The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-28

view IndL W10u, at O'CLOCK In the
morning. accompanied by the magis-
trate of the quarter, he rang at the
door of the little Montmartre hostelry,
he was absolutely certain of his mis-
fortune.
Yet, amazing to say. when, at last
the third assistant decided to obey
the summons of the commissaire of
police and had opened the door, and
the magistrate had rummag ed the bed,
in and under it, inspected all the
hooks and corners and scrutinized
even the mysteries of the cabinet du
toilette, he found not the slightest
trace of the third assistants charm
ing companion.
Monsignor Cardinal, it seems to me-,
ought to have been exceedingly well
pleased that the innocence of his bet
ter half had been proved in this
brilliant and unexpectedly triumphant
manner; but strange contradiction of
the human heart, his first surprise past.
felt himself angered and Inundated,
and resumed his rummaging around,
even into the drawers of the ward
robe and commode.
81 am sure of my facts" he stub
bornly responded to the inquiring
gaze of his police companions and the
confident smile on the lips of the
third assistant. ST am sure of my
facts, and we. must look everywhere %
No evidence resulting, however.
they were about to lift the siege.
The magistrate had already given the
signal of departure, but just at this
moment the idea came to him to turn
the handle of a door to one side, COM
municating with the adjoining cham
Der, and from whence escaped the
continuous sound of robust snoring.
The handle turned, and the door
| opened without the smallest difficulty.
Followed by the husband, the COM
missaire entered the room, where the
arrival of two men and lantern at
this hour of the night naturally
awakened M. Durand, at the nome Mt
when, deliciously plunged in a SER
aphic dream, traversed by the wings
of archangels, he was accompanying
| the celestial choir with all the power
of his most convincing snore.
And there, the truth must be told,
beside the pious sleeper, the worthy
Fortune Cardinal rebound his lost
| Virginie.
GU Will TlS6 dG ONCE anu 1OlIOW
me, monsieur" said the commissaire
severely to the bishops architect.
for here and now I charge you with
unbecoming conduct with Madame
Virginie Cardinal, wife of this gentle
man present"
Madame Cardinal! what are you
talking about?" demanded NJ. Cyp-
rian Durand, brusquely torn from the
beatitudes of his dream, and stretch
ing eyes misty with sleep and blink
ing weakly under the sudden erup-
ton of light. what Madame Ca r
dinal are you talking about?"
''She who is lying beside you," re-
turned the commissaire, with re-
proachful dignity.
The president of the church war
dens turned his head quickly and saw
for the first time the charming
features of the pretty Virginie. who,
red now as a cardinal flower, mod
estly lowered her eyes.
From whence comes this jezebel,
and how came she in my bed?" shout
ed the worthy architect bewildered
with fright and bounding from his
covers. But he cried out and pro-
tested ali for nothing, and swore
vainly that he knew absolutely moth
| ing of single word of the adventure;
that he had just arrived at Paris. and
was the father and grandfather of a
family. Nothing. availed him. The
DELFT was fragrant, consequently I'M
deniable
That which had happened was very
easily explained to all save the COM
missaire. Nine Cardinal and the
third assistant, hearing the rap on the
door and the ominous SIN the name OF
the law" had hastily, and for a while
unsuccessfully sought place of on
cealment. Over in the corner was a
door. The poor woman turned the
handle swiftly, it yielded, she entered
and found herself in blackness
troubled only by the snorings OF
a heavy sleeper. She stood still
for a second, irres olute and listening,
but when there resounded in the room
she had left the voice of her husband
she lost her head, advanced by feel
ing till she encountered a bed, and
softly hid under the covers, so softly
that the sleeper never an instant in
terrupted his snoring.
OF course the outraged husband
knew the innocence of the good M
Durand, but that was of no conse
quence, he held to his vengeance, and
fast to him till he could plead for
vor ce, in spite of the desparing suppl
cations of the unhappy architect, w he
was shame crushed, and who dared moi
for his life return to M because o.
his wife, his hi shop. and his virtuoui
brothers of the order of Saint An
thony, the chaste.
What a scandal! What an uproar
What would they say at M whe1
the terrible news reached there, ant
how was it all to end?
But one thing is certain, if Cypria1
Durand ever does return to his home
it will be, stated at the outset, will