Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-16

| eioC', ano-lt seemed with elaoor1te
care-placed the barrel of the pistol in
his mouth. 1t was most singular scene.
and NJ. Perrault was strongly excited. a
full comprehension of De Vcrnelle's de-
sign now flashed upon his mind. IL Was
plain that the wretched man contem-
plated suicide, and was endeavoring To
perpetrate the act in such q manner as 70
insure belief that he had been robbed and
murdered. 2 With loud cry, the officer
rushed upon him, struck the weapon from
his hand, and before the poor, appalled,
schemer could recover presence Of mind,
had secured his arms with small but
strong pair Of iron gives. ..
'' 1t is evident you are mad, said the
officer, curtly, al must take care Of
YOU" -EiTo'il5 it ..'- .Tl
"Fwas L was 7" cried De yerneIle.
in great excitement, struggling to free
himself; "butonly for the moment. The
fit is over now, and I am all right again.
Quite right now, l say; IL needed but
some one to appear, to speak 10 me, to
touch me, to drive the fit away. l am
quite recovered now. Take these things
off, man, and let me 60 on home"
at would be as bad as murder to
trust you to yourself Come with me-
[ will take care of you." .,-..........
De Vernelle resisted: but NJ. Perrault
was powerful, and, assisted by the gives.
did not find great difficulty in forcing
bis captive along. Arrived in the city,
he procured assistance, and the prisoner
was temporarily placed in the Chchy
gaol, charged with attempting selfdes-
tructiOn. ..
The whole circumstances of the case
were laid before the prefect, and rigo.
rous investigation was Immediately in
stituted. especially with regard to the
long-sealed mysteries of the Arras muir
ders-M. Perrault being charged with the
superintendent of the proceedings. In
the first place, that intelligent officer i'm
mediately proceeded with N. Ferrers 10
the neighborhood OF Arras-four miles
from which, and about six from the coun-
try residence of De Vernelle. was situated
the modest chateau of NJ. GrielIe. the
father of De Vernelle's alienated wife, who
although he lived in plain and unostenta-
tious style, was the owner Of considera-
be property. 1t was here that Madame
De Vernelle now lived, having sought an
asylum from most uncongenial husband
in the home of her youth, and it was
with her that the visitors sought an in
terview. With some emotion, Ferrers
met this unfortunate lady for the second
time. Her face was no longer blooming
and bright, 1t was still handsome; and
the soft, sweet expression of other days,
was attempered into look of mingled
sadness and resignation, which even the
slightest knowledge of her history served
to render touching and sanity. NJ. Per-
rauit showed her the ring, and inquired
# she remembered it as one she had pre-.
sented TO M. De Vernelle many years ago.
She answered directly, and with much
surprise, that she had never made her
husband such present, and this ring she
had never seen before; and then, imme-
diately, and as if some suspicion had
rushed into her mind, became agitated.
and added that perhaps her memory failed
her. N. Perrauit asked no more respect
ing the ring, but noted down the whole
OF this curious req! "a proceeding which
much increased the lady's perturbation.
he then asked her If she could remember
the events attendant upon her
marriage, and particularly whether NJ.
De Vernel!e was with her the whole of
the night Immediately following its solem.
nization This question produced dis
tressing effect. With slight shrek, NJ.
De Vernelle directed a piercing glance
at her questioner, became deadly pale, and
swooned away.
This occurrence produced the presence
of M. and Madame Grielle, and formal.
indeed, official explanation to the former
of the object for which the strangers had
visited his house. NJ. Grielle became
very grave Immediately, and had q pri-
vate consultation with NJ. Perrault, in
which he stated that from certain COM
munications which had been made to
him by his daughter, be had long been
harrassed by suspicious that De Vernelle
was implicated in the crimes which had
taken place in various parts of the Pas
de Calais. 1t appeared that she had fire.
quenlly heard him talking in his sleep in
a manner which caused her infinite as
tonishment and alarm, and had discov-
cred pecaliarities of disposition which
had possessed her with indescribable
aversion and dread Of him. The conse-
quenceS were series of matrimonial dis
agreements, and finally the return of the
wife to her parents. With regard to
whatever proceedings might be taken, NJ.
Grielle declared he would do his utmost
to forward the ends of Justice. 1t would
not have been safe, and would have ap.
peared like cruelty to his daughter, if he
had taken any hostile steps against his
own son-in-law upon the ground of mere
suspicion; but now the matter was taken
up by another party, these objections
vanished.
As soon as Madame De Vernelle had
sufficiently recover ed her composure, she
was again interrogated by M. Perrault: her
parents earnestly advising her to afford
all the information in her power as to the
eccentricitieS Of behavior and character
which had caused her to feel such a hor-
ror and detestation of M. De Vernelle.
The revelations were made with great
pain. The principal features of them
were-frstly, that NJ. De Vernelle, on
the evening of their marriage, had set out
for Paris with her, and that when some
miles on the way, he had taken horse
and ridden back to his house, stating
that be had forgotten something of great