The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-07-18

and rejected her pardon on the terms
offered IL. No one who had seen US then
would have sid HE is Judge and she is
the victim" She was always calm, cold,
and resigned, while endured all the tor
lures of disappointed love irritaied by re-
pulse. The vault Of the prison resounded
with my cntreaties end angry exelamations,
with my signs and passionate appeals; and
momentarily was the prey Of every con-
tending emoti0n-now ready to kill Milan
eta, and now resolving to save her at all
hazards; now begging her to be mine, and
now determined to bid the executloner per-
form his fatal Office. Was no longer my
self loved for the first time, and the be-
ing to whom poured out my heart and soul
in prOtestations Of alteration, transport and
idolatry, coldly answered: Il can not
listen to you; love another" Alter an
awful outbreak OF rage at such an an
nouncement, insisted upon knowing who
my rival was, but she replied. with the
same calmness of tone and look, ..That you
shall never know"
heard at the prison-door. Ny people were
looking for me on all sides, as French no.
bleman had just arrived in great haste at
the castle and demanded to see me imme-
diately. l went to him at once, striving in
vain to hide from my servant the emotions
with which l was agitated and at whose
violence / myself was alarmed. made
my appearance in the great hall, prey to
the most gloomy forebOdings. / there saw
. young man who was pacing the hall with
hurried steps, and who desired to con-
verse without witnesses.
Il am the Marquis de Clarival, said he;
81 possess castle in France, which, like
yours, is on the very frontier, and, like
you, / am engaged in supprcssing snug
Cling and executing justice against those
engaged in it."
The name of the Marquis was familiar to
me, as we had correspondent together to
devise measures for the security of the from
| tier.
"But," continued he, ''howcver rigid and
unrelenting may be our justice against those
taken in the fact, it is rather too much that
we should condemn innocent people to
death merely because they refuse to give
reasons for their behavior"
ITO what do YOU allude, monsieur 2"
ssListen to me. A young girl named
Milanetta has fallen into the hands of your
officers"
s.Ha! can you explain 2"
That is the sole object Of my visit. 1t
was but this morning that heard of her
arrest, her condemnation, and that she de-
clined disclosing the motive of her frequent
trips into France by night. know the
cause and am come to unfold it to you; but
II 10 in full confidence of your honor and
discretion. Ailanetta is mine!"
"Yours. You Milanetta's lover:'
| "You seem surprised at this-because
such beautiful creature as Milanetta did
not reside with me in my castle, or that l
did not take her with me to Paris during
last winter. You may be also astonished
that noble of France should be sufficient
" enamored of peasant girl to submit to
the constraint of mystery and the harass
and trouble of nightly and dangerous in
terviews. But Milanetta is not one of
those women who yield easily, nor is she
one whose influence can Ike easily shaken
OF"
| 81 think / know her character, added.
''Oh, no! You never can know the deep
well of love and energetic feeling in the
heart Of that young creature. You could
never know that in yielding to the passion
which possessed her, and which shared,
she had never passed one day without
weeping for her guilt, even in our ten
derest meetings. She has rIsked every
thing to see me and to love me in secret
ard now you have the object of her noe
turnal journeys, which she would not dis
close to you because she would have had
to blush at the confessie6, and lest pub
lie declaration made to her Judge should
come to the ears of her father. To pre-
vent this she would lave died without
opening her lips Now, my Lord, have
said sufficient to convince you that she is
unjusely condemned. YOu are absolute
assured that you will gladlV concede il. J"
The Marquis language, the love which
he confessed, and Milanetta's passion TO.
him, of which he boosted SO proudly and
fervently, threw me into rage and despair
Ideas Of vengeance and blood rushed
through my brain till grew giddy. With
out consciousness of what was doing
or going to do l rang the bell impatiently
and ordered Milanetta to be brought imme-
diately before me.
do not let her see me, cried the Mar
quis; ''let her not he made acquainted
| with what have done! II she learned
that it was to me that she owed her life,
her feeling toward me would lie all absorb
ed in gratitude, and it is her love only that
desire"
This expression increased my frenzy.
while the Marquis, who was nearly as
much agitated rs l was. did not perceive
my emotion. He only heard the sound Of
steps in the corridor, and thinking il was
Milanetta who approached, he asked me
where be could conceal himself. pointed
to the door of my closet, and the moment
IL closed upon him Mianetta came into
the hall. For minute was speechiess.
OverpOwered by transports Of envy and
passion. Milanetia turned away from the
fierce expression of my features. With
hoarse voice l shouted: ~ know your
lover now; am no longer ignorant who it
is you prefer TO me. He has come TO So
licit your pardon. The Marquis de Clari-
val has cleared YOU of the charge Of SNUG
Cling. but has acknowledged that you are
his dpaie,"
''What!" she frantically exclaimed, .'has
the Marquis been here:"
''Iie is here still. Milanetta."
"What, here! here in your power? Oh,
spare him, my Lord, spare him. 1t is
only who have deserved your vengeance
death is my portion; but for him"
''Yes, scornful girl, Death for you, He
has asked for mercy for you-he has come
10 ask me to place you again in his arms;
but will give you TO the execu.ioner, and
your lover shall witness"
The Marquis flung open the door with
violence / had quite forgotten that he
was there. and he had heard every word
that spoke. AT his appearance MilancttA
uttered one despairing shriek. while look
ed al them both vindictively. lie bcckoned
me aside, and said with low voice. my