The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-15

they were hurried off through the cor
ridor leading to the steps into and In
the garden. An incident or two stuck
in my head afterwards. One priest
came before the tribunal calmly re-
citing his breviary, and hardly raised
his head to answer the interrogation;
thus, still with his eyes on his breviary
he went off to face the savages outside.
Another, as he was led away, turned to
the cross on the altar and, holding his
arms extended, said in loud voice:
Lord Jesus, forgive them, for they
know not what they do" But the most
remarkable thing was the cheerfulness
of all the victims; strange joy shone
in their faces. One old man, who limped
along with stick, answered the ques-
ton with such smiles and jests that the
commissary looked up from his list in
surprise. Zone would think you were
going to your wedding-feast! he re-
marked. $50 I am, my friend!" the
old man replied, as he stumped off
with his guards.
These things had been passing be-
fore my eyes like some unsubstantial
dream for about ten minutes, when
found my Uncle Etienne once more at
my side.
Hes not in the sanctuary" he whis-
pered. "The priests there do not think
he came in with them We must now
look in the garden; the massacre be.
gan there before they were collected
into the church. It may be that he is
still alive
We went forth again. Almost imme-
diately my uncle stopped at corpse
which was lying face downwards, and
touched one of the dead hands, in
which was clasped silver cross-the
cross you are holding now, monsieur.
"This is Jacques" he said. 81 recog-
nized the little cross. But fear he is
dead"
We turned the body over The face
was terribly mangled and blackened,
as if a musket had been fired close into
it, but I could just recognize my be-
loved Pere Jacques There were deep
sword wounds in the throat and breast.
The sight shook my mind into some
thing like activity and the tears came
to my eyes as I knelt down by the
body, thinking of the old friend whose
Mass I had served so often, and won
dering how could write to my mother
with this news. From round the corner
the ferocious shouts of the rabble told
us at intervals that the murderous
work was still going on I looked up at
the Able; he was standing erect, and
regarding intently the little crucifx
which he had taken from the dead
mans fingers. He turned to me, and
there was look in his face that I did
not understand saw something like
it at Waterloo, on the face of dying
man who sat up and shouted, Vive L
Empereur!" as Napoleon rode by. But
the Able spoke calmly.
What are you going to do now, my
friend?"
First of ALL I made answer, "I
am going to strangle that commissary;
and then I am going to kill as many of
his men as | can before I fall"
Though, in truth, I know not if
could have killed a kitten, so pale and
trembling I was still.
"No, no, my friend! That would be
foolish. I say to you, love your enc
mics. Why, they have given him a
glorious crown, man! Now, help me
with this!"
He began to take off the dead mans
cassock.
"He was right" he went on, "Jac-
ques was right! The one thing nee.
cessary! Those priests in the church
were they not splendtd?"
He threw off his own coat, and put
on the cassock; it was too short for
him, especially in the sleeves, besides
being covered with blood.
where are you going?" I asked,
staring stupidity at him.
"To set right a mistake: that is all.
Now, my friend. there is my purse
you may pay the debt at my lodgings
out of it. You will go away from here
quietly, won't you?-of course! And
see, you must take this little cross, too.
1t is an heirloom in our family-it be-
longed once to Richelieu so they say.
Keep it in memory of Jacques and me.
I pray God to keep you safe in the
wars. Fight well for. France; I must
fight for her in another way; we live
in strange times. Farewell, my friend!
I am glad you came to me-"
He pressed my hand, and walked
quickly back towards the church door.
I would not have stopped him if I
could, for his face was radiant with
the joy of martyrdom.
He disappeared into the building,
and ran and stood at the door. I saw
that he walked forward and was say
ing something to a group round the
table. The commissary looked puzzled,
then irritated, and finally dipped his
pen and nodded to the waiting guards.
saw my uncle hurried off toward the
garden door, and a moment later came