The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-03-05
SELECT STORY.
From Lippincott's Magazine.l
THE SECRET AGENT.
CONCLUDED.

Two circumstances contributed T.
hely the secret agent at this critics
period. He had been one of the act
ors in the great drama, though in
very humble sphere, and the Empe
ror was disposed to look upon all O
them as entitled to the same favor
of Fate as himself. The other wa
the fact that Pietri, couniryman o
his and an acquaintance of Ion:
standing, was Immediately afterwart
appointed Prefect of Police. Napol
con loved, as he still loves, to sur
round his person with Corsicans, ant
the new Prefect was sure to pleas,
him, therefore, by promoting Girls
celli. He sent for him soon after hi.
arrival in Paris; and in considera
tion of his being the only Corsicar
who happened tO'know all the ways
and byways OF the Capital: and o.
the zeal which he had displayed on
the Fad of December, he appointed
HIM to responsible position in the
secret service. What the duties ol
such agents were may be seen by
what happened on one or two occa.
sions on which his services were re
quired.
A few days after his appointm ent
he was sent for. and upon presenting
himself before the Prefect of Police,
the following note was placed in his
hands: "Sir: / hasten TO inform
you that some wretcnes are preparing
at No. I, Fauborg St Honore, an
Internal machine, for the purpose OF
assassinating the President of the
Republic on his way to the Elysee.
R. D." |
The Prefect simply told him to
keep the note and 10 act as he might
think best, but so as to show what
be was able to do, that he might be
employed in more important affairs.
The secret agent left the depart
ment without any fixed plan, imme-
diately went to the house mentioned
in the note. When he reached it, he
found a notice over the door, stating
that rooms were for rent there, and
at once availed himself of the oppor-
tunity thus offered to examine the
building. He hastened home to
dress himself with care, and placed
q number of ribbons of foreign orders
in his button-hole then ne ordered
a carriage with coat of arms on the
doors, coachman and footman in liv-
cry and powdered wigs, and drove in
state 10 the house. When the foot
man opened the door and let down
the steps, he ordered him to announce
the Marquis of Chalet. At this aris-
tocratic name the porter and all the
servants ran up to catch a sight of
so great a nobleman. The agent
entered and announced his intention
to look at the rooms. One of the
servants took bunch of keys and
preceded him on his way up stairs,
to show the apartments Everything
was carefully examined-parlors,
bedrooms, and even the Kitchen
The great Marquis professed to be
well pleased with the whole, and pay
ing the man hundred francs as
handsel, he seized him Familiarity by
the lapel of his coat, and said abrupt
ly:
"Whose house is this e? Who lives
up stairs / tell you, although !
have paid hundred francs to secure
the bargain, / shall not move in there
il there is one of that mans cut
throats living here, for do not want
to meet any one on the stairs who
goes to the Elysee!"
With every word he uttered the
eyes of the servant grew larger and
larger, until he bowed lower than be-
fore the King, and exclaimed:
"But, your excellency, Marquis
how must / call you you are in
the house of one of the Ministers OF
Charles Y"
"What" cried the secret agent
81 am in the house of --2 But
why don't vou run and announce me?
] have just come from Frohsdorf"
"Frohsdorf - repeated the man,
overcome with joy and amazement
"But, alas ] cannot announce you,
for his Excellency, my master, left
Yesterday. All! You have seen his
Majesty, Henry "? What a misfor-
tune that my master must be absent !.
How delighted he would have been
to see you! All! you must tell his
Majesty, when you go back to Frohs-
dorf, that we are working hard for
him, and that it will not be long be
fore the throne will be waiting for
him at the Tuileries, for that man
must be struck down when he passes
by here on his way to the Elysee."
3 Then making him a sign to follow,
he carried him up to a small room
which looked upon the street, and
here he showed him five rifle barrels