Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-06-06
MILE. NOL|ERE'S RESCUE

de Greve in a crimson mantle. and sent
Lavoisin and LavigOreuX to their last &C
count, had been burned out for many
days. Not even the ashes were left to
tell the tale of the awful end of those
two old hags, whose poison pitfalls had
put to sleep so many scores of incOnvenl-
ent husbands, unlOved wives and poster
ing mistresses. But if the stake was
now cool and inert, waiting silently anu
patiently for new victims to deyOur,
Paris had not yet forgotten the sensa-
tional story Of those pOison-sellers. Had
not their customers included some of the
greatest in the land? Did not their trial
bring to light in all its sickly terror the
whole hideousness of this poisoning
mania that was rampant throughout the
length and breadth Of fair France?
And as though to keep the horror of
their names and their history still fresher
caused them to be placed in a play,
La Devineresse," the joint work of
Thomas Corneille and Devise.
Already for three nights the theater IN
the Rue Mazarne had been crowded to
excess to see this play: The Well-umed
idea of Moliere's widow was raining
livres into the treasury with a merry jim
Gle that made the Comediens du Roi be-
laud her enterprise and wisdom IN I'M
measured terms On the third night
of the production the King had come,
with the President of the Chambre Ar
dente in his train-that same ChamDre
Ardente which his majesty had endowed
with such extraordinary powers for the
detection and punishment OF those Sullly
of the practice of slow poisoning.
II like the play" Louis XIV. gracious
IL av0wed to Mile Moliere in the course
of the evening. And who knows but
what it may do something to stay TINS
ghoulsh mania which seems 20 run riot
among my people,
cor it may wipe out the Troupe
Royale," murmured the councillor Of
state. who hated the players and enyled
the favors the King showered upon
them. These prisoners, as | know full
we'll, are reyengeful as tiends: and they
will not like your play. madame"
The King looked displeased at the re-
mark Louis was in mortal fear OF HIM
self being q victim of the mania. At the
English court it was fayOrlte joke that
the King of France would not eat fish
because 1t was poisson.
Perhaps, then. we ourselves are III
danger Of their revenge for daring to
punish them,' he cried. You brighten
madame, monsieur, and do yourself no
credit by raising such fears.
NJ. lie President went a tritie pale, and
paler still as Louis promptly turned his
back upon him.
light and frivolous to be impressed by the
gloomy forebOdings of the councillor, and
she returned to her dressing room, SO
nightly pleased with the Kings kind
ness that she speedily forgot all about
them.
The next evening she walked from her
house to the theater leisurely and alone.
The night was dark but fine, and the air
braced and freshened her. At the
threshold of the theater, as she reached
out to open the private door leading to
the stage, a man suddenly stepped out
Of the shadow and thrust note into her
hand
Mile Moliere," he said, and made to
hurry away, but the hilt of his sword
caught in her cloak, and as some one
within flung open the door, the light fell
for an instant full upon his face \ pale,
repulsive face. with a deep scar on the
left cheek-that was how it struck her
as he hastily snatched himself free and
disappeared into the night.
In her dressing room she opened the
letter and read:
IF 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
burned her at the stake, and now you
place her on the stage to withstand the
fires of the mob's derision. Beware! This
is no light warning. In two nights you
nuSI nave new pay, Mile AO1efe, OF
The actress blanched moment, and
convulsively grasped the arm of her
chair; then she shrugged her shoulders
and laughed lightly and scornfully:
'Freycinet," she said, little later, af-
ter scribbling a note and enclosing with
it the threatening missive, take this at
once, Freycinet, to the Chambre Ar
dente."
AS the door closed upon the departing
messenger a tiny sigh of relief escaped
her, and she proceeded to make the toilet
her part demanded.
With that sigh her fears had vanished.
She slept as soundly and as peaceably
that night as she had ever slept She
trusted implicitly to the dark and sinu-
Gus machinery of the Chambre Ardente
to protect her, and after she had dis
patched the letter gave the matter not
Il moments further thought.
Thus 1t was that she leaped to her feet
with an exclamation of surprise the next
afternoon when a servant announced a
gentleman from the Chambre Ardente.
The new play of Pradons which she had
been reading was tossed aside.
His name?" she asked.
IN. Dupin."
He is Without
Yes, madame"
L VIII see HIM at once certainly.
\ moment later a tall, lean man, at
tired neatly in the soberest Of colors,
stepped into the room. He bowed and
waited until the servant had retired.
Mile. Moliere spoke first.
You have come from the chambre
monsieur, about the letter l sent?'
Il have, madame"
Am II being played with think you,
or is it grave matter, NJ. Dupin? p
He smiled somewhat sarcastically.
There is no hoax about it. | can as
Sure you. 1t is meant earnestly enough:
of that there can be no doubt But how
the revenge will be attempted we know
not. 1t may be that a servant will be
bribed to drop some deadly cordial into
your food, or that a letter STEPPED in
some powerful poison-a poison that will
permeate the pores of the skin upon the
merest touch-will be sent you; or, again,
it may be that open and violent outrage
will be attempted. All, you shudder,
madame, but you know not of the hor-
rcrs which are taking place day by day
around us. The chambre knows This
mania is spreading daily. No one is safe
from subtle attack. Death is lingering
ut our elbows all day long and in the 81