The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-08-25

about him, and he was now reused TO MAXI
the reply. {" that no one had ever doubte,
his courage. and he begged to know tho
cause of the question" I" SIR answered
M Fouche. (" You are to be robbed and mul
ds,od this NIGHT" Robbed and murdered
NH, n;vht ~ exclaimed the thunder STRUCK
merchant of Bordeaux. Gracious heaven
can this he truel" 1t is true, " returned
NJ. Fouche. "You have seen how much OF
the truth, relative to your af,irs, am &C
ouninted with, and this also is The truth
NIy reason for putting question to you,
Il aiiec,ing your COURAGE, is this lfyou have
enough oi that qu lity, you will 90 to your
hotel, and retire to rest al the usual hour
placing your porrmanteau' as ss''ai' by yonr
bedside, and betraying no Suspicion TO those
around you. Only take Gro nol,;" fall
asIeep-nnd leave The res. to ne ltwil' be
UNNECESSARY. md indeed, improper Tor you
to look in the closets, or beneath the bed.
In sho,t, do nothing but so to rest us you
would do Mt home, and leave Tho rest to me
Have you resolution to do this y NJ. Da-
vance meditated little, as was not unIi,t'
ural, before giving AN answer. on which Tue
head of the police addressed him again. "il
YOU do not feel inclined to 90 through with
this affair, will procure one to personatc
you. This would render the affair more
difficult, and its success less certain, but
il might be DONE" "No, No." exclaimed
our friend, +" will do it myself. | vii
act precisely as you direct, leaving my
life in your hands" You may do So
SIR replied Fouche, "with perfect co"h
dence"
After a repetition of his instructions, and
receiving some farther particulars relative to
The intended attack on him, The worthy meT.
chant left NJ. Fouche, and having procured
a street vehicle, was driven to the hotel,
whittier he had sent his servant and carriage.
The evening was now pretty well advanced,
and ere Nj. Durance had rested himself anc
taken some refreshments, it wanted little
more than two hours Of bed time. The mer
cl,ant felt himself incapable OF going out
and he therefore sought book and sal still
But with his usual kindness oiheart, he did
not wish to confne others on his account
His servant Damary who was Partisan,
asked to 90 out aud call upon his friends.
=. By all means Joseph, " snid NJ Durance
90 to see your friends, but recollect to be
here again by eleven. " After this NJ Du.
rance attempted to read hut, finding, himself
incapable of following the meaning OF iwo
lines together, he laid down the book aud
thought.
Joseph returned punctually ai eleven, and
lighted his master TO bed. On being left
alone, the courage of The merchant almos,
gave way. He looked around him. As Nj.
Fouche had stated, there were two large
closets in the room. The thought that, ut
that instant, his intended murderers might
be there, came across the mind OF Nj. Du.
rance, aud he was strongly tempted tosatisiy
himself before he lay down. But he rccolec-
ted his promise-he remembered how accu'
rate tie intelligence of Nj. Fouche had heen
on other points-and he resolved to confde
in what had been stated to him, and TO obey
every direction. Having come firmly to
this conclusion, he put out the lights and
Law down on the bed. The counsel "nOt to
sleep" proved most superauOus in the case
of the homes, merchant. His mind and
senses were too much on the alert to per.
NIT him TO slumber Sometimes, within
the first hour aflcr he lay down, he thought
he heald stiled noises, but they were so con-
iinuous and led to nothing. AT length, how.
ever, ubou, half past twelve, the do"r of his
bed chamber opened, and glimmcr OF light
fell ON the opposite wall. Having purposly
arranged the bed clothes about his head,
in such away as to enable him to see with.
out being seen, NJ. Durance then behcld
three men enter, bearing dark lantern, and
each armed with dagger and pistols. One
OF them advanced to The bedside and seized
the portmanteau. In this PERSONS face. to
his horror, the merchant beheld The Inca
ments of his own servant. Joseph Demaray
The FIRST ac' Of the men was to rip up and
iiae The portmanteau; but while they were
doing so together each being unable seem
ingly, to trust his companions, NJ. DURANGO
heard them agree upon the necessity OF
his own immediate de ,ih. Ignorant OF the
means prepared by NJ. Fouchc ior succor,M
Durance felt perspiration upon his body
but he was no, kept long in this state. for
ere tie rilling Of the portmautcuu could be
completed, The closet doors burst open, five
or siS men rushed out, and in an instant
surprised robbers were in tho hands of jus.
tice. On the officers coming ont, the bed
room door, at the same time was opened
and lights brought in, showing that all had
been indeed thoroughly prepared Tor The re-
lief OF tho merchant and capture Of the oilen'
ders.
"Ah ha " Nj. Durance would here say
when narrating the story himself, "what
think you OF my second adventure! More
wonderful still than the first, was II
not tW
Whatever may be thought on this point,
there is obviously less Of mystery in tho
last incident than to the proceeding. The
extraordinary degree Of information display
ed by NJ. Fouchc, resulted simply from the
circumstances of the william Damaray having
written from Bordeaux to Paris, announcing
to his associates the p'ize which was com.
ing in their way. ltm may be thought that q
round about and dangerous mode for NJ. Du
rance was adopted for the seizure OF the of
lenders, and this may bo in part true. But
it is to be remembered that The slightest
symptom preparation would have awaken
ed The suspicions,o Demarav and would thu:
have prevented in all probability the capture
of his associates, who, though old offenders
had long escaped detection by the police
AS TO other points, NJ. Fonchc. doubtles,
had been afraid lest Durance, il informed
previously Of the treachery Of his servant
and other particulars. might have pre-
maturely done something to bctray th'
scheme.
The wretch of servant and his associate.
were punished as they well mcrited. NJ. Du
rance, grateful for his escape, blessed the
wonderful police of his country, settled hi
business to his satisfaction in Raris, and il
due time returned 10 Bordeaux. 1t was no
,ill after his return. notwithstanding man,
inquiries. that he could get any rational ex
plana,ion of the irst ofhis two adventures
Finally, however. by din' of local inves,iga
,ion. the mystery was solved. And what
does The reader think, was the cause Of III,
,hroo hundred louis being given 70 him, will