The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-12-09
#iseeIIany.
The LAST TRICK or A PAGE.

< who, fOrty-fivc years before, had bee
one of the pages of Louis Fifteenth
The Marquis, in his youth, had bsel
one of the most dissipated mobiles of th
Court. He had been a favorite with al
the various mistresses of his sovereign
!, had been a friend of Madame de Pom
padour, and follower of Madame Du
/ barry; and having grown gray in pur
: suit OF pleasure, grew weary of TN
chase, and reformed.
By way of alleviating the hardship
: of reformation, he married a young an,
, beautiful woman, whose union with 81
venerable spouse, afforded much mer
riment to the courtiers of that excellen
, monarch, Louis Nv, who, like his sub
jccts, had grown old, but unlike him
had not grown virtuous.
, Doubtless the Marquis run the sam,
. risk as all men who mate their bleal
December with the beauteous May
but he was still handsome, accomplish
ed and witty; and to gain the affection
of his young wife, he was determinet
TO put forth all of his attractions.
Happily for him, she was disposed Il
be pleased: and he, being neither jeal
Gus nor careless, succeeded in inspirin.
her, if not with passionate love, with {
sincere and respectful attachment. HI
made no stern regulations for her de
pertinent; she was allowed to receive
visitors without restraint, and The Ho
tel de Charnay was as attractive a:
youth, beauty, wealth and station
could make it; while the tone of the
society that frequented its mistress, wa:
i'll perfect harmony with the age and
dignity of her husband.
Among the lOrdlings admitted to the
Hotel de Charnay, was the Baron dc
Breteuil, a young officer who, was just
making his entrance into society, and
who, for the very reason that he had
10 record wherewith to frightcn the
scrupler of woman of principle, was
the very sort of man SHOULD he under
take to grow sentimentar that might
also grow to be dangerous.
He was tall and graceful, had melan-
choly eyes, c0nversed in melodiOus de
mi-tones, and was given to gentle pres
sures of hands. The Marquis de Char
ney saw with terror, that the young
officer was falling in loN with his wife
find his heart beat with apprehension
when, following the discovery, he per-
ccived that the Marchioness was losing
appetite and her em6onpoiat, and was
looking wearied and dIspiritcd. Her
! husband was quite as mucl concerned
/ at her detection as at his suspicious of
its cause. He was just as anxious to
make her happy as to be happy him.
| SELF
After revolving in his head fifty or
more schemes, each one leaving him
more perplexed than before, he con-
ceived the novel idea of making an ap-
peal TO de Bretcuil, and by generous
candor, of awakening reciprocal gen.
e,Osity in the heat OF the young man
| himself. =.
With this intention lie drove to the
BarOn,s lodging. He had Just finish
ed the elaborate toilette with which he
| was accustomed TO arm himself for con-
quest in his daily visits TO the Hotel de
Charnay, and in the fullness of salts
/ faction, was thinking that he was more
attractive and melancholy looking than
usual.
| Mr.. dc Brcteuil,n began the Marquis
"you are falling in love with my wife.
You are violating the saclity of q hap>
py home, and in the thoughtIessness Of
extreme youth, are periling the happi-
ness of an excellent virtuOus woman.
Were younger man my tone would
be different perhaps; but / have lost
my agility as swOrtlsman, sir, and
cannot measure weapons with you.-
The years that have robben me of
strength, however, have taught me, l
hope-discretion. My dear wife's name
shall be compromised by no word or
act of mine; be you equally generous,
and spare her reputation by leaving
this place at once. Join your regiment
at Stenay, and let me owe to your hon.
or the restoration Of my domestic hap
piness."
Instead Of denying his love for the
MarchioncSs, and swearing after the
manner of the gallants of the day that
had never had presumed to give her a
thought, de Breteuil burst into tears,
vowed that he loved her to destruction,
and poured the whole story of his pas
sion into the ears Of the astonished nus
band.
"What,r sobbed he, "ask me to
Danish myself from her prcsence.-
Why, banishment to me were death
What to me are fame or honor. What
care | for my regiment! The world
contains but one bsing for me-life but
one aim. To breathe the air she
breathes-to die at her feet. ask but
that Ole sad privilege. Do not deny
me SO small a boon.n
This was the very last thing the Mar
quis had expected to.hear. Spite of his
own veXatIOn, he felt sorry for de Bre-
teuil, for, being very young, he was
very mulch in earnest, and was fully
persuaded at that very moment that
simultaneous with separation from
Madame de Charnay would be the sun
dering of his soul from his body.
Nevertheless" thought dc Char
nay, the separation must take place ~
and feeling that words would be vast
ed upon such monstruck oddity, he
contented himself with forbidding de
Breteuil the house, and returned home
to sec what effect he could have upon
the Marchioness.
He came upon her in her bOudoir,
half-sitting, half-lying upon the downy
cushions of satin lounge, the very
counterpart of Smindrides and his bed
of rose.leaves. Those of his wife, dc
Charnay saw, were very much crum-
pied indeed, so he began his task with
al possible tenderness.
With conslImmate tact he led the
conversation to the subject of de Bre-
teuil; wondered. at his frequent visits ;
spoke of the imprudencc of those mar
ried women who suffered one man to
be more attentive to them than others !;
and finally drew from his pretty Mar
chioness that dc Breteuil had addressed
! her several notes.
Madame de Charnay was young and
thougbtless; but she was a woman of
principle. She had allowed herself to
grow sentimental over the plaiuts of
this interesting youth, and was just on
tie brink of that pity which is akin to
love. Her husbands words startled
her from her perilous state, and she had
scarcely time TO shudder before the
prospect of mysery that another Step
would have opened upon her, before
she felt her heart leap with JOY for the
timely dcliyerancc that came through
the ministration of her wise and saga
cious husband.
"Would you object TO show me those
notes ~ asked he "No, Marquis, "
replied she, blushing " | ought to have
shown them TO you, unbidden. But
was embarrassed lest l should bring
trouble upon you, and my heart bled
for that unhappy young man."
She had risen, meanwhile; and alter
few moments search in her dainty
cscraOire of ebany and ivory, she drew
forth velvet portfolio, and from its
roSe-scented pockets, took the notes oi
the love-sick Captain.
Il DE Charnay unfolded them and be-
gan TO read. They were burning with
love, but with love that professed no