Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-04-17
Nj | sc f l. l. \ n \
A Strange story.
IRON THK FRENCH OF AMEDEE AcHARp.

IkOh TIKI FRENCH Oh AMEDkE ACHARD.
Three days ago, II party met IN a chateau
in the neighborhood of Rambouilet. The
weather was gloomy, the sky was black.
The rain was falling. The company drew
near the fire round table covered with
books and papers.
Heavens, how cold it is, and how dismal
the wind sounds, whistIing through the
trees said young lady.
There was lying upon the table, among
the pamphlets, volume bound in leather,
which had for title the single word, Mid
night! She took it up.
DO you know the author of this book
she asked.
He is skilful sculptor, replied gen
tleman who was sitting by the fire, reading
paper.
Claude Nignon, q sculptor. 1t is pret-
ty woman and charming woman answered
a third interlocuter, who was touching the
keys of the piano in distant corner of the
room.
Woman or sculptor replied the young
lady who was turning over the leaves OF
Midnight, Claude Vignon has made book
which would not read alone, of an eve
ming, in such weather as this 1t makes
me shudder, only to touch it,
DO you believe in these stories of the
other world she resumed a moment after
Il don't know, answered un old g""tIe
man.
For my part, believe them said
sportsman, who trembled when a salt cellar
was upset, but was not afraid Of wild
boar.
The conversation thus pushed to the verge
of the supernatural, did not stop there
The chairs were drawn closer, the doors
were shut, and everybody told the stories
l.,L II In Io1
door, every one would have started with
terror.
Il knew man. said an old gentleman,
who for ten years had been occupied with
an intermiuable lawsuit, on which depend
ed the fortune and almost the honor of his
family. NJ. de I. was then forty years old
lie was dry man, little bald, with in
tensely black eyes, and brave enough to fear
nothing TO secure the success Of hs law
suit LIE required certain papers, Wit ont
which he could do nothing. lie was almost
certain OF their existence, but no search,
however minute, had discovered the place
whore they were hidden. lie had a hundred
times overturned all the family furniture
and all the portfolios of his notary. No
trace seemed to exist of these paperS, which
contained ircontestahle proof, Of his right,
and the innocence of his cause. But MIR.
de T. was not discouraged.
Il will spend my fortune to the last sou
and my blood to the last drop, said he
After which, il do not succeed, | viii
blow my brains out lie was man to
keep his promise.
There was in the T. family tragical
story which had never been cleared up. An
old man, the Baron de NJ. had died suddenly
one night. lie was found dead and stiff il
his bed Was this event the result Of sui
eide or murder No one knew. Some
backened papers were found in the chin
ney. A secretary was open in the room
but it was one which the old man never
used The door was shut on the inside
and there was no trace Of its being forced
One of the half burned papers spoke Of
will, by which Mr., de Z. was made univcr
sal legltee Of the baron's fortune, but the
will itself had not been found. Meantime
as the end OF the paper which had ESCAPED
the flames was the. authentic writing o
Baron M, NJ. de L. was put in possession o
the estate: Collateral heirs came forwart
and maintained that the baron, having him
self destroyed this first will, some Grim
must have been committed. An old hunts
man, who was in the confidence of his mas
ter, would have been able to tell the trutl
about these documents which coul
not be found, and the existence of whic
was ettuDllbneu ny ttle eAdhlnhNlOnH. Dut II
was absent from the castle on the fital night
and on the day of his return, died Of ape
pleIy on entering the room of his dead master
Soon after, came on the lawsuit, th
result of which NJ. de T. rad been await
ing for ten years.
One day he came to the resolution TO T,
turn to the chateau of r., and search
from top to bottom, and in every corne
To he sure, he had done it twenty times BE-
fore, without forgetting a closet a cahil
or drawer, but perhaps some article mlslal
IN the confusion, might have escaped searcl
and, moreover, there was one thing !
meant to try. IIe.started therefore, an
reached T. on an evening in autumn.
For three days he gave himself up to Il
most minute researches opening ahandon'
trunks and sounding the walls. lie dl
covered nothing NJ. de T. announced tn
he should leave the castle the next day, Al
they left him alone lie was ina sptclol
room which served as II library, and V
near that in which the old man died III
library separated the bedroom from \ 8
lery, ia which were several old painting
ard among others, the portrait cf the hunt
man who had died in u tit AS he entered /
masters chamber.
This picture represented the huntsman
the moment when, wounded himself
was killing wild boar who had beat
down the master Of the castle, The :
was black, and the scene was represent
on the edge OF IL forest ON the borders OF
pond.
NJ. de r. had been sitting for two hor
in the chimney corner, IN great cha
The fire was dying out, Two tapeis on
table hardly served to illuminate the win
Of the room, which was made more dark
violet colored curtains 1t was cold, a
the rain pattercd against the windows
Hold, ,'s,d NJ. de f., between his teeth
is the same kind of weather as it was
day when that poor Claude was wounded
killing the boar,
lie drew near the fire and began to
range it, 1t was not extinguished, he e.
fagot and threw it into the chimney
A thousand sparks arose, but it did
blaze up.
AS he murmured the name of Claude