Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-07-18

W
has told me that the crucihx her
mistress was so fond Of. and which
she had buried with her. was made of
ebony and. silver. Now, when he
first began TO live with us, NJ: Feredia
had crucifx Of ebony and silver,
and I have never seen it since. :
"But have you never asked any
questions of Rosalie?''
Jndeed, Ihave, monsieur; but it's
no good. She won't answer any more
than a stone wall. She knows some
thing, but can't get it out of her"
NV hostess talked with me min
ute or two longer, and then left me,
prey to vague and sombre thoughts.
Rosalie became in my eyes the most
interesting being in Vsndame AS I
watched 6er: I discovered . the traces
of something locked within her BREAST
spite of the Aorid health which, beam
ed in her plump face. She had some
hidden cause for remorse or for hope.
Her very attitude always betrayed
the fact she had a secret.
"No," I thought, ." will not leave
! Vendome till know tho whole his
tory of La Grande Breteche. 10
GAIN my end I will even, if necessary,
make serious love to Rosale."
1t took ,meyst nlE month :tgagalln "
Rosalies good graces and confidence;
but when:I felt that l might do SO
safely, I broached to her the subject
of nv unsleeping curiosity.
=" Rosalie, said, coaxlngly, "telI
me all~ysil Skho~$abont Madame de
Merrct."
Horace !" she answered, with look
Of terror.
and lively color faded. and her eyes
lost their liquid sparkle Of innocence.
Still, however, I insisted.
WelLs: shs said !" sipce you wish
it, l will tell.
In the following pages the reader
will find a cold abridgment of the
awful story which the girl told me in
her garrulous way: -
The bedroom occupied by Madame
de Merret at La Breteche was on the
ground foor.s A little eloseb.s about
four feet deep, let iatothe- wall, served
for her wardrobe. orsthrse, months
before the evening Of the events ;of
which I am going to helstgto gop
she had been seriously hAsPossd
and her husband had accordingly
| slept in chamber on the first floor.
By- one Of those accidents, which IT is
impossible to 'foresee, he returned on
the evening in question two hours
later than usual from the club which
he frequented. His wife thought
that he had come in long before and
gone to beds apdfhat h@was asleep.
But the invasioh of France hd been
the subiect.d an animated diScdssloH,
the game of billiards had been ex-
citing, and he hadslat forsy francs
| an enormous sum at Vendome, where
everybody lays his money by, and
where dhe habiss Of the people are
contained 8thihs fHesboands Of ID
praisewotthy moderation the source
perhaps Of q, real happiness undream-
ed of by any Partisan. For some
ttime past M.. de r3Ierret had .eolteltF
ed himself with asking Rosalie if his
wife had gone to bed, and alter The
girls answer, (which was ihparlably
in the Affirmative, he, had retired at
once to his chamber. But this time
it occurred to him 10 gointo Madame
de Merrets room to give her an &C
count ,of his ill-luck. Instead ,ol
calling Rosalie, who was at this lno,
ment IN the kitchen, lookingon while
the cook and coachman played q
difficult hand at brisque. ~ de rMer'
ret set down his handlamp uponfhe
bottom step Of the sstairease,5 and
walked b. It's light to his wife's room
His sep was not difficult to recognize
as It echoed ,alohg thes corridor. egAs
he turned tie handle 'he' thought he
heard some one close the DOOR Of t4lt
closet. When, however, he ente! ed
Madame d.. .1fesrsS wsssalone, stalnd 4
ing before The fireplace. Tie Ius-
band, in his simplicity, thought 81
first that Rosalie vas IN the closet
but when lie looked at his si!e hs
found in her eyes IAN indesclibab's
trouble and dis;nav.
You are very late she s;ViG:3 {
Her voice, generally 50 pure anil
sweet, seemed 10 him 10 he Slightly
TERED in lis ;onc. NJ. de Alrrrct
ptlid not answer, lor just at this mo-
mcnt Ro&1ie. entc,sd. This rovrlI
ton struck him like :. tlundcrbolt
He .be.ai. to--w+i';> sp and dosst llu
room 6etWe,Il ti." windows .at !. uui
form pa@ Ehi$ arms iold,3 9ri8'
him. s % : y $ n An
/. Have you hea i anything 10 an.
noy YOU. CT you qnweIl2 tlh
-xilie asked ::ii:n, l:nd;ifX Tlaiq. III 81,
! lie uuGr.@:r.l iicr.
He VA. sill >iirmt
Leave iae. sti.! Madame lie Mer-
'ret ;q her .qai,i q will e''rt my q,
hoir :mxTi.::s 81 Il ; ~ s;;.
The .:xprcssiita:. 81 Acr liusbahiid; r:
face tol& her 10 prepare aot so4le!lnis
fortune, and she wished 10 be aone
With him. When R sale was gone
or auppoed. 'tn.- I've. :gone, for .h'' re-
mained some instants III the corridor
I Nj. de Merret took II seat in front oi
his wife and said, coldly:
Madame, there is some une il
your dres<ing-closet.
She looked at her huaband calmly
and said, with an an air Of simplci'
ty:
No, Monsieur. y
I This no" dumfounded NJ. de Mer
ret. He did not believe it, and yet
never had his vile. appeared TO him
i.idore dignified and innocent than at