Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-12-10
THE WEB OF LACE.

The W EB VI LACE. $
Some little while ago young Italian q
rouple who had come to Paris in search Of I
fashionable life became customers OF mine
In my capacity as a broker and banker
The husband was Of very high birth, and
had resigned his commission as a captain
of cavalry at his marriage. The wife was
very pretty, very rich and the daughter Of
great railway contractor. Their estab
lishment was luxurious, sober and serious
The husband used to speculate on the
Stock Exchange. hut with prudence. ! met
them at Trouville. dined with them in the
winter and hunted with the count on his
grounds near Goetz. One day about twQl
months ago was RETURNING - ....iy Office
after the last board when my clerk |
stopped me and told me, with str tnge
look, that a lady was waiting TO see ne. A
LADY, could not guess who she was My
clerk said she was young. elegantly dressed
and appeared violently agitated and afraid
the police would come. | was startled.
but would not let my clerk suspect IL. j
walked boldly forward and found my
charming Italian countess. She rose quick
ly, and, with her eyes filed with tears,
stretched out her hands to me.
Here you are at last" she said. IL
have been here so long-l was 40 afraid
you would not come"
but, madame, what is the matter'
What procures me the pieasure"--
She made feyerish gesture and said in
q tense voice;
do not speak--listen to me. What
have to say is 80 terrible that il delay an
instant shall never have the courage to
tell you. Yes, IL is cruel, but must speak.
Only you can save mel"
Save your
'Yes. Do not look at me- shall have
more force To tell you what you must be
told
We exchanged alarmed looks listened
in horror. What could this woman, proud
intelligent, accustomed to every situation
and protected by all possible safeguards,
have done to be placed in so terrible pre-
dicAment!
"Oh. mon Dieu!n heard her murmur.
''How can ! make such a confession' ]
would rather die. And yet my husband
my som" She wruug her hands, and her
convulsed features expressed the most com
plete despair.
But madame" cried with emotion
tell me at once since you see in me pos
sible savior. DO not leave me in doubt
What has happened' What have thel
done TO your
She grew deadly pale and from her trem
bling lips fell the avowal:
Two hours ago at the Magasns-st tn
lace counter OF the Parads dies DANES
was arrested-for stealing
For stealing | repeated mechanically
so absurd did the idea seem to me.
Yes. for stealing piece of lace"
And that piece OF lace
WAS found on me-
why, some shoplifter, fearing to b
caught herself, must have slipped il int
your jacket without your knowing 1t.
MOP
The word fell like a stone on my head.
looked with stupefaction at this well born
carefully nurtured girl, delicate and N
fined, who sat before me overwhelmed q
having 10 acknowledge that IL was not b
chance that the lace WAS found on her pc
son.
''Why-whyn-- stammered
why, 1t WAS /, of course, who took i
| stole it--don't you understand sh
cried almost beside herself
You, madame
YES. Il How did il happen' | don
know; but yet il is so
II had already made several purchases
paying for them all, when | saw an exh
bition OF laees they had at the Magasini
There were some maryelously oeanEfl
ones, particularly point d Alencon, r.
markably fine and high Of a royal desigI
and | stopped 10 admire it. Seeing tn
the clerk forced 1t on my notice, and sprea
IL before me. and carried away 10y an II
comprehensive impulse | sat down. II
unrolled il, twisted and turned 1t abou
showed Il of against the velvet, and !, III
eyes fixed on the fine meanderlngs OF n
harmonious design, gazed as II fasclnate'
| no longer heard the honeyed and stupi
voice of the clerk ! was absorbed by Il
adorable lace. My reason was abolishe'
nothing remained OF my instincts, tast'
and ways, and in the vacuum OF my min
found nothing but an intense desire
possess the precious tissue. | would ha'
done anything To get il. felt that mui
have IL, no matter how, and that withor
delay. The clerk talked on and on
heard him saying that il was an extrao
binary bargain: that the design was uniqt
and would never be reproduced, that q
price was only 300 francs yard; that In
year il would have been 1000; that on
queens wore such lace! There seemed
be an accent OF scorn in his voice, as IL
were saying, Such mArveis arc not for q
ordinary woman like you.
.He added, We have some very chez
balenc1enuGS. Win turn OF his hAt
he rolled up The point d Alencon, and lea
ing 1t before me rummaged in the b
shelves behind him, bringing out nur
Der Of very pleasing patterns, and di
played them with as insinuGting zeal
when he had been showing the masts
piece which he seemed to have forgotte
but which devoursd. letting my eyes fcs
on It constantly without being distract
by anything. like a Mild beast patient
watching its prey. Just then hewas call
by fellow clerk. 70 whom he replied /
patiently, Don't you see that / am bus
But the other insisting after excusi
himself TO me he quilted his place for
moment. That moment sufficed =
When he returned the piece of Pc
d'Alencon was beneath my jacket.
His eyes seemed to me 70 Ak themsel
on my yisage with sarcastic insistence. q
the tone of his voice changed | noted
difference. Had he OWNED that wa
ihieff lie could not have seen me, a
took the point d Alencon from beneath
they aiencisnnes. and yst be no loassr IN