The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-08-11
NATIONAL WING.
From Blackwood's Magazine
THE DOG OF ALClBlADES.
(Concluded. IN"

uTbe Counts voice quivered as he pro
,onnced these last words, and a scaldint
tear coursed down his cheek
tyour wishes are orders for me- sait
Vassigny.
,our., continued the Count, that from thi.
moment YOU will see Madame de Marsanne
no more. Then, resuming a gay life, you
sb.lI make parade Of some intrigue, eithel
- .oc;etv or behind the scenes Of thea.
ire. which. by misleading suspicion, will
enable us 10 have the meeting you mus
desire as much as myself
~, "Vassigny reflected for few moments
and replied in firm tone
90 Monsieur lie Comte,' he said, have
long known you for one OF those men with
whom honor stands before everything; and
from the very first day made, as now, the
sacrifice Of my life. But am not bound
to do more and il subscribe to your de-
mand, ! have a right also TO stipulate a
condition.
WYou!' exclaimed Marsanne, with
represssd fury.
"sYes, ~ repeated yassigny, with indie
scribable energy my honour and my
heart render il my imperious duty. Pledge
me your word as gentleman, that for
every one, even for Madame de Marsanne,
the real cause of our duel shall remain an
impenetrable secret, and at once adhere to
all your conditions
"sYou love her, then, very dearly,
said the Count, with a bitter
laugh.
g. Enough to sacrifice my life, my ho-
'nour, even my love, 10 her repose.'
atAfter few instants Of silence, the
Count again spoke in a grave voice:
a'You do your duty as man of ho-
nour, sir, as ! have done mine; and | now
pledge you my word that for every one,
even for Madame de Marsanne, the cause
of our duel shall remain profound Sc
cret.' ,.n
"sOn your day, at your hour, ] am
ready said Vassigny.
"'I thank you, sir, depend on my word,
as depend on yours And with a digni-
fed wave Of the hand TO his adversary,
Marsanne left the room"
This violent scene had exhausted Vas
signy's fortitude; the Count gone, he sank
into an armchair, covered his face With his
hands, and wept like child.
Some weeks have elapsed and the char
acters of the tale are assembled at theatre !;
Marssnne, his wife, and Kersent in a box
Movillez and D'Havrecourt in stalls-Ma-
demoiselle Francine on the stage. Vas
signy, in one Of the proscenium boxes, has
no eyes or ears but for the actress. He
has kept his word to Marsanne, and Paris
rings with the scandal Of his attachment to
Francine. She is the Chie~ dAlcibiade.
Strictly honorable in the observance Of his
promise, he has neither seen nor written 10
Madame de Marsanne since the day of his
terrible interview with her husband. Such
sell. denial has not been exercised with i'm
punity. In few weeks, ten years have
passed over the head Of the unhappy Gas
+, ton de Vassiguy. His brow is furrowed,
his temper soured, and his amazod friends
attribute these sad changes to his insane
passion for the worthless Francine. He
plays high /; it is to supply the wants Of his
extravagant mistress. AT the club, Mar
same Is his usual antagonist, and always
wins. .Vassigny loses his temper with his
money, and says harsh things to the Count,
who bears them with exemplary patience,
for the hour of his revenge is not yet come.
But if Vassigny is supremely wretched,
Amelie de Marsanne is not less so. She
too, within few weeks, has changed SO as
to be scarcely recognizable; and on her
wan and pallid conntenance the outward
and visible signs Of breaking heart are
Enthusiastically stamped. In vain has she
striven to learn the reason Of Vassigny's
sudden and unaccountable enlargement
He steadily avoids her. She sees him in
public, SYSTEMATICALLY displaying his dis
graceful haison with low actress, constant
in his attendance at her performances, gal
Looping on the Champs, Elysees beside the
carriage he has given her. She catches the
1nnuendoes al his acquaintance, sneering at
or plying his infatualion, AT the theatre,
on the night in question, she is agonized by
the malicious jests of little Movillez, who
pitilessly ridicules Vassigny's absurd and
lgnoble passion. Early the next morning
Hasslgny receives one Of Kersent's cards,
with request written upon it for an i'm
mediate visit, Surprising his friend TO have
had quarrel, and to need bis services, he
hurries to his house. Kersent, who is
soundly sleeping, abuses his visitor for
arousing him, declares he has sent no mes
sage, and disavows the handwriting on the
card. just then the servant enters and an
nounces the arrival of yelled lady, who
waits in an adjoining apartment to speak to
the viscount de Vassigny.
With pensive and care laden brow, Gas
ton left his friends room, and entered that
in which the lady waited. But on the
threshold he paused, and a deep flush over
spread his countenance. He beheld Ma
dame de Marsanne. 49,.
II was indeed the Countess, who, in con-
tempt of propriety, and half-crazed with
suffering, had resolved 10 hear her sentence
from Vassigny's own lips. In vain she had
written to him--her letters remained unan-
swered in vain she had eglected no means
of seeing him--her endeavours had invaria-