The Morning herald., 1876-07-31

49,
jpeid the same homage to the Countess
/ who for . moment looked at him.: bu
| ~hen bis dark eyes met hers, droppet
them Immediately again.
Il A month later the Countess, under th,
escort Of Pietro de Gusca, arrived at Turir
| where her intended HUSBAND, enchanted
BY her beauty, received with her genuine
\ enthusiasm.
i "Has Pietro de Gusca, my envoy, anc
your travelling companion treated you
| well, and done everything for your com.
fort, during the journey, my angel?" SAID
the Duke tenderly to bis "Gance."
The question seemed to disturb the
lady.
She blushed and stammered out.
"Oh, yes, Signor de Gusca has been very
kind to me-"
All, only too kind for the happiness ol
the Countess and her intended hush md.
For Pietro de Gusca, in whose W Is the
hot blood of an old Spanish family was rol-
Ing, had, during the journey, fallen in
love with the beautiful creature, who was
to adorn the throne of Savoy, and she, tie
Countess, with that innate perspicacity ol
women in such matters, had discovered
only too soon that such was the case.
Slgnor de Gusca was a very handsome
man, and there was in his handsome man.
ner, IN his conversation, a magnetism
which to some women is irresistible.
He spoke French and English fuently
and this was most agreeable to the Coun-
tees, whose knowledge Of Italian was i'm
perfect.
So he acted constantly as her interpreter
and was nearly all day long by her side.
Whether, at that time, she was already
in love with him. it is difficult to say.
snt that she became enamored of him
si4ag.l7 after her marriage with the Duke,
is certain.
The Duke, as we have said, was pas
sionate sportsman. He desired that his
wife should accompany him on his hunt
ing expeditions.
She disliked riding on horse back, but
had at first complied with her husbands
wishes.
One day she raw him dispatching u
beautiful fawn with his hunting knife.
The sight had Mortified her. She had
tainted away, and thenceforth steadily re-
fused to 90 out hunting any more with the
Duke. He was high tempered man.
He demanded to know the reasons of her
refusal. She answered him evasively.
This added to his rising wrs...l, and
when, upon his imperiously insisting upon
his demand for an explanation, she gave
him still laughter answer, he forgot
himself SO far as to fling his heavy glove
into her face.
She drew herself up to her full height,
and gave him one glance of the most with
ering disdain.
For moment he felt strong impulse
to throw himself at her feet and implore
her forgiveness.
But she contemptuously turned her back
upon him, and, prey to conflicting emo
tions, she shed from the room. They
did not meet again foi weeks. Whsle she
remained secluded in her apartments her
husband buried himself in the woods hunt
ing the ibez and chamois.
But she received frequent visits from
Pietro de Gusca, and, in her fury because
of the ignoL,inious treatment she had re-
ceived at the hands of her husband, she
forgot herself farther than she should have
done. This is often the case women,
smarting under indignities inflicted upon
them them by their husbands, are prone
to violate their marital VOWS,
The interviews between Gusca and the
Dutchess soon became so frequent that it
set the tongues Of the gossips in the ducal
palace of Turin in motion.
At last the Duke himself heard of it.
He was thunderstruck, and at first ut
terly refused to believe it.
But the rumor was repeated to him so
persistently that he'resolved to investigate
whether it was true or not.
He found that it was, and with true
Italian vindictiveness resolved to punish
the guilty parties cruelty.
Executions were then frequent in Savoy.
The laws, like most of those Of that period
were severe in the extreme. Vittoria
Amedeo frequently refused to sign death
warrants; still the executioner was kept
busy.
One night the Duke sent for the excel
toner, who was ordered to bring with him
everything necessary to strangle a priso-
ner of State.
The executioner arrived with the dread
paraphernalia of his office. He found
with the Duke masked gentleman.
'Do you know this man, signorw cried
the Duke to the latter, pointing to the exc
cutioner.
"Only too well, your highuess," replied
the masked gentleman.
''Do you know what he is here for?"
asked the Duke.
'I do not, your highness."
"Well, will tell you"
The Duke Missed few words into the
genUleman's ear.