Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-10-24

ill luck Instead of calling Rosalie,
who was Mt thls moment in the kitchen,
looking ON while the cook and the
coachman played a difficult hand at
brisq e, M. de Merret set down his
hand lamp upon the bottom step of
the staircase and walked by it's light
toward his wife's room. His step was
not difficult to recognize as it echoed
along the corridor. Az he turned the
handle, he thought he heard some one
close the door of the closet; when,
however, he entered. his wife was alone,
standing before the fireplace. The
husband, in his simplicity, thought
at first that Rosalle was in the closet :;
hut when he looked at his wife, he saw
in her eyes a look of understandable
trouble and dismay.
You are very late, " she said.
Her voice, generally so pure and
sweet, seemed 10 him to be slightly al
tered in it's tone. NJ. de Merret dld
not answer, for Just at this moment
Rosalle entered. The revelation struck
him like q thunder bolt. He began to
walk up and down the room between
the windows at a uniform pace, his
arms folded before him. rs,.,.:tt
"Have you had anything to annoy
You, or are You unwell - his wife ask
ed him, timidly, while Rosalie undress-
ed her.
He was still silent.
"Leave me," said Madame de Mer-
ret to he maic II will curl my hair
myself"
The expression of her husbands face
told her to prepare for some misfOr
tune, and she wished to be alone with
him. When Rosalie was gone, or sup
posed to he gone, for she remained some
instants in the corridor, M. de Merret
took seat in front Of his wife and
SAID, coldly: '....
MADAME there is some one in Your
dressing-closet."
She looked at her husband calmly,
and said, with an air of simplicity:
mo, monsieur"
This tsno' dnmbfounded M. lie Mer
ret. He did not believe it; and yet
never bad his wife appeared to him
more dignified and Innocent than ut
this moment. He rose to open the clos
et,. but Madame de Merret took his
Land, held him back, and looked at
him in a tone of peculiar emotion:
If you find no one, remember that
all will be over between u.s."
The Incredible dignity of his wife's
.attitn.le created in him a profound sen.
timent of esteem for her, and inspired
him With a sudden resolution.
"1hen Josephine, will open that
door. In either case we should he sep.
arated forever. Listen to me! know.
all the purity of your soul :; Il know
that the life you lead is religious; GU
would not BE- guilty of deadly sin to
save your life"
At these words, Madame de Merret
looked at her husband with haggard
eyes. 80 = ''''j j.. .,..,.-
"see, here is your cruci6x, "'he went
IN. "Swear to me before God. that
there is no one there; Twill believe
you'll will never open that door,"
Madame de Merret took the crucifx
II swear it."'.s 49,. =.
Louder, SAID her husband, 80 and
repeat my words; ); I swear before God
that there is no one in that closet. "
She repeated tho oath without sign
of disquietnde.
at is well," sold NJ de Merret cold.
II, and then, after moments silence:
you have q pretty crucifix there,
which have not seen" he said, as he
examined it.
twas OF ebony. inlaid with silver,
and the work showed great artistic mer-
1t.
II picked it up at Duvivier's he
49, sok A. -
prisoners passed through Vendome last
year."
"Oh !" said NJ. de Merret, hanging
up the crucifix again upon it's nail.
He rang the bell. Rosalie did not
keep him waiting. He went hastily to
meet her. took her into the embrasare
of the window which looked out upon
the garden, and said to her IN q low
voice
IL know that Gorenflot 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 mas.
ter mason. Well, 60 and find him, and
tell him to come here with his trowel,
and the rest of his tools. Take care
not to awaken anybody else in his house
Ibis fortune shall be more than YOU
can wish. Whatever you do, keep you,
tongue quiet as you go out. otherwise
He knit his brow Rosalie was going
off, but he called her back.
"St.p," he said, stake my key."--
The count went to the door which opcn-
ed on the corridor, and call~d loudly,
i" JEAN"
Jean, who was his coaohman and hie
confidential servant. LETT his game ol
brisQue.
| You must all of you 20 to bed. ,
said his master, at the same time max
ing a sign to him to come nearer.
And then he added in a low voice.
"When they are all asleep-oslcep
you undeIstand-come down stairs anG
let me know"
i NJ. de Merret, who had never los
, sight of his wife while he gave his or
ders, returned quietly to her rs she sa
before the fire, and began to tell he
about the game of billiards and the dis
cussion at the club and when Rosali,
came back abe found the two :convers
ing together very amicably. NJ. Il,
Merret had lately had the ceiling
: throughout the reception roo1neaon tn,
+ ground floor repaired. Plaster is II rar
sfcom motity at ,Vendome, and it's prlc
fis: considerably Increased ny the neces
t sity of conveying it from distance
J. he had accordingly got in large stuck
knowing that he would always tint
h plenty Of purchasers for what remain
D Ell. This circumstance suggested tb
pan which he now put INTO execution
D "G"renflot is here. mons icur," sal,
q Rosalie, in low vice.
y I" Tell him to come III, answered tn
g count in his :natntal tone. =
n A slight pailor came over Madame d
Mcrret's face when shc saw the mason
/ Gorenf1ot, said the husband, ''g
j and fetch some bricks from the coach
r house cnougl to build mp the door q
the closet You can use the rest of til
a plaster bad to cont over the WALL"
q Then drawing Rosalie and the work
4 man aside:
4 Listen, Gorenflot," he said, in
g low voice, ''you will sleep here te
h night. :. Tomorrow morning YOU sila]
1 have passport, Will, which Won can e
/ to u foreign country. to Il town that II
q direct you to. I will give You six thou