Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-11-02


Con you guess what he isl
Yes: he is the man who broke his compact
with me in the bagne at Toulon, and spurnsd
me away with his foot as he sprang over the
wall. Imust have him back it is only Justice
1ood morning; and the old forcat went into
the prefecture sac
This time he was apparently but little more
successful than on the former occasion but the
functionaries were surprised at his pertinacity
and considered it due to the character of the
count to send some one to him to hint delicately
at the calumnies that were abroad They told
the informer, therefore, that inquiries would be
made, and directed him to call the next day, in
the idea that by that time they would have au-
thority to take him into custody. He was
pleased accordingly with his success He dined
cheerfully; spent the afternoon in walking
about; in the evening felt hungry again, but
resisted the temptation to commit theft, lest
he should be locked up from the business that
engrossed him and at night, being perfectly
moneyless, he repaired to one of the bridges to
sleep under an arch.
This was the most quiet, though by no means
the most solitary, bed-chamber he could have
found for that night every crib in Paris was
searched for him by messengers who would have
''Ienced him in one way or other. As it was, he
lay undisturbed except by his dreams, and the
ftful moonbeams glancing like spectres upon
the water. Sometimes he awoke and fancied
himself in the prison of Toulon, till reassured
by the voice of the river which murmered in
his ear, I" 1t is only Justice" Then he felt
hungry, and the night air grew chill and the
hard stones pierced his limbs and he thought
Of the thousands and thousands of francs that
had been offered him, and of the pleasure and
dignity OF robbing in q band commanded by
nobleman: But then he shrugged his shoulder
by means of which Coignard had stepped upon
the well and looking forward to the morrow,
grim feeling of satisfaction stole over his heart,
the indulgence of which seemed better than food,
money, or honor. And then the moonbeams
disappeared on tho river, and the wind moaned
along its bosom, and the waters answered with
a hollow murmur which syllabled in his ear,
Justice-justice and he fell into pro-
found slumber that lasted till morning
The project in the meantime had employed
General Despinois to wait upon the count; the
latter. instead of meeting the charge with incre-
dulity, ridicule, or indignation that had been
expected, made quiet spcecos, and entered into
long explanations, and the astonishcd envoy re-
turned to his employer hardly able to form an
opinion. That opinion, however, was at once
como to by the more experienced authorities Of
the prefecture and after minute examination
of the inlormer, who had planted himself at the
Office door long before it opened in the morning,
it was determined to arrest the count on suspi-
cion of being an escaped felon. But this was
only what he had expected, and for some days
all Paris was searched for him in vain They
tracked him at length to house in the rue Sain
Maur; and although he defended himself with
his pistols both Of which he discharged at th
gems darmes, he was ovepowered, and takel
into custody. The revelations made in this del
of thieves identified him with the mysteriou
chief of banditti who had so long kept the cit
in awe; and being conducted to the prison Q
La Force, he was tried for various distinct rob
berries, us we'll as his evasions from the bagne O
Toulon.
narrative like this, with it's circumstance
laid only few years ago, wears an air of i'm
probability; but many presentations quite a
extraordinary took place at the close of the rcy
olution. The peculiar feature in the case c
Coignard, is, that the imposturc was followe
out to the very lust, in spite of the legal expo
sure. He would not plead by any other nam
than his fictitious one and tho president of th
court was obliged to call him simply, "Yo
accused y When transferred to his old quar-
ters at Toulon, under sentence of fetters for lif
he preserved the calm sedate dignity of an ir
jured man, and was much respected by the othe
forcats, who always addressed him by his ASST
med title. This character he continued to HI
death and perhaps ho ended by persuading eve
himself that the companion of mobiles, and tn
plotegc of king, was in reality the Count d
Sainte-Helene.-Tait's Maga=ine.