The Press., 1901-08-08
Ia Dame A La CLEF." ="
By Walter Littlefeld.

Ia BY Walter Littlefeld. :
6Asssasssssssssassssssssss
| There were three of us one evening
in the reading room of the Press club
M. Paul Blouet, better known as
| MAX ORelr' through his sketches Of
French and English life and character;
M. Charles p. Lebon, instructor of
French, who, by the way. is littera-
teur of some little note, and myself.
The conversation, after various fuctu-
atoms, had assumed a story telling
drift. M. 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 a small
bright object that glistened 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 a movement that
otherwise would have passed un-
noticed.
"What is it?' inquired M. Blouet.
| Without a word Lebon handed him
the object he had dropped, but eyed
him carefully as it was examined.
| "a key" remarked M. Blouet; "a key
and evidently of gold" And he passed
it to me.
i 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 were 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, 1848. Memento mori!'
"a curious key" 1 suggested as 1 re-
turned it to NJ. Lebon. "Tel us about
lit"
The one addressed puffed assiduously
for moment or two as he twirled the
mysterious key between his forefnger
and thumb, but he made no reply.
"Come, come," said M. Blouet as he
leaned forward with interest, there
must be something to tell about key
tIiKe that. Why not let us have it p -
"You are right, gentlemen. There is a
curious story concerning this key, and
since you desire it I 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 itw we both exclaimed
in a breath.
i Fresh cigarettes were lighted, and,
still holding the key in his hand as if
to bear witness to what he said. M.
Lebon began his story.
"It was in 1871, just after the surren-
der of Paris. The second empire had
fallen. M. Theirs and his party held
the government. Evidences of the ter
rible commune were on every hand,
still the city was beginning to look like
the habitation of a civilized people
One morning LIE Journal des Debats
announced the death at Versailles of a
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 l shall presently explain she
became known as La Dame q la Clef.
Now, a nickname in Paris means q
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 des Debats
mentioned La Dame a la Clef est
morte.' 1t did not give her own name
That would have signified nothing. The
} paper concluded by saying that she
died. aged 45, in complete solitude. II
, seems that her husband, who was much
older than she, had visited her regular
ly every six months during the past ter
years and then had disappeared, no ont
knew where. All was mysterious about
this Lady of the Key One day came
to her the news Of her husbands death
She survived him but short time, anG
it was whispered that she had allowed
herself to die from hunger. That was
all the notice of her death had to say
about the matter. The mystery still
remained unexplained. and the interest
concerning her grew less and less an6
gradually died away altogether"
M. Lebon paused to relight his ciga
rette, which he had allowed to go out
After doing this. he settled back in hi.
. chair, puffed once or twice, but did no1
seem at all inclined to continue the
story.
"Well." calculated, "go on. That IL
no story. Why. you haven't even sale
what the mystery was, or why she was
called La Dame la Cleft"
"Ah, yes," he replied pensively
: "quite right l had forgotten. Gentle
t men, l 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 perfect
and''-
"Well?' interrupted M. Blouet some
what impatiently.
continued M. Lebon smiling. "Simpl.
, imagine her beautiful in face and form
then, gentlemen, around her neck
l which was of the purest mold, wa
riveted golden chain to which wa
attached this key. And, gentlemen
from the 1st of June, 1S48, to the da.
Of her death the chain never left hel
neck, nor the key"
He paused again and once more
: seemed disinclined to go on.
"Well," said M. Blouet, !" we have the
mystery; now for the solving Of it."
Gentlemen" continued M. Lebon
smiling sagely as he tipped of the
ashes Of his cigarette, II have told you
, all that anybody but myself knows
| Is that not enough? You now know
, what all Paris knew. Are you not salts
fiedY" and he laughed quietly to him
self.