The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-03-12
IA dame A LA CLEF. >
By Walter Littlefeld.
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| drift. M. Bl0uet had just related an
amusing anecdote of his Boston so
journ, and we were silently putting in
that agreeable languor that arises from
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 IN
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
1t 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 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, 1913. Memento mori!'
"a curious key" suggested as re-
turned it to NJ. Lebon. "Tell us about
It,"
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 a key
like that Why not let us have it?'
"You are right, gentlemen. There is
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"
'sTell it! Tell it," we both exclaimed
in a breath.
Fresh cigarettes were lighted, and,
still holding the key in his hand as If
to bear witness to what he said, NJ.
1GDOu UCSdu LIS SlOIy.
at 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 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
Russian lady who for more than 20
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 la Cleft
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 49, in complete solitude. 1t
seems that her husband, who was much
older than She had visited her regular
ly every six months during the past ten
years and then had disappeared, no one
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, and
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 and
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 his
chair, pulled once or twice. but did not
seem at all inclined to continue the
story.
WELL" calculated, Ego on. That is
no story Why, you haven't even said
what the mystery was, or why she was
called La Dame a la Cleft"
"Ah, yes" he replied pensively.
"quite right. had forgotten. Gentle
men. l have not said that she was
beautiful, yet such was the case. Her
face was one Of the loveliest that
have ever seen, her figure was perfect,
and
"Well?" interrupted M. Blouet some
what impatiently.
Gentlemen, will not bore you,'
continued NJ. Lebon smiling. Simply
r-iv, how fo
then, gentlemen, around her neck,
which was of the purest mold, was
riveted golden chain to which was
attached this key And, gentlemen,
from the LIST of June, 1S48, to the day
of her death the chain never left her
neck, nor the key"
He paused again and once more
seemed disinclined to go on.
"Well," said M Blouet, Eve have the
mystery; now for the solving of it."
"Gentlemen," continued M. Lebon,
smiling sagely as he tipped of the
ashes of his cigarette, 81 have told you
all that anybody but myself knows.
Is that not enough? You now know
what all Paris knew. Are you not salts
fied? and he laughed quietly to HIM
self
We smoked for few moments In
silence both NJ. Blouet and myself sur
missing that the best way to hear the
rest of the story was to leave the mar
rator completely to himself. In mo-
ment the latter began again, speaking
rapidly and in short sentences.
"In 1S48 her husband owned
country house near Passy. She was
then young and gay. No chain or key
adorned her neck then. One day she
was surprised by her lord, shutting
somebody in the wardrobe A servant
had betrayed her. The Muscovite
Othello turned the key twice in the
wardrobe, took it out, then told his
wife to follow him.. A travelling
brizska stood a few PAGES from the
villa. More dead than alive, the I'M
happy woman obeyed. When the hus-
band had placed her in the carriage he
gave an order in a low voice to the
coachman. Keep this key he said to
his wife. 4 have forgotten something
and will return then went back to the
house.
"He returned, according to his prom
Use, but as the carriage descended the
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