The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-03
THE FLOWER OF RUEL.
By CHARLES 5. LANCASTER.
CHAPTER /.

$50 we have failed, altogether failed,
Monsieur de Brassyw
"Ma fol! yes, miserably. We could
not tell he would sleep in the palace.
We were all ready; he also was ready,
as Monsieur the Duc de Beaufort knows
by this time" .-- B
"You are as ready as before to dis
tinguish yourself, l suppose, and earn
these golden honors that France would
bestOw upon the man who had the mis-
fortune to be present at the death OF NJ.
le Cardinal
81 am very humble, but think the
office of 'rat-catcher to her majesty
would suit me-"
"Or that of 'rat-killer,' if the rats
name began with an NJ"
'.Truly, should kill the rat if i
caught it; rats that are not killed when
you catch them are apt to bite very seri-
ously when they get loose"
"There are many ways of killing rats
| have heard, NJ. de Brassyi"
"Yes, NJ. de Campion; in the country
they hunt them with little dogs and
shoot them for sport; also they employ
ferrets to kill them in their burrows"
"And in towns, NJ. de Brassy how do
they kill rats in .townsp
"Well, Monsieur, you see town rats
are very greedy, and court rats positive
ly glutl ons."
"Well, about town rats 7"
"Why, they generally die from eating
something that disagrees with them"
"And you think, NJ. de Brassy, that
certain gluttonous court rat that stores
up golden corn might eat something
that disagreed with himf"
"Truly he might; at all events if it
were set before him in such a manner
as not to excite suspicion"
"But how, if your court rat was very
suspicious-a very old, cautious rat 7"
''Then it would be more difficult. but
not even then impossible"
"Look you, NJ. de Brassy, you are
from Picardy, and new to Paris; will
tell you something of this court rat"
THAT is, his eminence NJ. lie Cardinal
Mazarin."
"Right-his eminence. Do you know,
NJ. de Brassy, that from the time of the
late king death to the present, scarce
ly a day has passed but certain lady,
whom you know; has planned and plot
ted'-
"As Madame la Duchesse de Chevre-
use only can plot, suppose !"
M. de Brassy! as said, ysu are
from Picardy. In Paris it is thought
dangerous to mention the names ofthOse
we talk about. AS was saying, not day
but has had its plot and its failure. The
fidelity of his servants has been tested
again and again; he has sat at table with
{ lie most deadly poisons in his favorite
dishes, and has escaped by refusing
them. He changes his cooks often; the
last died suddenly"
$50 heard"
"I'li tell you why. We-our party,
that is-had bribed the man; he found
it our, but showed no sign of suspicion,
and sat down to his dinner, and this was
what took place. had it from one of
his own people. His eminence sent for
the cook"
How long have you been in my SER
vice - said his eminence.
Two months tomorrow, your emln-
cnce.'
Good, my friend. Are you satisfied
with your placef You have no desire
to changer
"'None, whatever, your eminence.'
"Ah am glad that it is so. / like
to have men of genius i'll my service
and attached to NE, and you, Monsieur
-f
"'Coques, Jour eminence.'
"'You, Monsieur Coques, are man
of genius. Twill to-day show my ap-
probation of your services by an invita-
ton to dine with me. Sit down, Monsi-
eur COques, sit down.
"The man tried to decline; excused
himself on the score of dress, his hum
BILE origin; the honor was too much for
him. 1t was uneless ; he was obliged to
sit down.
"'You will, Pm sure, excuse me
Monsieur Coques, said his eminence;
"but have made vow to taste moth
ing but some eggs and some water for
twenty-four hours, and my time does
not expire until this evening at mid
night therefore you will honor me by
taking to yourself that dish of lamb,
which looks tempting enough to force
me from my VOW if Iwere not cardi-
nal. Also you will excuse me Pm sure,
Monsieur Coques, if l cali one of my
guards
"He called one of his guards, and said
to him, Monsieur de BaZan, you see that
chair opposite that dish. If, in half an
hour, the dish is not empty, fire at
whatever is in the chair. Also if, dur
the half hour, the chair should appear
likely to become vacant, it would per-
haps be as well to prevent it becoming
so by firing. Do you understand, Mon
sieu1i" ...
THE guard was one ofthose machines
of soldiers that his eminence delights
in, so you see N. Coques was obliged to
accept the invitation, and he dined with
his eminence. His own cooking was TOO
rich for him." :.
ayes; l heard oft. He died that
night. But, at the palace, or elsewhere
at his friends houses"
"My dear NJ. de Brassy, his eminence
seldom visits; he eats only of the dishes
of which his host eats, and invariably
retires from the table in less than half
an hour, after the manner of the an
clients, with the difference that they
retired to prolong the pleasures of
appetite, his eminence to prolOng life
itself"
''But at the palace -L
"Well, yon see, there are those at the
palace who might by chance pick up
the bait meant for the rat alone, and
though France would be grateful to the
man by whom she was freed from NJ. le
Cardinal, it is not so clear that she
would pardon 4 mistake that left her
queenless or kingless; and the old rat
is very cautious, and eats only frouI the
dish Of the mistress who slesks his gray
fur, and at whose chamber door he
scratches at midnight"
"Then there is nothing for me to do,
NJ. CampionT .y,.as.rfesc
"Yes; this. The court goes to Ruel
tomorrow. His eminence has invited
to the palace of the Duchess d'Aiguillon
q certain La Signora, who is to sing to
her majesty. Now, this Signora Leon
ora is or was, and will be again, n most
particular friend of NJ. lie Cardinal, who,
though he is churchman, and has per-
manently taken the palace of Bucking-
ham, is not yet so old as to be insensible
to the charms of sweet voice when
heard in solitude and whispers"
81 see; he will meet the signora."
Il I..A l. A-l. L