THE NECROMANCER. 315 



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From that moment a species of monomania seized on him. Every 

 place of punishment had a charm for him it was a bloody magnet 

 that attracted him. . The gibbet of Montfaucon, that of Montigny, 

 the scaffolds erected in the Place de Greve and in the Holies, he 

 visited every day. He no longer went to pray but in the church of 

 St. Jean de Greve, where the condemned are prepared for death, and 

 where they heard their last mass. 



Days of happiness had followed the nuptials which had over- 

 whelmed Mande with such sudden terror. Petit Jehan, loved his 

 beautiful Nicole more and more, who had given him a boy the image 

 of his mother. Never was child so caressed and beloved, and he was 

 growing in all the happiness and repose of innocent childhood; while 

 Mande, who had adored his mother, was struggling with the anguish 

 of a life that was become insupportable. Four years had elapsed 

 since he saw Nicole on her way from the altar. 



One cloudy day Mande quitted his retreat ; he had become a mi- 

 santhrope, and shunned the light of day. He entered Paris by the 

 street of La Porte Moritmartre, his pace was irregular, his right 

 hand covered his forehead, across which passed clouds as dark as 

 those which obscured the horizon. He had passed a terrible night 

 he felt that his hour had at length arrived that a powerful and irre- 

 sistible hand was urging him to his fate, while a voice whispered 

 continually in his ear the same words that he had heard the sorcerer 

 utter. Despair was in his look his face was wild and haggard 

 his hands were dry and hot a fire was burning within him, and his 

 throat was parched a horrible desire came over him he felt that he 

 could only quench his consuming thirst in BLOOD ! A young man 

 approached him. He was attired gaily, as though he were going to 

 some festival ; a smile was on his countenance, and he was humming 

 a chansonnette. With the frightful instinct of his distemper, Mande 

 had unclasped a knife with a long thin blade ; the expression of his 

 countenance was fiendish, and, as though aware of his repulsive as- 

 pect, he shielded it from the light of day by his broad-slouched hat ; 

 but the feeling of his better nature came over him. " Shall I,' 

 muttered he ; fe shall I send a soul to his last account, perhaps with 

 crime upon his head ? his eternal punishment will be added to my 

 weight of guilt. No ! no ! some other victim, more innocent than 

 he ;" and he was proceeding along, casting about him furious glances 

 of deadly import. " Ha !" said he, <s shall I strike that young 

 maiden, she has the very look of purity and innocence ?" As he spoke 

 these words a young girl came bounding onward; the glow of health 

 and beauty was on her cheeks, and her eye seemed lighted up with 

 joy and love. " But what if I pierce two hearts in one?" he mut- 

 tered ; " she has perhaps an expectant lover ; at a single blow I shall 

 destroy two the scaffold demands not that ;" he reached the corner 

 of La Rue de Garnelle. At fifty paces from him was a group of 

 children playing in all the innocency of childhood. How joyous their 

 cries how sparkling their eyes how graceful their movement it 

 was the beau-ideal of joyous life. Mande suddenly stopped, and 

 rivetted his glance upon the youngest of the group with flowing 

 cliesnut curls and rosy cheeks. " His is an innocent soul, pure as 

 the wings of angels; I can do no injury to him. He is an angel that 



