Page:Peterson Magazine 1869B.pdf/306

 THE LIBRARY

OF FATE.

281

Toward evening, finding himself too weary to be writing diligently in a thick volume bound and giddy to walk without reeling, or stand in vellum. without falling, Braithe accosted a policeman. "So the old fellow stayed with us for com"My friend, is there anywhere that I can go pany ; that was very polite of him, " murmured and sit down awhile without having to pay for Braithe, whose brain, giddy from long fasting the accommodation?" and recent sleep, seemed incapable of any " Sure an' there's the Li'bry--it s free to all," serious ideas : and advancing a few steps, he replied Dogberry, himself of such recent impor- { politely inquired. .. Did you stay here to make sure that I should tation that he had not unlearned all his civility : and Braithe staggered in at the designated not be disturbed, or was it to keep up the fire door-way, found the library, took a book in for me, my good sir?” Thus addressed, the figure at the desk looked his hand, and seating himself upon the floor, in the furthest angie of the remotest alcove, went up, fixing his dim, blue eyes upon the face of fast asleep, and so remained for the next six the young man, who now stood close beside hours. him. Something, he knew not what, in that He was awakened by the clang of the city dim, far- off regard, chilled the blood at Braithe's clocks striking midnight, an operation lasting heart, and involuntarily he drew back from his over some ten minutes, an approach to una- close vicinity to the supposed janitor. "I beg pardon, sir, " stammered he, connimity really wonderful, when we consider that most ofthese clocks are upon Christian churches fusedly. 66'What name ?" asked the old man, in a voice of different creeds. "Why, where- where am I ?" muttered Ro- so like his look that one could hardly tell muald Braithe, rubbing his eyes, and sitting whether it was the eyes that spoke and the up very straight. For manifest reasons, nobody { voice that looked, or the converse. "What name ?" asked he again, as the youth replied to this question ; and after staring about him for a minute or two, the young man scram- delayed to answer bled to his feet, stretched himself, and staggered " My name, do you mean, sir ?" back against the book- shelves. "Surely. You wish your volume, do you not ?” "I-I hardly know. It seems to me that we " I'm very hungry, " remarked he, plaintively : "and I don't remember where I can be. Oh, mistake each other, sir, " hesitated Braithe . " I yes! the free library ! I wonder if a fellow is am a mere wayfarer, who, straying into this free to die here." place overnight, have overslept myself, and am No copy of the regulations being at hand, or now intruding both upon your time and your any light to read it by if there had been, this premises." "You think so. But you would find it all question also went unanswered, and Romuald remained leaning against the book-shelves, in a written in your volume. I knew you would profound fit of meditation. come to-night, but I did not care to look out "Very hungry, and very cold, " continued he, your name-what is it ?" "My name is Romuald Braithe ; but, excuse presently. " I wonder if that old door-keeper has left some fire in his rusty grate ? Who me, I hardly think you could have known of my knows but the remnant of his luncheon may be coming, any more than I now know what you found in some of those drawers beside his desk. mean by my volume. This is the City Library, I will go and sec. If not, I shall eat the bind- is it not ?" ing of one of those books ; I hope I shall be able "This is the Library of Fate, young man, and to find a new one, not too much thumbed. ” I am the librarian. Do you see these volumes ?" So muttering, Braithe felt his way along the He waved his hands as he spoke, and Romuald, line of shelves until emerging from the alcove looking about him, noticed, for the first time, into the open space, he could gain a view of that the bookcases he had already seen were the further end of the hall. A faint glimmer of swung open like doors, giving entrance to long firelight served to guide him between the Scylla arcades and vistas, extending far as the eye of the reading- table and the Charybdis of the could reach, and all lined with tiers upon tiers bookcases, and he finally reached a point from of books bound like that upon the desk, in white which he could command the nook usually vellum, with a label of read leather at the back. occupied by the janitor. To his astonishment In front of these bookcases, and eagerly examinit was so occupied now, or at least the figure of ing volumes which they held in their hands, an old man was seated in the leathern arm- were crowds of figures, which to the bewildered chair appropriated to that officer, and appeared vision of the young man seemed incapable of