Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-05-14
A PARIS MYSTERY
BY the Author Of "My Duedts and Hy
Daughter
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Of emotion. infer at once that this has not
been an ordinary acquaintance, but q case Of
true affection. Mademoiselle,' / say, with
an air of deep respect, pardon my intrusion;
but am engaged in an inquiry into the sad
end Of NJ de Sangura / have found from
one of your letters that you knew him, and
beg of you to give me any information you
may possess as to his affairs
''Mlle. Duchastre seems to take pleasure
in talking to any one Of her dead lover. She
tells me-with real emotion, with frequent
tears-this story, which repeat to Messieurs:
''Mademoiselle had formed the acquaint-
ance of Sangura about six months after his
arrival in Paris; they soon formed mutual
attachment. The japanese was handsome,
his manners were distinguished; the courtesy
of gentleman, the generosity Of a prince.
His generosity, indeed, was so lavish that it
eventually proved his ruin. Mademoiselle
pleaded with her lover to curb his expendi-
ture, to give up gambling and betting at
Chantilly and Longchamps; it was of no avail.
He persisted in loading her with costly pres
ents; which she assured me-and believe her
caused her more pain than pleasure to re-
ceive. The worst feature N Sangura's case,
Mademoiselle informed me, was that he had
gradually fallen into the power of some
Jewish money lender, wEo, she thought, re-
sided on the left bank, but whose name she
had never heard. As Sangura's funds dimin-
ished, this mans hold on him increased; the
Unfortunate Japanese grew every day
moodier and more depressed. She OWNED
hat he was now living by the sale of his
wardrobe and effects but he never told her
so, and she lid not dare to touch on the sub
ject.
"At an early period Of their acquaintance
Sangura had given her to wear, not to keep,
pearl of extraordinary size and beauty; ex-
planning 10 her that this gem was the great
heirloom of his house; that he as the eldest
son of his dead father. had the custody of it,
and that if anything happened to it he would
be dishonored in the eyes of all his relatives
There was nothing he would not give to his
Clotilde, Sangura had said, except only this
pearl; nevertheless, she might wear it as an
ornament, since he knew that in her charge
it would be safe.
Zone morning Sangura rushed into her
room, in state of great agitation, and, e..
claiming that he was ruined and undcne,
asked for the gem. His mistress gave it to
him with trembling hands; he rushed cut of
the chamber, and Mile Duchastre never
again saw her lover alive.
"About three months after, Mademoisella
read in the journals the report of suicide in
the Rue st. Jacques-the suicide of youl
foreigner, supposed to be Japanese. She
hastened to the morgue: it was the unfor-
tunate Sangura. He had found last refuge
in the miserable gsrret which Messieur;
visited to-day Too proud to return to his
mistress, all his means exhausted by tie ra-
pacity of the old money-lender, he ha
starved there till his last SOU was spent.
Then one night he closed up carefully eve
crevice in door or window; lighted charco l.
fire in the brazer lay down on his wretch I'd
pallet-and three days afterward, was fourd
there, lying dead.
"Mlle. Duchastre caused her unhappy lover
to be buried with propriety, and had stone
erected over his grave, where she still Ii, ngs
wreaths of immortellcs But she had rot yet
heard the last of Sangura, About three
months ago she was visited by young jap
anese, who introduced himself as Kicsakl,
Sangura's brother. Kiosaka told her that his
brother had written him of the straits into
which he had fallen, asking him to leave Yeddo
for Paris at the earliest opportunity, end,
when there, to lose no time in visiting Mile.
Kiosaka first heard the news of his brothers
painful death; he was profoundly affected,
apparently with rage as well as grief, and
muttered something in his own language,
Nademoiselle told me, with an accent which
was terrible Shortly after he bade her fare
well, and him also she has never seen again.
''I ask Mademoiselle if she has portrait Of
the late M. de Sangura. Mademoiselle has; a
miniature On ivory, of beautiful execution.
After some hesitation she consents to lend it
to me, on my swearing to return it uninjured.
Taking my departure, l first show this por-
trait to Mouton and his daughter; they recog-
rize it at once as that Of the foreigner who
had so frequently visited Mcissner up to about
a wear ago, and whom the old money-lender
had 'fayed,' to use Moutons own term
then proceed to thn Rue St. Jacques, in order
to show the portrait to the proprietor of the
house where Sangura found his last lodging,
and where he died. There made discovery,
unexpected, but most important, the discov-
ery that another japanese, about four months
ago, had rented the very garret in which
Sangura destroyed himself; that he did not
live there, but spent in the garret portion of
almost every day; and that he was quito a
problem to Pajol, the proprietor, and to all
the other tenants. But to me the point OF
greatest interest was this: On Christmas day
the Japanese visited Pajol in his shop, and
told him hay he was about to make journey,
the durai.on of which was uncertain. He
then Iaid three months rent for the garret,
renariling that it served very well to store
his effects in, and that he would take the key
with him. Since that day the Japanese has
been neither seen nor heard Of
"Mess:eurs, TO men CT your intelligence the
story is now plain. A young japanese noble
man comes TO Paris, and wastes in profuse
extravaganza all the wealth he has brought
with him. This young japanese has in his
possession a jewel of immense value, pearl,
which is an heirloom in ais family. Reduced
to the direst straits, he pledges it to the usrer
who has been his ruin. His debts swallow up
the sum he has received from the money
lender; starving and desperate, he finally
puts an end to his life Before this, however,
he has written to his brother in Yeddo telling
him that the family heirloom is in Meissner's
hands, probably adjuring him to recovsr it.
This brother, Kiosaka, comes to Paris; he
desires to recover the pearl; but more eagerly
still, as his actions show, he desires revenge.
He takes up his abode in the garrett where his
brother put an end to his life, that he may he
constantly reminded of the duty of vengeance.
Messieurs, l have not told you that Nile
Duchastre was asked by the japanese where
his brother had been buried. The grave Of
Sang,lra is in Mont Parnasse; I visited it my.
self; on the tombstone erected by Mile. d.
chastre certain words have been cut in ths
Japanese character I have made n eonv ri