The Cecil Whig., 1876-05-27

majesty, release him, Be noble and gen.
erous, as yon always are and let him go
in safety
Louis answered angrily
THAT you may rush to his arms and
console him? No, | will not do it. But
stay. Upon one condition l will release
him.
I" And that, your majesty
/ "And that is upon condition Of his leav-
ing the country forever, and seeing you no
more. If he will do this, and you yield to
my suit, | will send and recall the lettre-
de cachet which consigned him to the Bas-
tile. Answer, shall it be 500
After some moments silent meditation,
Cecile looked up at the king, and respond
ed:
Your majesty, consent, and with this
modification only, that the chevalier may
be permitted one hours private conversa-
tion with me before we are parted
The king walked few PAGES away, and
then, observing a courtier walking at some
distance, called to him. The man ap-
preached his sovereign with respectful
greeting, and awaited his orders. Said the
king to him:
Dumont, go at once to the Bastile, pre-
sent this ring to the governor, and tell him
to fill in the name of the Chevaler Lavalle
in the blank order of release which was
sent to him last night. Then, when the
ic ra1a, H.,
here at once. Hasten, now. Show the
governor this signet ring, and he will know
that the order is genuine"
The man obeyed the king, and for some
the path in gloomy silence.
After the lapse of an hour the messenger
returned, accompanied by the overjoyed
chevalier.
Rushing at once to the king, an6 throw
ing himself at the sovereign's feet, Lavalle
was about to pour forth his thanks, when
Louis interrupted him, saying:
"Chevalier, have sent for you that you
may hear proposition which l have to
make; it is this" and the king repeated
the cruel decree by which Lavalle was to
save his life by renouncing both his love
and his country.
Rising to his feet, the unfortunate man
was about to refuse the terms with indig-
nant scorn, when glance from Cecile
closed his lips, and she rushed forward,
saying:
"My liege, we accept! The chevalier is
now startled and astonished, but when /
shall have explained the matter to him, he
will quietly CONSENT
The king feigned not to have noticed
the excitement of the chevalier, and quiet
| ly answered:
"'Tis WELL One hour we have promis-
ed, and one hour ye shall have. Here,
Dubois, calling a servant) order the blue
room to be prepared for visitors, lay covers
for two, and remember, the meal will be in
private; SO arrange all that no interruption
shall happen. Quick, now.''
And the servant ran to obey his sover-
eign's command.
The king waited unweariedly until the
room was prepared, then ushering the
young couple into it, he said
Mark me well, Cecile, and you, La
vale | give you one hour; at the end of
that time you will be interrupted. Now
leave YOU"
And the king closed the door behind
him and left the apartment.
For few moments after being left alone,
the unhappy pair did not stir from their
positions. Then, as by simultaneous i'm
pulse, rushing into each others arms, they
sobbed unrestrainedly.
"My own faithful heart" said Cecile, at
length, "and could you for a moment be-
ieve me capable of asserting to Louis
cruel decree? No! He condemns you to
death, and me to shame. For your exile
means death. Louis has a quiet way of
cutting off all chance of return for his
exiles, when he wishes it. You wish to
know why have brought you here? Can
! you not guess? In this little vial there is
contained few drops of the famed aqua
tofana. l shall pour it upon this peach
you give me, cut the peach in half, and
retaining one for myself, give one to YOU"
All this she had said in quiet voice,
repressing all emotion, fearing to weaken
the resolution of Lavalle.
AS she held out the half Of the peach he
took it, and while watching her while she,
| fearing that they might be watched and in.
| terrupted, hastily ate the fruit she had re-
| tanned, he followed her example; then,
while strength was left him, and with the
face of Cecile hidden on his breast, he
took his tablets, and tearing out leaf,
| wrote as follows:
"To Louis XIV, King Of France. 4 greet
ing from tile dead:-
SIRE-Iou have seen fit to demonstrate
to us that this beautiful world, which was
created to be a pleasure to man, spite Of
! its great expanse, is too small to hold three
poor mortals, because one of them is, by
accident of birth, a king. Yet. although
the king claims power over lives, for once
we shall convince him that love dares all
things: that the grave is place of refuge,
and death happy ordeal, since it now de-
livers one of us from his jealousy, and the
other from his love. King Louis NV,
the dying curse you! tyrant and murderer.
| God will demand our lives at thy hands,
and woe to thee when the demand is made.
Signed, The Chevalier de Lavalle,
CECILE DE BEAUvoIR."
After having scrawled upon the paper,
the dying man pinned it to the table with
/ the point of the fruit knife, the blade of
which was still wet with the poison.
/ AT the expiration of one hour, King
/ Louis, followed by several courtiers, enter
ed the room; there, lying in each others
arms, lay the unhappy lovers, dead. The
king snatched the knife from the table,
and lifting the paper, read the words which
the chevalier had written. Among others
who at once tiocked to the scene of death
was the heart broken father of Cecile
recognizing the knife as hers, he took pos
session of it, and when a son was born to
console him for his bereavement, he be
AI. A.