American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-01-10
VOL. XXTy.

With this she turned and went her way +,
twhile he, bewiIdered with grief and iIl-
dignation, stood as if transiixed to the
spot, and looked after her till his tears
obscured- his vision. For Il moment he
was undecided what to do; but as he
turned to go his way his eyes fell on the
sign ofa sword-cutter on the opposite side
of the street. He Immediately crossed
over and provided himself with L weapon.
'One or the other of " nlnst, die" ssffd
he; ''either he, the rich Marquis, or l, the
poor poet"i
The mood he was in breoded no delay
that very evening, therefore, he waited
for his rival in an arched doorway Oppo-
site the Marneville residence. When the
marquis appeared, wrapped in white
mantle, and turned to look up at the
lighted windows OF his betrothed, Desfor-
ges approached him.
ut is you who would rob me of Mile
de Maraey H." he began. in a tone trem-
-uieuis with rage. Il love her, and if you
lead her 10 the altar you must cross my
dead body. Defend yourself, sirr'
"Ha! are you mad?" laughed the mar
quis.
Eyes, madly in earnest You must
| fight, sir" replied Desiorges.
"Fight-with you? To do that l
should be worse than mad, should be Il
| fool" returned the marquis.
| miserable coward,' cried Desforces
t''You are not worthy of being treated as
an honorable adversary. Take rhat.'
And with all the energy OF frenzy he
seized his rival, wound his mantle around
| him so that he could not use his arms,
and then beat him with the fiat of his
sword until the disturbance in the street
| brought Mile. de Marneville to the win
| dow, where she gould see her beirothed
receive his chastising. Instead of APP
plauding the courageous friend of her
youth she swore vengeance on him for
thus maltreatIng the marquis, and called
for assistance.
Tired at least of belaboring his rival,
Destorges went his way, leaving the mar
quis To re-enter the house OF his mistress
and repair damages.
1t unfortunately chanc ed that while
the marquis sougAt consolation for the
beating he had received in the caresses
of his lady-love, Mime. de Marnev;le
| threatened To use her influence with the
Marquise de Pompadour to secure the ar
rest of Desforees.
''That could doubtless be easily COM
passed." said Beauvoir, "for the Marquse
happens at this moment TO be eXasperated
against some Anonymous poet on account
OF Il satire of which she is the. subject,
and til at has been in circulation for the
last day or two.''
"How?" asked the two ladies in a
breath
"Richelieu, the gallant duke, who de-
lights in nothing more than in badgering
the Marquise, sent her copy. In her
evaporation she threatens the author
with her direst vengeance, If she can dis
cover him, which she is making every
effort TO do"
'Then he has not yet been discovered ?''
asked Adrienne.
'Not yet" tE
"And would he be severely punished?'
Nothing could save him from the
Bastile.'
Adrienne arose and demanded her
mantle.
where are you going, my childs"
go the Maruuise de Pompadour,'
''To the Marquise!' echoed the aston
ished Beauvoir.
mot now, child, at this late hour" re-
monstrated the mother.
"Now-this night-before l Sleep,'
cried the revengeful Adrienne.
The Marquise de Pompadour, in conse-
quence of the annoyance Desiorges' satire
had caused her, was ailing, and, conse-
quently had retired earlier than usual.
When Mile. de Marneville was shown
into her apartment, the mistress of France,
shorn of all pomp, fatigued and pale, but |
hardly less beautiful and fascinating in
pallor, raised herself up on her silken |
cushions, and fixed those wonderful eyes !
on her visitor that had softened many a I
determined diplomat
at must be matter of real importance, |
mademoiselle, that viii excuse your |
W Weakening me, for | am not at all well to- |
night" said the AIarQuise in a kindly |
tone.
MY mission will result, 1 trust, Nine. |
lie Marquise, in removing the cause of |
your indisposition.''
And that Is" 1
"1he satire which" -F - = |
"Not a word about that, l beg of you;
l would | could not think of il again
Still, L cannot deny that it is clever"
But, madame, would you not be glad |
to discover its author?'
Glad / know not what would not
give To find him QUIZ
That you can do through me. | ask |
only that you keep the name Of your in
formant a secret"
well, l promise"
And that his punishment be severe"
added Adrienne. .'t--F
"Oh, you Can safely leave that to me-
His punishment shall be such as to wean |
him from any desire TO ever write another
line OF verse, my word for that
Here, then, is the manuscript"
The Marquise ran her eyes hastily over
it. But the name of the author." she
asked.
"Desforges."
as this his handwriting
at is"
"Aud how shall | reward you, my
child ?" asked the Marquise, overjoyed
" viii first see. in the severity with
which you punish Desforges, how great Il
recompense you think my service
merits.'
"Hal if you wait till then, fear there
is nothing you will not have the courage
to ask,'' replied the Marquise, laughing
Before morning Desiorges was securely
lodged in the Bastile.
For several days Nine. de Pompadour
occupied herself in devising some mode
of punishment for the satirist, that should
be as original it was severe. Finally
she solved the interesting problem, and
took the necessary steps to put her plan
into immediate execution.
Destorgcs, in the meantime, was not
only in prison, but in the worst of all
possible moods He had prescntiment
that the most unrelenting Of Ncmeses, in
the persons of two women, as beautiful
as they were heartlcss, were planning his
destruction.
Finally the day came on which lie was
to learn his fate. He WAS led into Il large
hall, in which, behind long table with
green cover, there sat three judges, in
long robes, and a little one-eyed secre
iary Behind the court stood large
folding screen, while half a dozen guards
surrounded the prisoner. The proceed
ings of the court were remarkable only
for their brevity. 4 copy of the satire
xyn. sfaur, and ~ was asked