The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-12-19

tlmluly, Wnlle hOSalle undfeSSeu her.
He was still silent
'Leave me !" said Madame de Merret
to her maid; 81 will curl my hair my
self"
The expression Of her husbands face
told her to prepare for some misfortune,
and she wished TO be alone with him
When Rosalie was gone, or supposed to
be gone, for she remained some instants
in the corridor, M. de Merret took a seat
in front of his wife and said, coldlv:
Madame, there is some one in your
dressing closet"
She looked at her husband calmly, and
said, with an ar Of simplicity:
'No, monsieur"
This "no" dumbtounded NJ. de Merret.
He did not believe it; and vet never had
his wife appeared to him more di@ntied
and innocent than at this moment. He
rose to open the closet. but Madame dc
Merret took his hand, held him back, and
looked at him sadly, saying to him in \
tone Of peculiar emotion:
eft You find no one, remember that all
will be over between us"
The incredible dignity of his wite's at
titude created in him profound senti-
ment of esteem for her, and inspired him
with a sudden resolution.
Then. Josephine I will not open that
door. In either case we should be sep
aratei forever. Listen to me ! know
all the purity OF Your soul; | know the
life you lead is religious; you would not
be guilty of y deadly sin to save YOur
life
At these words, Madame de Merret
looked at her husband with haggard eyes.
"See, here is your crucitiX.n he went on
"Swear to me before God that there is
no one there; | will believe you-I will
never open that door,
Madame de Merret took the cruclix and
said:
Il swear it,
Louder" said her husband, and re-
peat my words: swear before God that
there is no one in that Closet
She repeated the oath without n sign of
disquietude.
1T is well,n said NJ. lie Merret col1ly
and then, after a moments silence:
''You have a pretty crucitiN there, which
| have not seen" he said. As he examined
1t was Of ebony inlaid with silver, and
showed great artistic merit.
Il picked it up at Duyivier'r he bought
it of a Spanish monk, when the prisoners
passed through Veniome last year"
con" said M. de Merret, hanging ~
the crucifx upon its nail,
He rang the bell. Rosale did not keep
him waiting. He Went hastily to meet
her, took her into the cmbrasure of the
window which looked out upon the Gar
den, and said to her IN a low voice
II know that Gorentlot wants to marry
you and it is only poverty that prevents
You from settling down YOU have told
him that YOU would not be his wife until
he has made himself master mason. Well.
90 and find him. and tell him to come
here with his trowei and the rest of his
tools. Take care moi to awaken any body
else in his house-his fortune shall be
more than YOU can wish. Whatever YOU
do, keep your tongue quiet as YOU 90 out
otherwise"
He knit his brow; Rosaie was going
off, but he called her back.
'Stop,' he said, ''take my key" The
count Went to the door which opened Oh
the corridor and called loudly, "Jean.1
Jean who was his coachman ana his
confidential servant, left his game Of
busique and came to him.
"You must all 90 TO bed. " said hIS mas
ter, ut the same time making \ SIGN to
him to come nearer.
And then he added in a low voice:
"When they are Ill asleep asleep you
understand come down stains and let me
know"
NJ de Merret, who had never lost sight
OF his wife while he gave his orders, re
turned quietly To her rs she sat before the
fire, and began to tell her about the game
of billiards and the discussion at the club (;
and when Rosaie came back she found
the two convcrsing together very amicahly.
M. de Merret had lately had the ceilings
throughout the reception rooms on the
ground floor repaired. Plaster Is II rare
commodity at Vendomc, and It's price is
considerably increased by the necessity of
conveying it from 4 distance; he had ac-
cordingly got in a large stock, knowing
that he would always find plenty of pur-
chasers tor what remained. This circum-
stance suggested the plan which he now
put into execution.
'Gorenllot is here, monsieur" said
Rosalie in a low voice
Tell him TO come in" answered the
count in his natural tone.
A slight pallor came over Madame de
Merrets face when she saw the mason.
.'Gorentlot," said the husband ''go and
fetch some bricks from the cOach-house-
enough to build up the door OF the closet
You can use the rest Of the plaster had
to coat over the wall"
Then drawing Rosalie and the work
man aside:
''Lsten. Gorentlot," he said, in u low
voice, ''you will sleep here tonight, To-
morrow morning you shall have a pass
port, with which you can go To a foreign
country, to town that rll direct you too
| will give you six thousand francs for the
journey. You will stay there ten years
If you don't like the town | choose, YOU
can change it for another, but it must be
in the same country. You must pass
through Paris. where you must wait for
me- | will meet YOU there and execute a
decd by which six thousand will be Sc
cured 10 you on your return TO France,
supposing you have fulfilled on your part
the conditions Of cur bargain. in return
for this you must preserve profound
secrecy with regard to all You have to do
tonight. AS for you, Rosalie, will give
you ten thousand francs, to be paid to You
on yon wedding day, provided that You
marry Gorenf1ot; but if you wish to marry
you must be silent otherwise no portion
"Rosalie," said Madame de Mcrret,
''come and dress my hair
Her husband walked calmly up and
down, watching the door, the mason, and
his wife. without however, insulting her
by any sign or suspicion. Gorenhot could
not help making a noise, Mad de Merrot
took advantage of the moment when
Gorentlot threw down his load OF bricks,
and her husband was at the other end OF
the room, to say to Rosala
"A thousand francs year if you can
manage to tell Gorentiot to leave "A crevice
at the bottom
Then she said aloud, without betrayin9
any emotion
''Go and help him"
M. and Madame de Merret remained
silent during the whole time Gorentiot
was walling up the doorway. The silence
was intentional on the husbands part for
he did not wish to give his wife the OPP
portunity of using phrases with a double
meaning; with the wife it was the result
either of education or OF pride. When
the wall had risen IN half IFS intended