Litchfield enquirer., 1864-07-07
A Mystery.

On the morning of the 25th of September l843, the body of man was discovered float Ing down the Seine, at Paris. On being taker out and examined by a physician, it was found that life had been extinct for several hours.- There was no marks of violence about the per son, save one small wound above the region o thc heart; but the physician gave it as bis opinion that this was sufficient to have caused death, and one of the principal arteries had been cut in such a manner as to cause an over How of blood in the cavities of the heart and lungs. This opinion was subsequently corrob- orated by other medical men, and they be came satisfied that murder had been com mitted by some person who understood the formation of the human body. It could not have been a suicide for had the man inflicted the wound himself, the knowledge which en- abled him to do it so scientifically would have taught him that there was no necessity of jumping into the water, as he would have known that death was certain. Again, it must have been done very carefully and suicide was rarely committed by person in his csol senses and with all the faculties of reason and intel lect in their proper order, capable of proceed ing about such matter with the firm hand which was evinced in the present case. So the physicians agreed that there had been foul play.
 The body was taken in charge by the auth critics, and was identified the same day as that of MT. George B--, a young Englishman of fortune, who had been studying at the Paris College of Medicine; his cousin, Partisan by birth, named Eugene N, also medical student, and myself were the identifers. I was at that time acting as assistant sur geon in one of the principal hospitals in Paris, and being an Englishman: had soon become familiar with MT. George and his cousin, who were then walking the hospitals.
 The intercourse between George and myself had speedily ripened into terms of close friend- ship. But with Eugene I never passed the boundaries of mere acquaintanceship, though our meetings were frequent, and affording the same opportunities for intimacy which had united me to his cousin. Perhaps my English nature instinctvely recognized countryman and congenial spirit in George, and rejected the Frenchman in Eugene. But even setting | this aside, do not think that I could ever have become the friend of Eugene, in the same in which l apply that name. Yet he was the one who would be most likely to win the hearts of strangers-men or women-wth his easy, pleasant, captivating manners; and, indeed, wherever he went he was made welcome, as a thorough gentleman and most engaging con- panion.
 He was the senior of George by about five years. His figure was small, and he had an air of ton; his features were small, but finely cut his complexion was pale, but not sickly :; his hair of light, fair color, and, contrasted favorably with it, thin, dark moustache. Add to this wonderful volubility of language in saying all sorts of pretty rothings-the gay vivacity of his French father mingled with the open candor of his English mother-and you have man capable of winning his way any where.
 George was the very opposite of all this.- His features were irregular; but to those who knew him there was beauty far higher than that of the formation of features in the strong ly marked intellectually of his noble brow and bright soft blue eyes. He was gentle even to weakness, and he was of slow, retiring na- ture Awkward to degree ia the society of the light and gay, he accepted few of the many invitations to the soirees of the metropolis invitations given, it must be confessed, chiefly on account of his cousin. But in the com panionship of some chosen friend, or when conversing upon scientific matters, all awk- wardness disappeared, and he became one of the most desirable companions. It was this love of science which brought us so closely to- gether, and in the brief course of our friend ship saw enough of him to lament his loss as much as if it had been that of brother.
 Notwithstanding the great difference of char aCCer Wnlcn eXlSteu between GeOrge ana Eu- gene, the strongest attachment bound them to each other. This may be partly accounted for by the fact that they had been brought up to- gether from childhood, Eugene had been left an orphan at an early age in the charge of Georges father, MT. B--, who, in taking care of the friendless child, forgot the wrath with which he had learned that his sister had married Frenchman.
 Mir. B--'s wife had died in giving birth to her only child, and he was too much en- grossed with business to give much of his time to his son; so that George and Eugene were only thrown upon each others comPanionshir for comfort and support in all their boyisl troubles and joys. As they grew. the dstinc N tive lines of their character became more mark ed, and gradually they separated from the same path and each took his own way. They still , loved each other as much as ever but they were like two men walking along two parallel roads each seeing and smiling to the other, but stil without being able to walk hand in hand. MT R. des;red that his son shoulC