The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1908-05-26
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
!. AN INCIDENT OF THE
J FRENCH REVOLUTION.


Eugene LeyesGue. u lieutenant in Ii
royalist army Of the Prince Ut Cond
ut the time Of the Frnnch revolution
hearing that the MarqAs of Mirachie
and his daughter Helolse, to whom Ia
vcsQue was engaged, had been arresi
ed by the revolutionists aud Were 1
danger Of the guillotine. asked and oil
tanned leave to go to them. having
faint hope of saving one or both,
One day he appeared, disguised, i
the village near which stood the Mira
chieu chateau. The marquis and hi
daughter were prisoners in their owl
home. waiting guard aud transportation
to Paris. Among the tenantry Of tn
marquis was the Brouneau family. t
whom the Miraculous had been espe
cially kind during the period Of thef
prosperity. l.evesque. who had live,
in the neighbWhood knew or this obi
cation and. making himself known Il
Marie Brouneau. asked her assstanc,
in his design. Marie had been permit
ted to visit Ilelolse. and of this Eugene
resolved to take advantage. Dressed
and made Nh as Marie. he gained ne
cess to the prisoners and succeeded II
making q transfer Of clothing with thu
marquis. who went out In his stead
AZ the Brouneausr the ex-prlsoner found
Levesque's disguise. In which he made
his way across the border
Eugene, whose identity was not dis.
covered. now turned his Thoughts to
some means Of escape Tor Heioise. The
father and daughter had been permit,
ted to occupy adjoining apartments on
the upper story. The door leading from
Hcloise's room to n hallway had been
locked and thp key removed. Eugene
had brought u small t,le' with him. with
which he began to die the lock, but
the guard, hearing the sound. looked
into the rooms. and Eugene had turned
away from his work just In time to
escape detection. In the morning.
when breakfast WAS brought up 10 the
prisoners. be secreted case knife. and
II the knife was missed II could only
have been missed by thp servants. who
We're not likely TO inform the guard
Of the fact While. Heloise. listened az
the door where the sentinel was post
ell for his slightest moremenf Eugene
lay ON bel covered with, the. bed
clothing and pillows To- deaden sound
and with his die made a saw OF the
case knife.
During the night. again covered 70
conceal sound. he cut In. the doOr n
hole large enough 10. enable him 10
insert the saw and. working very slow.
" and cautiously. sawed circle
around the I.N'k. leaving n connection
just adequate to hold the. lock In its
place. till he was ready to remove Il.
Heloise found In a closet a different
costume from the one. she WAS wear.
Ing and after the customary Inspection
for the night slipped. Il on. Eugene
could find nothing for a change. His
object was thu reIease-of his betrothed.
and he would noe risk going our with
her. She mist go our ne night, but no
one was permitted 10. leave. the chateau
except In daylight.
The prisoners devised the following
plan: Helolse' would leave. her room at
night alone. lind her way 10 the seFy.
ants quarters and remain with them
TIL morning. one Of the servants was
to return TO the apartment 20 person
ate her mistress. who. disguised. was
70 leave the chateau by day. There
were other arrangements and alterna.
tives' made In case OF failure Of any
part OF the plan and with q view to
Eugeneis escape. though % this there
was little hope. p.
At 10 O'Clock ut night Eugene re
moved the lock. Helolse. Slipping out
and down back staircase. went 10 the
room Of her maid and got into her bed
The maid went TO HeloIse's room, was
admitted By Eugene. got into her bed.
and the lock was pat back In It's place
The next morning the cook who pre.
pared the guards meals asked for A
permit 10 20 out for milk. The permit
was granted. The cook. before. going
on her errand. returned to the Kitchen
for pitcher. and when she emerged
the guard noticed that either she had
grown shorter and sllghteF or he was
mistaken as 10 her real identity. He
concluded be was mistaken. and lie.
loise made her way 70 the home OF the
Brouneaus, where she found conceal
ment.
The next morning the supposed lie
lolse feigned illness and asked the
guard to send for her friend. Marie
Brouneau. This had been arranged
partly that Eugene might know % the
success Of their enterprise. Marie ap.
peared In due time and made Eugene
happy by the announcement that lie
loise was waiting for him TO start with
him for the border. Marie had brough,
with her cosmetics aud other articles
for making up. and II was decided that
Eugene should attempt 10 pass out BY
persona1lug her.
His heart beat wildly while he was
coming her costume and she was max
lag him Up. aud II beat still more wild.
" when be emerged from the room. q