Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-11-07
"whicn isf-
"Tn visit the d1nnAona.w

w n1cu bI
ITO visit the dungeons"
"The dungeonsf" My lady's face
changed.
And incidentally inspect their lat
est guest! Some of you heard of him
when we were here before-Le Seign-
eur Noir-the Black seigneur!"
lie seigneur Noirl" They clapped
their hands. Yes, 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 II to usf 1t is
we who decide"
And 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,
man, carrying q bunch OF keys-but
outwardly the antithesis to the hunch-
back-peered from the entrance.
| "Unless I am mistaken, the new
| jailer!" With wave Of his hand,
the Marquis indicated this person.
"The commandant was telling me his
Bxcellency had engaged one-from BIZ
cetre, or Fort lEveQue, believer"
"Bicetre, my lord!" said the man
gravely. And before that, the Bas-
tile"
"Ah!" laughed the nobleman. THAT
pretty place some of the foolish
people are grumbling about! AS If
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.
e"Are you not comingf" At the
threshold the Marquis looked back
When first they had approached the
guard-house, involuntarily had the
Governors daughter drawn aside to
the ramparts: now. with face half
averted, stood gazing off.
"Coming?" Surprised, the Marquis
noted her expression; the fixed
brightness Of her eyes and her parted
lips. "Oh. yes!" And turning abrupt.
ly, she hastened past him.
Would they have to be locked in?-
the half-apprehensive query Of one of
the ladies caused the jailer at first
to 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, be
distributed lights; called 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; the
, guide proved talkative fellow, and
|, seemed anxious to answer their many
/ inquiries concerning the place. The
| sale de la question? Yes. It existed !;
, but the ancient torture devices for the
. '1nterrogatory ordinary" and the "in.
: terrogatory extraordinary" were nc
longer pressed into service; the King
l had ordered them relegated to the
shelves of the museum. The caba
mons, or black holes? Louis XII built
them; the carceres duri and wade ir
pace, however, dated from Saint Mau
ritius, fourth abbot of the Mount.
"And the Black Seigneur? How have
you Accommodated him?"
"In the petit exil; just to the left
We are going there now"
lam going back!" A hant
touched the arm OF the Marquis, las
Of the file of visitors, and, lifting hi
candle, he held 1t so that the yellow
glimmer played on the face of th'
Governors daughter Her eyes looked
deeper; full Of dread, as II the yer.
spirit Of the subterranean abode hat
seized her. He started.
Surely you. Elise. are not afraid? +?
81 prefer the sunlight" she sal
hurriedly in low tone. Tit is no
cheerful down here! No; do not ca
the guide-or let the others know. r
return alone, and-wait for you at tn
guardhouse."
. (To BE CONTINUED)