Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-03-29

cient to convince you that she is unjust
ly condemned. You are absolute here.
ask her pardon of you and feel assured
that you will gladly concede it.
The Marquis's language, the love
which he confessed, and Milanetta's
passion for him, of which he boasted so
proudly and fervently, threw me into
rage and despair. Ideas of vengeance
and of blood rushed through my brain
till l grew giddy. Without a conscious
ness of what / was doing, or going TO do,
l rang the bell impatisntly and ordered
Milan otto to Lu brought Immediately
before me.
"Do not let her see mel" cried the
Marquis "let her not be made nc
quainted with what l have done If she
learned that it was to me that she owed
her life, her feelings towards me would
be all absorbed in gratitude, and it is
her love only that desire"
This expression increased my frenzy,
while the Marquis, who was nearly as
much agitated as l was, did not per-
ceive my emotion. He only heard the
sound of steps in the corridor, and
thinking that itawas Milanetta who ap-
preached, he asked me where he could
conceal himself. I Ipointed to the door
of my closet, and the moment it closed
upon him Milanetta came into the hall.
For moment was speechless, over
powered by transports of envy and pas
sion. Milanetta turned away from the
fierce expression of my features. With
hoarse voice I shouted, 81 know
your lover now am no longer ignor-
ant who it is you prefer to me. He has
come to solicit your pardon. The Mar
quis de Clairval has cleared you of the
charge of smuggling, but has acknowl-
edged that you are his love !"
"What |" she frantically exclaimed,
"has the Marquis been here?"
"He is here still, Milanetta.
"What, here? here in your power
Oh spare him, my Lord, spare him.
It is 1 only who have deserved your
vengeance-death is my portion; but
for him -
eyes, scornful girl Death for you!
He has asked for mercy for you-he
has come to ask me to place you again
in his arms but will give you to the
executioner, and your lover shall wit
ness -
The Marquis flung open the door with
violence. had quite forgotten that he
was there, and he had heard every word
1 spoke. At his appearance Milanetta
uttered one despairing shrek, while I
looked at them both vindictively. He
beckoned me aside, and said with low
voice: "My Lord Count, you are
gentleman by birth, but you have dis
graced your name and rank. Among
people of our station the sword is the
only arbiter, and the injuries of jealousy
and love are settled by that appeal. It
is not by hanging Milanetta that you
should revenge yourself when you have
the opportunity of gentleman of fight
| ing me-"
"What! Would you accept chal-
lenge ?"
"This very instant" "
"But you know the strict laws against
duelling, and the rigorous strictness
with which both kings exact the pen
alty?,, -.,, ,,o.,, :, p..
and Spain the duellist is punished by
the ,rfeiture of his estates that his
shield is defaced and his coat of arms
burned, and that if his enemy is killed
he is beheaded but hate you now as
strongly as you can hate me, and to hold
my swords point to your heart I would
face every peril and every disgrace |"
"To-morrow, then, at qdaybreak, I
will be at Venasque with a second"
"Be it 30. And now sign Milanetta's
pardon"
"Her pardon -
"It is the first and only condition of
our meeting"
signed it, and handed it to Milan.
eta, who refused to take it.
"What will it avail me-" said she,
"when my father knows the secret of
my nocturnal journeys? When he ques-
tions me, what answer can give him ?
If tell him the truth he will kill me on
the spot"
I" Kill you, Milanetta ?"
"He is only smuggler or bandit in
your eyes but this bandit is as jealous
as any peer of France or grandee Of
Spain. He will kill me I tell you, and Fl
would prefer dying by the executioner's
hand to his"
Next morning, before the sun rose I
was at the very extremity of the Spanish
frontier, and the Marquis made his ap-
pearance almost as soon. He brought
his second but had forgotten to bring
one. A man on horseback was passing
within a few PAGES of us. I called to
him and asked him if he would become
my second in a duel.
He Immediately dismounted, meas
| 11ra1 ON, 10 1iln n 81
to the business, and offered me his own
as better tempered than mine. We had
scarcely crossed our blades when the
French and Spanish guards came run
ming up, separated us, enioined us to
desist, and threatened to arrest us if we
renewed the combat. Milanetta had in
formed them of our intentions. I per-
ceived the rage and modification of the
Marquis at this interruption, but 1 told
him that we could laugh at their inter-
ference, and fight before their faces
without their having the power to inter-
fere.
"The frontier of France and Spain is
marked by that cross. You, who are q
Frenchman, cross into Spain, while
step into France. We can then cross
our blades, with our feet touching the
frontier line, which we can keep between
our bodies and our swords. The Span
lard who fights Frenchman on French
ground, and the Frenchman who meets
a Spaniard on the Spanish soil, cannot
be reached by the law, for the King of
Spain has no more power over you than
the King Of France has over me, and
neither would violate the laws of nations
by arresting their subjects on foreign
territory"
With one bound stood upon the ter
ritory OF France, while the Marquis re-
| YnoiY1od In Spoin opd 1v,o hoLh oolIad 10