Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-31
THE THREE FRIENDS.
A NARRATIVE FOUNDED on FACTS.


THE THREE FRIENDS.
NARRATIVE FOUNDED ON FACTS.
Some years ago there resided at Brussels
three young men, named Charles Darancourt
Theodore dc Nalmont, and Earnest de ST..
Mature, whose friendship for each other was
of so ardent nature that they were general
y known by the title of The InseparaJics.
The first link which bound these youths to-
gethcr was the remarkable circumstance of
their having been all three born on one day,
and being all of good families, they had been
constant playfellows in childhood, had STU
died at the same academy as schooiboys, and
had become members of the same university
in their more advanced years. Through all
these stages of their existence, they had cx-
hibitcd the same unvarying affection for one
another, and had displayed great similarity
in their tastes, feelings, and pursuits. On
reaching manhood, however, circumstances
led them, as might have been expected, to
adopt different courses of life. Darancourt,
the son of an eminent physician, selected the
profession Of the lawas the road to emincnce
and responsibility in the world. St. Maure,
whose father was noblcman of decent for
tunes, chose tho army as most suitable to his
birth and prctensions. De Nalmont, on the
other hand, preferred the captivating study
ofletters and the fine arts to the pursuit of
his positive profession; and the circums-
tanccs Of his father, retired colonel of en-
gneers, enabled the young man, for the
time at least, to indulge his tastes in this
respect.
Ernest de ST. Maure, at the period whence
this narrative takes its date, had not vet
joined the army; but the imperial mandate
for Brussels was then within the dominion of
Napoleon) was looked for daily, and Count
de St. Mature and his lady we've preparing
their minds for parting with their beloved son.
At this time it was that Charles Derancourt,
who had been recently admitted member of
the masonic fraternity, took an opportunity
of suggesting to young St. Mature the pro-
prcty of entering tho same society. Daran-
courts counsel was founded on certain stories
of soldiers having fallen into the hands ofthe
enemy, aud having been saved by discover
ing brotllcr-mason in some of the captors.
snow, who Knows" cried the young bar
rister, with the ardor of friendships, "but
you, st. Mature, may be thrown into ST.
miiar situation, and may escape by the like
means :" Though disposed to look upon the
mysteries of masonry as useless mummcry.
st. Maurc allowed himself to be persuaded
by his friend, and promised to undergo mi
tiation at an early day. At the same time he
would consent only on condition of Daran-
court himself acting as sole initiator, which
the barrister, however irregular the proceed
ing might be, protested his willingness to
undertake.
During the Sunday Immediately following
the day on which this conversation took
place, Count dc St. Maure's house was obscr
we'd to be Shut up b, the neighbors. None of
the inmates, at least, were seen to issue from
it, though they had ever been remarkable
for their punctuality in attendance on tina
services oftl,e church. The neighbors, how
ever, merely concluded some of them to be
i'll. But at O'Clock in the evening, Charles
Darancourt and Theodore de Valmont cal
led, in order to spend social hour with the
family. Their repeated knockings at the
door remained unanswered, they at length
alarmed the ncighborhood. The door was
burst open, and to the horror of the specta-
tors four murdered bodies were found in the
various bedrooms.
The corpscs, whose threats were shock
ingly cut, were those OF the Count dc ST.
Maure, his lady, and their two servants. 1t
was found that desk had been broken omen
and plundcrcd of valuable jewels, known to
have been there. On this appalling discov.
cry, Darancourt, whose friendship for the
family was well known, appeared at first
paralyzed with grief When he recovered
from trancclkc stupor, he rushed from the
house, exclaiming, "My friend my dear
Ernest ! Where is my poor friend 2" This
exclamation called the minds of the spccta-
tors, for the first time, to the circumstance
of young ST. Maurc's absence. The autho.
rites were immediately called to tho spot
and among other steps taken, a search was
Instituted for Ernest de St. Maure. De VAL
mont, who retained much more presence of
mind than Darancourt had exhibited, con-
Quoted IN person the search for Ernest. But
the whole of Brussels was examined in vain.
The young man was to be seen nowhere.
At the solemn investigation which took
place into the whole of this tragic affair. cir
cnmstanccs came out which tended strongly
to fix the guilt Of parricide on the missing
youth. A pcnknile, marked with his mi
tlals, was found near the scene of slaughter,
covered with blood. This, to all appearance
was the instrument with which the murders
had been committed. Rewards were offered
for the apprehension of young st. Mature,
and in the estimation of all men he was ac-
counted parricide, until, on tho sixth NOR
n'ng after the murders, new turn waspiyen
to tho affair by the discovery of the youth's
body in a staenant well in the outskirts of the
city. AT first, indeed, as no wound was
seen on the body, twas only thought that he
had added self-destruction to his other crimes ,
J but, on a more minute examination, a small