Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-10-28
AMONG THE RUINS.


pretty little Nine Crozier, shuddering,
when an excursion to Argues was pro-
posed. "And it is not mere nervousness
that makes me feel so. No, it is real
memory, a memory of what | once lived
through. that justifes my horror. Listen
and Judge for yourselves.
II was Is years old when my father
bought the old De Cravon place. The
house was modern, but close by, on our
lands and a little higher up on the cliff
stood the old fortress castle of the lords
of De Cravon. with its ruined but still
frowning towers. Several of my friends
and cousins, and among them Pierre
Crozier, to whom 1 was then engaged,
came to visit us for our house warming
1t was a very happy week. Toward the
last, one beautiful moonlight evening,
when we were all tired of dancing, sug-
gested for a change that we 90 and visit
the ruins.
The proposition WIS accepted with
much enthusiasm, and ten minutes later,
warmly wrapped, and carefully admon-
/
who were absorbed in their game of
cliff along a hollow way so thickly
shaded that the moonlight could scarce
ly filter through. Behind us and before
rs, in the darkness, were soft noises of
whisperings and little bursts of laughter
Suddenly, emerging from the dark path,
we came out into the cold. bright moon
trhf fho IF oil hor md
desolate place. Towering before us, rose
the tragic outline of the feudal ruin, cut
ting the fleecy clouds into strange, fan
tastic shapes. It's breaches and loop
holes, like blind, sjghtless eyes, seemed
to stare forth at the infinite distance of
the sky and sea.
although surrounded by a merry,
laughing group, / suddenly felt over
whclmed with an indefinable oppression
of loneliness and sorrow. When we en-
tered the shadow of the gigantic walls
shivered with cold. Pierre and his COM
rades iohed laughingly upon the lords of
De Cravon with SO much eagerness that
| grew uneasy, as ii we were intruders
and some invisible enemy was listening
to our talk. One young girl hooted pierre
ingly like an owl, and | trembled as if at
a presentment of peril or misfortune.
They made fun of me, but although [
realized the foolishness of my fears, /
could not drive them away. We sat down
inside what must once have been the
dining hall, and three of the fellows pro-
duced some cakes and wine that they
had brought with them, carefully hidden
beneath their capes. After our inn
promptu feast some one proposed game
Of hide and seek among the ruins as a
fitting ending of our escapade; and
Pierre, whose lot it was, blindfolded his
eyes and began to count, while we scat
tered gayly i'll groups of two or three.
One of my cousins dragged me away
with her. and we took refuge in the deep
shadow of a large, fiuted portal. For a
moment there We're sounds of scurrying
feet and low laughter, and then all was
silent. Pierre uncovered his eyes and
started so determinedly for our portal
that l suspected him of having 'peeked'
"'Here he contest Look Let us hide
somewhere better! whispered my COM
panion.
"We drew back beneath the arclway
until suddenly she stumbled against
something.
"'Steps! what luck!' she murmured;
come on, climb up behind me-
ut was a spiral staircase, winding
about in total darkness. Pierre's foot
steps sounded nearer. Filled with the
excitement of the game and fearing moth
ing so much as being caught climbed
up and UP until [ was forced to pause
for breath. I could hear nothing above
EN- nor below me, and so far as I could
tell from feeling, seemed to be upon a
| narrow stairhead.
Thinking that my cousin was there
| just in front of me, I advanced along a
sort of corridor, calling to her in whis-
per, and then, getting no response, in a
| louder tone. The silence frightened me.
| [ thought, which [ later found to be
| true, that in my haste I had gone past
the little landing where she had taken
| refuge. I tried to go back, but, in nv
| growing anxiety, [ seemed to do nothing
but keep going round and round myself.
| 1t made no difference what direction T
took [ could not find the stairs. The wall
| [ followed seemed TO have no end. I was
| lost.
| II began to call, but my voice only
started such heavy, gloomy echoes that
| trembled and was silent. Then I lost
my head. [ rushed wildly up and down
the long gallery, beating the wall fran
| IDEALLY TO ind some means of escape. At
last [ stood still in a stupor of anguish,
my mind filled with spectral visions and
images of murder. Suddenly behind me
| heard a soft noise, very light, almost
gliding sound, the soft rubbing against
the wall of some invisible beast or per-
son. This was the browning touch to nv
terror. [ tried to run from it, still fol-
lowing the wall, but suddeniy it seemed
to disappear beneath my hand, and I felt
| a sort of nook or corner into which I
crowded myself blindly. The mysterious
noise was very near then; 1 crouched in
the back of the little corner, drawing
back as if / could draw back into the
| wall itself, when a horrible fear took
possession of me. the wall really gave
way before my touch, opened and turned
| upon itself and then closed with heavy
groan and shudder as [ lost conscious
| oil hoe int ;%ol,,