Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 128 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ee, eee = 8 -— ee ne ye te ee ee rs aie ae ee in it are a dozen onzas, that may serve to oil thy holy tongue, for it seems strangely stiff in answering questions.” , The monk took the purse without a word, thrust it in an inner pocket of his black gown, and said, calmly: “The Chevalier Corsair will arrive in the city within the week. I cannot give you the day, on account of the coming war with Great Britain, English cruisers are watching the Passes, and American vessels-of-war are in the Lakes.” : ‘* And he does not fear to trust himself within the city, where he must certainly be known to many? _“ Ah, no; the word fear is not in the vocabu- lary of the Chevalier Corsair. You would see him, then?” 44 Yes.” ‘‘ And your business with him?” ‘That L will make known only to him,” re- turned the Hunchback, decisively. ‘*- You must make it known to me.” ‘‘And if I refuse?” ‘*Then you cannot see him.” ‘* This is strange, indeed; I can gain an inter- view with a pirate chief only through a padre, and befere doing so must confess all my plans to this Knight of the Crucifix,” said the Hunch- back, sneeringly. “It is the only way you can see the Chevalier Corsair when on shore. If you desire to see him otherwise, seek him upon the high seas,” was the indifferent reply of the monk. a And if I confess to you, you will not betray me?’ ‘““The confessional is sacred, be the act con- fessed what it may,” was the stern rejoinder. ‘‘So be it. Belmont, the Buccaneer, or, as you are pleased to eall him. the Chevalier Cor- sair, holds a captive whom I seek, and one whom I love: more than the world, life, the future, and one to whom I had intended to devote my ex- istence; but she, for it is a woman, fell into the hauds of this noted pirate chief when coming to mefrom another land, and I have sought her day and nigbt and now know that she is in his wer. “She is safe, for the Chevalier never yet wronged a woman.” ‘Safe she may be, but I want her in my pos- session onee more, and I need your aid.” és >’ A ransom shall be demanded for the cap- ive. ‘* A ransom shall be paid; but I am poor, for my all [ have invested in the vessel in which I came to thiscity, searching for the one of whom 1 speak; but there is one, more beautiful even than the one I speak of, whom I will give into the er of this pirate chief for the one henow holds captive, and her father will pay an enor- mous ransom for her, and this I wish you to make known to Belmont, the Buccaneer.” ‘* And this maiden whom you would use to get back the one you love?’ . ‘That secret 1 will not make known, but I pe you, padre, that she is the most beauti- being I ever gazed upon, and her father has untold wealth.” ‘*« And you will give her into the power of the Chevalier if he will release the one you crave?” is I will; so make it known to your friend, the rate. ‘“Bring the maiden here, to this cloister, one week from this night, and you shall meet the Chevalier Corsair. ' B r half believe you are the buccaneer him- self. : The mank smiled as he answered: ** No; Tam not half so aman. But re- member—one week from this night.” ‘*T shall not forget, for more than my life de- pends upon it. Adios, pase, and the gold you so love you shall freely have, if you serve mein Ivan the Hunchback turned and left the cell, and once more faced the bitter sterm without. CHAPTER XII. A FALSE CONFESSION. EvEN though the presence of Don Ivan was most hateful to him, and had completely un- nerved bim, Don Henrico Enderos preferred it to being left-alone with his daughter, for he felt that some explanation must be made to her of Le ne power over him by the Hunch- ack. Willing to give up his native land, to live in peace and luxury, he had left Spain and found a home in the new world, where his wealth, re- finement and rank gave him a prominent posi- tion; but, just as the fear that his treble vow would one day be brought face to face with hiin bad died away, and all dread of the future had gone, the man to whom he had thus pledged himself, and to whom he owed his riches and position, ay, even his name, appeared to dash his hopes in the dust, and bring misery, erhaps ruin, upon him; at least sorrow ex- reme, should hoe take his daughter, for the wretched man dearly loved ber. For some moments the Hunchback had been gone, and both Don Henrico and Hdna remain- ed in silence, listening to the howling of the storm without, and in spite of his effort at self- coutrol he was deeply moved. - ——- The Rp vaibr, VODeeI. ‘‘ Rdna, my child,” he said, in a low tone, ‘‘the man who has just left I havea secret to tell you of that nearly interests all of our name,” He paused, for having determined to tell a falsehood, he wished to make it impressive. ‘“A vendetta has existed between his name and mine, for he comes of one of the oldest families in Spain, and a pledge lies upon me which I must keep, one that will either bring me to ruin financially, cause me to lose my lite, or give up all I hold dear on earth.” ‘Oh, father, let all go, only let your life be spared,” cried the noble girl. “All all? You know not what you say, Edna, for the other condition, besides wealth and life, is—is—you, my daughter.” ‘“Me? Oh, father, what can you, what do you mean?’ ‘‘T mean, my child, that my vows were to give up my riches, my life, or my offspring.” ‘‘ And who claims this sacrifice?’ demanded the girl. | ‘*The Hunchback.” e By what right?” ‘That of having the power; but, Edna, do not ask me more, for I have decided.” ‘‘ Decided, and how, father?’ ‘‘ He shall have my life.” ‘© Never !” ’ ‘‘Tsay yes, for then my riches are left for you, my child.” ‘‘ Never! if there ig a sacrifice to be made, let the wealth go, for with life, we both have health, and I have no fear of the future with strong hands and willing hearts; we have had our day of luxury, let us now put up. bravel with the poverty side of existence, and we will be content, father, so listen to me, and yield up the money.” . “No, Edna, no!” ‘“No? Why do you so cling to riches, fa- ther, that you would rather lese life than be poor oH ‘‘T care not, Edna, for life; it is foryyou.” ‘‘Nonsense! What care I for riches, if I have you left, father? I know not why this man holds this treble claim against you. You tell me it is just, and so I must believe, and I willingly yield up fortune, to save you.” ‘‘No, no; the riches must not go,” groaned the sordid man. __. ‘Then there is but one alternative: your life must be saved; oy money.you will not yield; so let him take the third claim, your cffspring, for I hold myself as a sacrifice for you and your gold, father.” He shrunk from the look of seorn in her mag- nificent eyes, but said, quickly: ** No, no, child, for what might be your fate?’ “ Death ! for after I had fulfilled the conditions of the accursed pledge that binds you to that deformed creature, I would, with my own hand, take my life. She looked grandly beautiful as she ke, and, gazing upon her, the selfish man deter- mined to save her at all events, though his cow- ard heart had admitted that to sav money and his life, she must be sacrificed. ‘‘ Edna, there may be no reason for any sac- rifice, for there are ready hands here in New Orleans that gold will buy.” ‘‘ What mean you, sir?’ ‘*T mean that gold may buy our release from this man.” ‘* A good idea, if he will compromise for half our wealth.” ‘You do not yet comprehend; he would not compromise on ten times the wealth I could of- fer him; but there are others that gold would buy to rid us.of this monster.” , ** Hal no wonder I was dull of comprehension when my own father pzor to become an in- direct assassin! Oh, father, father!” and the young girl sunk upon a divan and buried her face in her hands, while ber whole form was convulsed with emotion. Alarmed at the storm he had raised in her bosom, the wily man determined to recede, and as, pony ‘* You are right, Edna; it was. but a moment of weakness on my part, when.I felt that his life alone lay between me and the breaking of the vows made to him. Look up, my child, and let us dismiss the painful matter. I will see him, and let our riches go; it is best to have it thus.” ‘“My dear, noble father! You are yourself once more, and if our gold does go from us, you will never regret that / was not sacrificed, or that your life was not forfeited.” He kissed her fondly, and then retired to bis room, his heart black with desi a st his beautiful child, whom, as dearly as be loved, must be given up rather than Ais life and gold, for the gold gone all was lost that was most dear to him, but the daughter, though wedded to a corsair, might be restored and saved to him, in the end. CHAPTER XIIL. CORSAIR AND HUNCHBACK. In a large and comfortable room, in a cabaret on the Rue Bienville, a féw days after the in- terview between the padre and the Hunchback, the latter personage sat one evening, a cigar —— a ee ee eee a - ee ———— snes Sls H#(} #5} (! }}#}=°! 0.0 =}} } =! 1] 2 ssn eae erry yen npn nner oe ee ee ess mn — eee _<_—_—_e eee a ey 3 eee —- ~~ -——- —_ -—_ + ——_ between his teeth, a cup of French coffee upon — il at his side, and a letter open in his and. t Glancing at it he read aloud for the twentieth ime: **The Chevalier will honor the Hunchback by com- ing upon him at bis calaret at seven this evening. “PADRE Bontro.”’ ‘‘Curses upon that priest! He knew my name, and yet calls me the Hunchback! Oh, God! bow great the crime in this world to be deformed, to be marked by any bodily in- firmity that makes one hideous, and his pres- ence an aversion! “Once my heart and soul were pure; but soon I learned that I was loathed, and so bitter was lat the thought that 1 gave up my pure birthright, that a man born in God’s image, and not as I, in Satan’s, should wear it, while I placed dishonor upon my own brow, ** Yet, hideous as I am, that one being whom I saved from a fate more terrible than death to a pure woman, loved me, and though the grave tlaimed her from me, she left our child, our beautiful Stella, who loves me, for, away back behind my deformity she sees what might have been my nature had I not been ace **Oh, Stella! Stella! what fate is yours, m poor, poor child! Alone among a horde of md rates, for little aid will that accursed kinsman of your mother’s, Don Hernandez, be to you, for he is as treac!)crous as a snake. ““The wealth all might go if I could only get you back, my child, my darling!” He leaned his buge head upen his hanes and shook with emotion for a moment; but, spring- ing a his feet with flashing eyes, he cried aloud: “ But if harm has befallen you, my beautiful —if insult has been offered, or dishonor has been foreed, woe to every man who had hand in your capture! With my own true right hand will I drive my dagger to their black hearts ” He strode rapidly across the room for several times, and then sat down once more and picked up the letter, saying in bis usual voice, now wholly free from excitement: ‘*The Chevalier will meet me here, in m cabaret! A bold man, indeed, to trust himself in my power, for I could have bim seized and wring from him a confession of what he had done with my child. But he must give her up, cost what it m ay. “‘My gold he has, and may keep, but not my child. Oh, no, and her ransom shall be Edna Enderos, as my voble brother calls himself now, Ha! ha! ha! how sweet the revenge I will reap after these long years of waiting—ha! thereisa knock. Wnter)’ | The door swung open, and a garcon ushered into the room a tall cloaked form, saying, in a loud tone: , * Monsieur De Lisle, to see the Sefior Don van, The door opened, and the Hunchback turned to meet his visitor, starting almost with sur- prise, as he beheld before him a man of com- manding presence, with a face strangely fas- cinating and youthful, for one who had upon his brow the brand of corsair. ‘Am I mistaken? or do I welcome the Cheva- lier Corsair?’ asked the Hunchback, advancing. ‘*Men so call me, sefior; but, the Padre Boni- to tells me you would see me on a matter of importance,” was the quiet response, as the pi- “4 chief took the chair Don Ivan placed for im, ‘Yes, a matter of great importance indeed, Sefior Chevalier; but you are a brave man to intrust yourself bere, when I could so easily command your arrest, and the arrest of Mon- sieur De Lisle, Pelmont, the Buccaneer, or the Chevalier Corsair, as he may please to call him- self, would mean death,” ; The chief smiled, but no muscle indicated by a tremor that he feared such a fate, and he an- swered lightly: “In the midst of life, sefior, we are in death, and the Dark Angel has so long stalked by m side that I do not dread his summons: bu were I brought to bay, you would find I would fight for life, if only for the excitement of the combat. Now tell me how I can serve you?” ‘“‘T will; but, first answer me—have I ever wronged you in any way?” ‘‘Sefior, I believe in you I behold Don Ivan Enderos?’ “Could you doubt it, once having seen or heard of me?’ asked the Hunchback, with in- tense bitterness. “IT meant not offense, sefior. If God has cursed you, no mortal tongue should ridicule His act. I simply asked if I addressed the Sefior Don Ivan Enderos,” said the Chevalier, impressively. ‘Yes: and I asked in what 1 had ever wrong- ed you!” ‘Personally, you have never wronged me; but a boat from my vessel one night was unable to reach us from the land; the storm blew them upon your shores, aud through your act they were put to death—nay, bear me; as outlaws they sailed the seas with their lives in their hands, and under the black flag they were en- titled to die; but starved, wretched, wearied 0)(0)@) == ecOomic / S:CO