Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-04-08
slNBAD IN ENGLAND.
OF a Sail above the Clouds.
WILLIAM GILBERT.

scribe to you some of my adventures
in the capital of France, which, as
you are aware, is one of the most
powerful aud civilized natious in
Europe, aud which, at the time of my
visit, was carrying on fierce war
against the Empire of Germany, a
country even more powerful, as
proved by the result, than France.
"Although his iordship's sister in-
habited beautiful palace near the
outskirts of the city, which W as fitted
up with every luxury that good taste
could desire, or unlimited wealth
purchase, and although she had many
apartments which were ut her broth
er's disposal, yet his lordship pre-
| ferred taking up his abode in cara
vansary or hotel, as it is called In
the language of their country. At
the same time you should bear in
mind that the hotels Of Europe, al
though they are built for the accom-
modalion of strangers, have but little
resemblance to the caravansaries OF
| Quently resemble the palace Of a
tious buildings we have in Persia.
| w uoG hlS ACooOhS Wy. . 4oi
| preferring to reside apart from his
| sister, am unable to say, as he did
not inform me, and il would have
been presumption on my part to have
asked the question. Indeed. had l
done SO it is more than probable, l
| should have incurred his lordship's
displeasure, who, although generally
kind 10 me, could, if offended, speak
in terms of great severity. "
ellis lordship frequently saw his
| sister, in fact, scarcely day passed
without his visiting her, and on these
| occasions l generally went with tho
carriage as his servant OF course
in my humble position had no OPP
portunity of seeing the invalid lady,
but remained below in the courtyard
enclosed in the centre of the palace.
Here formed acquaintance with
many of the servants, aud more espec-
tally with twO-one q Erenchman,
who spoke English perfectly, and the
other All English confidential foot
man. With .he other servants | had
but little communication, knowing,
as did, only few words of the
French language, Although I be-
| came somewhat intimate with Pierre,
| the Frenchman, anu Smith, the Eng
lish servant, cannot say much liked
either. To give any reason for my
GOODNESS would be difficult, and pos
sibly it arose at first simply from
prejudice Oh my part, for they were
both extremely civil t. me.
| Occasionally l took the liberty Of
asking his lordship after his sisters
health. He told me he was sorry to
say she fell off in strength daily, but
this he considered was rather brought
about by anxiety for the fate of her
husband than any real increase of the
disease she was laboriug under. One
day when his lordship visited his SIS
Ger he remained longer than usual.
and on noticing the fact to Pierre and
Smith, they told me her ladyship was
much worse that day, in fact, that
considerable fears were entertained
| by the doctors that she would not re-
| cover. AT length l saw his Iordship
| descending the staircase, carrying
with him somewhat large, hand
| some leather case or box. with q
handle OH the top of it. inmedi-
! ately ran to meet him, but he notion
ed me away, and taking the box with
him, entered the carriage. / now
seated myself beside the coachman,
and as the carriage was driving away,
| l turned round to nod an adieu to the
two men l had been talking with.
They did not, however, see me, being
| ciIgaged i'll most earnest conversation
together, each wearing a look of
mingled anger and disappointment.
of course paid no attention to them,
and the carriage drove on .i.rH r
"We now beard that the enemy
had gained several victories over the
French, and that they were rapidly
advancing towards Paris with an i'm
mense army, intending to besiege it.
A few days after our aforementioned
visit to the palace, his lordship in.
formed me that must prepare to
leave Paris, as he had applied for per-
| mission from. the General Of the Ger
mans to pass through their afmy, for
the purpose of visiting the nobleman
| who had married his lordship's sister,
and who was then lying wounded,
| and prisoner in one of their cities.
&c expected to leave, he said, in two
or three days, aud told me must be
ready to accompany him.
cit was more than week, how.
ever, before permission came. Dur
ing that time change had taken
| place in the behaviour OF Pierre and
Smith towards IHe. Hitherto they
had not called on me at his lordship's
hotel, but now mot day passed with
out one of them coming to see me.
They pretended they had conceived a
great respect for me, aud had much
pleasure i'll my society, aud asked
many questions about Egypt, and other
places | had visited. But remark ed,
and thought it very curious, that they
hardly ever entered into conversation
with me without making some re-
marks about the leather case or box
which his lordship had taken away
with him. They asked me what he
had done with it; where he kept it,
and several other questions, none OF
which l could answer. They then
pressed me 10 finh out where his lord
ship kept it, and l asked their reason
for making the inquiry. At first
they passed it off as merely innocent
curiosity. and | began to consider
the excuse valid one, when Smith
asked ME If knew what was inside
the case. l replied that did not and
that 1t was to me matter of no i'm
portance. He then informed me 4 at
her ladyship was celebrated for hay
Ing finer diamonds than any lady in
France.
"'And,' he continued, 'they are in
the case his lordship took from our
palace. To tell you the truth, and
between friends, we were very angry
at the circumstance, as it seemed to
cast a doubt on the integrity OF her
ladyship's servants. Pm sure he wa.
not justified i'll any suspicion of the
kind, for had we intended to appro
pirate them to our own use, I'VE might
have done so over and over again
there's temptation enough TO excuse
US hsd we been inclined to be dishon.
est, for do you Know ne said, clap.
ping me expressively on the chest, a.
he spoke, that those diamonds are OF
sufficient value to make the fortune
of three such men us we are, to say
nothing OF other jewels of great value
as weli.'
Il had of course no answer to make
to these remarks, and the matte,
dropped. Still Smith and Pierre con.
tinued to visit me every day, and al,
tempted to gain my confidence and
intimacy, in which, to certain ex
tent, they succeeded, but not com
pletely, for the half feeling of dislik,
1 had towards them on our first &C
quaintance, remained the same, not
withstauiimg their friendly bearing
: ! Possibly 7 MIGHT hava conc,;,o, -,