Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 02.pdf/602

 Causes Célèbres. That such a spirit can assume the human form few will deny when they recall that the Apostles held that belief, mistaking their Lord, walking on the waves of Galilee, for such an one. The weight of probability, nevertheless, inclines to the side of this singular apparition being, as was first sug gested, the spirit of one deceased, — perhaps a remote ancestor of Mirabel, — perhaps one who in this life sympathized with honest en deavor, and sought to endow the struggling, toiling peasant with the means of rest and ease. And with regard to this reappear ance a striking modern instance seemed pertinent to the question at issue. The Marquis de Rambouillet and the Sieur de Precy, aged respectively twenty-five and thirty, were intimate friends. Speaking one day of the prospect of a future state of be ing, their conversation ended with a mutual compact that the first who died should re veal himself to the survivor. Three months afterwards the Marquis went to the war in Flanders, while De Precy, sick with fever, remained in Paris. One night the latter, while in bed, heard the curtains move, and turning, recognized his friend, in buff coat and riding-boots, standing by the bed. Starting up, he attempted to embrace the visitor; but the latter, evading him, drew apart, and ih a solemn tone informed him that such greetings were no longer fitting; that he had been slain the previous night in a skirmish; that he had come to redeem his promise, and to announce to his friend that all that had been spoken of a world to come was most certainly true; and that it behooved him (De Precy) to amend his life without delay, as he would himself be slain within a very brief period. Find ing his hearer still incredulous, the Mar quis exhibited a deadly wound below the breast, and immediately disappeared. The arrival of a post from Flanders confirmed the vision. The Marquis had been slain in the manner mentioned. De Precy him self fell in the civil war then impending. (The speaker here cited a number of kin

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dred examples belonging to the period, such as, in later days, have found parallels in the well known stories of Lord Tyrone and Lady Betty Cobb, Lord Lyttelton and M. P. Andrews, Prince Dolgorouki and Apraxin, the ex-queen of Etruria and Chipanti, with a long list of similar cases; and then ad dressed himself to the terrestrial facts.) It was proved by Magdalene Paret that the treasure was actually found. By the witness Deleuil, it was traced into the possession of Auguier. By other witnesses it was shown that Auguier had made use of some artifices to obtain the custody of the gold, cultivating a romantic attachment for this humble laborer, and seeking to inspire him with fears for his personal safety so long as he retained possession of so large a sum. Upon the whole, unless it had been prac ticable to secure the attendance and oral tes timony of the very phantom itself, the claim of Mirabel could hardly address itself more forcibly to the favored judgment of the court. It may be that this little deficiency in the chain of the evidence weighed more than was expected with the Parliament of Aix. At all events, they demanded further proof; and the peasant Bernard was brought for ward, and underwent a very rigid examination. He stated that on a certain day in May Mirabel informed him that a ghost had re vealed to him the existence of some secreted treasure; that on the following morning they proceeded together to the spot indi cated by the apparition, but found no money; that he laughed at Mirabel, snapped his fingers at the story, and went away; that he nevertheless agreed to a further search, — the witness Magdalene Paret being present, — but found nothing; that subsequently Mirabel declared that he had discovered eighteen pieces of gold, then twelve, finally thirty-five, but displayed none of them; that Mirabel had, however, sent by him twenty sols to a priest, to say masses for the soul of the departed, to whom he owed so much; and that he had spoken of handing over the treasure to Auguier, and taking the latter's