Bisbee daily review., 1903-03-26
A HAZARDOUS WORK
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ished in northern Italy a duchy pre- sided over by the Grand Duke Save nola. At that time assassination was the common method of getting rid of an enemy, and the duke had his own es- pecial assassinator, who removed with | poison any one obnoxious to his mas- ter. At state banquets this man stood behind the dukes chair and now and | again would be dispatched to one of the guests to pledge him by proxy for the sovereign. The royal rule was | that the two should exchange glasses, | it being the greater honor to drink | from the dukes glass. The distinc- ton came to be considered one which might better be declined, for 1t was quite likely to be followed by the death of one of the persons honored. There was at the capital a woman,
 the Countess of vincenza, of extraor- dinary character and virtue, some- l thing not usual in that profiigate age. She was much respected by the duke and stood high in his confidence, even to being consulted by him in affairs ] of state. She had endeav0red to in. still into him a higher code of morals, but had failed. She at last determined l to put stop to his murders, even if | 1t was necessary to sacrifice her own l life. One day while she was driving she met a man. evidently a stranger. whose likeness to the duke was aston ishing. She sent a servant to him, bidding him call at her villa that evea- ing.
 Who are you?" she asked when he appeared.
 "Ricardo Mardi, the youngest son of nobleman of southern Italy"
 What do you here?"
 "I am in quest of some adventure to better my condition. I am starving"
 Would you like to be grand duke?"
 The man, thunderstruck. stammered that he would, whereupon the countess told him that it was possible though to effect the object he must risk his life. Ricardo was much impressed with the striking Individuality of the countess, falling every moment more under her influence.
 Il shall ask for an invitation for you" she said. 'to the next state ban quet. We will attend it together, sit ting side by side. As sOcn as the duke sees one so closely resembling him he
 will send to you person who will ask you to drink with his master, exchang- ing glasses. The glass you receive will be poisoned. I will put into practice one of several plans I have in mind, using the one which at the time seems most practicable"
 Ricardo impulsively resolved to place his life in the countess keeping and consented to do her bidding. She at | once wrote to the duke. asking for the | invitation, and when the banquet came | off she was there with Ricardo Mardi. | His likeness to the duke caused a sen | sation. Indeed, he was several times
 mistaken for the ruler. The moment | the host set eyes on Ricardo it was | plain to the countess that he was much incensed. But he controlled himself l and later in the evening sent his proxy | to honor the stranger in the usual way. Ricardo rose and was about to take the l glass offered him when the countess 1 seized it and, holding it aloft, turned to the duke.
 T claim the honor of first pledging your highness." she said. Ricardo, who had been instructed by her, protested, the two contending for the glass. The duke, who saw his intention liable to be turned awry, sat anxiously watch ing the scene. Presently he saw the countess drink. She had no sooner done so than, appearing to be i'll, she retired to an anteroom. From there she sent word to the duke that she was dying and asked him to come to her alone since she would communicate to him a state secret of vital importance, The duke hurried to the chamber.
 The countess in her efforts to get the glass from Ricardo had succeeded in drinking from her own glass, making it appear that it was the one offered by the poisOner. When the duke en- tered the anteroom, Ricardo closed the door, and while the former hurried to the countess Ricardo stabbed him in the back. Then, exchanging clothes with him, he hid the body under a divan and, returning to the banquet room, took the hosts seat.
 As soon as Ricardo had left the ante- room the countess called for one of her servants, who had been instructed, and, wrapping the dukes body in her mantle, he carried it out to her car. riage and drove away with it, Then the countess slipped out unseen.
 Ricardo Mardi remained but a few moments at the table, feigning to be grieved at the illness of the countess and withdrawing apparently much af- fected... In fact, it was plain to the guests, some of whom recognized difference in his appearance from the real duke, that something extraordi- nary had happened. When he drove up to his palace, he at once went into se- elusion, and the next day it was an- nounced that he was very ills He was accessible to no one for some; weeks, except the countess. whose unexpecfed recovery was received by every one with delight. When the duke emerged from his retirement. he was much al, tered in appearance. but this was at. tributed either to remorSe or illness