Evening star., 1909-09-12

the Mazarin galleries. with their costly
art treasures, demolishing statues and
smearing pictures which failed to satisfy
his ridiculous sense of decency. .'I could
not speak to servant. says his
duchesse. but he was dismissed the next
day. l could not receive two visits in sue
cession from the same man but he was
forbidden the house. IL / showed any
preference for one of my maids. she was
at once taken away from me. and was
not allowed to see either his relations or
my own" BY these and a hundred other
forms Of persecution the. due drove his
wife to the verge of despair within a few
months OF wedding her. His eccentricities
and cruelty she bore with exemplary pa
tience; but when, In addition to sduan-
dering her property with reckless prodi-
gality, he seized her jewels. she declined
to live another day with him, and fed
for refuge to the convent OF the Files de
Sainte Marie.
Here Hortenses suppressed spirits quick
ly reasserted themselves. Among the in
mates she discovered a kindred spirit in
Sidonie de Lenoncourt, whose volatile con-
duct had furnished her husband with
prctext for shutting her IN In the con-
vent; and the two captives seem TO have
led their guardians a merry dance. pay
ing every conceivable kind of practical
joke on them. They led the poor daughters
OF Sainte Marie such life, indeed, that
they were driven to petition the king for
their removal. and the incorrigible laues
were promptly transferred to the Abbey
of Chelles, where they were kept in bet
ter order.
Coquette Ever.
But Hortenses high spirits soon rebelled
against the grim and depressing environ
ment of the abbey: and one dark night.
dressing herself In. mans clothes and ac-
companied by one of her waiting women.
similarly attred. and by an equerry
named Couberville. she Jared forth on
horseback. and after an adventurous jour
ney across the Alps reached Milan, where
she found her sister Marie and her hus-
band, the Constable Colonna, awaiting
her.
Hortense appears to have been none
too pleased at this meeting with her SIS
ter. She wished to escape for q time from
4 the world and especially from her reia-
tives. and with this object she now shut
herself up in her apartments. refusing to
see any one but her attendants and Cou-
berville. the companion OF her flight, Ior
whom she had conceived a violent fancy.
While In Milan Hortense seems to have
amused herself with a succession or
lovers. When Couberville found II pru-
dent to leave Italy, his place In the LADY
tickle affections was taken first oy
Jacques de Belboeuf. a young Norman.
then by the Marquis del Grello. Comte De
Marsan and several other gallants with
whom in turn she coquetted and whom
she made fiercely jealous with each other.
until. at last. weary Of exile and lovers
alike, she returned in a penitent mood to
France. Through the kings good ofnces
she consented to receive a small pension
from her husband on condition that she
was allowed to live apart from him.
An Escape by Night.
In the following spring Hortense return
ed to Rome. to find her sister Marie, driven
to distraction by her husbands coidness
and cruelty. on the verge Of flight. The
Constable Colonna's early passion form
beautiful wife had been succeeded by q
distaste amounting to hatred. She deter
mined to fly; she appealed for help 10
Louis, who promised her passports ana
escort as soon as she sc. foot In france
arranged for a boat to be ready for her
at Civita vecchia; and, inducing her new
ly arrived sister Hortense to accompany
her. seized an opportunity afforded by her
husbands absence to run away.
The coach containing the fugttives ana
two attendants reached Civita Vecchia al
nightfall, and Pelletier. one Of the attend-
ants was dispatched to the boat, which
was to await them at a point four miles
distant, to announce the coming OF the
ladies. Meanwhile" says Marie. Mme.
de Mazarin and quilted the coach, pene-
trated into very thick wood near the
sea and composed ourselves to sleep on
awakening toward morning we perceived
the valet de chambre. who told us that ne
had failed to find the vessel. The horses
were so tired that they were scarcely able
to stand; SO we decided to abandon the
coach and proceed on foot
Chase Across the Sea.
..The heat of the sun. a. fast of four
and-twenty hours and the disappofnt-
ment of hearing no news OF the vessel
threw us into despair" But the.sain-
daunted ladies. hungry. thirsty and
weary. dreading pursuit. tramped stead
lily on until at last they reached .ne ap,
pointed place, to find not one but two
vessels awaiting them. No sooner. how
ever, had they embarked In the larger
of the two than its master demanoed-
much larger sum than had been stipu-
lated, threatening to throw the ladies
overheard. unless the money were at once
forthcoming, a demand they were power
less to resist Meanwhile Colonna. who
had discovered his wffe's flight. was
sending mounted messengers IN all di
swift galleys were taking up the chase
on the sea.
After a perilous voyage Of nine days.
In which their vessel had many narrow
landed at Ciotat. where they mounted
horses, and. riding hard through the
night, reached Marseille. Here their
troubles. SO far from being ended, seemed
only to be beginning A messenger sent
on in advance to announce their COM
ing to Louis was waylaid and left half
dead by the roadside; they found them
selves surrounded by enemies ana dim-
cuities of all kinds placed In their way
by Colonna's emissaries; and, 70 crown
their misfortunes, they learned that
party of soldiers was approaching TO
arrest the duchess at the bidding OF the
Duo de Mazarin, her husband.
There was no hope of reaching Paris;
and, in her alarm. Hortense. left her
sister. and made her way to Savoy.
whose ruler. Charles Emanuel III. had
once been her friend. and could at least
be relied on to offer her an asylum In
her extremity. Nor was her confidence
misplaced. Charles Emanuel gave her
cordial welcome. placed one OF his cha
teau at her service, and entertained her
royally. Under such agreeable condi-
tions, maintaining q semi-royal state.
holding her court and dispensing smiles
and favors to the greatest mobiles. Of
Savoy. Hortense spent a few happy
Years until. on the dukes death, his
widow sent her an intimatfon that she
must look elsewhere for an asylum.
France was closed to her; italy she did
not wish to see again. England re-
NAMED: and to England the adventurous
duchess now made her way
Charles II had never forgotten the
cardinals niece whose charms had won
his heart in his days of exile: and 1t
was a still more lovely woman who now
made her appeal to his chivairy:
woman more intoxicatingly beautiful than
anv other who had enslaved his f.ncy
or adorned his court.
Close Friend Of King.
From being a homeless fugitive Hor-