Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-03-11
A FRENCH DIAMOND ROBBERY.

That wouoafl's love is all a sham
A FRENCH DIAMOND ROBBERY.
TRUE STORY.
1t was in the palmiest days of the ill-fat-
ed Second Empire The triumphs of the
Crimea were not yet forgotten; the laurels
won at Magenta were still verdant and
fresh: Sedan, with all it's bitter humiliation
and disastrous train Of tragic consequences,
loomed in the misty future, undreamt of
amid the almost fabulous luxury and incred-
ible frivolity which paved the way for the
final terrible tiasco.
It was an evening in midwinter. The
Partisan season was at its height, and
brilliant audience had assembled at the
Theatre Franchise to witness the perform
ance of Jules Sandeau's delightful play,
"Mademoseled de la Seigliere, Tin which the
role of Destournells was filed by the great
Regnier, and that of Helene by Madeleine
Brohan, then in the zenith of her fame, ra-
diant with youth, beauty and those fasci-
nations, the outcome of innate talent and
refinement, which rendered this gifted lady
one of the most charming and perfect &C
tresses of modern days.
The Empress was present, graceful and
beautiful; the Emperor at herside, wrapped
in his favorite air of gloomy abstraction,
which, like Lord Burleigh's celebrated nod,
was supposed to mean 30 much, yet which,
viewed by the impartial light of subsequent
veratious history, seems to have signified
SO very little. Several officers in glittering
uniforms were in attendance, sparkling
with decorations shoWered upon them by
,,,,atof,l ccyorniun. and fbaSa Oal-
liant warriors, conspicuous by reason of the
sombreness of his attire, was "a solitary,
humble, black-coated civilian, in ordinary
evening dress, with the inevitable speck of
red at his button-hole.
In the box almost Immediately opposite
that occupied by Their Imperial Majesties
was a young and exceedingly handsome
Russian lady, Countess Ivanof,' concerning
whose m9aaHnfold graees and fascnat1ns the
sgff considerably at this period.
The beauty and the wit of this fair north
ern enchantress were the theme of every
masculine tongue, and her magnificent dia-
monds the envy and admiration of all femi-
nine beholders.
The Countess was accompanied by her
husband, a fine man of distinguished, pre-
possessing appearance, who looked an en-
bodied refutation of the celebrated Napo-
leonie aphorism, as though no amount Of
SCRATCHING could ever llneaTth the Cos
sack element underneath his refined, polish
ed exterior.
EtThe curtain fell after the first act. The
Emperor and Empress withdrew during the
e7lty.' 0cte. Many humber nlortals followed
their example; among them Connt Ivanoff,
apparently in nowise disturbed by the fact
that the golden youth in the stalls were
bringing small battery of opera glasses
to bear upon the dazzling charms Of his
beautiful wife with a brazen pelsistency
which we chiYalrous Britishers like to flat
ter ourselves is the monopoly of foreign
ers.
The Countess leant back in her suxuri-
GUS .fHHteu1, tanning herself dreamily, Sc
renely Indifferent &c the interest she was
exciting. In the dim light of her curtain
shaded box the glitter of the splendid dia-
monds seemed TO form sort OF luminous
halo round her graceful head; myriad of
starry hrilliants cleaned among the mass
es Of her gold-brown hair, and two price
less stones, popularity reported TO be worth
that unknown quantity, a kings ransom,
flashed and twinkled like twin planets in
her little shelI-tinted ears.
The Count had not been gone five min
door; and, in answer to the Countess
1Entrex," the ouvrcuse appeared and said
deferentially:
pardon, Nine. la Countesse; q gentle
man charged with message from her ma
jesty the Empress waits in the corridor,
and desires to know if the Madame will
have tie goodness to receive him."
Certainly! Enter, beg of you Mon
sieur. replied the Countess, in the low
suave voice, which was not the least of her
many attractions, bowling gIaciously as she
recognized the distinguished looking civil
ian she had already noticed in close prox-
unity to the Emperor in the imperial box.
The visitor advanced few steps, and,
still standing in deep shadow, said with
grave dignity:-'I trust my intrusion may
be pardoned. ! au desired by her majesty
to ask favor of Madamela Comtesse, and,
at the same time, TO beg that she will have
the goodness to excuse a somewhat unusual
request"
1.-THE obligation will be mine if can
fulfill even the least of Her Majesty's
Wishes answered the Countess grace
fully.
''rhe case is this" explained the gentle
man, in tone OF well-bred ease. San ar
gument has arisen concerning the size Of
thC Ill your GdIIluSS dnO tllOSG
of the Countess W. The Empress begs
that you will intrust one of your pendants
to,aer care for few moments, as the only sat-
isiactcry method of dispos;ng of the vexed
question will myself return it the in
slant Her Majesty gives it back into my
keeping"
"With the greatest pleasure, agreed
the Countess, with amiable alacrity, de-
taching the precious jewel forthwith and
depositing it without misgiving, in the out
stretched palm Of the imperial messenger;
for, indeed, diamonds were almost as plen-
tifui iii the existence of this fortunate lady
as il the pages of Lothian, and she attach
ed no more Importance to them than did tile
.jewell-laden heroines of our great and la
mented Premier.
The Countess bestowed smile and a |
gracious bow of dismissal upon Her Majes
TVS distinguished ambassador, who re-
sponded with profoundly respectful incli-
nation as he made his exit. Once safely |
outside the box, the aristocratic features of
this high bred imperial emissary suddenly
lost their serene expression of dignifed
gravity and relaxed into triumphant Me-
grin.
Shortly afterward Count Ivanoff return
ID
Il have been talking to D." he
as he seated himself. ''Clever
fellow, D.. am not surprised at
.he Elnperor'e partiality for him, he must
ind him SO useful when he is in want ofan
idea
"Who Is D--f'' inquired tie
Countess, with languid interest. II
"Ibat is rather difficult question, y re- :
Piled the count smiling; there are sevr- 5
u editions Of his biography-all different,