The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-07-17

The Beautiful CasrfgIIOnf and
Napoleon, AHH

From the London Financial Opinion.
A Corsiean, the chief of the late En-
peror Napoleon's Secret Guard, relates
the following episode: Shortly after the
marriage of Napoleon III, and the coun-
tess Eugene de Montijo, the papers an
nounced the arrival in Paris Of an Italian
lady Of Eondrous beauty. The 'gilded
youth" of the capital rushed with impetG
Gus haste to leave their cards at the Ho-
tel Beauyau, the residence of that magnifi
cent Duehesse Castiglioni, for that was
the Incompatible creatures name. For
a single word they were prepared to ruin
themselves; for one touch of her taper
fingers they were ready to kill themselves
or each other. The director of the
opera, the managers Of threatres, placed
their most luxurious boxes at the service
of la belle Castigl;oni; ministers and
great dignitaries offered her their salons;
the court sent her a tabouret, and this
compliment was the only one the superb
duchesse deigned to accept. She ac-
cepted the tabouret, and honored with her
gracious presence grand state ball at
the imperial palace.
Her entrance into the ballroom made
tremendous sensation. The dancers
stopped dancing, the orchestra forgot to
play. The gentlemen stared and the
ladies pretended not to look. The EN-
press alone kept her presence of mind.
Gracefully rising she gave the duchess
her hand, and, leading her toward the
throne, signed to her charming guest TO
be seated on the tabouret, which had
been specially placed for her. Then
the band struck up waltz and the en-
peror, who could not keep his eyes off La
Castigloni, begging the Grand Duke
Ernst of SAKE Coburg, to step a measure
with the empress, gallantly offered his
hand to the fair Italian, and the next
moment they were mingling with the
whirling throng. After a few turns
Napoleon proposed promenade, and the
pair walked slowly round the room, gay
ly conversng, while the others waltzed.
The next day, as we returned from the
Bots de Boulogne, Gen. FleurY told me
to be in waiting in the Salon de Service
that evening at eight o'clock. As he
spoke to me | had such a rush of blood
to the eyes that / was forced to close them
for moment with my hand. (The am
liable Corsican was superstitiOus, had pre-
sentiments, believed in talismans, etc,
and whenever murder was in the air he
never failed to be apprised of the fact by
this Ominous warning.) According to the
emperor's orders, | presented myself in
the salon, but little before the time fix
ed. His majesty seeing me so early ask
ed if there was anything new.
''No, sire, l only wished to know
whittier we are going"
And why" asked the emperor, curl
ously cycling me.
because this night something will
happen"
As | made this remark Fleury came,
and we set of-Napoleon, Fleury and
myself As we went into the Hotel
Beauvau, and just as | put my foot on
these words to NJ. Eleury:
"Look out, general, we are in the house
of an Italian"
| was the last, and as we came on the
landing l stepped aside into the shade,
while Il woman servant showed the EN-
peror and his aid-de-camp into the sa
loon. When the servant had done this
she closed the door. and, after walking a |
few PAGES across the corridor, clapped |
her hands three times. The same instant |
a man emerged, | know not from where, |
and advanced softly toward the saloon.
He carried something in his hand. Be
fore he reached the door he was d dead |
mana dagger stroke, dealt from be
hind, had pierced his heart. The shock
of the body falling upon the floor, and
the cries of the domestics brought Gen.
Fleury to the spot. He saw at glance
what had happened, and, while he locked
the servant up in the use-maid' closet,
dragged the corpse into an adjacent
room. Making a sign to me to remain,
the emperor and his riddle camp hur
ried from the house. Directly aflerward
the former returned, bringing with him
two carriages and the secret agent Fam
DO. Into one of the vehicles were thrust
the dead body and the servant, and in
trusted to the care of the agent. The
general and l, taking with us the duch-
esse, entered the other.
A few minutes later | was summoned |
to the Tnileries. l found Napoleon in
his cabinet, leaning heavily on table,
his head between his hands. He re-
garded me gravely, saying in tone
of reproach.
''What! more blood! How do you know
that the poor devil whom you just killed
was not the servants sweetheart"
Servants sweethearts do not general
ly carry such recommendations as these"
| replied, laying on the table before him
a four barrelled revolver and a poinard
with a poisoned blade.
His majesty examined the weapons at
especially the poisoned dagger,
ard after making me a present of 5000
flames, told me to inform Pietri of all that
had happened. The duchessc de CAST
glionia was escorted to the Italian from
ter, and betook herself Immediately to
Milan. From this city she wrote angrily
to the emperor, threatening that if she
we're not allowed to return to Paris she
would make revelations. A fortnight
after the receipt of this letter at the Tuil
cries the beautiful duchesse gave splen-
lfd entertainment at the Hotel Beauvau,
at which all the elite of the capital were
present..