The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-05-18
Madeline LavaIette;
4 Nvoman's Revenge.

of Toulon, severely wounded. A pa
troll of gen dUnes, in making thei
early morning rounds, discovered
him wing in pool of blood that had
evidently flowed from an ugly swort
thrust in the ribs. He was picked al
and carried home
Being person SO we'll known
every attention was paid to him, and
every effort made to discover tn,
would-be assassin. The dangerou,
state of the captain made it impossi
BILE to obtain the slightest information
from linn. The police could discover
but one trace of the unknown. Blood
was tracked from the scene of encoun-
ter to the sallyport at the Cast gneau
then it ceased The waters alone
could tell the story.
No clue was over after found. al
though the sharpest detectives Eou.
logne could boast We're on tite alert
Capt Malsherbes recovered slowly.
and as soon as he could bear question
inr, inquiries innumerable were asked
him. At first he seemed to know
nothing, except that be was suddenly
attacked; then that the assault was
too sudden and the night too dark
COR him to recognize his enemy; then
that he was too i'll to bear further
questioning, &c.
But from the fact that when dis
covered he had his sword in hand;
that his wound was in front; aud
and more than ali this that Il richly
embroidered handkerchief was at
tached to his sword that his watch
and other valuables were untouched,
his denials were received with disbe-
lief
The authorities gave up the matter
in despair, and it ceased to be thought
of except among his corps, and those
polite circles IN which the Captain
moved. There it was considered as
an 0Bd're ds hOHaeur, concerning some
fair one, and many were the tests the
Captain had to stand about that queer
poke in TIE ribs--an ugly place for d
pr0fessedly crack swordsman about
the DioUchoir. and, indeed, everything
concerning the whole affair.
The Captain bore it in silence No
word Of his confirmed the Slight in
uendoes sa,ilngly thrust at him by
clever little lawyers in petticoats.
No taUr Pos IN conwyial hours ever
furnished It stray glimpse at this dark
bjt OF bis history.
Time passed The Captain APP
peared as much as ever in society,
was as social aud gallant as of oil |,
and won troops OF friends His posi-
ton was distinguished one. OF cul-
tiyated mind, genial manners. gen
erous nature, his friendship was ever
cultivated. But although possessed
of a moderate fortune, rather good
looking, and decidedly dtiNgac, he
never married When bantered on
the subject, he answered evasiveIy,
looked grave, and shuddered. He
could have made his choice amid the
pretty girls Of Toulon easily, but ne
rather avoided paying amy exclusive
attention to any one, and never con
yer ed gaily on the subject OF matri-
mouy as other men did Among the
members OF bis corps, he was looked
mp to as brave, daring officer, and
to the ladies of his acquaintance, he
was the favored beau his escGpQde
with the unknown but enhanced his
interest III their eyes Alas this is
ever so Mother Eve will show her.
self in her descen lants, and Captain
Malsherbes was feted and lionized
more than ever when he emerged
from the seclusion of his sick-room.
The troubles just then broke out in
Paris The king, Louis Philippe, was
deposed and the regiment ordered to
the capital The captain arrived too
late to take part in the street-fghts
that had occurred, but was placed on
guard with his company III the Alice
de Longchamp, Bots de Boulogne.
At midnight feeble cry for help
was heard in this wood. His men
rushed forward and found him badly
wounded, and as before. He was con-
veyed to the Longchamp hospital, and
there his wound was dressed; his
company, during the time, searching
every nook for the assailant They
were as unsuccessful as the gen
d arms at T1ulon. Footsteps We're
traced as far as the Port Dauphine-
no further. The disturbed state of
Paris prevented all inquiry. The
Captain recovered slowly as before,
attended by skillful surgeons, and to
all the anxious inquiries of his com
rades he answered evasivelv. That
the unknown was no assassin; was
very evident. The Captain was found,
sword in hand, at the mercy of his an
tagonist, who might have taken his
life had lie chosen.
Malsherbes returned to his regi
ment after a convalescence of several
weeks cheered by the consultations
and sympathetic attentions of the fair
of Toulon. The regiment was sta
toned at Lyons, aud quartered at the
barracks at Fort 3rotteaux.
One week afterwards the Captain
was found severely wounded, and ly-
ing insensible in by-path,. the follow
ing curious billet pinned to his coat
Il have at last reached your leg. 1t
was true; it was his right leg-a saw
age thrust had penetrated the knee
near the patella, or knee pan, and