The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-12-28
81 camn 10 rctnrn fhnm y

"Return them? What do you
mean?"
81 have been to his cell"
"You have opened his door.r said
the father, excitcdly. elias he escap.
ed?"
,"llc is safely locked up she answer
ed.
'Do you mean that You have visited
the prisoner in his cell, VictorineYr
eyes, my father"
staggering backward with emotion
edo you tell me that you have visited
and convcrsed with the Iron Masky'
"Fathcr, yes, not once, but many
times" answered the truthful girl.
"And you know nothing of INV
oath?"
"Your oath?"
Gay, VictOrine. | have sworn 10
take the life of any person who has
spoken to the prisoners
"Alas" said Victorine, clasping her
hands.
"And why have Won done ihis?'
"Fathcr, love him.
"And he?'
"Also loves me-
"C'rcat Heavens, what situation am
L in!' exclaimed Monsieur de Bonpart.
you are sure that he is safely locked
up!'
eyes, father"
"And the keys are herc?" he contin-
ued, making sure of the fact.
"They are"
$50 TO thy chamber, child; give me
time TO think. Say-does any one else
know of these meetings."
"No one"
you have had no assistance in re-
gard to these clandesiine mcetings?'
"None."
"To your chamber, then, quickly. /
must think over this frightful dilcm-
ma,' said the governor, as he retired to
his chamber, with the keys in his hand.
The discovery of his child's treacherv
struck the governor with the greatest
dismay. His oath, as he had said. was
binding upon him to put to immediate
death any one who had spoken to the
prisoner. When he came face to face
with Victorine on the following dav,
she again confessed her love and plead
ed piteously for her life. The captive.
also, TO whom the governor was much
joined his prayers to hers,
and implored that they might be mar
ried, and then the secret would be safe.
The governor was not stern enough
to immediate his well-beloved and beau
Iifnl daughter, and perhahs a CLEAN of
may possibly have flashed
across his mind, as in the event of the
death of Louis NV, the prisoner
would perhaps be acknowledged. and
his daughter sit on the throne of
France.
No one can say how far ambition led
ihe governor, or whether the love of
MS child did not weigh quite as heavy
IN the balance. BE that as il NAV, GER
ain il is that the priest of the castle
performed the nuptial ceremony at the
lead of night, and all were sworn TO
secrecy.
So well were things managed that
or the space of twelve years-twclve
lappy years 10 Victorinc-this domes-
ic relationship existed, and all was
we'll in the island prison. The govern
ncnt was satisfied with the safe guar
exercised by dc Bonpart. An
annual commission of a private charac-
or reported in relation TO the Iron
Mask, as he was designated for prccau-
ions sake. and Nictorinc and her hns-
)and were comparatively '"ppy-ccr-
ainlv entirols 81 us II regards their re-
ations to each other.
From their union two children were
boys, possessing their
mothers beauty of face and the fathers
ligniiv and grace of form. Had il not
)een for these beautiful chldren-the
me now eight, and the other ten years
If age-the singular secret of that pri-
rate wedding might have been longer
sept. But at the time when the chill
lren had reached the respective ages
named, whispcr-a fatal whisper
cached the French court.
Nictorine aid her husband had en-
Dyed n period of uninterrupted happi-
less for about twelve years within the
walls of the citadel which crowns the
ofty summit of st. Marguerite, dating
rom that eventfnl night when she drop
ped the prison keys upon the floor of
ler fathers room. How short those
wclvc years seemed to them now as
hey looked back upon them.
In those days court secrets were kept,
md history even does not record with
Is usual fidelity the events that follow
I'd hard upon the discovery which we
nave referred to; but enough is known
o make very brief and tragic ending
o this brief sketch.
There came to the island prison GER
ain high officers. The prisoner was
The Iron Mask was placed
lpon his features, and locked upon his
lead securely, after which he was re-
moved, travelling by night, to Paris and
ncarcerated in the Dastilc.
De Bonpart disappeared as suddenly
is the poor fisherman lost his life, be-
'ause he picked up the piece of silver
plate upon which the prisoner had writ
.en certain disclosures with his penknile
md cast into the sea.
The priest who performed the mar
iage ceremony was never again heard
)t.
Victorine disappeared as summarily
Is her father had done, no one knew
now.
The two children were sent TO Corsi-
"A, to be- brought up in obscuriiy, and
heir identity is lost.
Such is the legend still told bv the
people of the Cannes relating TO the is
and prison OF ST. Marguerite.
TABLE TALK.-'In all attempts at
one cardinal point should be
Kept in view,-that manners were made
por men, not men for manners. Nice