South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-06-19
BOOK /: THE ROBE
CHAPTER I


He was born with a gift of laugh
ter and a sense that the world was
mad. And that was all his Iatri-
mo4y His very paternity was OBJ
scure. although the village OF Cav
rillac had long since dispellcd the
cloud OF mystery that hung about it.
Those simple British folk were not
so simple as TO be deceived by
pretended relationship which did not
even possess the virtue OF original
ity. When a LObleman announces
himself the godfather Of an infant
fetched no man knew whence. and
thereafter cares for the lads rearing
and education. the most unsophisti-
Gated OF country folk perfectly un-
derstand the situation. And so the
good people Of Gavrillac permitted
themselves no illusions on the score
OF real relationship between Andre
Louis Moreau-7s the lad had been
named-and Quintn de Kercadiou,
Lord of Gavrillac
Andre-Louis had made the most
Of his opportunities. You behold
him at the age Of four-and-.wenty
stuffed with learning enough 10 FRO
duce an intellectual Indigestion in an
ordinary mind.
In body he was a slight wisp Of
a fellow. scarcely above middle
height. with a Jean. astute counte-
nance. prominent Cf nose and cheek
bones. and with lank. black hair that
reached almost TO his shoulders His
mouth was long thin-lipped. aud hu-
morous. He was only just redeemed
from ugliness by the splendor Of
pair OF ever-questiOning. luminous
eyes. so dark as 10 be almost Black.
OF the whimsical quality OF his mind
and his rare gift Of graceful express
sion. his writings afford Us very
ample evidence. CT his gift OF ora
tory he had already achieved a GER
tain fame for it I'm the Literary
Chamber of Rennes - one Of those
clubs In which she intellectual youth
OF France foresathered 20 study and
discuss the new PHILOSOPHERS that
were Dermeating the social life But
the fame he had acquired there was
hardly enviable He was to- imp
ish. too caustlc. zoo much dispDFed-
so thought his cClleagues-to ridI-
Cule their sublmast theories for the
regen eratiOn of mankind himself
he protested that ne merely held
them up i'm the mirror OF truth. and
that it Wa not his fault if when
reflected there they looked ride
ulous.
All that he achieved by this was
to,eNasp erate, and his expulsion from
a society grown n'istrustful Cf him
must already have followed bur for
his friend. Philippe de Nilmcrin.
divinity student of Rennes who.
himself was one OF the most popu-
lar members of the Literary Cham
Der.
Coming 20 GavriIlac on Noven-
Der monring. Philippe found in that
sleepy Breton village matter 10
quicken his already lively i1diFna-
tlon. \ peasant. named Mabcy had
been shot dead that morning by a
gamekeeper OF the Marquis de la
Tour d'Azyr. The unfortunate fell
low had been caught in the act OF
taking pheasant from a snare. and
the gamekeeper had acted under ex-
plicit orders from his master.
Infatuated by ar act OF tyranny
so absolute and meTciless. NJ. DO VIZ
NORM proposed 10 lay the matter
before II. de Kercadiou. Mabsy was
a vassal OF Gavrillac. and VilmOrin
hoped 20 move the Lord OF GavIillac
20 demand az least some measure OF
reparauon for the widow and the
three orphans which that brutal
deed had made.
But because andre Louis was
Phuippe's dearest friend. the young
sernlnarist sought him out IN the
first instance. He found him at
breakfast and after embracing him,
defeaned him with his denurciation
OF NJ de Ia Tour q Ayr.
81 have heard q il already" said
Andre-Louls.
"You speak rs 'if the thing had
not surprised you his friend re-
preached him "- propose 70 so 10
your godfather. A. de Kercadiou. i