The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-07-08
valet envoy in the most gracious man

valet envoy in the most gracious man
ner.
+. 81 will capture her easily" thought
Gavini, as he took his departure. 81 be-
lie, ed she was too Intelligent TO be
gulled by such transparent fattery.
Very well, so much the better for me"
But a young aamirer of tue Marcnion-
ess, Signor Conde de Vrao, who in years
gone by had been at the gay court Of
France, had recognized him.
The Conde solicited u private inter-
view with the Marehioness after Gavipi
had Withdrawn.
At ii st she hesitated to grant the re-
quest, because the Conde had often
urged her to give him her hand. But he
was so persistent this time that she went
with HIM to her bOudoir.
''lsolsna," he said TO her, "do you
know who that man is?'
The Envoy ot lhe King Of France,
ConGe," she replied. ellis credentials
show it.'' ..H
That may be, Isolena," he rejoined; !;
'but am sure that the King, in sending
the fellow"
"rhe iellow?"
ayes, une IellOw, Isolena. am sure
! that the King, Ill sending the fellow to
you, has played very contemplate
| trlck upon yOuW
"How sop
| ''Because
| THIS PRETENDED ENVOY
| is no otner than KING Francis body
servant"
"A menialw she cried, with flashing
eyes.
Yes, the lowest of the low; he who
dresses and undresses His majesty oil
| France.o
"And the King could put the affront
on me by senuIng sucl rascal to m. ?''
ut is not yet all, IsoleHa. This GA
VIM is a COrsican, ID serf of your fathers,
who fed the country twenty years ago
1 because he had committed several dis.
graceful thetts,"
The beautiful Marehioness was by
this time so enraged sine uttered the
following terrible oath:
''Had l to-day king Francis in my
power, | should cause him to perish Us
miserdbly AS the deg whom he has sent
to me. l swear it, and should lose my
own life and ruin Jhis whole islanu
| which l love SO wellP'
AT midnight, on the same day, Gavin
was dragged from his bed and thrust
Unto dungeon.
SIX hours later he was confronted by
the exeeutioner and the indignant Mar
chioness.
You are about to die," she said pit
eously to The Inflated man.
| show dare you treat the sacred per
son of all envoy in this manner" he
cried.
1.-The sacred person Of an escaped ser
and thielW she exclaimed. "Gavini,
know who you are"
.Fhe Envoy OF the King of France!D
"You mean his valet. Now listen tt
me. snail have your fl sh torn from
your limbs with red-hot plncers ii yol
do not confess what induced X ng Fran
cis to commit 50 infamous an outrage al
TO send you to me in the capacity OF al
| enyoy.n
Gavini referred once more to the in
vioiability OF his office.
She ordered the eXecutioner to tortar
him.
HORRIBLE SCENE ENSUED.
The prisoner was placed ON u woodel
oench, and tnen The executioner, atte
binding him, began TO tear of his fles
with red-hot pincers.
For ten minutes the victim, though u
terlng The most uneartnly yells, re!useI
to confess.
At last, when the agony was too great
he told the Marchloness what he la.
come 10 Corsica for.
This still added to her fury.
''WhatW she cried, liking Francis ha
, believed me to be SO low as to becom
his mistress! Me, who have more an
cient blood In my veins than Valois eve
had! On, he shah rue it! lie shall ru
iL!p
i She then ordered Gavihi to he be
headed, aud sent his head in glass i
hlled with white Corsican wine Lo "a
King of France.
:. Francis the First was beside himsel
. with rage upon receiving this ghastl
present.
He organized secret naval expedI
tiOn to Corsica, and caused lsolena t
De kidnapped.
al She landed at Marseilles in February
1921. The King was there at the tim,
He re used 20 see ber.
| 'Have her hair cropped" he ordered
Q shave her clad in hempen garments, an
!. then whipped through the streets of til
: cityH
This was done on the following day.
n The beautiful Marchioness suffered II
n torture with astounding iortitude.
II NOT cry OF pain escaped her tight
T. compressed lips as the eXecutioner
}, lash descended upon her naked back.
T. at last sne opened her mouth;
Y stream OF blood issued from it.
e "Who will avenge me?' she gasped.
d She was avenged Il lew months laIt
s when Francis the First was oyerpowere
at Pavia, and SO badly beaten that
l. exclaimed: "All is lost save honor!"
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