The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-05-05
The Countess was stupiAed alike from as.

Inc Countess was stupi0ed alike from as
tonishment and fear. So much of audacity
surpassed her imagination Of all that impu
dence could think of doing. But then ho,
was she to act, situated as she vast Shou
she refuse to despoil herself Of her gold AM
diamonds! 1t would be to expose herself l.
outrage. A man capable Of having conceive,
and executed SO rash project aud to expires
himself so boldly, would not rccoil from an,
consideraton, and would crush every obstacle
to attain his ends. The Countess having in
dulged in such reflections, would doubtless
have instantly complied with the demanc
made on her, if the remembrance Of her hus
band had not come to her assistance--for sh.
recollected that the richest ornaments in hel
jewelry case had been from Lim-and then
how could she consent willingly to part from
the last tokens Of bis love that remained tc
her?
81 consent" she said, (" TO give to you the
sum of money you ask from me; but the Jew.
elcases is the bridal present of my DECEASED
husband, and | cannot part part with il with
out insulting the memory Of one, that | onor
even you yourself, will that ought To
do so"
al think" he remarked, that 1 told you
that ! wanted all that have specified -
Nothing less than what have stated, can
free me from the embarrasemcds in (which I
am placed. 1t is all that hope for from
your goodness, and that 1 exact with the
GREATER earnestness: because am certain of
discharging, all owe you in less than two
years"
The words exact" added to the anxiety
of the poor Countess. She stood up, opened
her secretaire, gave to the stranger the gold
that it contained. and then taking the Jewell
cases, she with tears in her eyes. placed il on
the table before her, hoping that the despair
which was pictured in her countenance,
would be more eloquent and more persuasive
than her prayers.
1t was Of no avail, however. The strange
visitor took up the bag, containing the gold,
the jewecase that enclosed the diamonds and
ssn secret Fssldng al ssd h b. to keep profound
repeated to her the eopfidonce he entertained
of yet paying the debt, and disappeared, leav-
ing the Countess overwhelmed with terror
and with grief
II would be difficult to describe the various
emotions, that subsequent to this adventure
agitated the Countess. The sacrifice she had
been forced to make, was without doubt,
dreadful one; and yet the loss affected her
less than the reflections induced by such a
visit from person who was uobly born. and
highly educated. The terror that the circum-
stances caused her, however, made her dis.
Greet.
Scarcely fortnight had passed away from
the time the nocturnal visit had been paid,
When in the middle of the night, the Countess
was avs kened by the noise of something
heavy falling into her room, which thrown
from without, and that had penetrated thus
far, after having smashed one of the paues Of
glass in the window. The noise was not suc-
ceeded by any other, and the Countess hav-
ing recovered from her fright, or rather her
curiosity being greater than her fears. she
searched for the object that she was sure had
fallen on the floor. II was stone, which was
enveoped BY a letter most respectfully word
ed, and containing an exact account of the
taken from her. This act of fon.
esty appeared to be vcrv singular on the part
Of one, that after all she could not but re.
gard as rob5er. Astonished at this new act
Of the mysterious individual, she put both
pieces of writing in her secretaire, and deposi-
ted them in the place formerly occupied by
lhe valuables Of which she had been despoi-
id