The Van Buren press., 1876-09-26
SURPRISING BEAUTY,

SURPRISING BEAUTY,
as well as by virtue of the time honored
claims of your ancestors
| The compliment was not lost upon the
handsome creature. She dismissed the
va ct envoy in the most gracious manner.
81 will capture her easily" thought
Gavin, as he took his departure. 81 be
leved she was too intelligent to be gulled
by such transparent Aattery. Very well,
so much the better for me-
But young admirer of the Marehion-
ess, Sguor Conde de Varo, who in years
gone by had been at the gay court of
| France, had recognized him.
The Conde solicited a private interview
with the Marchioness, after Gavini had
withdrawn
At first she hesitated to grant the re-
quest because the Conde had often urged
her to give him her hand. But he was
so persistnet this time that she went with
him to her boudoir.
Isolena," he said, " do you know who
that man is 7"
The envoy of the King of France,
Conde," she replied. His credentials
show it,"
That may be, Isolena," he rejoined,
" but l am sure the King, in sending the
| fellow
The fellow %
Yes, the fellow, Isolena. l am sure
that the King, in sending the fellow to
you, has played a very contemplate
trick upon you ~
How SO 7"
"Because
THE PRETENDED ENVOY
is no other than King Francis body SER
want"
"A menial!" she cried, with flashing
eyes.
Yes, the lowest of the low; he who
dresses and undresses his Majesty OF
France"
"And the King could put the affron'
on me by sending such rascal to me
." 1t is noty yet all, lsolena This Gavi
nj is Corsican, serf of your fathers
who fed the country twenty years ago
| because he had committed several dis
graceful theits.'
The beautiful Marchioness was by this
time so enraged she uttered the folio wing
terrible oath:
"Had ] o-day King Francis in my
power, ! should cause him to perish as
miserably as the dog whom he has sent
to me. l swear it, should ruin my own
life and ruin this whole island which
love 50 well"
At midnight of the same day, Gavini
was dragged from his bed and thrust in.
to dungeon.
Six hours later he was confronted by
the executioner and the indignant Mar
chioness
You are about to die" she said pite
ously to the ill-fated man.
How dare you treat the sacred per-
son of an envoy in this manner" he cried
"The sacred person of an escaped
serf and thief" she exclaimed. "Gavi
nj, | know who you are"
"The envoy OF the King of France y
"You mean his valet Now listen tc
me. shall have your flesh torn from
your limbs with red hot pnchers if you
do not confess what induced King Fran
els to commit SO infamous an outrage as
to send you to me in the capacity Of al
envoy
Gavini referred once more to the invi.
olability Of his office
She ordered the executioner to torture
him,
A HORRIBLE SCENE ENsuED.
The prisoner was placed on a wooder
bench and then the executioner, aftel
binding him, began to tear off his tlesl
with red, hot pinchers.
For ten minutes the victim, though ut
tering the most unearthly yells, refused
to confess.
At last, when the agony was too great
he told the Marchioness what he hac
come to Corsica for.
This still added to her fury
"What." !" she cried, King Franci:
has believed me to be SO low as to be
come. his mistress Me, who have NOR,
ancient blood in my veins than Naloi'
ever had Oe, he shall rue it!
She then ordered Gavin to be behead
ed and sent his head in glass case jan
filed with white Corsican wine to the
KING of France.
Francis the First was beside himself
with rage upon receiving this ghastly
present.
He organized scored naval expedition
to Corsica and caused Isolena to be kid
mapped.
She landed at Marseilles in February
1921. The King was there at the time
He refused to see her.
Have her hair cropped he ordered
have her clad in hempcn garments, anC
then whipped through the streets OF tht
CITY,"
This was done on the following day.
The beautiful Marchioness suffered thu
torture with astounding iortitude.
Not a cry of pain escaped her tightly
compressed lips as the exeoutoner's lash
descended upon her naked back.
At last she opened her mouth a stream
of blood issued from it.
"Who will avenge me p she gasped
She was avenged fow months later
when Francis the FIRST was overpo owereC
at Pavia, and was so badly beaten tha
he exclaimed All is lost save honor'