Litchfield enquirer., 1872-03-07
THE EXPERIENCES OF A BARRIs-
 TER--.MO. 5.
The Refugee.

A
 bar, and do not therefore in strictness fall
 within my own experiences as barrister
 Still, as they came to my knowledge with
 much greater completeness than if I had
 been only professionally engaged to assist
 in the catastrophe of the drama through
 which they are evolved, and, as conceive,
 throw strong light upon the practical
 working of our criminal jurisprudence, 8
 brief page of these slight leaves may not
 inappropriately record them.
 About the time have indicated, a
 Mrs. Rushton, the widow of a gentleman of commercial opulence, resided in Upper Harley Street, Cavendish Square. She was woman of family" and by her marriage had greatly lowered herself. in her relatives opinion, by union with a person who, however wealthy and other wise honorable, was SO entirely the archi- tect of his own fortunes-owed all that be possessed so immediately to his own skill, sagacity, and perseverance-that there was an unpleasant rumor abroad about his widowed mother being indebted to her sons success in business for having passed the last ten years of her life in ease and competence. MT. Rushton had left his widow handsome annuity, and to his and her only son well-invest- ed income of upwards of seven thou sand year. Since the death of her hus- band, Mrs. Rushton, who inherited quite her full share of family pride, if nothing else, had sought by every method she could devise to re-enter the charmed cir cle from which her union with city mer- chant had excluded her. The most effect. ual mode of accomplishing her purpose was, she knew, to bring about marriage between her son and 8 lady who would not be indisposed to accept of wealth and a well-appointed establishment in Mayfair as set-off against birth and high connec- tion.
 Arthur Rushton, at this time between two and hree-and-twenty years of age, was mild, retiring, rather shy person, and endowed with tenderness of dis position, of which the tranquil depths had not as yet been rufled by the faintest breath of passion. His mother possessed almost unbounded influence over him; and he ever listened with smile, a Ian guid, halfdisdainful one, to her eager speculations upon the numerous eligible matches that would present themselves the instant the ''season" and their new establishment in Mayfair-of which the decoration and furnishing engaged all her available time and attention-enabled them to open the campaign with effect. Arthur Rushton and myself had been col lege companions, and our friendly intima- cy continued for several years afterwards. At this period especially we were very cordial and unreserved in our intercourse with each other.
 London at this time was crowded with French exiles, escaped from the devouring sword of Robespierre and his helpers in the work of government by the guillotine, almost all of whom claimed to be mem- bers of, or closely connected with, the ancient nobility of France. Among these was an elderly gentleman of the name of De Tourville. who. with his daughter Eugenle, had for considerable time oc- cupied a first floor in King Street, Hol- born. Him never saw in life, but Made moiselle de Tourville was one of the most accomplished, graceful, enchantingly- -in- teresting persons l have ever seen or known. There was dangerous fascina- tion in the pensive tenderness through which her natural gaiety and archness of manner would at intervals flash, like April sunlight glancing through clouds and showers, which, the first time I saw her, painfully impressed me as much as it charmed me-perceiving, as Iquickly did, that with her future peace, could almost have said life, of Arthur Rushton was ir- revocably bound up. The fountains of his heart were for the first time stirred to their inmost depths, and, situated as he and she were, what but disappointment, bitterness, and anguish could well-up from those troubled waters? Mademoi- selle de Tourville, I could perceive, was fully aware of the impression she had made upon the sensitive and amiable Englishman; and sometimes discovered an expression of pity-of sorrowful ten derness, as 1t were-pass over her features as some distincter revelation than usual of the nature of Arthur Rushton's emo- tions flashed upon her. I also heard her express herself several times, as overtly as she could, upon the in1psssibility there existed that she should, however much she might desire it, settle in England, or even remain in it for any considerable length of time. All this understood, or thought did, perfectly; but Rushton, bewildered, entranced by feelings alto gether new to him, saw nothing, heard nothing but her presence, and felt, with out reasoning upon it, that in that deliri- ous dream it was his fate either to live or bear no life. Mrs. Rushton-and this greatly surprised me-absorbed in her matrimonial schemes and projects, saw nothing of what was going on. Probably the notion that her son should for an in- stant think of allaying himself with an obscure, portionless foreigner, was, to mind like hers, too absurd to be for moment entertained; or But stay; borne along by crowd of rushing thoughts, l have, I find, somewhat antici- pated the regular march of my narrative.
 M. and Mademoiselle de Tourville, ac- cord1ng to the afte>testimony of their landlord, Mir. Osborn, had, from the time of their arrival in England, vesy con- stant visitor at their lodgings in King Street. He was tall French gentleman. of perhaps thirty years of age. and dis nngulshed appearance. His name was La Houssaye. He was frequently with them indeed, and generally he and M. de Tour vile would go out together in the even ing, the latter gentleman not returning home till very late. This was more es- pecially the case after Mademoiselle de Touryille ceased to reside with her father.
 Among the fashionable articles with which Mrs. Rushton was anxious to sur round herself, was companion of accom- plishments and high breeding, who might help her to rub off the rust she feared to have contracted by her connection with the city. A Partisan lady of high lineage and perfect breeding might, she thought, be easily obtained; and an advertisement brought Mademoiselle de Tourville to her house. Mrs. Rushton was delighted with the air and manners of the charming ap- plicant; and after slight inquiry by let ter to an address of reference given by the young lady, immediately engaged her, on exceedingly liberal terms, for six months-that being the longest period for which Mademoiselle de Tourville could undertake to remain. She also stipulated for permission to pass the greater part of one day in the week-that which might happen to be most convenient to Mrs. Rushton, with her father One other con- dition testified alike to NJ. de Tourville's present poverty and her own filial piety: it was, that her salary should be paid