Middletown transcript., 1876-09-30
II ought to be clothed with the rank

..Gavini," he exclaimed. ''you ar
the most impudent rascal ever saw
But your idea is good one. Yes. yo'
low born william, you shall for once 60 al
my envoy to Corsica Prevail upon th'
marchioness whose charms you extol SC
enthusiastically. to come to Paris, anc
I shall reward you right royalty"
On the following day, Gavin, te
whom royal credentials had been giver
10 the dismay of the kings Minister Of
State, set out for Corsica He had a
large retinue Of servants. and acted in
perfect keeping with the exalted posi-
tion to which his master had so sud
denly raised him.
| In due course of time he arrived at
Ajaccio and called, with all ais attend
ants, upon the Marchioness Dalla Ballo.
He had not exaggerated her charms.
She was, indeed. most charming and
attractive woman.
Upon presenting the credentials to
her. be said:
my royal master. your excellency,
has entrusted me to bring about more
cordial relations between France and
the island of which you are mistress, if
not by Divine right. at least by the
right Of your surpa. sing beauty as by
virtue of the time-honored claims of
your ancestors"
The compliment was not lost upon
the handsome creature. She dismissed
the valet-enyoy in the most gracious
manner.
II will capture her easily" thought
Gavini, as he took his departure RI
believed she was too intelligent to be
gulled by such transparent fattery.-
Very well-so much the better for me
But young admirer Of the marchi-
oness Signor Conds Vrao, who in years
gone by had been at the gay court Of
France. had recognized him
The Conde solicited private inter-
view with the marchioness after Gavin
had Withdrawn
At first she hesitated to grant the re-
quest, because Conde had so often urg-
ed her to give him her hand. But be
was SO persistent this time that she
went with him to her boudoir.
''Isolena." he said to her, ''do you
know who that man is p
1.-The Envoy of the King of France,
Conde," she replied His credentials
show it"
'That may be, Isolena, be rejoined.
.but | am sure that the king, in send
ing the fellow"
1.-The fellow y
"Yes, the fellow, Isolena. am sure
that the king in sending the fellow to
you has played very contemplate
trick upon you"
Chow so 7"
because this pretended Envoy is no
other than King Francis body SER
want"
IA menial!" she cried, with flashing
eyes.
..Yes, the lowest of the low be who
dresses and undresses His Majesty of
France"
..And the king could put the affront
on me by sending such rascal to me?"
''It is not yet all, Isolena. This
Gavin is Corsican, serf Of your
fathers who fed the country twenty
years ago because he had committed
several disgraceful thefts."
The beautiful marchioness was by |
this time SO enraged that she uttered |
the following terrible oath:
''Had to-day King Francis in my |
power l should cause him to perish as
miserably as the dog whom he has sent
to me. l swear it, and should lose |
my own life and ruin this whole island |
which I love SO well!"
At midnight, on the same day, Gavin
was dragged from his bed and thrust
into dungeon.
Six hours later he was confronted by |
the executioner and the indignant mar
chioness.
"You are about to die," she said |
piteously, to the ill-fated man.
/, "How dare you treat the sacred per-
son Of an envoy in this manner y he
cried.
'.The sacred person Of an escaped serf
and thief" she exclaimed. "Gavini, l
know who you are.
"The envoy Of the King Of France"
"You mean bis valet. Now listen to
me. shall have your flesh torn from
your limbs with red-hot pincers if you
do not confess what induced King
Francis to commit so infamous an out
rage as to send you to mo in the capac-
ity Of an envoy"
Gavin referred once more to the in
of his Office.
She ordered the executioner to tor
lure him.
A horrible scene ensued.
The prisoner was placed on wooden
bench. and then the executioner, after
binding him, began to tear off his flesh
with red-hot pincers.
For ten minutes the victim, though
uttering the most unearthly yells, re-
fused to confess.
At last when the agony became too
great, he told the marchioness what be
had come to Corsica for
This still added to her fury. /
What" she cried. king Francis
has believed me to be 60 low as to be-
come bis mistress! Ne. who have more
ancient blood in my veins than Valois
ever had Oh, he shall rue it! He
shall rue it J"
She then ordered Gavin to be be-
headed. and sent his head in glass jar
filled with white Corsican wine to the
King of France Francis the First was