The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-06-10


Must fade, alael because our suff'ring sex
Dare not imbibe the soul-inspiring rye
To give us vim and action.
-4e<-
MADAME DE VARTELLE.
CONCLUDED
Yet day, and Madame de Vartelle
rushed into his room in state Of despair.
Little George was carried off from his
nurse, and in vain had search been
everywhere made for the cruel marauder.
The magistrate look confused, and even
ashamed of himself, and then confessed
to his daughter-in-law that the child
had been stolen by Saint Jean, acting
under his orders. Madame de Vartelle
at once commended his prudence, but
suggested the expediency of acquainting
some confidential friend with the secret
of his grand-child's retreat. In the
event of any accident happening to him
self, his son-in-law might dispute the
identity of a child for whom no one
could vouoh but q penniless serving-man.
M. de M approved of the sugges-
tions, and said that he would lose no
time in confiding the secret to his bro
ther, the ieutenant-colonel, and to the
President of Parliament.
"Have you such little faith in me,
dear papaP" she asked, in m aggrieved
tOAo. 4o Aoo NCOASo . a0OpLeu
the right person to watch over his health
and safety?"
B''Undonbtedly, my Child" said the
good old man, kissing her on the fore
head; "but your sex is against you. In
q court of law, the presidents declara-
tion would, as you may easily imagine,
have much greater weight than yours,
and am anxious to remove all posi-
bility of dispute"
Madame de Vartelle had nothing to
reply to such valid reason, and left the
room, keeping her thoughts to herself.
A few evenings after this, M. de Nj. was
informed by his porter that Saint Jean
begged permission to speak to him in
private. He was Instantly admitted, and
then stated that he had brought the boy
to Paris, as the place of all others where
he would be least looked for. He had
confided the child, he continued, to the
care of one of his own sisters, worthy
respectable woman, residing on St.
Genevieve Hill, where he could watch
over him without suspicion.
Nothing further occurred for some
weeks, until one morning, as Nj. de NJ.
was about to rise, Saint Jean staggered
into the room, his face horribly comfort
ed, and himself bent nearly donHie with
the torture he was enduring. ''In the
name of Heavenw he cried, "rend imme-
diately for the procureur-general and the
acknowledgement of police. I have n
most important declaration to make in
their presence, but am dying fast. T
have taken an antidote, to retard death
little while; but nothing can save me-"
Hastily throwing on his clothes, NJ de
M. went in person for the high function
aries named by Saint Jean, while the
lieutepant-oolonel remained with the
poor fellow, who begged hard not to be
left alone. Presently he asked, "Where
is Madame de Vartelle?"
cat church. This is her day for par
taking of the communion"
Saint Jean laughed aloud, but spoke
no more till the magistrates arrived,
when he made this startling revelation:
madame de Vartelle detested her
husband, and longed to be rid of him,
that she might be free to marry q noble
man of the highest rank, who was great
ly attached to her, but refused to make
her his duchess unless she could bring
him proportionate dowry. To accom-.
plish this end. she gave herself up to the
study of poisons, and, when assured Of
her skill, she bought over Saint Jean by
large gifts and larger promises. Through
his agency, q public writer was prevailed
upon, by bribe of five louis, to write
that threatening letter which preluded
the long catalogue of crimes. She her
self, in the momentary absence of her
husband, had contrived to introduce the
arsenic into the figs, and then went
away quietly to say her prayers in
church. But Saint Jean soon took
fright. and sickened of the work. He
was really attached to his own master,
N. de More. md mourned his death with