The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-17 00:00:00

tie Bank, in order that she might claim it again
on the ground that payment had been made with-
out duo caution. Supposing the documents to
be forged, however, they were perhaps forged
with the connivance of the deceased, who
intrusted the prisoner with the business, as they
were in partnership together, and it was done for
their mutual benefit. In conclusion the learned
counsel said—" I repeat, the prisoner had not ex-
hibited any fear, because she knew that it was God
who enlightened judges, and as God enlightened
there could not be any mistake, and therefore the
jury would say that she was innocent."
Nothing is thought of to day but the grand Ate,
and the crowds are everywhere enormous.
An extraordinary change in the weather took
place about three o'clock this morning. It became
much colder, and rain began. There was a great
deal of rain in the early part of the day, and the
temperature was fresh--an excessive relief aftcr the
tremendous and prostrating heat of yesterday.
The fete to-day is not only that of Napoleon, but
is kept by the Catholic Church as that of Sainte
Marie and the Assumption.
Soon after the arrival of the King of Greece in
Paris he left for the camp at Chalons to visit the
Emperor

PARIS, Friday Evening.
No papers have been published this morning, the
printers having had a holiday yesterday in order to
enjoy the Emperor's fete. Never was it celebrated
with such eclat. The spectacle last night in the
Champs Elysees, the Place de la Concorde, and
the Tuileries surpassed in glittering splendour all
that is recorded by fancy in Eastern tales. It may
be safely described as a sight unparalleled for
brilliancy and marvellous dazzling. The miles of
route of the Champs Elysde,s, with the avenues in
all directions, formed a rich blaze of various
coloured lights. The flower-beds and trees seemed
on fire, and the fountains played around lamps ex-
hibiting all the colours of the rainbow. The crowd
was enormous, but, as far as I have heard, nothing
occurred to mar the delight of the evening, as was
unhappily the case last year. As to the fireworks,
the " oldest inhabitant" never saw anything like
them. They as well as the fete went off well.
The last word is not yet said about Madame Fri-
gard, the lady who commits murder and forgery
without premeditation." Seldom has so much morbid
curiosity and interest been displayed as in this case.
Sad to say, the women seem to sympathise more
with the prisoner than with the victim. The court
was crowded with women. The jury deliberated
more than an hour. On their return into court
the foreman of the jury, on the question being put
by the President, rose with great solemnity, and
placing his hand upon his heart, said in a faltering
tone, " On my honour and my conscience, before
God and before men, the reply of the jury is, upon
the first question (assassination of Madame Sidonie
Mertens), " Yes ; the accused is guilty. (A. feel-
ing of horror pervaded the court at this announce-
ment.) The answer of the jury is affirmative on
all the questions relative to the forgeries. The ver-
dict is mitigated by the admission of extenuating
circumstances."
In France a prisoner is not present when the
verdict is delivered, as in England, but on his return
to court the judge informs him what there is in
store for his advantage. The president ordered
that Madame Frigard should b e brought back into
court. She looked very pale, but beard the reading
of the verdict with perfect indifference, She turned
towards her counsel, and with a sad and melan-
choly look, thanked him for the exertions he had
made to save her. The president told the prisoner
that, in consequence of the verdict of the jury, she
was condemned to hard labour for life. 'I he pri-
soner was conducted to her cell, and the persons in
court departed, evidently in deep emotion.
One strange thing is that Mme. Mertens had many
admirers. Even two of the young men who were
witnesses went so far as to openly express their
admiration of her. Although so well known a con-
test has arisen as to the colour of her hair, some
speaking of her as a blonde and others as a
brunette. This knotty point has been settled
somewhat in the same way as the dispute be-
tween the true travellers as to the colour of the
cameleon. Doctor Leblanc, who dissected the
body, speaks almost in the same tone of adoration
as the two witnesses just mentioned. He says " the
head of the deceased was ornamented with luxurious
blonde (fair) hair." Bets, it appears, were made as
to the colour of the widow's hair. Fortunately (or
unfortunately, however, as the case may be) a per-
son, who says he saw the body of the victim twice,
said she wore a wig ! As to Kelly or Williams—
the myth or Mr. Harris—or the imaginary being,
as the prisoner's counsel called him, he really was
at Melun in person during the whole of the trial,
but this husband for a day left the town immedi-
ately upon its conclusion.
A person employed at the Hotel at Fontainebleau,
where the two ladies slept, told a traveller that his
master was afraid the murder might cause injury to
his establishment. So far from this being the case,
however, the hotel has become quite a card for
tourists, who go and visit it as one of the curiosities
of the locality. The coachmen and guiles of the
forest do not fail to take travellers to the spot where
the body of the victim lay for five days before it was
discovered. Nor is this all, for there is no want of
persons who go to sleep in No. 11 and No. 12 at the
hotel, the rooms occupied by the murderess-and her
victim, on the night previous to the murder. The
remains of Sidonie Mertens were interred in a grave
at the cemetery of Fontainebleau with becoming
respect, but in that portion of it which is devoted to
the burial of the poor. She was of course very poor
at her death, for "her friend" bad robbed her of all
money, although " without premeditation." The
effect, however, was the same. " Who steals my
purse steals trash." As to the " good name" of the
victim, that—but no, de nortuis.
Count de la Bedoyere, Senator, whose death I
mentioned, was born in 1814, and was consequently
53 years old. He was the son of the unfortunate
Bedoyere who in 1815 paid for his attachment to
the Imperial cause with his life. The deceased was
one of the Emperor's chamberlains.
More meetings of sovereigns are announced.
The King of Prussia was to meet the King of
Sweden and Norway yesterday at Cassel, after
which he would immediately return to Berlin.
Some writers always attribute political objects to
these Royal meetings, but it would bo almost too
much to imagine that Prussia wants to do anything
in the annexation line with Sweden. Perhaps she
only follows the advice of Earl Russell, who said
when you lose the friendship of one Power, " we
must make other alliances."
Ira Aldridge, the black tragedian who played
Othello at Varseillcs a short time ago without paint-
ing, died recently. He was on his way to St.
Petersburg. Alexandre Dumas wrote a work about
him a short time ago.
The iron-clad French Mediterranean squadron,
under the command of Vice-Admiral Count de
Gucydon, is at sea before Bastia, and in the course
of a month will be joined by three naval divisions
in the roads of Ajaccio. The squadron is constantly
occupied with various new and important naval
evolutions. The squadron will not leave the coast
of Ajaccio till September.
According to the Memorial Diplomatique, M. de
Beust is very desirous to announce to the Cham-
ber that the negotiations with the Holy See for the
revision of the Concordat are likely to lead to prac-
tical results. With a view to accelerate the pro-
gress of the negociations, the Minister has thought
it right to concentrate them at Vienna, and Baron
de Hubner, Ambassador from Austria to the Holy
See, will mine from Rome to the former city, in
order to take part in them. Baron de Hubner has
conferred with the Pope upon the subject, and there
is every reason to believe that his Holiness is pre-
pared to make any reasonable concession in order
to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the difficulties
with which this important mater is environed.
The heat has returned. It has been stormy and
showery like April. About three o' clock in the
afternoon the rain fell for ten minutes in what may
be truly described as torrents. The sun then again
shone with intensity. There is every indication of
a tempest ; indeed, there was a slight admixture
of thunder with the heavy rain.
A letter from 13rusels states that the Empress

Charlotte of Mexico is considerably improved both
in health and appearance, and a hope is held out
that she will yet be restored to reason. Her Ma-
jesty and the Queen of the Belgians drive out daily
in a pony chaise.
The inventors of startling news are very hard up,
for in political matters nothing is stirring but
stagnation. The last canard was that yesterday's
illoniteztr would contain something that would
astonish, if not alarm, the natives, but the official
journal was singularly destitute of exciting topics
or announcements.

LATEST INTELLIGENCF.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLORENCE, Aug. 16, Evening.

Chevalier Nigra leaves this evening for Paris to
resume his functions as Italian Minister at the
French Court. The Opinione, alluding to his de-
parture, expresses the hope that he will be enabled
to remove any ill-feeling which may yet exist be-
tween France and Italy relative to the strict ful-
filment of the September Convention.

MADRID, Aug. 16.