Year: 1875

BY ALEX. DUMAS


lhaye only to state that, at the moment
when the tale am about to tell commen-
ces it is noon, that the month is May, that
the road on which we are entering i:
bounded to the right by heath and broom
to the left by the sea, and you know al
once what | do not tell YOU namely, that
the broom is green, that the sea is buster
ing, that the sky is blue, that the sun is
hot, and that the road is dusty.


| have only to add, that this same road,
which winds along the coast Of Brittany
goes from Ia Poterie to La Piroche; that
La Piroche is village have never seen,
but which must be Just like every other
village; that we are fairly atloat in the
fifteenth century, in l4l8; and that two
men, one older than the other, one the
father and the other the son, both peas
ants, are Jogging along the road, mounted
on ponies, which trot at a pace sufficiently
agreeable, considering they are only ponies
bestrodden by peasants.


shall we get there in time ?" asked the
son.


Yes; it won't take place before two
O'clock answered the father, land it is
only a quarter past noon, by the sun


1T is what ! am very curious to see"


II have no doubt YOU are"


And so he is 10 be hanged in the arnor
he stole?"


Yes"


And he was caught as he was making
away with it?n


''Yes; YOU can comprehend that the
armOr was not 10 be carried off without
making d horrible clanking and rafting
it had no inclination to leave its lawful
master"


Besides, it was made OF iron"


The people in the chateau were awak-
ened by the noise they heard


And they arrested the fellow p


Not Immediately; they were in fright
at first


NATURALLY enough; it is always the case
at first with people who are robbed when
robbers; otherwise fiefe MaurGF Mau rGFfsenee. e Of
vantage in being a robber.'


But afraid oi whom ?"'


"Of a ghost This wretched thief, Of
uncommon strength, held the armor in
front of him in such way that his head
was at about the level OF the waist OF the
said armor, so that it appeared to be OF
gigantic proportions in the corridor along
which he passed Add to that harsh
noise which the cunning rascal made be-
hind him, and you can fancy what terror
the Wallets were in. Unfortunately for him,
they went and reused the Sci gneur OF La
Piroche, who cares a straw for no man,
either living or dead, who simply, and
without any ones assistance. stopped the
thief, and delivered him up, bound hand
and foot, to his own proper Justice


And his own proper justice?"


CONDEMNED him to be hanged, clad in
the armor''


Wherefore that clause in the sentence?'


because the Seigneur OF La Plroche is
not only brave captain, but man Of
sense and spirit, who wants to obtain from
this lust condemnation both an example
for others and benefit for himself. Well,
don't YOU know that whatever has touch
ed hanged man becomes tailsman fol
its possessoro The Seigneur of La Piroche
therefore, ordered the criminal to be claC
in his arnor, that he might take 1t back
again after he was dead, and SO have &
talisman In our coming wars"


That's very clever stroke


Il should think so, indeed!''


LET us push on, then; for particular
" want to see this poor wretch hanged"
I'VE have plenty of time; we had bet
ter not over-iatigue our cattle We are
not going to stop at La Piroche; we have
good league to go beyond it, and ther
we must return to La Poterie.'


Yes; but our horses will have five o.
six hours rest, since we are not coming
back before the evening"


The father and son continued their jour
ney, chatting as they went, and half ar
hour afterwards they reached La Piroche


As the father had said they arrived ii
time.


There was an immense concourse O
people in the grand square in front of the
chateau for there the scaffold was erect
ed


The two companions got as near as posi-
bic to the scafold, in order to lose nothing
of the events that were about to take
place and like everybody else, they await
ed the spectacle, with the advantage O.
being mounted on pony y-back, and OF see.
ing better, with less fatigue, Their sus
pense was not of long duration.
At quarter to two the gate of the
chateau was opened, and the condemned
man appeared, preceded by the guards O
the Seigneur of La Piroche, and followed
by the executioner. The thief was clad il
the armor he had stolen, and was riding
back wards on an ass without saddle
His visor was down, and he hung hi
head. His hands We're tied behind hi!
back; and if you wish to know our con
viction respecting him, we declare, with
out hesitation, that, Judging by his manner
and attitude if not by his face whicl
could not be seen, he was very i'll at ease
and was occupied at that moment by the
most melancholy reflections.
The hangman had just set his ladder
leaning against the gallows, and the chap
lain of the Seigneur of La Piroche, mount
ed on platform purposely prepared, was
reading the sentence.


The condemned man did not stir.


They called out to him to get OFT hi.
ass. and give himself up to the hangman
stand his hesitation.


Then the hangman seized him by the
elbows, lifted him off the asss back, and
set him down upright on the ground.


During the change of attitude, the chap
lain finished reading the sentence.


Have you any request to make ?" hi
inquired of the patient.


"Yes," replied the wretched man, in &
sorrowful and scarcely audible voice.


"What is it ?"


81 request my pardon!''


The Seigneur Of La Piroche shrugged
his shoulders, and ordered the hangmar
to do his Office.


Thatof1icial parsonage prepared to noun