The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-05-05


night hour-such midnight - one only be
hold in Vehice--she saw him re appear 10 tn
centre Of her chamber, wearing the same dles
that he did at Vienna, and at Munich; ant
still masked r
i "Tfis is the lak visit of this kind, that
shall pay YOU" le said. "Now, I bring t.
you the full sum that you, in despite ofycur
self, lent mo two years ago. But, without sx.
amining into the causes Of your conduct,
may content myself with saying, that yo,l
money and ybar discretion have saved my
honor. AT PRESENT, permit ma to offer to you
the sincere expression of my gratitude, and to
beg also that you will accept as a testimony
Of this brilliant ring, which pray you to ac-
cept from me-"
Pronouncing these words, tho stranger look
from his finger ring, and laid it, at the same
time with the purses Of gold upon the table,
which was close to the couch on which the
Countess was repospg. The latter, That
fright had nearly psrslyzed, recovered grIdu-
ally from her fear, and said
"But who are you, sir, who attach 80 much
value TO the service that I have done? Per.
NIT mo to assure you that uy discretion ~;li
be the best security for anysecrel you may
please to confide in me-"
al can easily believe il, Countess, especial
" when you find that the secret is one in
which both are equally Interested"
The unknown finished those words, by
tearing off his mask, and easting il from him.
"Good Heavens |" shrieke1 The Countess,
as she looked in the face OF the unknown; sit
is-it is nv husbandl"
Yes" answered the count with deep emo
tiop, ~ am he for whom thou has long
mourned as dead, and who, without thee,
would have lost both honor aud liberty
These are my adventures. was dangerous
ly wounded at the battle Of Muskowa, and by
mistake returned as among those who had
been killed. l was brought as prisoner in
to the deserts Of Siberia. Iu frightful state
of misery, and without the possibility OF ap-
prising you that was living, | passed there
the entire time of my captivity. An ukase
of the emperor gave me, at length permission
q return to France, when, as passed through
put upon me, bv the son of a great Russian sian
Lord. / killed him in duel fought between
us, and although my adversary was altogeth-
er in the wrong, and that be did not hesitate
to declare before dying, yet as his family were
very powerful they swore TO have vengeance,
and did everything they could to carry that
VOW into effect"
81 was arrested and imprisoned. The
prosecution against me had commenced, when
the Czar, learning what had happened, and
the public feeling that was general in my "a
vor, ordered me to be set at liberty, and
brought beyond the frontiers Of his empire, on
nv way to France. After such a decision, I
might well believe, as we'll as those WHO took
an interest in my fate, that I was saved from
the fury Of my enemies; but it turned out
otherwise, for my foes were numerous and
powerful. notwithstanding the decision of
the emperor, they obtained my incarceration
anew, until had made full payment of a
sum of sixty thousand roubes, equal to about
two hundred thousand francs, in which 7 wac
amerced as damages; for in Russia, it seems,
that price is set upon the life of human
being.
was again arrested; but thanks to some
friends I was able to escape, and reached
Germany, from whence | wrote that recog-
nizod myself debtor to the amount of the
sixty thousand roubles, and promised 10 send
thom, IN the shortest possible tlme-and then
determined to conceal myself with the great
est possible care. Had / acted differently, /
should have been given up to the Russian
government.
By the means Of the forced loan from your
SELF and the aid of some friends | was able
TO meet the pecuuiary demand Of my enemies,
and to obtain a iul acquittauce, as well as an
order for my perfect freedom from arrest for
The future. Once having this order in my
hands knew that / could appear iu public.
Your secret removal from Munich prevented
ne from seeing you before now; having dis
covered it, determined to play out the part
'f the mysterious visitor TO the end. !"
II was thus thst the Colonel terminated
MS recital. Sine then he has lived in hap
oiuess with his wife at the chateau at Wal
'lein which IS but few leagues distant from
Jenna, ~. .sf