The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-01-23
sur aJoir-the Black Se1mcur: :


you say, Elise?"
She started to speak, but for the
instant her lips could frame no an
swer; with a faint, strained smile. con
fronted him, when some one aaticf.
! pated her reply.
! Did she not leave it to US? It is
we who decide"
And a merry party they swept
along, bearing her with them; I'D 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 bunch.
back-peered from the entrance.
Unless I am mistaken, the new
jailer!" With a wave of his hand.
the Marquis indicated this person.
THE commandant was telling me his
Excellency had engaged one-from Ri.
cetre, or Fort lEveque, 1 believer"
I "Bicetre, my lord!" said the man
gravely. And before that, the Bias.
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
Are you not coming?" At the
threshold the Marquis looked back.
( When first they had approached the
guard-housc. inyoluntarily 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. ooh, yes!" And turning abrupt
ly, she FASTENED past him.
Would they have 70 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, he
! distributed tights; called a guards
I man, familiar with the intricate IN
foreground passages, and consigned
them to his care.
/ One of the gay procession. the Lady
Elise stepped slowly forward the
/ guide proved a laxative fellow, and
| seemed anxious to answer their many
I inquiries concerning the place. The
( sale de la question? Yes, it existed:
but the ancient torture devices for the
interrogatory ordinary" and the in
terrogatory extraordinary" were no
longer pressed into service; the King
had ordered them relegated to the
shelves of the museum The caba-
mons, or black holes? Louis XI. built
them; the carceres duri and wade in
pace, however, dated from Saint Maui
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 hand
touched the arm of the Marquis, last
/ OF the file of visitors. and lifting his
candle. he held it so that the yellow
glimmer played on the face of the
Governors daughter Her eyes looked
deeper; full of dread, as if the very
spirit of the subterranean abode had
| seized her. He started.
Surely you, Elise, are not afraid ?"
81 prefer the sunlight" she said
/ hurriedly in low tone. Tit is not
cheerful down here! No; do not call
/ the guide-or let the others know. III
/ return alone, and-wait for you at the
/ guard-house."
He, nevertheless, insisted upon ac-
/ companying her; but, indicating the
not distant door through which they
! had come, she professed to make light
/ of objections, and when he still chung
/ to the point replied with a flash of
! spirit, sudden and passionate. 1t COM
! PEELED his acquiescence; left him sur
! prised for a second time that day; a
! little hurt, too, perhaps, for heretofore
/ had their intimacy been maintained
on a strictly ethical and charming
/ plane But he had no time for analy-
/ sis; the others were drawing away to
/ the left, into a side passage; and, with
last backward glance toward the
retreating figure. the Marquis reluc-
( family followed the majority.
Despite, however, her avowed repug-
nance for that underworld, my lady
| showed now no haste to quit it.; for
scarcely had the others vanished than
she stopped; began slowly to retrace
| her way in the direction they had
| taken. When the narrow route to the
petit exil connected with the main
aisle, a sudden draft of air extin.
guished her light; yet still she went
on, led by the voices, and glimmer
afar, until reaching room, low, mas
sive, as if hewn from the solid rock,
again she paused. Drawing behind a
heavy square pillar, she gazed at the
! lords and ladies assembled in the for
bidding place; listened to a voice that
ran on, as if discoursing about some
| anomalous thing. Again was she cog