ / knew that people were coming to loo
~ at us. and could not move muscle in re
, sentiment. --.. - .i-
a I heard their voices, fringed with echoe
le before either speaker came within m
y vision. Err. 3d.. 49,.
This is the mortuary chapel of til
= Hotel Dieu?'' '..~
Yes. monsieur the marquis, this is til
: mortuary chapel" ..'- -... ..,,. a.
"Um! CHEERFUL place." .....
Much more cheerful than the bottom {
the river, monsieur the marquis"
l mo doubt Never empty, eh?" --
II have been a servant of the Hotel Die
IS fourteen years, monsieur the marquis, ar
e, have not yet seen all the marbleslat
l. vacant" 80
You receive the bodies of tt
Is drowned?' l.
I'd And place them where they may l
or seen and claimed" @ .
"A How long do you keep tfem?''
~ THAT depends. Sometimes their frient
10 seek them at once. We have kept boo
IN three months in the winter season, thoue
IN he turned very green
Of Are all in your present collection gail
lie eringe verdure.''
W mo. monsieur. We have very fres
l. one, just brought in; a big stalwart fe
s, low with the look Of the country abo1
1t him" a. - s.--.
o1ot 4