The Shasta courier., 1862-12-13
A Romance of the French Court

The death of Marshal de Castellane has
revived the souvenirs of our youth, when he
was pointed out to us as not only the last of
the prcur cheraliers des DANES writes the
Paris correspondent of the Court Journal
The history is as follows:
Madame de Castellane was known, at the
Court of Charles Dix, as the most refined
and elegant of all the ladies who surrounded
the Duchess d Angouleme. None who have
ever beheld that sweet and melancholy face
can ever forget its charming EXPIRE sion.-
Foreigners used to declare that, at the court
balls, the fair head and snow white complex
ion of Madame de Castellane lighted up the
long gallery even when more brilliant
and snowy beauties were ranged all down
the ve.vet divans on either side. But ever
was the wonder great that, while the fash
ion of the day compelled to such extreme ex
regarded. Madame de Castellane should be
always enveloped to the very chin, in gauze,
or gold tissue, as recorded in the various
potraits still extant, by the first artists of
the day.
The mystery was known to few. NJ. de
Castellane who had been most desperately
in love with his fair bride, and had obtained
her hand encers ct contre tOns, had retired to
spend the honeymoon at the family chateau
in Auvergne. He had been compelled ty
his military duty to absent himself now and
then and ON one occasion, sad present
iment rendered the parting more melancholy
than usual. He tore himself away with un-
wonted tears, leaving his lovely wife seated
by the fire, her face buried in her hands, un-
able to speak or move from the rapture Of
grief into which his departure had thrown
her.
The marquis mounted his horse and rode
to the end of the avenue, when, overcome by
the melancholy presentiment which had ta-
ken possession of his mind, instead of gal.
loping down the read as was his wont, he
returned to take another farewell. As he
approached the chateau he beheld the rud
DIV glare of flames through the easement to
which his eye was turned he rushed breath
less up the balcony, and. bursting into the
chamber, foundube marquise enveloped from
head to foot in flames, which had, unper-
ceived. caught her dress from the hearth
when he had left her. To seize her, and sti-
he the flames by rolling her senseess form
in carpet and curtains, was but the work of
an instant but the Doctors verdict was IA
tai to all hopes, save those Of the faithful
husband.
Life was not extinct. but that was all that
could he said but the whole frame was one
mass of burns. For more than three months
did the marquis watch by the bedside, night
and day. To save the body from scars and
cicatrice was impossible, and his whole care
was to save the face The constant. never
ceasing, ever renewed bathing of cold water
appears to have been the only remedy used
1t is certain that it was successful, for not
the slighnest stain or scar was visible upon
the face, while it appears that the neck and
shoulders were scanned and drawn almost
out of all recognition of human shape by the
horrible accident. They say that the mar.
quise preserved, :ll through her life, that
troubled and frightened expression stamped
upon her countenance at the moment of the
catastrophe. and that the strangeness of the
look was thought to form her greatest
charm.