Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-07-02
my heart, and what am l now to think Or "A

I" Look at me well in broad daylight" re-
sumcl the cOmCdicnnP, without replying,
drawing him imuctuously towards the clnbra-
sure Of window.
"WclIY" saii the President, fixing upon
her All earnest eye.
"Well! you must sce that you do not know
me :"
Heavens! what ohstinacy!" exclaimed
Iiandcc at these words, and again completely
desperate. what in this very house do
you dare to pcrSevcre in this cruel disavOwaI.
But what is your object in coming, since you
seem determined to drive me to cxtremities
10y this imposition 2"
At this moment light steps were heard be-
hind the door, which almost Immediately re-
sounded beneath a cautious knock.
"Thcro Is, doubtless, my reply" continued
the actress, extending her hand towards the
point whence the sound proceeded, whilO an
indcScribable expression Of triumph and ha-
tired CLEANED in her eyes.
"WhO can it bc Mt this hOur?" said the
magistrate, surprised "Some intruder, will
wager; 50 | will take care not to open TO
him"
"Opcn, open, insist" exclaimed the nc
trcSS.
" But arc you not afraid that OH finding you
here"
'tPrn, tell you; it must be sO I insist
upon il, repeated she, in that absolute tone
which admitted ONO denial. Aud, on saying
these words, she hastily replaced the black
velvet mask which she had taken oil at the
entrance.
The magistrate, yielding to this imperative
tone, directed himself mechanically towards
the door, and opened it. But how he was as
founded, when, in this disturbcr Of tho fete
tetc, he Observation-Disclosures MOliere.
II 1t was not she, It was at least her perfect
image and her living counterfeit. The same
phySiognOmy, the same feature, the same form,
all combined to complete the most perfect
identity. Never had twins been endowed
with such similarity, and doubt whether
Mercury himself, borrowing the figure Of SOsia,
could produce moro complete illusion.
The astOnshcd magistrate rccOiled three
PAGES, and ;inccrely believed himself to bc the
sport Of some sorccry.
"a woman herc!" cried the new Bciart in
n tone Of offended pride. "Ah! president,
could have expected to have received from
you such an insult"
Aud as the latter, at the height Of astonish-
mcnt, sought to stNmmcr some inc0hercnt cx-
cuses, the other Bcjart arose, and stopping his
mouth by gesture, addressed the new conner
in voice trembling with anger, in these cold
terms:
Madcmoiscllc, | am not hero for an unwor-
thy motive. am cOmedicnne of the prov
inccs who wish to make my debut on the thea
trc Of NJ. MOlierc, and as this gentleman has
somc interest in me, he wished mo to come
here to ask your aid in facilitating the exccu.
tion Of my project May l rely upon your
good willT"
with pleasure, madcmOiscllc," )" stammcred
with visible embarrassment, tho person thus
addressed. "But have not over n. Moliere
the influence which you suppose, and can
not"
"Ah, mademOisCIlc, returned tho othcr, 81
am assured to the contrary. Ihave heard, too,
that you were so kind, so Obligingl"
"Prny, mndcmoisellc, let me rest" cxclairn-
cd tho last conner, impetuOusly. AZ repeat
and protest 10 you, that can absolutely do
nothing for you!"
On prOnOuncing those words she darted on
the magistrate, still dumb and nlotionlcSs looks
full Of anger, and was preparing to vcproach
him for his indiscrctiOn, when the appearance
OF two new pcrsonages came to Ycndcr this
confused scOnc still moro complicated. TlseAe
were no less than the cOmcdicnnc Bciart &C.
compancd by person whose air and bearing
bctOkcncd the police officer.
My sister," said the comedian to the e.
male VINO was without mask, " have come
myself to seek you for tho rehearsal of the
opera to DC played this evening. Come quick
Iy; everybody is there, and waiting for YOU" I"
Heavens what is this ?" exclaimed the
true or pretended sister, in excessive trouble,
:" This is snare, II treas on. You takc nc for
another. am not your sister,"
How VOu nrn nOf INV u;ut,,r ~
Jacques, whose turn it was now to be sur.
prised. "Who arc you thcny''
IAN infamous woman, and an imnoster 7"
exclaimed, in laundering tonc-and wrestling
of her mask with vioIcncc-thc truc Briort'
whom the reader has, doubtless, long ago dis
ccrncd.
" II is all over with mel" mUrmurcd the
other with terror, as shc recognised her own
features in those Of tho celebrated actress.
=" will accompany you, brother" continued
Mndcmoisclle Molicre; "but first, Monsieur
FOlice-otlicCr, seize this woman, who has stolen
my n0mc only TO disgrace il"
Pardon, pardon, for her, Madcmoisclicl |
exclaimed the magistrate, with a heart. .rend.
ing expression, and throwing himself at the
feet OF la Bcjart. "Spare her, cOniuro YOU.
she resembles you SO clOScly!"
mo, no-n0 pity for the creature! I" replied
the actress firmly. "Police olIcer, do YOUR
duty"
lie obcycd; and whilo ho led away the
weeping damscl. lIcart said to his sister:
Upon my word, had reason for my lest.
ing, yesterday, and do not know indeed whe.
ther it is not yourself who is under arrest"
The false Bcjart was taken before n Justice
and there 1t was discovered that this woman
named La Tourellc, who was, in fact, the liy-
ing portrait of MadcmoisclAc Molierc-had
more than once protited by this singular re.
semblancc, to entico into her nets the unfor.
tunate atlOrcrs Of the brilliant c0medienne. She
was condemned along with Ledoux. hOr In.
oltual agent, to submit to tho shame of pub
lie exposure before the dwelling Of the person
whom she had outraged, that is to say. be-
meath the windows Of the Hotel Gucnceaud.
where MademoiSelle MoIiero lodged. This ad.
venturCr made great noise IN Paris. II was
said that interest had much to do with the
lmplacable resentment with which the actress
pursued In Tourelle, and that she Vrudrel
her the benefits which legitimately belonged
to herself La Bejart,
However, that may have been, the vengeance
Of the actress had It's course. and the ancraN
was executed On the day when L. ToureIle
was exposed in the presence Of an immCnso
concOusc. there was remarked, near the Dlat.
form o. disgrace. . man, whose decent oioth.
ing and respectable figure formed singular
contrast with those Of the ragged crowd around
hlm: This was tho President Landelle. Who
continued to adore Mademoisello Moliera In tha
person Of In TOurellc, Whan the aaA oxhihi.