The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-06-18

earth as II was, dulled and furnished /
with long burial, the value of the thing
was unmistakable. Rubies were set in
the hands for blood. there was a crown
OF diamonds for thorns; the whole was
ornamented with a sprinkling of Jew
els, whose fire was brilliant even
through the pasty clay which chung
upon the cross. need scarce tell you
that all the curiosity which is a part of
me was whetted at this unexpected
sight; and believing that had come
upon a very mine of treasure, l shook
the mold off me and went quickly by
the easier path to the hilltop and the
place of the landslip.
Twilight was now rushing through
the mountains, and a steely light, soon
to turn into darkness, fell upon the
ravine; yet | was able still to see
clearly enough for my purpose-and
for my disappointment. 1t is true that
the slip of the earth from the hillside
disclosed a cavernous hole which had
been dug, no doubt. many years ago;
but of the kind of treasure whose i'm
age had leaped into my mind l saw
little. The few bright things that lay
about in the part of the trough which
remained were entirely such vessels
as serve priests in the mass. There
was a pyX in silver, paten in gold,
and two smaller ones; monstrance
with some exceedingly fine diamonds
and the topaz In 1t. and gold chalice
much indented. judged at once that
these things had been buried either
when the French plunderers came to
Italy, or after the trouble of 20. 1t was
equal, clear that they were the prop
erty of the Dominicans whose house
was hard by; and either that their
present hiding place was unknown, or
that they had been left in concealment
for some reason of diplomacy. In any
case, the value of the stones in the
monstrance was unquestionable; but
am an Italian, as you see, and l be-
lieved then, as now, in nothing but
omens. For a long while no thought
of touching these things, scarce even
of handling them-so strong In human
flesh is the grain Of early superstition
came to me. l sat there gazing at
them and watching the light Of the
topaz sparkling even above the radi-
ance of the smaller diamonds-sat, in
fact, until 1t was quite dark and the
miasma rose from the valley. Then, in
one of those flashes Of thought which
often mean much to man, l had 1t in
my mind that both the diamonds and
the topaz above them would sit we'll
upon the arms of Pauline; / even saw
her in my fancy coquetting to me for
the present. / began to laugh aloud
at the other thoughts, to call them
echoes of childish schooling, to handle
the chalice and the ring of jewels, and
to tell myself that there would be no
bigger fool In Europe If did not take
them. Need tell you that the reason
ing convinced me? and quickly, as the
cold Of the mist grew more intense, /
took the baubles in my hand, still lack
ing the courage to secure the challce
and the crucifix, and rose to leave the
place.
Now. for the first time, | think, you
are beginning to see the point of my
story. The strangest part of 1t yet re-
mains. l have told you that dark had
4 fallen upon the ravine as l rose to quit
I 1t, and that mists rose thick from the
valley with the early night. You will,
J therefore, easily understand my dis
comfture when, reflected upon the
white curtain Of fog, saw the dancing
light Of a lantern. In the next mo-
ment man. young but ragged, with a
full-bearded face, and the cape of a
priest about his shoulders, stood swing
Ing his lantern before me, and looking
down at the tomb of the Jewels by our
feet. | know not why, but there was
something OF such power and COM
mand writ upon the monks face that
have never called him by any other
name than the Christ. With what feel
ings he inspired me 1 cannot tell you.
Terror. human terror, is no word for
my experience.
Thus ] stood facing the man when
he opened his lips to curse me. be-
lieve now, and shall always believe,
That he Is nothing but mailman.
whose brain has failed from long fast
Ing. Be that as It may, his words ring
yet in my ears. III you search the
world through, read the curse upon
Barbarossa, and all the volumes of
anathema, you will never find such a
blasting accusation as the man spoke
when he saw the monstrance in my
hand. So dreadful was It that reeled
before him; and, losing all command,
| struck him down with my stick and
fed the place. The next day quilted
the valley of San Bernardo. and In a
week Pauline was wearing the topaz.
set by her father as q bracelet, and
the diamonds sparkled upon her fin
gers. She covered me with kisses for
the gift, and In her embraces | forgot
the mailman of the hills and my mel.
ancholy passed
The rest of my story you know.
Pauline wore the topaz at the Mardl
Gras ball, and died ten minutes after
she had entered the room. A year la
ter, having fed from Italy, became
engaged por passer lie temps to Berthe
Duval at Marseilles. A man has many
love affairs, but only one passion I
was not in love with her, but she was
rich, and troubled herself to get a
smattering Of art-talk, which amused
me. One day she found the topaz I'm
my studio and begged II Of me. She
died as you have heard; and ], poor as
always, and now pursued by the
damning curse, came to Paris, selling
the topaz on my way hore To M