[In the suburbs of the ancient and curious city of Angers in France is a beautiful chateau, situated in the midst of extensive and fertile grounds. The chapel contains some very remarkable pieces of statuary, now nearly eight hundred years old. The place was formerly a convent of monks, and wrested from them during the great revolution. The family into whose possession it came, has ever since been afflicted with the sudden death and insanity of its members. The death of the last male heir, a youth of great promise, which occurred but a few years ago, is described in the following verses.]
A youth of twenty summers
Sat at his mother's knee;
Ne'er saw you a youth more noble,
Nor fairer dame than she.
Half-reclining he swept the lute-strings,
Murmuring an olden rhyme;
While the clock in the castle tower
Rang out a morning chime:
"In the bright and happy spring-time
Ring the bells merrily;
When the dead leaves fall in autumn,
Then toll the bell for me."
The face of the lady-mother,
Writhed as with sudden pain:
"Oh! sing not, my son, so sadly,
Choose thou a happier strain."
Sang the youth, "When the summer sunshine
Falls o'er the lake and lea,
And the corn is springing upward,
Then you'll remember me."
The matron smiled on the singer:
"My dear and my only one
When I shall not remember,
The light will forget the sun."
Yet her eyes smiled not, but were standing,
Brimful of glimmering tears,
Tell-tales of secret anguish,
Dead hopes and living fears.
For he was the heir, and the only
Child of the house of La Barre;
A name that was known for its sorrows,
By all, both near and far.
Lay in a charming valley
Its rich and fair domain;
But a curse seemed to hang around it,
Worse than the curse of Cain.
For this was a holy convent
Of monks in olden time;
From God men had dared to wrest it,
Nor recked the awful crime.
The mild men of God were driven
Houseless and homeless afar:
And he who rifled their cloister,
Became the Lord of La Barre.
But a curse came down on his household,
That time did not abate:
And ne'er did the mourning hatchment
Pass from the castle gate
The Lord of La Barre fell suddenly
Dead in his banquet-hall;
And madness seized his first-born,
Bearing the funeral pall.
Calamity sudden and fearful.
Haunted the sacred place.
Striking the lords and their children,
And blighting their hapless race.
One is thrown from his saddle,
Dashing his brains on the ground;
One in his bridal chamber.
Dead by his bride is found;
One is caught by the mill-wheel.
And cruelly torn in twain;
One is lost in the forest,
Ne'er to return again.
Death-traps for wolves, the herdsmen
Set in the woods with care;
The wolves devour the master,
Caught in the fatal snare.
Killed by the forkèd lightnings;
Drowned in the flowing Loire;
Crushed by some falling timbers;
Conquered and slain in war.
Idiots and still-born children,
Come as the first-born heirs.
Those are seized with madness,
Whom death a few years spares.
Thus did they all inherit
A curse with the rich domain,
Who dared on the holy convent
To lay their hands profane.
The autumn winds are blowing
Across the lake and lea,
As the youth of twenty summers
Sings at his mother's knee.
He ceased, and from him casting
His lute upon the floor,
Listened, as sounds from the court-yard
Came through the open door.
Hearing the dogs' loud barking,
As their keeper his bugle wound;
"To-day I go a hunting,"
Said he, "with hawk and hound."
The rustling of dead leaves only
Heard the Lady of La Barre,
And thought of her lordly husband
Drowned in the flowing Loire.
The autumn winds were moaning
Among the yellow trees,
"Stay, Ernest," said she sadly,
"My soul is ill at ease.
"Shadows of dire mischances
Fall on my widowed heart;
I could not live if danger
Thy life from mine should part."
"Fear not," said he, while laughing
He kissed her sad fair face;
"I hear the hounds' loud baying
All eager for the chase.
"Over the hill by the river
I'll bring the quarry down,
And homeward pluck the roses
To weave for thee a crown."
"The rose-crown, my child, will wither,
'Tis but a passing toy;
But thou art the crown of thy mother--
Her only life and joy.
"Follow the hunt to-morrow--
With me, love, stay to-day;
For dark and sad forebodings
My anxious heart affray."
The autumn winds are blowing,
The dead leaves downward fall,
The lawn and flowers covering
Like a funeral pall.
But he heedeth not the warning,
And hies with haste away.
The lady seeks the chapel,
With heavy heart, to pray.
"May God and his blessed Mother
Spare me my only one.
Yet teach me and strengthen me ever
To say, Thy will be done!"
Well may the lady tremble,
Hearing the wind again;
The dead leaves are falling in showers
Like to a summer rain.
Hark! a sound from the court-yard
Blanches the lady's cheek--
The huntsmen call not surely
In such a fearful shriek!
Say, "Thy will be done," O lady!
As thou e'en now hast said,
For the last of thy race is lying
Stark in the court-yard, dead.
Translated from the Spanish
PERICO THE SAD; OR,
THE ALVAREDA FAMILY.
CHAPTER VIII.
Autumn had shortened the days, and winter was knocking at the door with fingers of ice. It was the hour when laborers return to their homes, and the sun casts a last cold glance upon the earth he is abandoning.
Perico came slowly, preceded by his ass, and followed by Melampo, who rivalled his ancient friend and companion in gravity. The latter still remembered with horror the entry of the French, though six years had passed since; for the flight of her masters caused her the wildest gallop she had taken in her whole life. She had not yet recovered from the fatigue.
When they entered their street, two little children, brother and sister, ran to meet Perico, but at the moment they reached him, the deep and solemn sound of a bell called to prayer. Perico stood still and uncovered his head. The ass and the dog, that from long habit knew the sound, stopped also, and the little ones remained immovable. When their father had concluded the prayers of the mystery of the annunciation, the children drew near and said--
"Your hand, father."
"May God make you good!" answered Perico, blessing his children.