Year: 1873

throughout the castle, il would find itself
disappointed in the attempt; for she was
rcsolutely bent upon penetrating and ex-
posing II, at all hazards. No answer was
returned; the threat was reiterated, but all
to no purpose. AT length the intruder
came in contact with large screen, which
1t overturned so near the bed that, getting
entangled in the curtains, which played
loosely on the strings, they returned a
sound so sharp that one under the influ-
ence of fear would have taken 1t for the
shrill scream a an unquiet spirit; but
Madame was perfectly undismayed, as
she afterwards declared. On the contrary,
she continued to interrogate the nocturnal
visitor, whom she suspected to be one OF
the domestics; but IL still maintained an
unbroken silence, though nothing could
be less quiet in its movement, for now il
ran against the stand on which stood the
heavy candle and candlestick, which fell
with a laundering noise. AT length, tired
of all these exertions, it came and rested
itself at the foot of the bed. Madame
Deshouieres, still retaining her selfpos-
session, Immediately exclaimed, "Ahl
now / shall ascertain what thou art" at
the same time she extended both her hands
toward the place against which she felt
that the intruder was resting. They came
in contact with two ears, soft as velvet,
which she firmly grasped, determined to
retain her hold till the morning should
lend its light to discover to whom or to
what they belonged. Day at length re-
leased her from the awkward and painful
position in which she had remained for
many hours, and discovered her prisoner
to be Gros Blanc, large dog belonging to
the chateau, and as worthy, If faith and
honesty deserve the title, as any OF its in
hal anfu Enp
dage in which Madame Deshoulieres had
SO long kept him, he licked her hands,
while she enjoyed hearty laugh at this
ludicrous end of an adventure, for which
she had braced every nerve.


In the meantime, the Count and Count
ess, wholly given up to their fears, had
found it impossible to close their eyes
during the night. The trial to which
their friend had exposed herself grew
more terrible to their imagination, the
more they dwelt upon it, till they at
length persuaded themselves that death
would be the inevitable consequence.
With these forebodings, they proceeded,
as soon as it was light, to the apartment
of Madame Deshoulieres; scarcely had
they courage to enter it, or to speak when
they had done so.


From this state of petrifaction they
WtIC IClICNCu DY JllClI
her curtains, and paying them the COM
pliment of the morning, with a triumph
ant look. She then related all that had
passed, with an impressive solemnity;
and, having aroused intense curiosity to
know the catastrophe, she said, "Mon-
sieur, you shall no longer continue in an
illusion which long indulgence has en-
deared to you. There (pointing to Gros
Blanc) is the nocturnal visitor whom you
have so long taken for the ghost of your
mother" for such the Count had con-
cluded it to be, from his mother having
been the last person who died at the
chateau. II will now,' continued the
heroic lady, complete my task, and
emancipate your mind from the shackles
of superstition, by proving to you that all
which has so long disturbed your family
has arisen from natural causes" Madame
arose, and made her friends examine the
| lock of the door, the wood of which was
so decayed as to render the locking of it
useless against very moderate degree of
strength. This facility of entrance had
been, evidently, the cause of Gros Blanc,
who liked not sleeping out of doors, max
ing choice of this room. The rest is
easily accounted for: Gros Blank smelt,
and wished to possess himself of the can
die, in attempting which he committed
all the blunders and caused all the noises
which had disturbed the silence of the
night; and he would have taken posses
sion of the bed also if he had not given
the lady an opportunity of seizing his
ears. Thus are the most simple events
magnified into omens of fearful and super
natural agency, while the conduct Of
Madame Deshoulieres affords one exam
pie, among many others, of the superior
ity which presence of mind and courage
possess over superstition and credulitY.