Middletown transcript., 1912-09-28
CHAPTER XIV.
The Under World,
y - ntiTlar noRR9 .lfFRRILL cQ

to which circumstances now assigned
her, the Governors daughter brought
TO the task less energy than she had
displayed on that other occasion when
visitors had sojourned at the rock.
Her manner was changed-frst, luke
warm; then, almost Indifferent; until,
at length, one day she fairly waived
the responsibility Of planning amuse-
nents; laid before them the question:
What, now, would they like to do?
Devise a play" said one.
"With shepherds and shepherd
assesI"
The Marquis, however, qualified the
suggestion. "a masqus! that is very
good; but, for this morning. have
been talking with the commandant-
and have another proposal"
(which ISL"
''To visit the dungeons"
"The dungeons?" My lady's face
changed.
"And incidentally inspect their lat
est guestl Some Of you heard of him
when We were here before-Le Seign-
eur Noir-the Black Seigneur!"
lie Seigneur Noir!" They clapped
their hands. Eyes, let US see him!
Nothing could be better. What do
you say, Elise?"
She started to speak, but for the
instant her lips could frame no an
swer; with faint, strained smile, con-
fronted him, when some one antici-
pated her repdy.
did she not leave it to US? 1t is
I'VE who decide"
And a merry party they swept
along, bearing her with them; up the
broad stairway, cold, gray in the
morn; beneath the abbot's bridge
black, spying span!-to the church,
and thence to the isolated space be-
fore the guard-house to the dungeons.
Here, at the sound Of their voices, a
man, carrying a bunch of keys-but
outwardly the antithesis to the hunch-
back-peered from the entrance.
"Unless 1 am mistaken, the new
dailerl" With a wave of his hand,
the Marquis indicated this person.
''The commandant was telling me his
Excellency had engaged one-from Bi'
cetre, or Fort l,Eveque, believer"
"Bicetre, my lord!" said the man
gravely. "AnN before that, the Bas.
tile"
"Ah!" laughed the nobleman. THAT
pretty place some Of the foolish
people are grumbling about! AS il
we could do without prisons any more
than without palaces! But We have
come, my good fellow, to inspect this
lower world Of yours!"
The mans glance passed over the
paper the Marquis handed him; then
silently he moved aside, and unlocked
the iron doors.
Are you not coming?" At the
threshold the Marquis looked back
When first they had approached the
guard-house, involuntarily had the
Governors daughter drawn aside tC
the ramparts; now, with face half
Iaverted, stood gazing off.
"Coming?" Surprised, the Marquis
noted her expression; the fixed
brightness Of her eyes and her parted
lips. "Oh, yesI" And turning abrupt
by, she hastened past him.
Would they have to be locked in?-
the half-apprehensive query of one oi
the ladies caused the jailer at first
Ito hesitate and then to answer in the
negative. He would leave the doors
from the outer room open, and him
self await there the visitors return
With which reassuring promise, ht
distributed lights; called a guards
man, familiar with the intricate un
derground passages, and consigned
them to his care.
One Of the gay procession, the Lady
Elise stepped slowly forward; tht
guide proved a talkative fellow, anC
seemed anxious to answer their many
inquiries concerning the place. Tht
sale de la question? Yes, it existed
but the ancient torture devices for th'
F1nterrogatory ordinary" and the "in
terrogatory extraordinary" we're n
longer pressed into service; the Kin
had ordered them relegated to tn
shelves Of the museum. The cabs
mons, or black holes2 Louis XI. bull
them; the carceres duri and wade il
pace, however, dated from Saint Mat
ritius, fourth abbot Of the Mount.
"And the Black Seigneur? How hav
you Accommodated him?"
"In the petit exil: Just TO the left
We are going there now"
T-am going back!" A han
touched the arm Of the Marquis, las
of the file Of visitors, and, lifting hi
candle, he held 1t so that the yello7
glimmer played on the face of tn
Governors daughter. Her eyes locke
deeper; full Of dread, as If the yer
spirit Of the subterranean abode ha
seized her. He started.
Surely you, Elise, are not afraId7
"T prefer the sunlight" she sal
hurriedly in low tone. Tit Is nc
cheerful down here! No; do not ca
the guide-or let the others know. T.
Hreturn alone, and-wait for you at th
guard-house."
He, nevertheless, insisted upon 81
companying her; but, indicating tn
not distant door through which the
had come, she professed to make ligh
Of objections, and when he still clun
to the point, replied with fash {
spirit, sudden and passionate. 1t con
PEELED his acquiescence; left him sul
prised for a second time that day;
little hurt, too, perhaps, for heretofor
had their intimacy been maintaine
on a strictly ethical and charmin
plane. But he had no time for anal!
sis; the others were drawing away
the left, into a side passage; and, wit
a last backward glance toward tn
retreating figure, the Marquis relu'
tantly followed the majority.
Despite, however, her avowed repul
nance for that underworld, my lad
showed now no haste to quit it; 70
scarcely had the others vanished tina
she stopped; began slowly to retrac
her way in the direction they ha
taken. When the narrow route to th
petit exil connected with the mai
aisle, a sudden draft Of air extiI
guished her light; yet still she wen
on, led by the voices, and a gimme
afor until reaching rOnm INV mai