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Show PRESENTIMENT From the French of Maurice Leblanc. (Translated (Trans-lated by Mrs. William Flewellyn Saunders.) AT two o'clock in the afternoon a dray brought to the chateau a new automobile which the Count d' Aubriais had ordered a thirty-flvo horsepower horse-power Ad-Astra. The chauffeur listed It, set the engine in motion. mo-tion. All went well. At five o'clock the count said: "I have a great desire to try my new car." "Oh, no. Not today!" cried his wife earnestly. "Why not today?" "Ma foi I do not know an idea " The count shrugged his shoulders and turning to his daughter said: "Where is your brother, Henriette?" "Paul has gone down to the beach with the 'vingt-chevaux.' " "Ah, that is true. I had forgotten. And you, Henriette, would you like to go with me?" The countess protested Immediately, "No, no! You do not need her there is no use in going at all absolutely none " The count looked at her in astonishment. "Ah, ca mals what is the matter with you? We go out every day, do we not? What reason is there for not going today?" She hesitated, then said: "No reason at all, of course it is childish of me. Go and get ready Henriette. Shall you be gone long?" "Oh, no! Only a short spin as far as Faine-le-Dun. At seven o'clock we shall be back at seven exactly." "What road will you take?" "There is only the one through Geutilly. The other is impractible. Rele tranquil, I shall be prudent as always. I have not the slightest desire de-sire to break my neck." The countess went to the door with her husband hus-band and daughter and insisted that they should provide themselves with heavy wraps, for the count always rode with the auto uncovered and there was a fresh breeze blowing across the downs. When the car had disappeared around a bend(in the road, she took up a bit of tembroidery and installed herself upon the terrace to wait. At seven o'clock they had not returned. She said to herself: "If in five minutes they are not here, it is because be-cause there has been an accident" At the end of five minutes she allowed five minutes more before deciding that the accident was certain. These minutes also slipped away and her uneasiness changed into an inexpressible anguish. And remorse? She should not have allowed them to go. She should not have allowed it. There are presentiments to which it is culpable not to listen. How did it happen that she had never before had a presentiment and that never before had her husband been late? Strange coincidence coin-cidence between these two facts which, each of them, happened today for the first time! A break down? Why just upon this particular day? She mounted to the top of a little belvedere which overlooked the country. Upon the horizon, no one! The broad white road was deserted. But suddenly a tiny black spot appeared on the road leading from the sea, an" from the speed with which it moved there w . no doubt that it was an automobile That of her son Paul, evi-(Continued evi-(Continued on page 11.) I PRESENTIMENT , I (Continued from page 7.) H dently ot least unless the count had made this EI detour, led on by the excitement of trying the new 1 car. I She hoped with all her heart that this might I be the case, having no fear for Paul, who, more I often than not, returned late. She descended in I haste, crossed the terrace and ran toward the I large gate. The automobile soon came in sight. I Her heart beat suffocatingly and she reeled, al- most fainting. i It was her son. I "Your father has not come back," she cried: I "He went out with Henriette and the chauffeur in the new car, and they have not come back." ,' Ho stopped the auto. She explained her an xiety to him and begged him to go in search of the count. i "But, my poor mother, I do not understand you What a state you are working yourself into! I Come, calm yourself at any moment they may I be here." I "No, no, I am sure of it there has been an 1 accident. I know your father, he is punctuality & itself." I "Well, then?" I "Go and And him, I beg you it is easy, there 1 is only the one road. I beg you I cannot endure 1 this uncertainty." 1 "Wait a few minutes." 1 "No, no, at once you must!" 1 He was obliged to yield. He turned, went through the gate, and from the terrace where she stationed herself anow, she saw him disappear between the two tall rows of poplars. The sun had set, and shadows began to mingle with the clear light of day. Paul increased his speed, he was hungry and this unexpected trip which delayed the dinner hour, annoyed him extremely. ex-tremely. But, nevertheless, in spite of his annoyance annoy-ance he was affected by his mother's terror. He felt an obscure alarm, a feeling at moments that at some turn of the roa dhe might find himself 5 face to face with the horrible spectacle conjured 1 up by her fear. I "It is too absurd," he said to himself, "Yes, certainly, I shall see them delayed by some stu- k pid break down, and they will bo the first to laugh at our foolish panic." And, boyishly, to relieve the strain he said: "Here is a turn in the road Let us wager that three yards distant, I shall see them en panne well, say three hundred and fifty, but not more " The road turned sharply to the left. Ho amused himself, as usual, by making a very short turn, almost grazing the steep bank. At the same moment, an automobile coming in the opposite direction, swept around the curve on the same side of the road and at full speed. Paul had just the time to recognize his father. The shock was frightful. The two machines reared rear-ed up, one against the other, then fell, shattered, pulverized. There was not a cry, not a moan. Over the immense plain, under the darkened sky, Death passed, silently. A bird of prey soared above the four bodies. The prowlers of the night began to waken and stir in the spreading peace of the fields. |
