Year: 1877

home, she was not without education,
and that romantic spirit natural to her
age and sex.


Victorine is represented to have been
extremely lovely in person, one OF
those beautiful blondes the old masters
loved to paint, with length of hair
that would have rivalcd that of Lady
Godiva. II is said that when she bath
cd ii was so long and abundant as to
form perfect cloak or screen, entirely
sufficient when flying unloosed about
her to protect her from prying curios-
ity.


Victorinc, when she came temporarily
from the island to the mainland, was
known by the people as "Les dame
dur bedUr chereUr," the lady with the
beautiful hair. But this charm was
only one of her attractions. The
beauty of features was extraordinary,
and has been preserved in a painting
representing Saint Cecilia, still exhlbi-
ted in the one convent church upon the
island and pointed out to the visitor by
the monks of st. Francis who are cstab-
lished here.


The beautiful daughter of the COVER
nor had seen the graceful figure of the
prisoner promenading at night upon
the terrace of the fortress, and also at
worship in the chapel, where he was
forbidden to speak or uncover his face
When in local state of imprisonment
he wore only black mask of silk, but
when moved from ono place of confine-
ment to another, he wore that. famous
iron mask, so fastened that he could
not by any possible means remove it.


Victorine dc Bonpart observed that
her father always treated him with the
greatest respect, serving him bare
headed and standing; tokens too signif-
icant toescape observation, particularly
by one who felt special interest. Ills
table service was of massive silver, and
his dress of richest velvet. lie also
wore the finest linen and most costly
lace, after the fashion of cavaliers of
that period. She had also accidentally
heard her father speak of him one day
to his attendent as 'the prince"


No wonder that the sad face of the
prisoner occupied so much of her
thoughts, isolated rs she was upon that
lonely prison island. No wonder that
his noble figure haunted her dreams by
night.


1t was the natural result of such
combination of circumstances. The
rules of the fortress were of the most
stringent character, and could not be
disregarded even by Victorine de Bon
part therefore she was, seemingly, as
much separated from the mysterious
prisoner as though she had been hum
dreds of miles away.


True, their eyes sometimes met in
the hour of service at the chapel. lie
sang beautifully and was most skill
ful performer upon the guitar. This
was almost his sole amusement, for the
books permitted him in his lonely cell
were few, and selected by others who
could not divine his taste, or if they
knew it, would doubtless have totally
disregarded the same. Constant prac-
ticc had impaired to him great musical
skill.


AT first NictOrine, attracted by his
performance, climbed the steep rocks
that formed the cliff side beneath the
prison window, and listened to his
songs with growing interest.


Weeks and months passed on until
finally, in the pause of his lonely per-
formance, she broke forth into low,
sweet song for the captive's ear.


That song was the first ray of hope
which had penetrated his prison walls
for years.


lie was entranccd, and now only liv-
ed to liston for the return of these
soothing and inspiring notes nom time
to time, when Victorine de Bonpart
dared to venture upon the almost inac-
cessibc cliff-side of the rocks.


NictOrine was at this time but seven
teen years of age: lust the period for
romantic attachment.


Months passed in this sentimental ill.,
terchange of song, until each learned
how to interpret the others words and
music.


This course of proceedings was, per-
haps, not so entirely delicate Oh the
young girls part as one could wish,
but the situation was such that she
alone could make any advances. The
Iron Mask" was aprisoner, and in the
closest confinement.


This was Victoriue's excuse.


The very atmosphere of mystery
which surrounded the prisoner but
added to the young girls interest in
his behalf, and step by step she permit
ted herself to progress in her tender
ness for him, until they had been ena-
bled by certain private signals to COM
municate understandingly with each
other. The actual means by which so
closely guarded a prisoner was enabled
to do this we do not know, but it is
certain that it was all sufficient for the
purpose designed.


At last this young girl adopted the
boldest measures to prosecute her de-
sign of meeting him whom she had
now come to love 40 dearly


When locked up for the night the
keys of the prisoners cell were left
with Monsieur de Bonpart himself, to
make sure of the safety of the Iron
Mask; but it was needless precaution
now, for love, which scorns locks and
bolts, is also stronger to detain than
they are. The prisoner, now that he
loved his jailOr's daughter, had no de-
sire TO escape, and would not have left
this island prison If he could.


Victorine seeing that the keys of the
prisoners cell were nightly deposited
upon her fathers private table, pres
emily managed TO purloin them.


Now commenced series of stolen
nightly visits to the cell of the Iron
Mask, all the more fraught with enjoy
ment from the very danger which the
Two lovers encountered. Strange
must have been that prison courtship
involving such hazard! The young
girl might have opened his prison
doors and set the mysterious prisoner
free, but, as we have shown, he had no
incentive to leave the spot without Vic
torine, and she would not have stowleu
away from the father she dearly loved.


Strange to say, this intimacy lasted
for some months before it was discov-
ered


Vietorinc, returning from her stolen
nightly visit to the prisoner, brought
the keys to deposit them in their usual
place In the ante-room of her fathers
chamber. BY chance she dropped
them upon the floor, which, of course,
made loud noise, for they were large
and heavy, and the governor, startled
from a sound sleep, sprang from his