Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-08-10

"Eh, bicn IN responded Auguste
may the Oracle's mood be propitious!'
A minute had scarcely elapsed when
AlphOnse returned to the salon. His
face was white and bore au appearance
of concentrated rage that was frightful
to witness. He came straight to Au-
guste his eyes flashing and bending
his face towards his friend, who
changed color and recoiled, he bissed
out; "MOnsier Lefebure, UOus etes I'm
tGche ?" Very well, Monsieur Meu-
nier," responded Auguste in the same
low tone, tomorrow MORNING at
six o'clock ~ ut is settled, false
friend, execrable traitor Il To- D1Orte!'
rejOined Alphonse, walking off. "CetG
"a sans dire !' muttered Auguste, |
going towards the hat-rOOm.
A diplomatist of distinction, repre-
sentative at Paris of neighboring |
State, an elderly gentleman of superb |
aplomb and most commanding APP
pearance, was summoned to the oracle !
by the bowling footman. After being |
absent about five minutes he returned, |
and Immediately made his way |
through the press to NJ. de Lasa, who |
was standing not far from the fire. |
place, with his hands in his pockets, |
and look of the utmost indifference |
upon his face. Delesseri, standing
near, watched the interview with eager
interest. Il am exceedingly sorry"
said General -, "tO have to absent
myself so soon from your interesting
salon, NJ. de Lasa, but the result of my
seance cOnvinces me that my de-
spatches have been tempered with"
"fam sorry" responded NJ. de Lasa,
with an air of languid but courteous
interest, 81 hope you may be able to
discover which of your servants has
been uufaithful." ~ am going to do
that now" said the general /; adding
In significant tones, II shall see that
both he and his accOmplices do not
escape severe punishment" THAT is
the only course to pursue, Monsieur
! the Count" The ambassador stared,
Bowed, and took his leave with a be-
wilderment in his face that was be-
| You'd the power of his tact to control.
In the course of the evening NJ. de
Lrsa went Carelessly TO the piano, and,
after some vague preluding, played
| remarkably effective piece of music, in
| which the turbulent life and buOyan-
! cy of bacchanalian strains melted
gently, almost imperceptibly, away
into u sobbing wall of regret and lam
| guor and WEAKNESS and despair. 1t
was beautifully rendered, and made a
| great impression upon the guests, one
of whom, a lady, cried, How lovely
how sad Did you compose that
| yourself, NJ. de Lasa ," He looked
! towards her absently for All instant,
then replied II? Oh no. That is
merely Renaissance, madam" DO
] i; 4 IL,
! Lasa ?n enquired a virtuosO present.
II believe it was originally written by
| Ptolemy Athletes, the father of Cleo
patra, " said NJ. de Lasa, IN his indit-
| ferent, musing way, but not in its
present form. 1t has been twice re-
| written, to my knowledge still, the
air is substantially the same. "From
| whom diu YOU get it. Nj. de Lasa, if |
NAV ask ?' persisted the gentleman.
Certainly certainly The last time
| heard it played was by Sebastian
| Bach &; but that was Palestrina's-th
! present-versiOn. | thiUk l prefer
! that of Guido of ArezzO-it is ruder,
but has more force. got the air from
| Guido himself" 'You-frOm - GuiiOn
cried the astOunded gentleman. Yes,
! monsieur" answer De Lasa, rising
! from the piano with his usual indilfer-
| eut air. Mon Diem !' cried the vir
tuosO. putting his hand to his head
otter the manner of Mr.. Twemlaw
MON Dieu !' that was i'll Ammo
! Domini 1922 - "A little later than
that-July, 1881. if / remember right
! w." cOurteOusiy corrected NJ. de Lasa.
At this moment the tall t0Otman
bowed before NJ. DelcsSert, and pre-
scented the salver containing the card.
/ Delessert took it and read ''OB UOu8
accOrdc tre7Ite-cinq SecOndcs, ~. Eta
6ry, tOat al piuS :" Delessert follow
ed the fOOtman from the salon across
the corridor. The fOotman opened the
door of another room and bowed again,
sIgnifying that Delessert was to enter.
Ask no questions" he SAID briefly
"Sidi is a mute" Delessert entered
the room and the door closed behind
him, 1t was a small room, with a
strong smell of frankinceDse perva-
ding j.. The wills were covered COM
pletely with red hangings that con-
cealed the winders aud the floor was
1elted with thick carpet. Opposite the
door, at the upper eud of the room
near the ceiling, was the face of large
clock Under it, each lighted by tall
wax candles, were two small contain
ing, the one an apparatus very like
the common registering telegraph in
strument, the other crystal globe
about twenty inches in diameter, set
upon an exquisitely wrought tripod of
J gold and bronze intermlngled By
} the door stood SIdi, a man jet black i'll
color, wearing white turban and bur
nous, and having a sort of wand OF sill
yer in one hand. Wit the other he
took Delessert by the right arm above
the elbow and led him quickly up the
: room. He pointed to the clock, and IT
struck an alarm he pointed to the
crystal. Delessert bent over, looked
into it, and saw-a facsimile OF his
own sleeping room, everything photo
graphed exactly. Sidi did not give
him time to exclaim. but, still holding
him by the arm, took him to the other
table. The telegraph-like instrument
began to click-click. Sid opened a
! drawer, drew out slip of paper, cram
: med it into DelesseTt's hand and point
ed 10 the clock, which struck again
The thirty-five seconds were expired
= SiGi, still retaining hold of Delesserts
, arm, pointed tn the door and led him
2 towards IT, The door opened, Sid
pushed him out, the door closed, the
tall footman stood there bowling, the
} interview with the oracle was over
$ DelesseTt glanced at the piece of paper
in his hand, 1t was printed scrap
with capital letters, and read simply
= ITO NJ. Paul Delessert: The Police
, man is always welcome 4, the spy al
[ ways in dangeT"
4 Delessert was dumbfounded mo-
Y ment to find his disguise detected, but
e the words of the tall fOotman, This
, way, if you please, NJ. FIabry,
i; brought him to his senses. Setting hi:
J lips he returned to the salon, and
2 without delay sought NJ. de Lasa.-
! "Do you know the contents of this %
e asked he showing the message, II
+, know everything. NJ. Delessert, an
= swered De Lasa in his careless way
, "Theu perhaps you are aware that
o mean to expose a chaTlatan and un-
: mask hypOcrite, or perish in the at
! Tempt" said Delessert. "Cetd M est