The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-08-18
THE POISONERS.

.s;r last account, had been burned out
!l0it many days. Not even the ashes
III .a left to tell the tale of the awful
No, ~ those two old hays whose poison
su Iais had put to sleep so many scores
',,danr1conyenient husbands, unloved wives
wa nestering mistresses. But if the
A lnto was now cool and inert, waiting
s;Iontly and patiently for new victims
y deyour, Paris had not yet forgotten
". " sensational story of those poison
'.,lors Had not their customers in
'Indad some of the greatest in the land?
MD not their trial bring to light in all
~ sclcly terror the whole hideousness
~ this poisoning mania that was ram
Oant throughout the length and breadth
4 Of fair France?
And as though to keep the horror Of
,har names and their history still
,rosher in the public mind, Mile. Mol
.rs had caused them to be placed in
"Iav La Devineresse," the Joint work
II Thomas Corneille and Devise.
Already for three nights the theatre
4 IN the Rue Mazarine had been crowded
\ ~ excess to see this play. The we'll
lined idea Of MOliere's widow WAS
aiming livres into the treasury with
merry Jingle that mace the Coined
,ns du ROi belaud her enterprise and
/ wisdom in unmeasured terms. On the
third night Of the production the King
had come. with the president of the
Cbambre Ardente in his train-that
came Chambre Ardente which His Ma
ssty had endowed with such extra or
binary powers for the detection and
Dunishment of those guilty of the prac-
lice of slow poisoning.
az like the play" Louis XIV grac-
IOuvly avowed to Mile. Moliere in the
course of the evening. And who
knows but what it may do something
10 stay this ghoulish mania which
seems to run riot among my people?"
"Or 1t may wipe out the Troupe Roy
sle" murmursd the Councillor of State
who hated the players and envied the
iayors the King showered upon them.
These prisoners, as l know full well,
are rsvengeful flends; and they will not
like your play, madame"
The King looked displeased at the
remark. Louis was in mortal fear Of
himself being a victim of the mania.
\ At the English court it was favorite
Joke that the King of France would
not eat fish because 1t was poison.
Perhaps, then, we ourselves are in
danger of their revenge for daring to
punish them" he cried. you brighten
madame, monsieur, and do yourself no
credit by raising such fears"
4 NJ. lie President went trifle pale,
and paler still as Louis promptly turn
ed his back upon him.
But Mile. Moliere's nature was too
n light and frivolous to be impressed by
the gloomy forebOdings of the Council
lor, and she returned to her dressing
room SO nightly pleased with the
Kings kindness that she speedily for
got all about them.
The next evening she walked from
her house to the theatre leisurely and
alone. The night was dark but fine,
and the air braced and freshened her.
At the threshold of the theatre. as
she reached out to open the private
door leading to the stage, a man sud-
denly stepped out of the shadow and
thrust note into her hand.
Nile. Moliere." he said and made to
hurry away, but the Hit of his sword
caught in her cloak, and as some one
within flung open the door the light fell
for an instant full on his face A pale,
rspulsive face, with deep scar on the
eit cheek-that was how it struck her
as he hastily snatcked himself free and
disappeared into the night.
In her dressing room she opened the
letter and read:
II La Devineresse' be played for two
more nights Lavoisin will be revenged.
There are those who will see that her
name is no longer reviled. The King
|Ournt her at the stake, and now you
pace her on the stage to withstand
|tne fires of the mob's derision. Be-
ware! This is no light warning In
Two nights you must have a new play,
|Mlle. Moliere, Or
The actress blanched a moment and
convulsively grasped the arm of her
|enalr; then she shrugged her Shout
|cers and laughed lightly and scorn-
fully.
Freycinet," she said a little later,
fher scribbling a note, and inclosing
win 1t the threatening missive, take
tals at once, Freycinet, to the Chambre
Ardente."
AS the door closed upon the depart
ing messenger tiny sigh of relief es-
tCaped her, and she proceeded to make
Eae toilet her part demanded.
II.
With that sigh her fears had van
lshed. She slept as soundly and as
pVeaceably that night as she had ever
ssept. She trusted implicitly to the
Csrk and tortuous machinery of the
OaamDre Ardente to protect her, and
Y aver she had dispatched the letter gave
tae matter not a moments further
thought.
Thus 1t was that she leaped to her
iset with an exclamation of surprise
Tue next afternoon when a servant an
bounced a gentleman from the Cham
sre Ardente. The new play Of Pra-
IONS which she had been reading was
tossed aside.
His name?" she asked.
m. Dupin."
He is Without"
Yes, madame"
Will see him at once, certainly"
J, moment later a tall, lean man, at
sIed neatly in the soberest of colors,
stepped into the room. He bowed and
waited S until the servant had retired.
AAlle. Moliere spoke first.
Iou have come from the Chambre,
D'UOasieur, about the letter l sent?"
l nave, madame"
Am | being played with, think you,
~ 10 grave matter, n. Dupin?"
ne smiled somewhat sarcasticall7.
an, mere Is no hoax about it, l can as
Az You. 1t is meant earnestly
h.. usn OF that there can be no doubt.
'N' now the revenge will be attempted
~ MI AAow net. Il may be that q servant
,AN W DEfhnG IN AraN oauaa Nao div N0r.