Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-11-16
I will myself return it the instant
Her Majesty gives it back to me. -

{
agreed the Countess, with amiable
alacrity, detaching the precious jewel
forthwith and depositing it, without
msgiving in the outstretched palm
of the imperial messenger, for, in
deed, diamonds were almost as plen-
tifnl in the existence of this fortunate
lady as in the pages of Lothair, and |
she attached no more importance to
them than did the jewel-laden hero
ines of the late great and lamented
Premier.
The Countess bestowed smile and
a gracious bow of dismissal upon Her
Majesty's distinguished ambassador,
who responded by profoundly re-
spectful inclination as he made his
exit. Once safely outside the box
the aristocratic features of this high
bred imperial emissary suddenly lost
tb .ir serene expression of dignifed
gravity and relaxed into a trium-
phant grin.
Shortly afterward Count Ivanoff
returned II have been talking to
D. he remarked. as he seated
| himself. ssClever fellow, D..
am not surprised al the Emperor's
partiality for him; he must find him
so useful when he is in want of an
idea"
"Who is D-?" inquired the
Countess, with languid interest.
'sThis is rather difficult question"
replied the Count, smiling; there
are several editions of his biography
all different, probably none of them
true. He is successful, which is the
chief point, moreover he is entertain
ing, and at any rate looks and speaks
like a gentleman, which in these evil
days is something-and even much.
Tenez, he has just entered the EN-
peror's box-the man in the black
coat"
SIS that Monsieur D." ex-
claimed the Countess, waking up to
mild interest in the subject. If so,
he has been here while you were
away. He came on the part of the
Empress, and carried off one Of my
earrings, which her Majesty wished
to compare with one of the Countess
VS."
sD-! Impossible | was talk
ing to him the whole time l was alb
sent, and he only left me at the top
of the staircase two seconds before l
returned"
Nevertheless, mon ami, he has
been here and taken away my ear
ring. See it is gone.
"Effectively," agreed the Count,
with grim smile; ''but d has
not taken It, 1t is to the last de-
gree unlikely that the Empress would
make such a request. Depend upon
it you have been the victim of thief
got up as an accurate copy of the
distinguished looking D"
''Impossible!' p cried the Countess
in her turn. "The affair is absolute
ly as / tell you. 1t was Monsieur
D, the verltable Monsieur D,
/ sat opposite, who came into this
box and took away my diamond
Only wait a little and he will bring
it back intact
ITO wait little is to lessen the
chance of its recovery. In any case III
90 and enquire of D, if / can get
at him, whether he has been seizeC
with a sudden attack of kleptomania
because the idea of the Empress hav
ing sent HIM roaming about the thea
g tire, borrowing a lady's jewels, l re
, gard as preposterous. All, these Pa
risians flous? You do rot know wha
scientific geniuses they are in thei
way"
With this the Count departed, ant
the second act was nearly at an ent
before he returned.
"Really! How very droll p re
piled the Countess, with calm non
chalance-for she belonged TO tha
order of impassive statuesque womel
who remain mistress of themselve
though any quantity of "china fall !;
I will take out the other earring, o
people may think l am trying to Sc
e the fashion of wearing an odd one ;
II and she handed the fellow to her pun
e loined jewel to her husband.
: The play came to an end, as eve
that most excellent feast of reason
a French play well acted, must do
e sooner or later, in common with a
s things mundane.
" The Countess was duly commisel
o ated by sympathizing friends, VIII
one and all declared, behind her back
|, that they never would have been guilt
e of the imbecility of trusting SO Walt
II able a possession to the mercies c
v however fascinating stranger; b,
d but nothing more was heard of th
J. stolen Jewel until the following da
! at noon, when Count Ivanoff receive
a letter from D--to the effect tha
). as he could not help considerin
:, himself partly responsible for the los
sE of the diamond which had disappear
I ed through the agency of his count
a erpart, he had taken an early oppol
/, tunity of interviewing the Chief c
i'll Police, who assured him be had goo
e. reason to believe the thief had bee
already traced as far as Brussels.
I Early in the afternoon the Count
j. ess was about to start for her dan