Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-30

As he spoke he fixed painful, searching gaze
upon the Spaniard This time the bolt had
struck. The old. mans tawny face was taking
ON q sickly hue and his limbs tremblcd.
This Is a most unusual proceeding." saidthe
Emperor, in snlazement "who is this lady,
and what is the nature of her crime7"
Fouche, bent double with suspense, still keep
ing ms eye ryeted upon the tawny, changing
face, spoke almost imploringly.
You have trusted me before sire. I beseech
you trust me now. Ask me no questions, but
write the pardon-quickly."
There was an instant of silence. broken only
by the ticking and low, fair music of the clock
The second hand was.measuring off the sixtieth
minute, with rapid, steady sweep. Almost un-
cooked IL unobserved, and with a face as that of
corpse, was raising himself to fire-with a cry
70 the Emperor oa his lips-when Chayarrf,
whose mind seemed torn by contending emo
tions, bent suddenly over his mechanism,
touched spring concealed In the rear of the
tower, and instantly the whole complicated ma
chinery Of the clock stopped with a sudden me-
paused, standing like statues, each in his place,
the mimic Emperor stretching out his head for
the crown Of the Cesars, and the great bell in
the tower poised midway in its swing for the
"Perhleu,D muttered Fouehe, pocketing the
pistol, and wiping the Precipitation from his
brow. "Allow me, Monsieur, he said adyan-
cling to the table; 'let me inspect this wonderful
specimen of art"
" 1t is so delicate, Monsieur said Chay ARR
spring and waving Fouche OF with his unen-
gagged hand.
Here is the pardon" said the Emperor, af-
hx,ng his signature to paper As he spoke. al
Well, what next?-
"Our worthy friends clock is broken, it ap-
pears" said Fouche, awkwardly.
Broken, sire" said the Spaniard, oand with
1t the plans of a lifetime. And, ;" he added cast
ing down his eyes, and speaking in a qRerulous
broken voice, "siDce, when ones hopes are
broken, one cares but little where he goes wish
a passport to leave France"
Fouehe took up the cue Immediately. CT
nave to request, sire said he, "that You also
MAKE MAKE out f.i and free pardon for the accom-
Don Mosen Ch2yarri, of Seville"
The Emperor smiled bitterly. His active
mind had already compassed the situation, and
without word either of expostulation or in
curry he seized pen and wrote. Then, having
finished and signed the double pardon, he adj.
vanced with it in his hand.
Our friend here, /" said he, "doubtless knows
where these parties are to be found, and to him
confide these papers,,
The old man, still jealousy keeping his hand
on the spring of mechanism read aloud:
az full permission to Don Mosen and Donna
ls1dore Chayarri to leave France immediately
without hindrance or question"
Add, !" eaid he, "and alive"
You would have made a good diplomat
ton.
Chavarri hesitated for moment removed his
hoad, glided towards the door. Just upon the
threshold he turned in sudden dismay.
Where shall find my daughter?" asked
Chayarri.
when she is found we will send Monsieur
WORD" sneered FOuche.
An expression Of the most intense malignity
flashed across the old mans face, and with an
oath he sprang back toward the table in the
room. But pistol confronted him.
The pardons are forfeited" cried Fouche.
NO." said the Emperor, ''let him pass"
Chayarri, with a look OF wonder, wheeled
slowly about and disappeared.
AFTER his departure Napoleon stood for a
short time in the centre Of the apartment lost in
Then, as his gaze fell upon the clock and the
automation standing beneath the suspended
crown within, he bent forward and regarded the
figure attentively.
$50" he said, "this was to have been nv
1t is scarcely necessary to add that the clock
proved, on examination, to be An Internal ma
chine OF the most ingenious and deadly de-
scription. Concealed beneath the metallic slab,
which formed the pavements Of the mimic
chapel, and which was constructed to fold back
at the proper moment, was found a triple row of
small wrought-iron barrels, loaded heavily with
slugs and balls, and arranged to cover an arc Of
forty-hve degrees, at a distance of twenty yards
rom the machine; no one within that range
could possibly have withstood their discharge,
exploded simultaneously, exactly when the
hands on the dial indicated the hour OF noon;
but a spring on the outside of the case gave the
works, and discharge them sooner il necessary.
a Few months after the occurrence of the in
cident narrated above, Fouche received letter
rom Chavarri, then in England, written In the
vein in which men who have played desperate
game and lost occasionally write to those who
have outwitted them. The writer stated that
and that he and his daughter alone were con,
cerned In the plot, which had been frustrated
by Pouches promptness.
As for himself. he had little expectation of es-
mr. IT, Led
self, II necessary, In the destruction which
should overwhelm the Emperor. His daughter
however, the only person on earth for whom he
retained anyafection, he could not afford thus
10 sacrifice. He had made provision elsewhere
FOR her future support, and, according To the Or
lgfnal plan, she was to have left Paris some
thirty days before the consummation of the |
plot, thus having abundant time to pass the |
frontier and reach place OF safety. This had |
been foiled by an unforeseen event. On the |
evening before the final fasco at. the Tuileries |
Napoleon was on the point of departure for the |
frontier, and everything being in readiness and |
The period OF his return being uncertain, it was
ueter mlned 70 make the attempt at once. On |
the following morning, accordingly, the daugh- |
Ter had departed at as early an hour possible,
trusting for her escape to good fortune. and he |
himself, fortified with letters from prominent |
OH eials, had proceeded to the palace at eleven,
having given his daughter all the time it was |
possible to spare.
Fouche himself knew the rest
NJ PeIsoDai uanger, no promised honOr, moth |
ing, In short, but the cunningly devised false |
aood regarding his daughter, could have in |
1ueed him, Chayarri, to stop the hands Of the |
fatal clock.
he also confessed that il was he who, two |
years before, had fred the shot in the Rue de |
Rivoli and stated that it had long been the sole
aim and purpose of his life to assassinate Ma
poieon. He added, however, that they need |
have no fear OF his repeating the attempt, as the
of the Emperor on the last occasion |
had completely disarmed him.
Chavarri subsequentlyd died in extreme poverty |
N London. OF the after fate of his daughter |
nothing Is known. His clock, despoiled of the !
portion Of its machinery, was pre- |
sery Q for several years in the Tuiieries, and |
was finally destroyed by an accidental fire and |
Tie falling Of wall.