The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-10-04
TENN, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 1872. YUa

OhER 4, lOiI. 3 20 sae
till the end OF the opera. On the card
both time and place were fixed for th<
morrow, swords being the weapons
chosen by the count, whose reputation
as Q fencer was known both far and
wide.
"After wounding his adversary
slightly and disarmiag him two Of
three times, the count suddenly threw
himself, perfectly uncovered, on his
opponents sword, which transfixed
his heart. He had wished to commit
suicide by another mans hand and
thus my story ends.n lrsdo s4'
After a slight pause, Balzac spoke
II do not like that finish; it Is not
equal to the rest; there Is something
wanted. / should have desired-in
fsct, If the count knew. nothing of the
death Uf NJ. de Karls, In his house, on
his sofa, at the feet of his wife, and ne
could not know that unless the prefet,
you, or Honorine, had been indiscreet
enough to-
"No, no." protested, Vidocq, inter.
no one. / tell you to-day because I
have right to do SO, since the only
persons who could explain are both
dead"
"Then,n continued Balzac, "this
duel, this suicide by the hand of
another, as you call it, is not sufficient
ly justified. Were I to take this do
mestic drama as the groundwork, and
relate it after my own fashion, I would
seek, invent, imagine better conclu-
siOn-oDe more logical and complete.
Not that / disagree with the iknd of
death chosen by the count, which is
not only possible, but true, nay very
true in Its originality; but still-and I
came back again to the old fault-the
count knew too little to justify his
great despair. So you see, after all,
that your story is not complete a you
thought-it wants something-and
something very important"
Dan,e!n answered Vidocq, some
what staggered by Balzac's triumphant
manner, TR II Is not complete it il not
far from Il. / did not intend it as .
lesson in literature for you; no, my
idea was Q more modest one than that,
way here ] took . cab, and as was
stepping in / recognized In the coach
man the cabman Of the Pont Neuf.
"Stsange!" ~ ~ ID
"No At all; cabmen don't general
ly get promoted to coloDelcies-they
die cabmen. The sight Of him called
forth the old rocolieCti"ns, and deter
mined to amuse myself BY telling you
this portion Of my lie, thinking that
perhaps you might be able to tura 1t to
account. ~ ~
"You say this cabman brought you
here ?n asked Balzac, who had not
heard single word OF Vidocq's expla-
nation, "did you take his number"
Why should II" ~.
"You-you great u .~
-"Great what! g1 -T-F So
Anything you like. " -
"But why should take hisnumber r?
He's 4 your door waiting for me. +" .s7..
The man was sent for Immediately,
and Balzac, In great glee, flleti al the
glasses within reach. Soon, the clatter
OF sabots was heard on the Stair, and
In another moment the oabman enter.
ed. When be had tossed OF the drink
prepared for him, with the remark that
he could not refuse - the day was 30
thirsty, VldOcq commenced: .7s3a
"If / am not mistaken, engaged
you the other evening on the Pont
Neuf?n ~ A. = - -
"What other EVENING"" 80 q
"Don't you remember, There were
three of US singing"
"Ah! l take up 50 many ofthat kind.
yyt,ov, vUao ff Cu
"About ten or twelve year ago, an
swered VidOcq. et ~.
Z" You call the other EVENING""
"Well, more or less-we were just
opposite the statue of Henry the Fourth
about four o'clock In the morning. Can
you remember nOw?" h1. +
"No, that docs not tell me anything;
that has happened to me . hundred
thousand times. - -,.s.
az gave you five francs for your
fare" ,q.tt.. -.-... ro.-
"Ah that doesn't happen go often.
till l can't think-ten years ago."
"The person who got in went to Rue
st. Florentin =" he cried. ai.4
The man started. "Rue st. Floren-
tin he cried.
"Yes, +" continued Vidocq, "a large
house and when you got there you
had surprise; what did you find 2"
"a dead man F" said the driver, with
another start "is that what you want
ed me to say. But was 1t you who
made me that present." .aaS
Vidocv laughed, and the cabman gete'
ting angry he quieted him with one of
those looks that Martin used to quell
his lions With.
"Then," said the c0acnmsn, "if 1t
was you, you owe me two francs.
"HOw's that? / gave you five."
81 don't deny Is; but look at the
trouble. Besides, 1t took me more than
an hour, ank was engaged by the dis
tance, and not by the hour.
"But Why did you not get your
money ut the house ?" asked Vidocq.
"Ah! servant are such thieves
they wOuldn't give mo . farthing.
However, went to Rue Bellechase.
sRue Bellechase I " cried the aston
isbed listener, whose turn is now was to
be startled. HI
"Yes, to Countess or Duchess Of
confOund 1t, forget the name.
"And why did you 60 there? Who
told your"
"Wel, you see, found little pock-
et-bOOk in my cab next morning. and
it could only have belonged to the dead
man.
Vidocq and Balsac Exchanged
meaning glance at this revelation.
"What did you find IN the pocket
book ?n asked Balzac, his eyes spark
ling with excitement. 9f
A letter addressed to the Countess
or Dutchess, Rue Bsllechase--that was
all. Oh no bank notes. mo, no! or
should have returned them. But ]
wanted my two francs, - told you,
no / went to the hotel, and gave the
letter to q gentleman and lady, who
were just getting into their carriage.
five frapce,'I said. The gentleman
with white hair, whose breast was COW
cred with crosses and orders, took the
letter and read II. He turned as white
ne the paper itself, but told the foot
man to pay me, and SO l got the two
francs. -
"There, cried Balzsc triumphantly
d" the history Is complete pow- The
letter tells the husband All--that M de
Karls was the wife's lover. The scene
in the theatre ut Trieste proved to him
that the world knew it also, and then
he determined to xii himself. Yes,
the history Is complete nov"
"NO, no, not at all, cried not
coachman; went three times after