The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-04-07
IN.
The Marquis de Malo'tet to N. Paul b
Paris.


Monsieur-It has become my imperative
though painful duty to relate to you the
facts which have brought aboutth crown
ing disaster Of which you have already
been advised, by more rapid means and
with such precautions as we were able to
take; a disaster that completely over
.whelms our souls already so cruelty tried.
As You are aware sir, few weeks, few
days had been sufficient to enable Mad
anne de Malouet and myself to know and
appreciate your friend, to conceive for him
an eternal affection soon, alasl to be
changed into eternal regret You are al
so aware. know, of all the sad circum>
stances that preceded and led to this sad
catastrophe.
Monsieur Georges conduct during the
melancholy days that followed the death
of Madame de Paine, the depth of feeling
as well as the elevation of soul which he
constantly manifested, had completely
won our hearts over to him. desired to
send him back to you at once, sir; | wished
to get him away from this sorTowlul spot,
| wished to take him to you myself, since
painful preoccupation detained You in
Paris; but he had imposed upon himself
the duty of not forsaking so soon what was
left of the unhappy woman.
We had removed him to our house; We
were surrounding him with attentions
He never left the chateau, except to go each
day on pious pilgrimage within few
steps. Still his health was perceptibly
| failing. Day before Yesterday morning
| Madame de Malouet pressed him TO join
| Monsieur de Breuilly and myself in a
al,
somewhat reluctantly. We started. On
the way he strove manfully to respond to
the efforts we were making to draw him
into conversation and rouse him from his
| prostration. ] saw him smile for the first
time in many hours, and began TO hope
that time, the strength of his soul, the at
tentions of friendship, might restore some
calm to his memory, when, at turn in
the road, deplorable chance brought us
face to face with Monsieur de Mauterne.
This gentleman was on horseback; two
friends and two ladies made mp his party.
| We were following the same direction, but
his gait was much more rapid than ours;
be passed us, saluting as he did so, and
noticed, so faf as ! am concerned, nothing
| in his manner that could attract attention
] was therefore much surprised to hear
! NJ. de Breuilly the next moment murmur
between his teeth: "That is an infamous
trick~ Monsieur George, who, at the mo-
ment of meeting had become pale and
turned his head slightly away, looked
sharply at Monsieur de Breuilly:
"What do you mean, sir? What do you
refer tor
II rfer to the impertinence of that brain>
less fool"
! appealed theoretically to Monsieur de
Breuilly reproducing him with his quarrel
some disposition, and affirming that there
had been no trace of defiance either in the
attitude or the features OF Monsieur de
Mauterne when he had passed by u.s.
Come, my friend" said Monsieur de
Breuilly. "your eyes must have been closed
or else you must have seen, as | saw my
SELF that the wretch giggled as he looked
at our friend. ] don't know why You wish
the gentleman to suffer an insult which
neither you nor | would suffer"
These unlucky words had been scarce
uttered, when Monsieur George started his
horse at gallop. "Are you madY ! said
to Breuily, who was trying to detain us;
land what means such an invention?"
my friend" he replied, at was neces-
sary to divert that boys mind at any cost. !"
shrugged my shoulders. / freed my
self from him and dashed after NJ George;
but. being better mounted than myself, he
had already gained considerable advance.
/ was still hundred PAGES behind him
when he overlook Monsieur de Mauterne,
who had stopped on hearing him coming.
1t seemed to ME that they were exchange
| inp a few words and almost at once I saw
NJ. Georges whip lashing several times,
and with a sort OF fury, Monsieur de Maui
ternes face. We barely arrived in time,
Monsieur de Breuilly and myself, to pre-,
vent that scene from assuming an odiOus
character Of brutality.
A meeting having unfortunately become
inevitable between the parties, we took
with us the two friends who accompanied
Mauterne, Messieurs de Quiroy and Asst
ley, the latter an Englishman. NJ. George
had preceded us TO the chateau. The
choice of weapons belonged without any
possible doubt 10 our adversary. Never
theless, having noticed that his seconds
seemed to hesitate with sort of indiffer-
ence, or perhaps of circumspection be-
tween swords and pistols, | thought that
we might, with little good management,
influence their decision in the direction
least unfavorable to us We went there's
fore, Monsieur de Breuilly and |, to con-
suit NJ. George on the subject. He pro-
nounced at once in favor of swords
But" remarked NJ. de Breuilly, "you
are very good pistol shot. | have seen
YOU at work. Are you certain to be bet
ter swordsman? DO not deceive yourself;
this will lie n Omhat "