The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-07-30
A TRAGIC DRAMA.
I he MarchiOuess Hle GanSe and
Her BFOGher~-fm.H4aW


Keen researches. Such is . the ont
gwen below. 1t certainly contains ampI,
materials to weave into thrilling story
while the principal actor in the tragedy i:
as fine specimen of the william of the
deepest dye" as was ever evolved from the
internal consciousness of the weekly move
list
When Louis XIV, was in his frs
youth the brightest ornament of his al
ready brilliant court was fair woman OF
eighteen, who was usually called 'la
Belle Provencale." She was of exquisite
beauty, spotless in character as she was
fair in person, and presumptive heiress OF
the enormous wealth Of her maternal
grandfather, Joannis De Nocheres. She
had been married at the age of thirteen
to the Marquis De CASTELAR,, grandson
Of the Due De Villars Her portrait
represents her Of pearl white complexion,
touched with most delicate rose dark
glossy hair, remarkably long; eyes as dark
as the hair, but large and languishing; a
| small mouth, and perfect teeth. In dis
/ position, sweet and genial, with a pure
mind and sound if not brilliant intelli-
/ gence. She seemed destined to pass the
/ happiest Of lives--adInired, esteemed, and
| beloved by all. Seldom has so fair Il
/ dawn been Swallowed by so dark noon
While in the height Of her popularity,
| her husband, who commanded the Medi-
/ terranean squadron, was lost off Sicily
with his ship, and his fair young wife re-
! tired to a convent of Avignon. Time,
| however, exercised It's soothing influence,
and she again returned to the gay world,
! where, from 81 crowd Of suitors she chose
for a second husband the young and
handsome Marquis de GaDge. As man
he was little inferior in outward gifts to
what his betrothed appeared as a woman.
In character the two were dramatically
opposite, for he was proud, naughty, jeal-
Gus, sullen, and mistrustful. The at
tachment of the young couple did not
! survive the honeymoon. The Marquis
neglected his wife, though she, on her
part, exercised great discretion. The
slightest appearance of undue interest on
the part of any OF her numerous admirers
was enough to relegate him to the remot-
est rank of her acquaintance. Her hus
band still remained sullen and jealous,
but concealed his feelings from the world,
and brooded over them in scored till they
were called forth by the advent Of the evil
genius of the family.
A few years after the marriage the two
brothers of the Marquis made their APP
pearance at Gange. They came to pay
visit; they ended by making it their per-
manent residence. The younger of these,
the Chevalier De Gange, was a poor,
weak creature of vicious instincts, and
completely under the control of his elder
| brother. This man, who was called the
! Able, was of most facnating manners,
and skilled in acting to perfection any
| character in which it suited his present
| purpose to appear. He was at the same
| time libertine and debauchee of the
| vilest stamp, utterly devoid Of religion,
heart, or feeling of any kind. He not
only used the Chevalier at his pleasure,
but exercised also considerable sway over
his brother, the Marquis, which he stead
lily increased, till at last he obtained
almost undisputed control Of the house
hold
He was, of course, soon smitten with
the charms of his sister-in-law, and began
to weave the snares by which he hoped to
entrap her. He laid himself out to please,
and undertook to effect a reconciliation
between herself and her husband. In this
he partially succeeded, at the same time
giving the Marchioness to understand that
She was indebted to his good offices for
the improved state of affairs. From the
very first she had conceived a strong
antipathy to the man, and though she
thanked him for his exertions, she treated
him with such marked GOODNESS that he re-
solved to have an explanation with her at
the first opportunity.
This soon occurred, and he avowed his
passion and solicited a return. The in
dignant reply he received induced him to
disclose his hand, and he threatened SO
to work on her husbands jealous dispo-
stion as to make her lie a hell. For
short time he made no change in his
tactics, and the AIarchioness began to
hope his threats were but empty air.
Meanwhile the Chevalier had succumbed
to her beauty, had made advances, and
been in turn repulsed. His mean and
revengeful nature placed him now COM
pletely at his brothers orders, and the
latter resolved at last to throw of the
mask. This required some tact and man
agement, for the Marquis was not the
man to be hoodwinked like the Chevaller,
and, though submissive to the Abbe's
stronger will, was far from being its slave.
He however succeeded, and now began
miserable time Of jealousy, sullenness-
even, it was rumored of personal violence,
IN which the Able found ample revenge
for the modification of his defeat. AL
though fully aware Of the malign intlu-
ence at work against her, the unhappy
lady made no attempt TO explain to her
husband its nature and cause, being too
sensible of the little weight any such rep
resentation was likely to carry.
At this time circumstances compelled
the family TO visit the Chateau de
Grange, seventeen. leagues from Mont
pellier and nineteen from AvignOn. 1t
was a lonely residence, and the Marchion-
ess. experienced an irrepressible repug-
nance to the visit Her gloom and
uneasiness had been augmented by an in
cident of suspicious nature which had
recently occurred. After having parta-
ken of some ice-cream she had become
extremely i'll, several others who had
done the like being similarly affected.
/ Through the use of emetics all escaped
/ without serious illness, but the ice, on
! analysis, proved to have been impreg-
mated with a strong mineral poison. No
/ regular inquiry followed this occurrence,
and barring a vague uneasiness it seems
! to have had no effect on the Marchioness'
mind. At this time the death of her
grandfather left her the heir of his
enormous wealth, which had the effect
of rendering her husband more consid-
crate. The Able and the Chevalier
treated her with marked respect.
! 1t was proposed to pass the Autumn at
Gange, and the Marchioness, oppressed
Il