The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-05-14
Ia DANE A LA CLEF. /"
By Walter Littlefeld.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There were three of us one evening
in the reading room Of the Press club
M. Paul Blouet, better known as
MAX O'Rell'' through his sketches of
French and English life and character;
NJ. Charles P. Lebon, instructor Of
French, who, by the way, is littera-
teur of some little note, and myself.
The conversation, after various fuctu-
ations, had assumed a story telling
drift. NJ. Blouet had just related an
amusing anecdote of his Boston so
journ, and we were silently putting in
that agreeable languor that arises from
a good weed and good story.
On drawing his cardcase from his
pocket M. Lebon brought forth small
bright object that glistened a second in
the lamplight as it fell to the floor. He
stopped for it with rather undue haste;
with so much haste, in fact, that he
called our attention to movement that
otherwise would have passed I'M
noticed.
"What is it?" inquired NJ. Blouet.
Without a word Lebon handed him
the object he had dropped, but eyed
him carefully as it was examined.
ga key" remarked NJ. Blouet; "a key
and evidently of gold" And he passed
it to me.
held in my hand key of perhaps
an inch in length and half as wide.
There was nothing particularly re-
markable about it unless it We're the
material of which it was composed,
that appeared to be gold. Suddenly
my eye caught sight of date and an
inscription upon the ring Of the key
Ter JUN, 1913. Memento mori!'
"a curious key" suggested as re-
turned it to nj. Lebon. "Tell us about
it,
The one addressed pulled assiduously
for a moment or two as he twirled the
mysterious key between his forefnger
and thumb, but he made no reply.
"Come, come" said NJ. Blouet as he
leaned forward with interest, "there
must be something to tell about key
like that. Why not let us have it,"
''You are right gentlemen. There is a
curious story concerning this key, and
since you desire it / will tell it to you,
for truly, gentlemen. without eXaggera-
ton, this little bit of metal that hold
in my hand has one of the most re-
markable of histories"
"Tell it! Tell it," we both exclaimed
in breath.
Fresh cigarettes were lighted, and.
still holding the key in his hand as if
to bear witness to what he said, NJ.
Lebon began his story.
'It was in 1871, just after the surren-
der of Paris. The second empire had
fallen. NJ. Theirs and his party held
the government. Evidences of the ter
rible commune We're on every hand,
still the city was beginning to look like
the habitation of a civilized people.
One morning lie Journal DIES Debats
announced the death at Versailles of 9
Russian lady who for more than &c
years had kept all the gossips of the
Paris salons busy concerning mystery
| that seemed to surround her. For rea
sons that | shall presently explain she
became known as La Dame a la Clef.
| Now, a nickname in Paris means 9
/ great deal more than it does here
! When one is nicknamed there, one car
, ries that name to the grave.
1.-The notice in LIE Journal DIES Debats
! mentioned La Dame a Ia Clef es
morte.' 1t did not give her own name
! That would have signifed nothing Th,
paper concluded by saying that sht
died, aged 45. in complete solitude. l
seems that her husband, who was mucl
older than she. had visited her regular
ly every six months during the past tel
years and then had disappeared, no on
knew where. All was mysterious abou
this Lady Of the Key One day cam
to her the news of her husbands death
She survived him but short time, an,
1t was whispered that she had allowed
herself to die from hunger. That wa
all the notice of her death had to So,
about the matter. The mystery still
remained unexplained, and the interes
concerning her grew less and less an,
gradually died away altogether"
Nj. Lebon paused to relight his ciga
rette, which he had allowed to go ou
After doing this he settled back in hi
chair. puffed once or twice, but did nc
seem at all inclined to continue tn
story.
well" l calculated, "go on. That
no story. Why, you haven't even sal
what the mystery was, or why she wa
called La Dame la Cleft"
"Ah, yes" he replied pensivel,
quite right. had forgotten. Cent,
men. have not said that she wa
beautiful, yet such was the case. He
face was one of the loveliest that
have ever seen, her figure was perfec
and"-
"Well?" interrupted NJ. Blouet som'
what impatiently.
/, Gentlemen, l will not bore you
continued NJ. Lebon smiling. "Simpl
imagine her beautiful in face and form
then, gentlemen, around her nee
which was of the purest mold, W.
Tiveted golden chain to which we
!. attached this key. And, gentlemel
from the LIST Of June, 1913, to the da