Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-06-30

/ wealth.
On reaching his hotel situated on the Quai
de Jourdcllc, between a court and garden, and
which still bears his name, NJ. dc Ncsmond
found a letter from Versailles summOning him
to court on pressing business concerning his
diocese He Immediately repaired thithcr,i in
tending to remain IN the city only q day or
two at most but, contrary to this expccta
ton, he was Obliged to sojourn there nearly
two weeks, the great King being then cXclu
+ sirriy occupied with the preparations for the
building Of Marty, aud his nIaicsty's minis
tcrS were Obliged to assist at this important
juncturc. At last, ". dc NcSmond obtained
his audience; after which, hc hastcncl to re-
turn to Paris whittier his own interests sum.
moned lin.
At he moment when, on his return from
Versailles, he alightcd in the court of his no.
To-, he found it occupied, TO his great surprise
hy three or four polircr"n, armed with mus
kcts, who were gravcy mounting guard there.
" What does this m-au, my ficnd :" said he
to onr Of them. "What are you doing here
"Y"n can see for ynnrScli,' replied the man
with the mu,kct, roughly; we are guarding
the avenues of the hotel, that the roDbcr may
not escape"
"1hc robbcr!' exclaimed the terrified pre-
late a robber here! And who, in heavens
name, is hc!'
81 do not know ask the captain, who has
his description. As for nc, my business is to
>tanh sentry; the rest does not concern me"
AS he said these words, the policeman re
cnllmcilccl paS>inS backward and Elrward,
Whist;ing some lively air then in vogue.
-. 4 ruI,brr il, my ltotcl! 1t is an al,onrina-
tom" said the good Bishop t1 himself, as he
assembled the stairs.
But what were his confusion and g,cf when
on entering the grand hall which. led to his
apartments, hc found it invaded by u police
officer and two or three men like those who
were standing sentry without. In the same
room were assembled all his servants, aud
their disturbed mirn testified hut too well to
the nature Of the dn:v which the policeman
were at this moment fulfilling.
However, it appeared that the researches of
the officer had been fuitrSs, for he was pre-.
Iaring to leave with his men, when, on NJ dc
NcSmontIs entrance, they met face to face
Unacru>tomcd to The reception Of such visits,
the Bishop could not conceal the aversion anl
terror which the latter caused him, and at
sight of him rccoilrd As for the officer, he
had scarcely looked ut II. de Nesmonl whcn.
nttering Significant Hum hum" he east
his eyes on the paper he held in his hand and
read it hastily.
ut is indeed he sail he, intcrruptin: his
examination, to fix on the a>ton>hcl Bishop
an investigating eye "white hair, an almost
venerable figure, medium stature, erclrsiaSti-
cal costume-hc does. indeed, answer the de-
Scrption Of the robbcr of whom | am in
Search"
"What say you my friend: :" said the ter
rticd Bishop, while Il >huddcr Of horror seized
the spectators.
1" In the name Of the king and OF the law"
said the officer, putting his hand on the Bi,h-
ops collar, d" arrest you! You will accom-
pany me, if you please, to the M'tclet, when
the Lieutenant General Of the Police will un
dertakc tQ@ntcrogatc you"
"Do you know my friend, with whom you
have to dral:' asked his reverence in constcr-
nation.
"Ycs, know, and that is what plrases me-
Your movement of terror did not escape me.
Come quick, aud march willingly resistance
is useless DO your duty" added the officer
turning to his men.
The virtuouS NJ. DE Ncsmond was immrdi-
atcIy, in spite Of his protcStatinnS and the cia.
morS of his people, Scizrd and violently ,lragg-
cd to the great gate of his hotel Near it wa,
stationed a carriage, which he was compelled
t. enter. The officer aud two of his men took
their places beside him. The rest of the squad.
ron climbed as well as they could ON the front
and back of the carriage, which started OFF at
a rapid pace.
leave you to imagine the StupcGction Of
the household in the hotel at seeing my lord
led away as criminal.
"What Saclilcgc!" said the almoncr, cross.
ing himself.
"AlaS! wretch that am" exclaimed the
steward, shedding tears; it was who. hyrr-
fuSing my lord money, compelled him to steal.
I al, 81 Al
cr than fail Of giving aims"
In short, at the end Of quarter of an hour,
there was not q person in the hotel who WAS
not fully convinced that my lord had really
and truly stolen for the poor; and an hour had
not rolled away before this incredible excess
Of charity was rumorcd throughout the whole
neighbOrhuod.
Meanwhile the carriage rolled swiftly toward
the chnt(|tt, and the more NJ. dc Nc>mond re.
pcatrd that there was a mistake, and that he
was the Bishopof BaycuX, the more did the
police officer appear to be confirmed in his
opinion that he really had the rolbrr whom he
had received orders to apprchcnd.
"You are the Bishop Of BayruA:" he would
invariably reply; undoubtedly our robbcr
also, styled himself the Bishop of Baycux-
/, Iou { caught in your own trap. You cannot
catch me with such prctcnccs."
So the unfortunate prclatc, recognizing the
usclcSSncsS of his protrStations, resolved to re-
main silent and be resigned.
Scarcely had they arrived at the chatehI
when he was introduced hy the officer into the
, cabinet of the lieutenant Of police, who was
then NJ de Noycr IL ArgcnSon.
"My lord,' said the officer, "hcre is the
robhcr whom You ordered me to arrest"
M. dc NcSmond!" exclaimed the magiS.
tratc, struck with aStoniShmcnt at the sight
Of the venerable bishop. "What have Won
done, wrctch:" said he to the police officer
in terrible tone.
Executed your orders, my lord Here is
the description you gave me; read it, and
compare for yourself"
"My lord" said the magistrate to NJ. de
: Ncsmond, after having cast his eyes over the
: document, how many excuses have to make
you for this blunder of this stupid fellow
The occasion of this dcplorablc mistake is, in
/ few words, as follows: One of my relatives
who lives at BayeuX, the Marquis de c.,
wished to remit to me the sum of two hund
red lOWiS and sent to request your secretary to
take charge Of it. Now, the servant who was
the bearer of it having been indiScrect enough
to coniidc it to a stranger, an ecclcSastic ap-
parcnty, whoimpudenty assumed your name,
and insisted upon taking charge Of the sum-
my relative Immediately conceived the gravcst
/ suspicious as to the real quality of the per-
sonage and thought it his duty to send me n