The black wolf's breed : $b A story of France in the Old world and the New, happening in the reign of Louis XIVDickson, Harris
History
The black wolf's breed : $b A story of France in the Old world and the New, happening in the reign of Louis XIV
Dickson, Harris
France -- History -- Louis XIV, 1643-1715 -- Fiction
We watched him long. He gazed as one fixed by an evil eye, through the
open window straight toward an ancient well across the court-yard.
He mumbled words whereof we could only guess the import. He raised a
long, thin finger, knotted at the joints, and pointed to the well:
"Do you hear it? Oh, mother, mother, it was your doing! Listen now.
Dost hear their cries in Hell? See, see, the body turns and swings,
softly, softly," and he covered his face, uttering the most plaintive
cries.
He started up again and went to the window, stretching out his arm as
before. We could see nothing but the court and old well, long dry of
water.
"See, there she is; see, see; I come, I come."
And regarding not our sacred relics or adjurations, he passed out the
door, down the stair of winding stone, through the men who, palsied by
craven fears, put not forth their hands to stay; staring before him
with wide-open eyes which saw not, d'Ortez strode through them all into
the vacant court-yard.
No pause he made, but straightway went toward the well, whither--at
some distance be it humbly confessed--we followed.
At first he but peered within and listened; then he stood quiet for a
space, as if he waited, for what we could not tell.
None of us being sufficiently near to prevent, and the power of the
demon prevailing over weak and mortal flesh, he mounted the curb, and,
amid the most horrid shrieks, cursings and revilings proceeding from
the foul demon Lilith, he plunged himself bodily in the darkness below,
wherefrom came only faint groans for a short space.
Thus died Pedro d'Ortez, Lord of Cartillon.
Leaving the task of getting out his body to those vassals who, greatly
perturbed in spirit, gathered at the spot, we hastened away horrified
at such abominations of Beelzebub as we had witnessed, being for our
fear and little faith made culpable before God, and hoping to
repurchase peace by great penitence.
Report made and rendered to the Most Reverend and Illustrious Father in
God, Laurent, Abbot of the Monastery of Vaux, this the tenth day of
July in the year of grace one thousand five hundred and ninety-six.
(Signed) ANSELMO DI NAPOLI,
JEHAN DE TOURS.
DOCUMENT No. 3
(Concerning Raoul d'Ortez)
Indorsed on back, "Further notes by Abbot of Vaux."
_In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Sanctus Spiritus. Amen._
Further facts having come to my knowledge, in this, the year of grace
one thousand five hundred and eighty nine, which do most gloriously
illustrate the dispensations of a just God, and His visitation of the
sins of the father upon the children of them who hate Him, it is deemed
meet and proper that they be here set down and perpetuated for that
future generations may know the truth; Therefore:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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