Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-12
a NEGET ADVENTURE AT BsI-
ENNE.
BY THE DUTcHEss OF AnaASrrs.


By THE DUCHESS OF AnRANTEs
! have heard the Emperor relate verv extra
; ordinary transaction which toCI- placs az Ri
enne, at the time when thst mansion (the resi-
dence Of the Comte de Brienne. and his brother
: the Cardinal de Lemenie, ArchbishiD of T7u.
louse,) was the rendezvous Of all SORTS Of plea.
Sures and amusemsnts. The Emperor was nCs
then admitted into il, though he vas afterwards
and treated with particular kindness and va
learned many things that passed from such ol
his comrades whose family connexions caused
them to be admitted at the chateau during the
vacation.
4 young man belonging to Ma5a ne do Brl-
enne's society was Of 50 disagTeesble q temper
that nothing could live IN good kaTEnouy WIll1
him. Among other presenSions, be declared 10
never knew what il was to be frightened. Ocs
day the discussion on this subject grew warm
-Four persons of the company offered 70 lay him
a wager that he eOuld be frightened before tho
end OF six months. He accepted the bet; and
! he was to pay OBe hundred louis if be lost. anl
one hundred louis were to be paid him by tEs
| asssilants if he came of victorious in the con
test.
At first thiBgs went on well enough. Mor0ss
as the temper Of this mGn Was, il was not al
! ways proof against the Wsggesies Of his iI:euis
! The hlst month PASSED away, and lie net once
yielded to fear. Is had been agreed that tho
| affair should not be continued anywhere but e
! Brienns
Oae day the four friends being met. said 20
/ one another that it was sort Of disgrace not
| to have yet succeeded. One of them proposed
q plan which was adopted and put into execa-
/ ton that very same night.
/ have already observed that there was AZ
-, 81
| some remains Of a pavilion Of ancient c0nstTUc-
/ ton, where tie rats ate one Of the Able Nor
/ rellei's shoes; IN this pavilion beds were made
/ up for the young visitors, when there was mora
] company az the chateau than could be accom-
/ mOdat5d there. Just at the time sm speaking
/ of this happened 10 be the case, and the y0Jng
man, whose courage was under trial, a5 seI
/ several Of his friends was sleeping there
The weather had been stormy al dGy, auI
when they retired to bed the air had that heavi-
ness which is quite oppressive, an makes cns
fsel H.
Here's night fer an apparii.on .'' sad lha
young rsttiebTains to their friend
Let it come if it likes replied he; It
shall be welco me"
So saying he bowed to them with an iroaicL
air, =, retired 70 his own apartment.
The air, as I have said was sulty, the a.
mosphere oppressive. The young man throw
himself into an armchair, the TOrm-ezlen legs
of which were scarcely capable Of supporting
him, and there h3 had strange visions. Hrs
| thoughts soon became confused, and he sank
| into an Unquiet dOZe. His servant aWJks him
from this kind Of topper he went 90 bed almost
Ill, and overpowered By completely nervous
/ Impression, which could not Be natural. even
admitting the effect Of the temper.
The chamber in which he slept were at a dis.
tance from the whole occupied part Of the pa
vihon, which Of itself was quite lonely enough.
1t was very large, gloomy apartment. bad
stead with twisted pillars, and curtains trimmed
with Hungarian point, was the most cons sPicuous
piece Of furniture tina! it contained. lie loOksd
at it a long time before he got into bed.
Good God - be had said, &" il looks juss Hsa
a tomb ~
The droHsiness Oecasioned BY the oFervhelm-
| ing heat soon changed into q profound sleep
He was buIied IN his t-st nap, when he WAS
I suddenly reused by Dlaintive sound The
/ noise was close to him. He was lying upon his
he was continuing an interrupted dream. Tue
| four parts OF the curtains were tu-ned over the
| bed-post and against each Of them leant figure
/ in a complete suit Of srm0r, but mOhonlessi 81
/ lent and without any appearance OF HE
He gazed on them at first with surprise, and
presently with SOFT Of agitation
Whist DO you want with me % sail he,
know you you are here to irighten me, bat i
rive you notice that / an not afraid. You know
| our agreement, so leave ne, and abandon your
attempt"
As he thus spoke he lay down again gnt
| closed his eyes, bat the figures continued mo-
| tiouless and silent They retained the same
/ attitude, while the thunder rolled awfuly over
| the crazy pavilion, and made it shake 90 "a
foundation
Annoyed at this obstnacy he again raised
himself in the bed, and addressed one o. the
| figures. What do you want with U5l' SAID
| be. i have already told you that you don'I
| frighten me. You know our conditions adhere
to them, and keep your word as l keep nine
Still there was the same silence In this
| mOvelessness there wss something awful, tast
began 10 operate on the mind Of the young man
'' Begoue!' he cried to them, big drops Of per
spiratiOn trickled down his brow, and his teeth
/ chsttered BegOner' he reported, bsgOEa
Tam frightened i'
| The moment this confusion had escaped his
| lips, ne sank back in bis bed faint and gaspiog
( for breath. The figures remained mOtlnnless aud
/ silent as ever.
Gentlsmen," cried the young msn, beside
| himself Sc know Tot if you have made e2ni-
pact with the demons / believe for
1 recognise you under your visorS
and yet know not %ao
you are Leave me you aae"
frightened me what would you have
more 2"
The same silence prevailed.
| From the commencement Of this pleasantly =
the young man, fearing that it might be carried
farther than he could bear, had always kept
about him q pair Of pistols loaded, and ready
for firing He laid them on the nigb5 table Be.
| side his nod and that same uipht ha had exam
iued the priming; every thing was in proper or
der-he took up one Of them.
| " Gentlemen" said he, in . voice trsmulCU7
with emotion, Il call God to witness t5at what
ever accident may eusUe IS the lsult Ci him On
whom it shall light"
He cooked his pistol and frel at one Of the
four figures. None OF them stirred The uc-
fortunate man around whom they were planted
ceased to distinguish any object, % hear any
sound. dis hand trembled-he made last q.
| peal
Another shot:" said he, in a broken voics.
No reply. The second pistol was cred. Iha
unhappy man lOoked-not one Of the figures
had stirred. His eyes turned fTom the Objec.
that had struck him TO another object which he
saw before him. 1t was his own bSll that wa
returned to him. He gazsd aghast, and sans
back lifeless.
= The young gentleman who had engaged IA
Z this adventure cOnceiYing that they might Ind
their antagonist difficult to deal with, had or0ed
his servant to take the balls out Of his Pistois
I Each of them had one to throw 70 him, and
this was DONE without him PereeiVing H. By me
one Ut whom be had fred.
I
q The Way of the Trnitor is Hard.
e CORA. the correspondent of the Mobile Id
# vsrtissr and Herald says that Charles A. Wick
g life. the Union NJ. G. Of Kentucky has beer