| OCR Text |
Show UNSIEMVED. I In tho Of- of Mexico, toward lho closo of tho year 1731, l'riir Loremo, of lho Moniutery "l I.os Suspires do Jesus, w ns runlcing Ills wny homeward to Hint es-i es-i tnlilisliment In Ilia chilly hours of very curly Momls-?. llo had he-en keeping n igll, Iiiiuok-1 hy tho regulations of tho ' order, that hail tnlti n lilm to n chapel In tlio parish of Nuestrn tJenorii do ll Solo-dad, Solo-dad, nuny out 1-cyotul tho Zoculo, thnt layabout cquidlstvit littween histno toriiiiual. A very old limn win l'rlnr Lorenzo, end lilt lo was far from I rapid, so tluit ho had Ik en lung on tho ' way. Uy thin tlmo ho was bo tutUuM i thut Ms limbs utmost refused lunytrto uphold tho sparo weight of his trim-, trim-, UIiik, bkiiI lody. Yet ho lion iil him self to re nouod tilort (VI ho hoard thu second hour liooinoil out from tho big tlmcplcco of tho cathedral nt thoMry moment that ho reached tho uitrnnca to tho Callo do Olmedo, for tho -(rent fa tlguo ho felt w M et ixteeilrd and tartly mutrallred by n luoro jwtoit Iiuiii1m tho "imrthiK thrills of turror, I Perhajui It worn unfair to my that I Friar I,orcnzo was a lonard; tho kinder j lowwiro to consider that tho wiuc- . tcrcd conventional llfo luul developed abnonnully an eztremo 0011811(0(101111 timidity. No i-tt in tho monastery . liny, iiono In all tho great City of Meslco I waibctiir, Under or led n Ufa moro r Kodly than that of friar Lorenzo, ho I meek wi he, so holy In hU life, that his ' supi rlor of ttimes foun 1 It needful to ro- buko him for oxciss of fastinj; and ien mice, mid to extrclso tlrllancu in tho r way of bOilnff tLnt Trinr Lorenzo took I uliinent enough to nourish his frail 1 body, Initead uf setting ni-art his por- tlon for bestownl upon tho swnrin of . W .ltM.JIMt,l ) .liV J-MM..! 1,M .UM 4 of tlio monastery. T Hut In thoai-tlitffunctlonsof hlsofllco .' . in auht (hat led him without lho ' convent walls, to intercourKO with his j kind and encounter with tlio i-suostf J worldly existence to nil sucli dfort and contact tho holy man was most rcluo t tant, bein,r ready to purchase excuiptlon from such Inotcincnt nt any cost of nancp. I Tho superior of lho order had strug gled long against this Inllrmlty, nud tho 1 mist Ion on which ho hud tonight tent Friar Lorenzo was in tho direct way of endeavor to correct tho weakness, lint alast tonight tho suffering of tho friar was greater tluutur so grot Indeed as to Iks aliuont unU arable. Tho hour, tho tllcnco and gloom of tho deserted streets, with thilr house that appeared ; lealed and lifeless, and other Uko forces I had wrought Mia up to a cry panlo of I nbject ucnous droud a fear of some thing, ho know not whut. It was not long slnco all Mexico had 1 been stirred to horror and dUmay by tho dlsappearauco of tho noble priest, Juan j do i ava, w hoso fato w as not made clear i till lnuuyloug )tars after, and many I grisly rumors wtro still rtfa concerning H this matter. At thut j-irioil rohUrs H abounded In Mexico, audacious nud un- H punlslud robbers whowouldiuurd'ar iv n man for th-j gurinuits ho wore. Ktories, i too, wcrorilated of men whoLUlidfor )' tho gluully delight of killing whoso H criuus wero iuexpllcublo and seoniiinily H cansoless, llko thoso murders committed H in thodreary street of DuiJitm Mauni 1. B tho stern uiotho of whlih transpired H only long thirtafter. Moreover, th) H ready suporstitlous crctlences of the day B i;aio wilting heed to tho legends and H tradlllons of tho com' m ml Mexhaus, H and fouud In thoso supernatural causia H for 01 en nilgar crimes. B Thercforoitwuromnnil that poor HH old l'rlnr Lorenzo was full of tirrors lu B his night wulk. At tho mouth of tho Callo do Olmedo HB lie halted, for its intensity of gloom ami ! sllonco waio on moro terrlblu than tho HB "way ho had just tracrsul, Hut this HB "routo meant a saUng of many blocks of HB circuit, and after u bilef hesitation, HB crossing hlmsilf and klHsing his c ruclUx, HH nhich ho llrmly Iwlieved contained n HB splinter of tho truo cross, tho old man HH siutcrid tho dark thoroughfare, luuriuur- HH lug, as ho wont, hU pru-iers. Ho hnd HH scarcely passod tho comer wltcu ho HJ Ftarted so violently us (o ttugger nud .il- HH znost losu his footing, for his gown HB 1-rushod nnd caused to rnttlo slightly tho HB dordofn man standing silent and mo- BB tionless in thocinbrasuroof a doorway. BB Friar Loienzo shudducd as ho felt the BH sites of tho unLnown bnt piercingly BB miwu him, and ho quickened his btops to BB 'Jiurry onward. BB Ho had trmcrsed half tho block and BH was beginning to bri athu lnoro freely BB when ho hi ird belilud him thu dull fall BH of footsteps following after not lu BBJ hfto, but with tho imsured, dellUrato B nirn-iuro that told of tho pursuers cou H tictlouthat ho coull oteitnku thlsob- m feetof his purnuit wlthuut uuduo ex- H ertion. And In truth it was hut a mo- H meat boforo tho echo of th it llrin, do- H -terinlucd trend sounded clow Isisldii tho H khufllliig, uuccrtaiii fent of the friar, 'who commended himself to thu inltiuto H mercy of Ood as ho felt tho presence of K his pursuer Foriomo luce's tliu two K 'Talked sidu by ildo in uuhruki n sllenco, H and tho monk wan conscious of tho tido- H lopx, tcrLttuizlm: looks of thu vUiur. BBflflBBflBHBHBflBl l'resently, "Delay theo, holy frlir," spoke tho object of his terror) "I liao need of thy lulnlstratlons." Hut Friar Iirenzo Huswcred, Irem blingi "Hparo luc, 1 proj , jour worship I nin old nnd feeble, since noon of yester doe I lnvo kept Igll and Mesh ami spirit nllk" mo f atntinir Yonr womlilp knows thrt to c nil nt tho wn ket of any of the abounding iiiniustcitcs will bring yjj succor, temisjrnl or spiritual aid fir better than my )ioor, wenk s rvlco. 1 pray you, honor, think no hnrm, hut 1 be g to decline, Die cnico." Thu man rt his sldo laughed shortly n crisp, crude lsugh, Hint inido tho monk feci as if ho wero shriveling up as ho heard It. "Clod's deatht thoso friars ro Jre-BUtnptuonst Jre-BUtnptuonst Tlio ministers cf Clod tho Mrranta of hoaven so their creed profess, ct thsy give themsches the nInotstatesmtiiaiid-l'OKlodeOlne'tho ofilccsi uf their professiont llitvu you forgotten your tows.slrrah? llnvojou forgotten to what service jon nro Consecrated? Conse-crated? Nay, then, I will havo jou you and nono other. Beo that ) on movo on beforo me." llo made as if to Impel tho monk by grasping hlsarim but tho touch uf that hard hand so alTecled Friar Lorenzo that he reeled and would havo fallen had not tho iniin released him. "What what would your worship have of mvV ho stammered faintly. "You go toshrlvo n sinner," and with that nnswor his guldo halted lcforn a lofty mansion whom overhanging lsil-10111014 lsil-10111014 shadow enl tho street. Tho somber cavalier pushed open tho great xagnan, or entrance door, without knocking, although, al-though, as Friar Lorenzo markeel, tliero vns iiknoekerof jsculinrele-elgn, epilto dtsline t f nun tho conventional cleneheil hand or lion's head fur this w is n lat-tie lat-tie ax, falling upon il bulkier, nnd tie two glimmered emtio strangely clear In tho gloom. Tho tunnel like arch of tho zaguau was all lu densest darkness, ea.owhoro n dim rayeif light flltered emt from tho crack of h door on tho lett hand, whither tho way was led by tho limit who had captured tho friar This was tho apartment usually as-rlgned as-rlgned a a eloor rte r's hslgo in great houses, but here itm-emed ef eltmcnslnns moro sp iciems tlitm was common The dirk walls scciae-d to alsiorb rather than re Meet tho pale rn)s of tho candle, jet enough of brilliance fell to flash gleams eif keen color from thojowilsnf onowho lay on n rough cot lu n comer, drattod over with ii coverlet cf rieh lTe-cnde glinting Imcklhu caudle llfht from the golden threads of its embroider!!. Thu stent man )oii'tcd to tho outstretched out-stretched figures "Do thou confess her einlckly." Tho frivr drew lck with n flirt and n shiver when he had l-ent over tho womnii, for she was fast lsmnd to tie rudo lied, muilo moveh-ss by harsh ce-rds that hold her beautiful lukiil arms out stretched by her sides mil lashe-d her feet, too, closely. An nlmncrnf moro worldly knuwleilgo than I'liar Lori'iizo would have giuseel that she had U-en tieuiio hither from somo scene of gala nnd rejoicing, for on her elcllcatn wrists, and on her oK'ulsUe neck, an 1 lu tho soft masse of her dark hvlr blazed splendid jewels; and tho zcuo of her corsage, showing nbovo tho coverlet. nntiftifj- rrNl.fwl rMtel liT, f,uiro,r that thostlllf of hergirb was of ele-ceel-lug richliesrl. "Wouldst thou confess, my daughter!" daugh-ter!" stammered Friar Lorenzo, drown hack to her despite his fear, hies by his sensoof duty than by tho npiioal in her ecs, full of iigrinteliw-ialruiidaiulghty terror, llo turned, when tho made n re sign of assent, tow nnl his captor, In Intimation of tho prhacy duo to a con-fctfion, con-fctfion, but that somber figure only laughed, albeit most luirshl) , and druw somewhat aside, towanl tho doorwav. Then Friar Lorenzo, liondtng low nlsno tho v oiuan, shaken lstwecii his fentrs nu 1 his pit , llsteiie-d to her confession Hut 1hi Intel not jet finished whin lho grim watilier streslo forwarel, caught tlio friirby his lean, trembling urms t-ndciiedi "llnvo thiiiet thou art innk lug pretextsl Too long this wretches! woman has lhod aliiwl)!' and so, ngnlutt her wild entreaties nnd tho friar s protests, ho dragge-el tho minister away and thrust him forth into tho ttreet. Tlio friar, half stunned jet half eles-rsrato eles-rsrato with thu thoughts nunkeneel by Ids forcliodlngs'-nnd the tales heard front tho woman, railed, prnjed nnd knocked, Uniting his frail hands on the heavy IrutiEet liossod i-ortal lu ft very frenzv. Hut tho massive wood gave buck only tho sound of Ids blows, mid that but dully. At last, depa!riug, ho hastened lrom lho spot with so hurried and tin-cert tin-cert linn step that tho few wn) rarer who now li-gau to appear in the street shrunk nsldo from him with lnoro of nwo than rev entice, and muriuuresl, "Oh, tho poor paelrel his inatiyi-uti inces liuvoinadohim mad " l"ifar Lorenzo was half distracted, most of nil with doubts as to his divideel dut). Did his priestly vows as to tho Inv iohbillty of confession exact sllenco as to w hit hid happened? Dldtlioilu-ties Dldtlioilu-ties of humanity nud justice demand that ho glvo lip to investigation mil punishment tho doer or would lie doer ef whit ho was convinced wasnfeml crime? And so, seeking to temi-urtzo for guid iiico, ho would fain tell his Umls to tciiijsirlro nnd calm his gl Idicd tenses. Hut his rotary sw oug nut nt his cido, nud ft Hash of thought reminded Mm that ho had lal 1 it upon tlio couth besido thu doomiHl woman. That do ell d him. Mo fragment of tlio dlilne, thrice sanctiPed tiue cross must not bo left to tho unhallowed h mils of that grisly, sc oiling monster. 1 litis Trhtr Ijorontti set off with eager though trembling tjiesl fur the Folueu uf Justice thut stood then, ns It ttiinds now, fronting on the great simaru Zo-talo, Zo-talo, or inaluilaza, and ut right angles tu the cathedral and sagrnrio. On tho I ridge spuming tho tiituil Uforo tho pululo ho met a putrol just setting out on tlio last round before sunrise, lho friar halted be line thim, and with knotted tongue and parched, htummei. lug lips I'l-lx-d forth his storj rim ofllcer of the jvitnd sje 1 lmek tu tho gutrdrooni to tuiiiinoit tho alcalde, and iiiuoiuent later thosqiud witHiuttling along at it twinging imco, thu friar, whoso oxhuustiou was evident, borne ou the c!upoil hands of two ttmit mljiu 1'ullowlng his dlreH-tlnrs, thc pause 1 nt last befirotlu wide t.u tu of nil u-lu u-lu thu Callo elo Olinwlii. "It was hem,' th- priest mild, tliiteriiig. Tho ofileer raised tho brazen battle nx of the knocker und ehttheel it ugnlnst Its buckler, but no challeuplu,; voieo nor sound of shuffling, sandileel trend nine back In nnswor. Agnln lie knocked, moro loudly, and no sound anno w Ithln bnt hollow vchnes. Tin ii tho ftlr-aldo rappcel with his sword mid summoned, "Oi-on in the name of lho kln-r, his jne-tlcc!" jne-tlcc!" nud still isi key ruttlM In the IisW, no clink of lr or clmln gave I remlse of iltgrem lly this tlmo it crowd had gathered about thu placo, for the inostpnrtlisllAii hneksters, driving I heir heavy laden elonkej-B Into the city to instket, cr house hold lu-rvanu, iluts early out of (doors for the dally sweeping of the ttrcets. One of these drew nenr from a house neross the way a woinnn of more than ml Idle age, liearlnK tho bundle of loiijr, jointlcst straws lied up with a string flint make thu short, handlsles broeiins eif Mexico. "benors, jour worshljis summon lu viln," she said, with ae-me-whit of wonder won-der breaking through lho touirttsiir-B of her 1 -en ring; "this liouso has long ben vacant." Frinr Lorenzo turned lu n sort of rogo upon her, his meekness overborne by his distretsot body and his soul's solleltuile "Wouldst say 1 llo, Impious one? Hhall it prle-st not knowvthcro ho has heard conffMlnn? lint it wis here, I tell 5 el Oinl oik nl nor tarry for her prating, lest lho ctlma la done within our very hourlng." Tlio woman's dark faro flushed one seemed it detent bod), und her countenance counte-nance was full of tntrlllgenco beyond the common, as she replied, with protest ns i-oailivo ns respectfuli "Nnj, hit rerennce, rho wtro Indeed In-deed n lsolil nnI Irreverent woman who would iltMto thu wonl of Friar Lorenzo Loren-zo a) id I know his fame fur holiness, its who does not among tlio humble ones of Mexico? Hut his ruverenco is less Jpuug than he tmeo was, and llteese daybreak day-break lights are uncertain, so that to mistake ono liouso for another Is catj. Humbly elo I assure je thnt never unco has this eloor ltn oimicdin tho fifty j ears that 1 hive lit eel across there, and my mother, who was portresal-eforo mo, has often said that never in her tlmo had tho house! n tenant " "Hut oihiiI i'Isii1" Frlvr Li-rmso shouteil. The n tho ofllcer, Impress! in splleof himself h) this strango excite-lucnt excite-lucnt and iusisteii'v, bvdo his men tnko tip it mnssltivitra.orroof l-eain of ccslar, that lay where some workmen ha 1 1-eeu re'tieeiring an nttoton, and, isilsing it timong them, the sitrolmen again ami again doshesl tlio heavy tlinUr, in tho gulso of n lntlerlng mm. agniiitt the door loatos, whesn heavy planks crashed loudly nt the lui'sicl: then the bolts sprung omii. and Into the tutguau pnnivel thu gntliercd gttsene. Nu tight or ronu 1 of llfo greeti-d the ilicirsiim. Onoo intido tl o zaKiiiiu it was no bird mvttor to shatter the heni y, untliiMted jetdloek tluet held the door ha ting to tho sldo room; thnt clumsy defense was itide.-d hulf eaten utea) Willi rust und verdigris, and down fnmi tlio corners of tho eloor liesel swung v el Itublo curtains of venerable cedmebs, thick ami velvet), tho ancient tape-str). Tho door Ml Inward In-ward with n crash of rotten, hmiey-coinlieel hmiey-coinlieel wixsl, and every soul tliero but e no retre atesl it step or tw o from the uu-ktiowiineeui uu-ktiowiineeui Is fore them Only Friar Lorenzo pushe-il forwnnl, with nu eager- litsu thut vui.'JllUlitHl hU ilvsri4tlide. nnil Hie u, from lho further corner, camo his voice: "Suld I not so? And will yo doubt me longer, unUllovert? litis wnsthoplaeo indeeelt 1 hey havo taken nw.ij thohip-lts thohip-lts l.ldyi jo must seek her, but tho proof of the pljeo I show jel Hero It is, among ft 1 ilo of rubbish, in! no ou n dear rosier) , mado of olit u stones from Cielh-reinane,' Cielh-reinane,' nud hoenmo forth, nsthoehlef tif tho patrol cntight it cresset from tho hand of it huckster and blew into a pungent pun-gent blazo its rlnmberliig bit of vcotl (.Moxleitn pltchplns or llghtuooil), and went forwnnl to tnko ctirlosly vtithhis short swonl among tho thaptlciis heap that tho friar had alsllidoneel. "Tills rubbish why, lads! Hero is a wristli t, rings, n great breadth of brocade liicrusteel vtitliKold and ge ms collet of mnjur diamonds ajol wo have fouud n bonnns.it nud what is thlsr" llo tlapi-cd his band upon n long tuoes, 1 lack ns jet in the reel light, nud with emu sw If t sw eep hold It nluf t, n high as his head, vvhouco it fell to tho knes-s of him. Then hedrop-ied Itwitlut pi.plig cry of terror "'Tis hairl n veomans hair. And gracious Cloil! Bee thnt! tho hair of it dead woman! ' l'..r ns ho Btln iil that deiisu black veil fro' tho colls and coachings w hero it had t " unknown jears, it smallish skull, lung kept in otillon by its ono crown of glory, rolled forwarel and toiicheel his russet lioot. And fi urn tho drca 1 e rumbling rumb-ling idles now' arose it dire oelor of mortality, mor-tality, v hoso ve anting of dissolution and decay sent tho stout soldiers nud their commander rushing, with ono accord, nwaj from tho bones nnd tho diamonds, hustling tho peeping mob befuru them, "A) e, Fudro l'rlnr Lore uzo!" colled tlio ideal le; "now , what ubleeeseel thing It is wo hato n holy man among us! Fathe r, en el uombro do Jesus, Maria j Jeisu (lu tho uauio of Jesus, Mary and Joseph), purge and pmlfy us of this vile contact!" and ho would havo knelt Kfuro Friar Lorenzo; but sturdy artl- .win, who had just sent his grout led cop-is cop-is r kettle rolling across the daukl) must c-d stones of tho court ns he dropped it in tlioctlort tu catch tho sinking llg lire this grimy Christian callesl outi "Maud lank I (lite him tho good Clod s air, )o doughl) soldiers! Ah, no; it helps notl his i)o Is lixeil, hit faco Is nsheu- his boely grows it dt ad vvc Ight A)c, tenors, see Jou not that this sulntcd Friar Lorenzo is d) ing, for net er jctllud through the ehiy ft priest w ho confttscHl ono nlreael) dead and how uiHiiyjearo think jo havo lain jonder whllherho led tit, Hie mortal pirtsof the pool lad) )e eirinl out Ihat )uhad found there" Y. 1! Addis In Argonaut. |
