RAR.

Y
UN IVERSITY
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E>

OF THL

or ILLINOIS

ca8S-2i
V.I

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L161 O-1096

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

VOL.

I.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS

MYSTERIES OF

LIEE.

BY

MRS. CATHERINE CROWE,

AUTHOR OP
"the NIGHTSIDE of nature," "SUSAN HOPLEY,"

IX

THREE VOLUMES.
VOL.

I.

LONDON:
HENRY COLBURX, PUBLISHER,
GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1S50.

&C.

LONDON:
Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street.

PREFACE.

Although most
volumes

'

have

comprise

periodicals

preaches a

of

the

tales

appeared

which these
various

in

yet as each of these brochures only

circle

or class,

and there are many

si

^persons

who never

2 have thought
J;^

advisable to put forth

in a collected form

^they
vj

it

will

especially

^ dence ;

not be
the

such

see such publications at

an honour of which

stories
I

hope

found altogether unworthy

Tales of
as

my

all, I

" The

Continental JurispruTile

Burner

and

his

PREFACE.

IV

Family/'
Quentin/'

^'

The Story

of

the

Priest

" The Bride's Journey/'

which appear

to

me

of

&c.

St.

&c.,

to possess a peculiar interest

for the reader.

CATHERINE CROWE.

SEPTEMBER

25, 1850.

CONTENTS
THE FIRST VOLUME.

THK ACCUSATION

....

THE MORNING VISITOR

THE TWO MISS SMITHS

THE TILE-BURNER AND HIS FAMILY

THE bride's JOURNEY

PAGE
1

215
237
267
299

LIGHT AND DARKKESS.

THE ACCUSATION.

VOL.

I,

THE ACCUSATION.

CHAPTER
It

is

now

I.

nearly three centuries ago that

there existed in the south of France, not far

from Toulouse, a family

called

Chateauroux.

Like one or two other great families of that

nation,
least

they

counted up to the Deluge at

nothing

could

than their genealogical

but, unfortunately,

it

be more
tree, root

satisfactory

and branch

was pretty nearly the

only one they possessed, and the parchment

it

covered would almost

the remnant

itself

have covered

of the patrimonial estate that


LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

They had been

remained to them.
day

their

but extravagances

rich in

on the one

hand, and occasional confiscations and fines

on the

for political offences

ally

the

other,

had gradu-

reduced them from wealth to poverty

kind

worst

that which

of poverty,

accompanied by a sounding

title

and

is

aristo-

cratic pretensions.

The

possessor of these visionary grandeurs,

at the period at

was

called

which our story commences,

Joachim
Like

Chateauroux.

France

in

former

Count

de

nobility

of

the

all

times,

he was in the

and, unlike many, had seen a good

army

deal

of service.

He was

tenderly attached to his wife

son Philibert

and

Joachim

these two

a worthy

and

man,

to his only

names of Joachim

Philibert being hereditary in the family

and he w^ould have been a happy and contented

one,

pecuniary

had

it

difficulties,

he anticipated for

not

been for his own

and the painful future

this beloved child,

whom

THE ACCUSATION.

embarrassments, greater than those he was

himself the victim
for since

it

of,

awaited;

necessarily

was beneath the dignity of so

distinguished a race to exercise any profitable

occupation,

circumstances

their

inevitably

deterioratea with every generation, unless a

fortunate marriage happened to repair them.

Occasional alliances

with wealthy heiresses

had indeed hitherto alone rescued the Chateauroux from utter ruin
pride,

and the

but their family

desire to maintain the purity

of their blood, had stood greatly in their

infusions,

in respect of these salutary

they

abjured

accumulated by

since

with fortunes

connection

all

way

commerce, and Were only

willing to accept for their sons the hereditary

heiresses

much
As

of noble

families,

who were

too

in request to be easily obtained.

for

Count Joachim

himself,

he

done nothing toward the redeeming the

tunes of his house.
absent from

He had

home on

service,

had
for-

married while

and

his wife

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

was never seen

Chateanroux

at

He was

death of his father.

denly called

home

till

to see the old

after the

himself sud-

Count

and sometime afterwards the lady

apparently

And

ver}^

and

ill,

might be

well she

arrived,

great trouble.

in

had under-

for she

expire;

taken her journey at that most awful of

all

pe-

riods of French history, the massacre of St.

Bartholomew
by the

had been

assassins at

infant son torn

attacked in the night

Limoges

had

seen her

from her arms and murdered,

whilst she herself

had almost miraculously

escaped

life,

with

difficulties

her

and

through great

reached her husband's home.

process of time, however,

another son was

born to console them for the

and

first

ties

now

long

in

him

centred.

survive

to

all

loss

their hopes

But
share

his

In

of the

and anxie-

mother did not

them.

She never

recovered the shock she had received on that

fearful night,

and the care of the boy soon

devolved wholly on the father.

THE ACCUSATION.

Although no one knew exactly of what

family the lady was that Count Joachim had
married,

it

was generally understood that the

union had been very obnoxious to his connections

and

it

was very evident that she

had brought no fortune to compensate her

She was extremely hand-

other deficiencies.

some and amiable

but these qualities con-

cerned nobody but her husband, and counted

for nothing with

the rest of his generation,

who

hated

accordingly

tremely glad

when

The Count's
no means
event,

which

ous one

her,

and were ex-

she was dead.

difficulties,

diminished

however, were by

by

to him, indeed,

on the contrary,

this

satisfactory

was a

ver\^ griev-

his affairs, as

might

be expected, grew rather w^orse than better,

from the want of the superintending eye of

the judicious wife, and

it

was

as

much

as

he

could do to keep his head above water, and

educate his son; and as the only hope he

could anchor on was a union with an heiress,

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

his thoughts were directed to the

all

plishment of that desirable object.

was

affair

his father,

had a fancy

and wanted
Count,

old

Young

difficult.

for

accom-

But the

Philibert, like

youth and beauty,

to choose for himself; whilst the

who had

the foibles of his

outlived

own

and forgotten

youth, was both as-

tonished and indignant at his son's weakness,

more
to

especially

when

pay his court to

the

young man refused

Madame

de Rosemont,

nee de la Rive, a lady of unexceptionable

blood, an heiress in her

own

right, in posses-

sion

of a large jointure bequeathed by her

first

husband, and, in short, one of the rich-

est

matches in Languedoc.

bert,

But young

Phili-

though he desired the fortune, extremely

objected to taking the lady along with

and

it

was

it

for a long time in vain that his

father dilated

on the various good

qualities

she possessed, and on the happiness he might

promise himself in such a union.

He

re-

might be very

true,

but

presented that

all this

THE ACCUSATION.
that she

was ten years too

old,

and had never

been handsome, and that, moreover, he was

with Emily de

in love

large

and was

fortune,

who had

Preville,

also

in

with

love

him.

"To what
"

when she

is

purpose,"

asked

betrothed to the

his

Due

father,

de Tre-

mouille ?"

And
for

the question was a very pertinent one,

young

ladies in

choose their
so then

France do not even

own husbands, and

still

now

less did

and there was not the most remote

chance that the Marquis de Preville would

forego an aUiance with the wealthy Duke, to
give his

daughter to a poor Count, though

the young people had been twenty times

more

in love than they were.

However,

two

events

occurred

almost

simultaneously that sufficed to conquer the

young man's opposition

First,

man

Emily de

to his father's wishes.

Preville married the gentle-

she was affianced

to.

She would rather

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

10

have married Philibert

sisted in saying so, she

up

in a convent

more reasonable
ped a few

till

but

she had per-

if

would have been shut

she was brought to a

state of

tears to the

mind

memory

so she drop-

of her

young

love-dream, and then gracefully submitted to

become a Duchess.

Philibert

was

furiously

miserable for a month, and held frequent and

serious debates

mth

himself as to the judi-

ciousness of blowing out his brains at the gate

of the Duke's castle

this

but before he had

settled

point to his mind, his father was taken

alarmingly

ill,

and when on

his

death-bed,

having disclosed to his son the amount of

the family embarrassment, he obtained a pro-

mise that he would lose no time in prosecuting his suit with the rich widow;
indeed,

the

when

and,

the old Count was dead, and

young one began

to feel the weight of

the burden that had devolved on his

own

shoulders, namely, the biu-den of maintaining

and feeding an establishment without any

THE ACCUSATION.
adequate means of doing

enough

naturally ran

love

Rive

was but a

it

smooth enough

that

is

doomed

still

weak enough

tered by his attentions

an

his course

counterfeit,

for

it

only

is

Madame

de

assuredly

prompted

to be pleased
;

facile

encounter so

to

though

Rosemont,

blind to the motives that

was

rocks and shallows.

de

by so

So he duly commenced

of love, which, as

many

he was willing

it,

to escape the dilenmma

expedient.

real

11

la

not

his suit,

and

and was not a

flatlittle

captivated by the graceful vivacity and agreeable person

siege

was

after a

of her
necessary

Thus, no

lover.
;

the

long

lady capitulated

month's feeble resistance, and

at the

end of the second the marriage ceremony was

performed with
their condition

And now

it

all

the splendour that became

and her great wealth.

seemed quite

certain that, if

he pleased, the young Count de Chateauroux

might have been very happy.

beauty he had not obtained,

it

Youth and
is

true

but

12

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

Sophie de

la

Rive was an amiable,

woman, who

liberal

command

caprices that

him

friends

welcome

disposed to
;

make him

and

month

new

possessions and

what worn

whims and

is

apt to gen-

off,

made

and in

all

fact

his

was

and very well

all

the elements of con-

the

The
way

But about
began

life

to

flit

of his

gloss

first

of

three

first

agreeably.

light clouds

across the horizon.

well

a kind and indulgent

prosperity,

months passed very

the fourth

him,

to

his

the

society,

to her house,

and thus, with

tentment

all

to

who was

sudden affluence

extremely attached

wife

in

She was fond of

der.

no bounds

sat

of her fortune, and

disposed to indulge

cheeri\il,

having some-

Philibert, in the

wantonness

of youth, and with that hungry appetite for

pleasures that ever asks for more, began to

seek variety and excitement in small

tions with the

young and handsome

flirta-

visitors

of his wife.

Now,

this

Sophie could not suffer; jea-

13

THE ACCUSATION.
weak

lousy was her

side;

other matters, in the matter

she was upon

all

of fidelity she

was a dragon.

and

and indulgent as

So she pouted

and when that plan

affected coldness;

ceased to produce any effect, she expostulated

and wept.

But

tears

have no eloquence to
they stream

reach the heart of man, unless

from bright eyes and

cheeks

poor

Madame

as well have seared

fall

upon blooming

de Chateauroux might

up the

sluices of hers as

hope to gain her point by them.

plexion

at the best

when she wept,

red,

was but

Her com-

indifferent,

and

the point of her nose became

and her cheeks rough and

spotty, defects

extremely offensive to the taste of Philibert,

and he was only driven by a spectacle so

agreeable to direct his eyes
to the

more

dis-

pertinaciously

youth and beauty around him, for the

purpose of avoiding the unpleasing and intrusive object.

Of
her,

course,

and the

this

harshness

reacted

stage that next ensued

upon
was

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

14
still

more

critical.

The

and

disappointed

neglected wife became angry

complaints that

grew louder, and reproaches that gained

terness

from day

to

bit-

day and from week to

week, alienated and disgusted the thoughtless

husband

in proportion to their violence,

at length

he began to seek his pleasures and

amusements where

deemed

it,

persecution,

could not follow him.

journeys

frequent

this

sometimes

nobility

and

France

of

as

he

He made
visit

his

sometimes to Paris

friends in the provinces,

on business

to

as

till

those

in

were

bound

days

the
serve

to

with the army at certain intervals, as vassals

the

to

Crown,

he sometimes

months together on the

stayed away

plea of performing

this duty.

In the meantime,
passed her
society.

up,

life

Madame

de Chateauroux

in alternations of solitude

Sometimes she would shut

and refuse

to see any

mourned over the suspected

and

herself

one, whilst

she

infidelities

and

THE ACCUSATION.
real neglect

of her Lothario

15
and

at others

she plunged into a vortex of company, in

order to dissipate her ennui, and banish the
of her disappointment.

recollection

course, the world

found

these inconsistencies.

menage of
happy one

discussion

It

key to

all

was known that th^

Chateauroux was a very un-

their

squabbles and their recon-

formed

ciliations

in

the

easily the

But, of

the

amongst

subject

of

frequent

and

their acquaintance,

due course of time their domestic dissen-

sions

had become matters of such

that the

names of the ill-matched

everybody's mouth,

high

notoriety,

pair

was

and low, and

in
at

length had grown to be a proverb and a by-

word

in the country.

Under these circumstances,

it

may

readily

be conceived that the Count's absences grew

longer,

and his

^dsits shorter

and that when

he did come home, his reception was not

such as to induce him to remain there.

deed, the Countess,

whose jealousy and

Inirri-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

16

tation rendered her careless of

what she

said,

did not scruple to aver that she was quite

sure he never would

come home

at

if it

all,

were not that he wanted money; and perhaps she was not
w^as,

M.

that

Chateauroux's
hints

and

drafts

upon

de

far

v^ong, for certain

Madame

Francoeur,

revenue

the

to a very serious

that

the

were

and

position

increasing

five

or six

had reached the unpleasant

affairs

we have

Count's

amount.

They had been married about

years,

de

by frequent

agent, intimated

insinuations,

it

when one

described,

ing, about nine o'clock, the

even-

Countess being

table with a party of friends,

whom

entertaining at supper, the gate

at

she was
rang,

bell

and through the open window of the saloon

the sound of a horse's foot was heard
gravel.

The Countess turned

upon the

pale, the guests

looked at each other; there was a rush of servants to the hall

table

and before ^ny one

had broken the ominous

at the

silence, the

door

THE ACCUSATION.

17

of the saloon was thrown open, and the cham-

announced " Monsieur

berlain

Of

le

Comte

!"

course everybody rose to greet the master

of the house

who

sat

everj^body but the Countess,

affecting indifference, but

still,

struggling

ment

for in spite of all his

she loved
to see

him

him

still,

bet^^Txt

and

and resent-

joy

reality

in

misdemeanours,

in her heart w^as glad

but, as is unfortunately the cus-

tom of

ladies

peared

exactly

on similar occasions, she apthe reverse.

reception could be

In

short,

more ungracious, and the

spectators of the scene very generally

to the conclusion, that,

come he met with

no

at

if

came

that w^ere the wel-

home, he could

be blamed for staying away from

scarcely

it.

However, he on his part seemed to take

no notice of his
silently

saluted

wife's

her,

Having

demeanour.

and exchanged a few

words with those of the party he was best

acquainted with, he took his seat at the table,

and endeavoured, by maintaining the current

VOL.

I.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

18

of conversation, to set the

But

it

was

in

into insult,

at

only irritated his

sociality

She

vdfe the more.

at ease.

This very attempt

vain.

cheerfulness and

company

intei-preted every smile

and even her good breeding could

ferment of her feelings

scarcely control the

from bursting

words

into

till

at length her

lowering brow and

ominous

completely defeated

every attempt at resus-

citating

the conviviahty

embarrassed

visitors,

and dreading

cence,

silence

having

of the meeting, the

alarmed at the incandesthat,

if

they

did

not

hasten their departure, they might not escape

the conflagration,
carriages,

what
ing

suddenly called for their

and wishing the unfortunate couple

they had

a very

little

hopes of their enjoy-

good night, they drove away

from the door, under the

full

persuasion that,

before they

reached the park gates, this

suppressed

rage

would explode into

ill-

open

quarrel.

And

they

were

right.

quarrel there

THE ACCUSATION.
was, as

many

appeared; and

afterwards

it

19

high words were overheard by the servants.

For two hours

the

after

company had

de-

unhappy

pair

parted, the angry voices of the

through

resounded

the

silent

house

tones of the lady loud and passionate

the

those

of the gentleman bitter and contemptuous

whilst the listening

menials, half

awed and

half amused, sat exchanging significant glances

in
to

At

the hall.

have

length the dispute seemed

reached

its

climax

chairs

were

pushed back, the door of the saloon opened,

and the husband and wife were heard

to

come

Upon

this the Countess's

maid arose and prepared

to attend her mis-

out of the room.

tress

up

stairs

companied her

whilst one

to wait

of the

men

upon the Count.

ac-

As

they advanced along the passage which led to

the foot of the great staircase, they paused
a

moment

before

allow the disputants to ascend

to

them

hand on the

and
latch

as

of

the

Countess

her

own

laid

her

door, they

C 2

;!

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

20

heard her bid her husband beware

distinctly

for that ere long she

vengeance he
he

made

treating
dition.

would find a means of

thought

little

to feel the

and he should

of,

consequences

of

ill-

a ivoman of her rank and con-

The Count made her

a short and

contemptuous answer, and then, turning in a

different

direction, entered his

chamber, and

closed the door.

The two

servants

now ascended

and having performed

retired.

The maid

the

stairs,

their respective offices,

Clarice observed that the

countenance of her mistress bore an expression of concentrated rage

pale,

her lips compressed,

and she was so wrapt

her cheeks were

her

eyes

fixed

in intense abstraction

as to be apparently unconscious of the girl's

presence.

Mechanically, and in silence, she

submitted to the accustomed operations of

the coucher

and

the coucher of a French

Countess of that period, as well as the

was a very elaborate

affair

lever,

ever and anon

21

THE ACCUSATION.

drawing a long, slow respiration from her

over-charged breast, raising her clenched
to her closed lips,

fist

or pressing the points of

her jewelled fingers firmly upon her brow, as

if

her brain laboured with some portentous

thought

a birth too monstrous to take on a

definite shape.

Impressed with the

demeanour

much awed

mistress, Clarice felt too

terrupt her meditations

tomed Bon
service

soir,

of

her

to in-

even by the accus-

Madame

And when

her

was accomplished, and she had closed

the door as silently as she could, she stept

along the vestibule on the points of her toes,

and shut herself

as

much

into her

precaution to avoid any sound that

might break upon the

as

own chamber, using

do the watchers

stillness

of the

of the night,

dying

or

the

dead.

The behaviour

of the

Count during the

attendance of his servant Morel was different.

His

countenance

exhibited

little

trace

of

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

22

disturbance, and his behaviour none of ab-

He

straction.

asked a few questions about

general matters,

gave some orders for the

next day, and desired to have breakfast in

his study at

an

earlier

hour than usual, as he

expected his agent to be with

"

ness.

said he

You had
"

and

if

better call

the morning

him on

me
is

busi-

nine,"

at

chiUy,

make

a fire in the stove."

" Oui, Monsieur," answered Morel, as he

closed the door and retired to bed, wondering
that his mistress could not contrive to live

on better terms with so agreeable a gentleman.

From

that

moment

disappeared

roux

Morel went

the

Count de Chateau-

from the

to call

When

castle.

him on

the

following

morning, he was not in his chamber

when

he inquired for him below, nobody had seen

him

study,

and though the

fire

was lighted

and the breakfast

appointed

hour,

still

the

in the

prepared at

the

Count did not

23

THE ACCUSATION.
They sought him

appear.

and rang the great

him

tise

bell of the

in the grounds,

tower to adver-

that breakfast waited, but

came not; and

after

waiting

M. de

time, the agent,

still

he

reasonable

Francoeur, who, ac-

cording to appointment had come to breakfast

with him, having taken a cup of

went away, desiring the servants

know when
after

ing,

of

master returned.

theii*

hour passed

coffee,

to let

him

But hour

the afternoon, and even-

and night came, and nothing was heard

him

and then the servants began

strangely in each other's faces.

membered

singular

the

to look

Clarice re-

deportment of her

mistress on the preceding evening, and Morel

remarked that

it

was evident the Count had

quitted his bed in haste, for the clothes

been thrown

off

lay almost all

When

had

with such violence, that they

on the

floor at the foot of

it.

the second day passed without any

intelligence of their master, their

wonder and

amazement were

augmented

proportionally

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

24

but when not

only

elapsed, without

any solution of the mystery,

days

but

weeks

had

strange

murmurs began

to circulate

amongst

them.

Morel and Clarice ventured

to whis-

per that the sheet which lay on the floor had

been stained with blood

clared

that,

having laid

and the
her

latter

de-

hand on the

balustrade as she descended the stairs on the

following morning, she had been struck with

horror at observing marks of blood upon

Then

it.

they combined with these circumstances

the Countess's long discontent, her uncontrollable irritation

on the night of her hus-

band's return, together with the parting threat

overheard by Clarice and Morel

suspicions grew stronger

louder

till,

ere

and

as their

their voices

grew

reaching

long, these hints

the outside of the castle, they gradually ex-

tended beyond the domain and dependents,

and began

to circulate

amongst the

Next, the authorities heard of them

public.
still

for

some time the rank and character of the

25

THE ACCUSATION.
Countess were looked upon as a
guarantee of her innocence

grew louder and

voice

family began to

some of

length

them

tell

in

Count's

the

affair,

and

at

members waited on the

and begged

Countess,
could

its

but the public

louder, the

in

stir

sufficient

to

know what

she

regard to her husband's

strange disappearance.

Madame

de Chateauroux

answered that

she saw nothing strange in the matter, and

that she could not conceive

should.

why anybody

The Count had long been

else

in the

habit of leaving her for weeks, and some-

times months, during which interv^als he never

wrote to her

and

that, in short, she did not

suppose he would ever return to her at

it

all, if

were not that he wanted money.

"

When

his funds are exhausted

come, no doubt

he

and in the meantime

will

can

give you no information about him."

This was the

from her

sum

of

all

they could extract

and when they gave her

to under-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

26

stand that they were not

further

satisfied,

means must be taken

and that

to elucidate the

mystery, she only smiled, and seeming utterly

unconcerned, told them they were welcome

to take

On

any means they pleased.

day succeeding this

the

gence reached the

were about to

visit, intelli-

castle that the authorities

institute further

proceedings

and on the ensuing night. Morel and Clarice

fled, at least

and

the

friends.

they were nowhere to be found

Countess

When

took

the

was therefore nobody

refuge

officers

to

with

her

arrived, there

take into custody

but after examining the premises and interrogating the servants, they went away, fully

persuaded that

Madame

de Chateauroux had

murdered her husband in the night, and that

Clarice

and Morel had been her accomplices.

It is true, that these

principal accusers,

nesses gave

two people had been her

and that

them up

all

the other wit-

as their authority.

They

had undoubtedly made very indiscreet use

THE ACCUSATION.
of their tongues

upon

but the wan'

this apparent

manoeuvre
selves

told

to

more

officers

looked

indiscretion as a cunning

suspicion

divert

and certain

27

was that

it

from themtheir

flight

severely against their mistress than

their evidence could

have done.

So powerfully indeed did

this circumstance

operate against her, that in spite of the great

exceptions and consideration afi'orded by the

Legislature at that period to persons of rank

and condition,

Madame

de Chateauroux was

pursued to the house of her brother,

la Rive,

and

in spite of her

own

M.

de

declarations

of innocence, and the indignant protestations

of her family,

she was there arrested and

conveyed in her own carriage to the prison of

Aries
effect,

whilst the public gossip

that

Madame

was

to the

de Chateauroux had not

only murdered her husband in his sleep, but

that, in

also

order to conceal her crime, she had

made away with

the principal witnesses

against her, Clarice and Morel.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

28

CHAPTER

We
prison

left
;

and

Madame

de

11.

Chateauroux

in

the very anomalous state

as, in

of French judicature at that period, the pro-

duction

of the corpus delicti, in

trials

for

murder, was not held necessary to conviction,

the step from the prison to the scaffold was
often a very short one

quently happened

that

it

not unfre-

the

supposed

whilst
after

criminal was dead, the supposed victim was

found

to be alive

and had the suspected

oifender in the present instance been an un-

connected and obscure person instead of the

THE ACCUSATION.
Countess of Chateauroux, there

29
is little

doubt

but that she would soon have been beyond

the reach of help

and friends
force, and,

the

rallied

by

but as

was, her family

around her in considerable

their influence,

should be delayed

trial

it

till

obtained that
they had had

time to ascertain what had become of her

husband.

The

circulation,

to

people

which now

who wish

friends, or

mean

immense

public journals, with their

to

afi^ord

to

such

recover

conjure them,

to return themselves,

if

facilities

their

lost

they do not

" to

send back

the key of the tea-chest," did not then exist,

and, consequently, an inquiry of this description

was one of time and

difficulty

but as

the lady was wealthy, and their honour as

well as their affections involved in the result,

no expense was spared nor any means neglected

that

the

machinery of society then

furnished for the discovery

gentleman

of

the missing

but their efforts were vain

no

/
LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

30

him could be

traces of

And now

the friends and connections of the

Count began

to raise their voices

impatiently that the

delayed

and

detected, dead or alive.

their

and

to insist

should no longer be

trial

declamations were, per-

haps, the louder that their regrets for their

were

relative

somewhat aggravated by per-

sonal considerations.

They were poor; the

Count was the only wealthy member of the

family, and, therefore, the only one to

whom

each could refer for aid in his occasional extremities

liberal

ear to

young man, he had not turned a deaf

their

therefore,

ings

and as he was a good-natured,

were

of their interference, the proceedat

length

forward with so
viction

In consequence,

applications.

much

resumed and pushed

vigour, that a con-

was obtained, and

Madame

teauroux was condemned to

first

de Cha-

die, after

being

submitted to the rack for the purpose

of extracting a confession.

The

grief

and dismay of her adherents

THE ACCUSATION.

may be

easily conceived;

31

couriers were des-

patched to her two brothers,

who were

still

travelling over France in search of the Count,

desire

to

their

immediate return

whilst

numbers of the most considerable gentlemen

and

ladies of

from

Languedoc crowded

their respective

into Aries

chateaux, in order to

lend their countenance and support to the

unhappy Countess and her family, and

same time

to gratify their

ment by witnessing

own

love of excite-

so rare a spectacle as the

execution of a lady of quality.

tions for this sad

The

interest of the public.

the

prepara-

ceremony were commensu-

rate with the rank of the criminal

enormous

at the

and the

Scaffolds were erected,

prices were paid for windows,

commandant

and

of the garrison was ordered

to hold his troops in readiness in case there

should appear any symptoms of an emeute

or a rescue on the part of the

De

la

Rive

faction.

Two

days before that fixed for the execu-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

32

M. Eugene

arrived

tion

de

He was

Countess's youngest brother.

of \dolent

state

agitation,

the

Rive,

la

in a

indignantly

ar-

raigned what he called the precipitancy of

the proceedings against his

sister,

which he

openly attributed to the malice and undue

and authori-

influence of the opposite party,

tatively

demanded a

him time

of affording

But

King.

respite for the purpose

to

memorialize

demand was

his

refused,

the

upon

the plea that there had already been abun-

dance of time allowed for any such applications,

and that the march of

French

He

call

justice, as the

could no longer be impeded.

it,

was admitted

to see his sister,

who

again,

standing on the brink of the grave, declared

that she

was

imputed

to her,

fate of her

"

My

entirely innocent of the crime

and utterly ignorant of the

husband.

own

in spite of

conviction," she said, "

all

appearances, he

is

is,

that

not dead,

and that the intelligence of these proceedings

THE ACCUSATION.
never

has

reached him, or

has probably

M.

de

la

Rive, on

sure he

to justify

the country

left

me.

!"

the contrary, leant to

Count had committed

the opinion that the

suicide,

am

would have instantly appeared

He

33

although the

strict

search that had

been made for his body in the neighbourhood

of the castle scarcely

any grounds for

left

that conjecture.

The

now

eve of the fatal day had

arrived,

and they were hourly expecting the Counbrother,

eldest

tess's

M.

Adolphe,

when,

towards midnight, the sleeping citizens were

disturbed by the sound of a horse's feet clattering at iull speed over the pavement,

occurred to
the rider
respite

many who heard

was probably

from the Crown

the more probable,

drew

his rein

Ville,

where he

till

I.

it

the noise that

a courier bringing a
;

and

this

appeared

the horseman

alighted,

never

the Hotel de

he reached

an authoritative pull

VOL

as

and

and having given

at the bell

was presently

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

34

In

admitted.

than half an hour after

less

the chief jailor

this,

by

slumbers
prefect

to

was roused from

summons

Madame

his

conduct

the

de Chateauroux's

cell.

to

Lights were procured, the heavy keys clanked

through the vaulted passages, the door was

thrown open, and the poor

stretched on the

and

terror,

was informed that a

found her husband,

had kept

occurred

with as

who was

couch in an agony of grief

amved from M. Adolphe,

illness

lady,

letter

had just

saying that he had

whom

a long and severe

in ignorance of all that

had

that they were follbwing the courier

much

speed

infirm health

as his

would permit, and that they hoped

to be at

Aries on the following morning.

Here was
redemption
torture

happy reverse

at the eleventh

Here was a

hour from a cruel

and an ignominious death.

The

of the Countess and her friends, to

intelligence of the
diately despatched,

joy

whom

happy event was imme-

we need not

dilate

upon.

THE ACCUSATION.

35

If she before could not sleep for grief, neither

could she

now

sleep for joy

and although

the prefect could not open her prison doors

till

the actual arrival of the Count, her sympa-

thizing visitors were permitted to stay with

her,

and the remainder of the night was

on

her

glad tidings soon spread over the

city,

passed

in

mutual

congratulations

unexpected escape.

The

and, at an

people

early

began to

hour in the morning, the

collect

in

such

about the gate of the prison, that

thought necessary to

call

numbers
was

it

out the troops

and

such was the excitement and eagerness of the

crowd, when, about nine o'clock, the sound
of rapidly

revohing wheels

approach

of

the

announced the

expected

carriage,

that

without the aid of the military, the travellers

would not have been

able to

alight for the

dense mass that surrounded them.

body pressed forward

hero of

this-

to

Every-

get a sight of the

strange romance, which, as the

D 2

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

36

were

blinds

could obtain,

till

nobody

down,

a space being cleared by the

he had an opportunity of alighting.

soldiers,

Then,

drawn

closely

on

the

being

door

descended two gentlemen

Adolphe de

la

Chateauroux

opened,

the

second

the

Rive,

first

there

was M.

M.

de

at least so the spectators rather

concluded then saw, for he was wrapt in a

large cloak, and so muffled that very
his face

was

What

visible.

little

of

they saw of

it

looked very pale, and he appeared extremely

feeble,

M.

de

la

Rive aiding him to descend

and giving him

unable

himself

support

to

person

without

assist-

arm, as to

his

ance.

As

those

who were

near enough to get a

view of his features assured the rest that

the right man,
as

the

mob was

the prison doors closed

saluted

him with

they then

all

imperatively

satisfied

called

was

and

upon him, they

Nor

did

many who were

not

a hearty cheer.

disperse

it

away by business

still

THE ACCUSATION.
lingered

on the

spot, in

37

hopes of seeing the

lady and her husband emerge from the fortress

and depart

triumph

in

but

to

avoid

the

annoyance of public observation, their depar-

was deferred

ture

not

till

till

midnight

and

it

was

the shops were closed, and the streets

empty, that the emancipated lady and her

recovered husband stept into

and were conveyed

to their

their carriage,

chateau, where

the servants, apprised of their approach, were

prepared to receive them.

Two

days

afterwards

Remy, another
tess,

removed

estate belonging to the

situated at

they

they

some

to

Coun-

distance from the one

had hitherto resided at;

and

it

was

understood that the indisposition of the Count

obliged
visits

weeks

them

and
this

for

live

the present to

in

strange

retirement.
story

decline

all

For some

furnished

a very

agreeable subject of gossip to the good people

of

Languedoc

other wonders,

but in process of time,

its

interest

died

like all

away, and

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

38

the adventures of the Count and Countess of

Chateauroux were forgotten in some

later

event.

But

impunity did not

this

and-by

new rumour began

amongst the
from one

another

to

M.

produced by

and

public,

de

la

By-

last long.

it

was whispered
gentleman

the

that

circulate

to

Rive was not the real

Count, but a supposititious one,

who had been

bribed by the lady's family to personate

the purpose of saving her

for

events,

own

it

appeared that

M.

him

At

life.

all

de Chateauroux's

family positively refused to acknowledge

now living

the individual
relation

in the castle as their

and, moreover that

Madame

de Cha-

teauroux's behaviour gave great colour to the

suspicion that

simply

that

but

towards

was not

right.

It

was not

she did not inhabit the same

that French people frequently do

chamber
not

all

the

him was wholly

demeanour

to

she

displayed

unlike

what her

indifference

her

husband

had

formerly

39

THE ACCUSATION.
In short, there were no quan-els

been.

was never heard

reproach

to

she

him with

his

previous neglect, nor with his last cruel depar-

and the

ture;

affirmed that they

ser\^ants

seldom met but at

table.

Then, as his health improved, and

visitors

were admitted, the people who went to pay

their respects

Some

talk too.

said

some, that

roux;

declared
castle

and congratulations began

that the

it

it

was M. de Chateau-

w^as

present

The

not.

was a smaller man, that the voice was

The

of France.

to

have been the

prolonged absence, would na-

be very

much

altered in appearance,

and possibly somewhat in voice

that

the accent,

the

two years'

ilhiess of

which was said

cause of his
turally

and that

other party answ^ered, that

man who had had an

duration,

was that of the northern provinces

his accent

for

latter

occupant of the

not the voice of the young Count

to

Count

they had

had

and that

as

always remarked
peculiar

mode

of

40

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

speaking,

which they

supposed

have acquired from his

he

might

who had

mother,

been a native of Normandy.

But

whilst the visitors

and the servants,

and the public, were discussing

of identity, the family of

de Chateauroux

an information against the stranger as

filed

an impostor
his

M.

this question

aider

and against M. de

la Rive,

and abettor; demanding that the

former should be arrested, and that

de

as

Madame

Chateauroux should be again arraigned

for the

murder of her husband

a crime of

which they were more than ever persuaded

she was guilty.

But M. de
tions,

and

it

la

Rive had influential connec-

was not easy

authorities to offer

him and

to

induce the

his family

such

an affront without surer grounds to go upon.

So

in order, if possible, to satisfy

one party,

without rashly bringing themselves into

culties

private

with the other

inquiries

and

they set on foot

investigations,

diffi-

some
which

THE ACCUSATION.
they hoped might enable

way

that

Almost

many were

this

of one opinion as of

amongst those best

to decide the question, the parties

balanced

the

De

la

Rives

opposed

him.

With

qualified

were also
vigorously

as

supporting the pretender as the

roux

see their

to

was no easy matter.

conflicting

the other, whilst

them

But the evidence was so

before them.

as

41

De Chateau-

respect

to

the

lady herself, her verbal evidence was scarcely

considered of any weight

interested

she was

in the decision;

But

all

much

whilst her tacit

and involuntary testimony was

opponents to be

too

said

by her

against herself.

was one witness whose evidence

there

was looked upon

as so important, that

it

was

held by the authorities sufficient to strike the

balance in favour of

this

factor

He
whose

w^as

M.

on the

Madame

de Chateauroux

de Francoeur, the agent or

estate.

swore point-blank that the gentleman

identity they

were disputing was

M.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

42

de Chateauroux, and nobody else; and that

he was not only assured of

from recogni-

it

but from repeated con-

tion of his person,

wherein past circumstances and

versations,

transactions were alluded to, which no other

person whatever but himself, and the Count,

could

any

by

possibility

be

acquainted

with.

Now, M.

de

considered above
versally

all

was

character

Francoeur's
suspicion

he was uni-

looked upon as a most respectable

man, who would not give

false

upon any

and

subject whatever;

testimony
this

was a

case in which he could hardly be mistaken,

whilst

no

conceivable

reason

adduced for his violating the

be

could

truth, unless

it

were devotion to the Countess; but since

it

was understood that they had not been

on the best of terms, such a
considered

improbable.

lady's opinion,

M.

what accessory

to

lately

sacrifice

was

According to the

de Francceur was somethe Count's irregularities,

43

THE ACCUSATION.
from the

facility

demands

so that, although she

money;

for

very

entertained

with which he answered his

esteem

high

means

character in general, they were by no

great weight, therefore, attached

The

cordial.

his

for

to the agent's assertions, satisfied the autho-

who

rities,

interference

declined

consequently

further

and whilst the pubhc continued,

M.

ever and anon, to discuss the question,

and

Madame

quietly

de

Chateauroux

and harmoniously together, receiving

few people, and going

But

on

lived

into society.

little

the Count's family persisted in

still

their protest,

and held themselves aloof from

the impostor, as they called

him

whilst the

ladv and her friends affected to treat their

objections with contempt, referring

them

to

motives of private enmity and interest, and

making such other

allegations as tended to

account for these discrepant opinions,

vindicate
racters.

their

own

cause

and

and
cha-

44

LIGHT AND DARKNESS

One

concession, however, they did make,

for the

purpose of conciliating public opinion,

which

was,

they

that

returned

residence they had previously inhabited

enemies

having

removal from

taken

strengthen their

in

own

avoid the

to

might detect

of

which they

slightest

creature

eyes

inquisitorial

So

who

could

they

dispute

identity

was

with so

much

is

that

came
visited

advance

the

claims to their acquaintance, each

with the view of gratifying his

the

to

was evidently the

fraud.

their

lived,

back to Aries, and being immediately

by every

their

cause, alleging that the

motive of this violation

desire

their

former neighbourhood

their

and the retirement

advantage

the

to

with

respect

naturally

to

own

curiosity,

the

Count's

revived,

and

that

heat and acrimony, that there

no saying what might be the consequence,

had not the Count and Countess bethought

themselves of giving a grand ball and fete

champ etre,

to

which

all

the persons of any

THE ACCUSATION.

45

distinction or pretensions within their reach

were

invited

an

successful

entirely

which proved

expedient
;

for

certain

was, that

it

the sight of the cards they issued on this

occasion had a perfectly magical effect

upon

the opinions of those w^ho received them; and

as

no

expense

was

spared

render

to

entertainment brilliant and agreeable,

the
it

is

needless to say that these favourable impressions

were

pleasant

much

parties,

fortified.

dejeuners

series

noon,

at

soirees dansantes at night, confirmed

and

it

of

and

them

was not long before the innocence of

the Countess, and the identity of the Count

were pretty generally admitted by everybody,

except

the

relations

of

the

latter

(w^ho

refused to be appeased by these hospitalities,

or even to accept them), and a few persons

of uncertain

included

in

position,

the

who had

invitations,

and

not

who

been
felt

themselves grievously affronted by the omission.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

46

Public opinion was thus pretty well gained

or

over,

at

public

the

least,

the only remarks

silenced;

indulged in being

were now

that

occasional

was

voice

sly

sar-

little

casms on the Count's manners, or rather

want of

usage

for

demeanour was

his-

always modest, obliging, and inoffensive

it

was whispered amongst

his

this elegant

but

and

fastidious aristocracy that he frequently exhi^

bited an ignorance of the customs of

was

society that

too

the

truly marvellous in a person

However, he had

of his birth.

good

his defenders

and these affirmed that the manners of

Count

Chateauroux

they were now,

as

exactly

de

that they were just

All

been.

strictures,

peculiar

which

these

always

moreover,

and,

father's

had

observations

and

what

foolish

were

his

they said, merely arose out of his

position,

and the

his behaviour

closeness

was watched

with

a degree

of unpleasant surveillance that nobody could

endure unscathed,.

THE ACCUSATION.

One

4?

thing was certain, namely, that the

and character of the Count were ex-

habits

tremely

His roving

changed.

seemed quite cured;

home now, even

propensities

he never quitted his

for a day

and, as the lady's

was

partizans suggested, there

justice in

little

the objection that the -husband and

ceased to quarrel

w^ife

had

the fact being, that the

cause of quarrel no longer existed.

This state of

had

affairs

when one

eighteen months,

upwards of

lasted

morning

fine

it

was

discovered, to the surprise of every body,

that

M.

de Chateauroux, w^eaiy of his good

had again vanished.

behaviour,

was found empty

been lain
nothing

in

at

with

this time, his

and

all;

him

but

His room
bed had not

he
the

had

taken

clothes

he

that

he

wore.
It

had

was now
either

from
victim

some

home,
of

definitively

or

liaison

settled

that

lured

him

he

was

the

that

temporary

fits

of

insanity.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

48

There was no suspicion of foul play now

and instead of injuring the

was of great

lady, his departure

service to her.

It

was held

to

be a triumphant proof of his identity and of

her innocence, which was no longer disputed.

She bore

his absence with perfect equanimity

nd everybody
reappear

was

said that he

would no doubt

when he had recovered

his senses, or

tired of roving.

But months
years

neither

were

and
of

likely

it

flew away,

till

months became

began to be apprehended that

these

desirable

Whether from lunacy

to ensue.

or licentiousness,

it

consummations

was feared that the Count

de Chateauroux had abandoned his

grew

Little children

ever.

to

be

home

men and

women, and the middle-aged became

still

he came not

and

Chateauroux herself
illness

at

fell

length
sick,

of some weeks' duration

was buried with

rank and fortune.

all

for

old,

and

Madame

de

and, after an

died

and

the honours due to her

;;

THE ACCUSATION.

On

49

her death-bed, she had a long interview

many and

with her confessor, and there arose

strange reports as to what she had confessed

no one could know the truth

but, of course,

on that subject but the reverend father himself.

But even now the

this affair

was not suffered

was

as soon as the lady

question arose on
If her

husband

he were dead,

it

life," as
it

away

to die

for

laid in her grave, the

whom

lived,

of his " natural

if

interest of the public in

her estate devolved.

was

his for the

term

the lawyers have

reverted to

Madame

it

de

Chateauroux's family.

Now
asserted

the

De

who had

Chateauroux,

so pertinaciously

that he

before

had been

murdered, suddenly became equally confident

that he

was

alive

whilst the

De

la

Rives,

with nearly equal inconsistency, declared their

conviction that he was dead

and

as

it

was

found impossible to come to any agreement

VOL.

1.

50

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

between themselves on the subject, they had

recourse to the law,

which, whilst

it

sumed the revenues of the estate, seemed

hkely to settle the question.

conlittle

THE ACCUSATION.

CHAPTER
The

suit

51

III.

between these contending

terests

had lasted upwards of twelve

several

of the parties concerned in

dead, and

amongst the

elder brother

who had saved

life

ducing her husband

the affair was as

Amongst
decision

by so

and

much

years,

it

were

the Countess's

M. Adolphe

that

her

rest

in-

de la Rive

critically

still

pro-

the truth of

in the clouds as ever.

the survivors, the one to

whom

the

was now most important, was M.

Eugene de

la

Rive, the seconi brother of the

E 2

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

5-2

Countess, for he had several children, and

was

not

rich.

large fortune

aunt, and

Madame

de Chateaiiroux's

had descended

to her

from her

members of the

the other

family

were by no means wealthy.

As

time advanced, and there appeared no

of obtaining a verdict one

prospect

the other, this gentlemen

coming

to

felt

or

very desirous of

a compromise with the

party, an expedient

way

adverse

which he had several times

suggested, but which had always been vehe-

mently opposed by

who urged

as

M.

de Francoeur, the agent,

the folly of giving

ultimately he

and

M.

up

a part

when

must inevitably obtain the whole

de Francoeur had a personal interest

in the question,

he had hitherto, by his strong

representations, succeeded in

dissuading

M.

EuD-ene from what would have been considered

by most people a very judicious proceeding.

This interest arose from the probability of a
marriage taking place betwixt a daughter of
the agent and

M.

Eugene's

youngest son.

53

THE ACCUSATION.

The young

people had been long attached;

and although such a connection was some-

what of

a mesalliance for the son of a noble,

yet the father did not seem inclined to forbid

it.

He had

to provide for,

a large family

and M. de Francoeur having been very

tunate in some, as

hazardous

it

for-

was understood, rather

had

speculations,

to

contrived

amass a good deal of money, and was now the

possessor of one of the finest estates in Lan-

guedoc.

He

Rive family, and

M.

particular regard for him,

De

nected with the

Eugene had a

De

la

Francoeur having once,

when

they were both

young men, saved him from drowning

risk of his

an easy,
yet

con-

was, moreover, remotely

own

liberal

life

at the

and altogether, being of

temper, though he had never

formally given his consent,

the

young

people had happily proceeded with their courtship,

countenanced by

discouraged by

De

De

la Rive.

Francoeur, and not

The

agent's opi-

nion had thus very considerable weight with

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

54

M. Eugene,

he was universally

especially as

man

considered to be a

of wonderful sagacity

and knowledge of business,

his prosperity

was now

which

qualities of

He

was a standing testimony.

rich,

although he had begun

the

world with nothing.

Under

these

circumstances,

it

surprised

nobody that M. de Francoeur's opinions had

always been coincident with the wishes and
of the

interests

De

la

Rive family.

He had

formerly stoutly asserted his conviction that

M. de Chateauroux was

alive,

and that the

pretender, as the adverse faction called him,

was

tinacity

He

He now

he.

that

maintained with equal perde Chateauroux was dead.

M.

did not deny that " the pretender"

been the

real

M.

de Chateauroux; at

he said he had believed

so,

had
least,

although he could

not but admit that some circumstances during

the latter part of his residence in the castle

had

somewhat

shaken

his

opinion

but

whether he had been right or wrong on that

55

THE ACCUSATION.
was now quite

occasion, he

Count no longer
called

upon

allege

his

existed

certain that the

and having been

in the course of the law-suit to

reasons

conviction,

his

for

M.

answered, that whenever

he

de Chateauroux

was absent from home, he had always been

in the habit of sending to

" This

him

custom was invariable," said

indeed,

how

could

it

money.

for

he, " and,

be otherwise, when he

had no other means of

living,

but what he

derived from the proceeds of the estate ?"

The
to

do

first

only time the

this,

failed

he averred, was when he had the

suddenly

time

and that

chamber,

Count had ever

disappeared
circumstance,

from

his

together

with the fact that he had never received any

application for funds since, not only satisfied

him

that

M.

de Chateauroux was dead, but

considerably augmented his doubts concern-

ing the so-called pretender;

well

known

that the

but

what

were

and

as

it

was

Count had no resources

derived

from

his

wife's

56

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

property,

argument was not without

this

weight with the legal authorities.

had

Affairs

when M. Eugene,

position,
his

some

been

family

time

in

this

finding that as

grew up, the demands on

his

pocket became more frequent, and the importance of a final arrangement more urgent,
arrived

one afternoon at the chateau, and

summoned M. de FranccEur

to a conference.

Ever since the Countess's death, the house

had remained under the care of the agent,
and untenanted except by the old concierge
and
kept

his wife,
it

aired.

table order,

who opened

the windows and

One room

only was in habi-

and that was a small one, which

had formerly been the

room of

business.

It

Count's

study,

or

adjoined the salon,

and contained nothing but a writing-table

and

chairs,

portrait of

except books and a full-length

Count Joachim de Chateauroiix,

the father of the last Count, attired in

mulberry-coloured suit of clothes, short cloak,

THE ACCUSATION.

and black stockings.

57
from

glass door led

the salon to a fine terrace which overlooked

M.

the park, and here

mind
him
till

intent

upon the

de la

that

affair

with his

Riv^e,

had brought

backwards and forwards

to Aries, paced

When

the agent arrived.

he

did,

he

re-

entered the salon by the glass door which

they

left

open,

and proceeded

to the study,

where, having seated themselves at the table,

they opened their

and comparing

conference by inspecting

certain

and papers

letters

appertaining to the cause, which

coeur

" I

De

Fran-

had brought with him.

am

resolved," said

M.

de

put an end to this ruinous suit

able sacrifice can do

it.

la Rive,

to

any reason-

if

I agree

'*

with you in

entertaining no doubt of the Count's death

but what
prove

it,

signifies

which

able to do ?

it

that to us if
is

clear

we cannot

we never

shall

be

would rather accept one-third

of the property,

and

let

the

Chateauroux

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

58
have the

rest,

than pursue the thing any

further."

As was

his

were

positions

custom when similar pro-

M.

offered,

Francoeur

de

shook his head, and observed that

be making a

No

"

part

come

De

la Rive,

than the whole, and

some

to

would

terrible sacrifice.

doubt," rephed

is less

it

arrangement,

if

" but a

we do
the

entire

property will be swallowed up by the suit

that,

even

and-by
nothing

it

we could

if

will

so

obtain a verdict, by-

be of no use

there would

be

left to inherit."

" If his death could only

said

not

the agent,

be substantiated!"

speaking rather to himself

than to his companion.

" Ay, if

it

"

could

There

But

it

cannot," replied

the misfortune

If

the

latter.

we

could only find out what became of the

is

two servants, Clarice and Morel, perhaps they

might throw some

light

on the mystery

!"

59

THE ACCUSATION.
"

They

Francoeur

we

" besides, if

who knows which way

turn it might be

could find them,

their evidence

exactly

De

returned

are probably dead,"

might
of

reverse

the

what we wish."
"

Very

who was

Rive,
it

well, let

be so

it

be so

man

answered

of high principle

All I desire to get at

whether Chateauroux
is

!"

him take

alive, let

his for bis

meantime

life,
it

is

is

dead or

la

" let

the fact of

is

If he

alive.

the estates

De

they are

beyond a doubt; but

in the

very hard that neither one

party nor the other can enjoy them, whilst

the property itself

heat of the dispute

next
left

who

room

the

is
;

melting away in the

but who

is

that in the

hear a foot, and I believe

window open

to the terrace

we

just see

it is."

There was indeed a creaking of shoes, and

the

sound of

seemed
study.

to

heavy firm

step,

which

be crossing the saloon towards the

M. de Francoeur

rose

and turned

to

60

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

open

the-

door

was done by

Ah

"

M.

but before he could do

hand on the other

de Francoeur,

elderly gentleman,

side.

think

!"

said

we

you

parted,

recognisable."

Whilst the stranger

was uttering these

words with the calmest countenance,

most gracious
plaisant

de

la

and self-possessed

Rive sat

still

the

and the most com-

smile,

mouth open and

him,

an

" in spite of the

years that have elapsed since

still

it

advancing into the room

with his hat in his hand

are

so,

in

air

his

imaginable,
chair,

with his

his dilated eyes fixed

whilst his right

M.

upon

hand, which held a

pinch of snuff, suspended half-way betwixt

the snuff-box and his nose, denoted extreme
surprise.

On M.

apparition

of this visitor had

powerful

effect

de Francoeur the sudden

the

still

moment he caught

of him, his limbs seemed to

fail,

more
sight

and he had

staggered back against the wall, where he

now

stood with his face of an ashy pale-

THE ACCUSATION.
ness, his eyes fixed with a wild

upon the

stare

61

and ghastly

and

stranger,

his

and expression denoting

attitude

as

whole

much

horror as amazement, whilst the occasion of

extraordinary

this

disturbance

stood

com-

posedly awaiting what was to follow.

The

person that

first

made an

effort

to

M.

de

break the charm that bound him was

la Rive,

who

directed

his

deliberately turned his

eyes

towards

the

head and

picture

of

Count Joachim that hung over the mantelpiece.

"

Nay,

am

no ghost," said the stranger,

addressing the agent, " though," added he,

as

he turned

to

M.

de

la Rive,

" time has, I

made me somewhat resemble my

believe,

father."

" I was looking

if

frame," replied

out of

its

" Is

possible I see

it

the picture had stept

M.

De

la Rive, rising.

de Chateauroux ?"

continued he, as he advanced towards the

stranger.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

62

" I have scarcely a right to be surprised at

your

asking

latter

many

have the pleasure of addressing

am

"

my

Eugene," answered De

name

we

M.

think?"

la Rive, I

brother Adolphe

in the

the

years have elapsed since

so

Adolphe de
" I

returned

question,"

*'
;

met.

the

But where,

dead.

is

Rive

la

of Heaven, have you been

all

these years ?"

" Ah,

that

the

replied

would

be

long

old gentleman,

history,"

smiling,

he

as

took his seat at the table without appearing

further

meanour

M.

de

"we must keep

moments
patience

notice

to

but,

how

"Are you

tell

is

my

me

Francoeur's
it

for

relieve

De

leisure

my

im-

wife ?"

my

not aware that

dead?" answered

more

de-

la Rive,

sister

with an

is

air of

astonishment.
"
his

Dead
face

have

!"

reiterated the stranger, covering

with his hands

had the

opportunity

" dead,

of

before

asking

her

THE ACCUSATION.

my

pardon for

"

Long,

But

indeed

name

Heaven's

in

Knowing
tailed

!"

returned

you did not choose

if

Alas

poor,

!"

poor Sophie
*'

long desertion.

63

my

strous to do the

sister,

Rive.

la

why

to return,

you never write

did

the peril your

upon

De

desertion

first

was

it

same thing

en-

mon-

surely

and never

again,

take the trouble of ascertaining the conse1"

quences to her nor to us

"
*'

My

first

Peril to

What
"

my

wife

!"

repeated the Count.

What

desertion ?

first

peril do you allude to ?"

How !"

really

desertion

exclaimed

De

was not you that

Rive

la

my

" then

it

brother brought

my

from Paris the night before

sister

was

to

have been executed ?"

"
"

You

Your

sister

possibly
" I

speak in riddles

mean

mean

executed

said the Count.

!"

What

can

you

?"
that

in

consequence

unaccountable disappearance,

of your

and some ap-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

64

corroborating

parently

was accused of having made away with

wife

you

your

circumstances,

and that she was only preserved from

an ignominious death by

my

brother's pro-

ducing you on the very evening preceding the

day that was to have been her
" Producing

"How could

me

!"

last."

reiterated

he produce

me ?

the Count.

do not under-

stand you."
"

Why,

if it

was not

yourself,

he produced

your double," answered the other; "for

though some people disputed the

person

my

Count de Chateauroux."

is really

ry !" said the

not

deceived,

a most extraordinary sto-

Count

De

" but surely

Francoeur ?"

turning towards the agent,

resumed

identity, the

brother brought was generally re-

ceived as the

" This

al-

his seat, but

still,

you were

added

who had

he,

never

stood with his back

against the wall, where his

first

thrown him, although with a

surprise had
different ex-

pression of countenance to that he then ex-

THE ACCUSATION.

The

hibited.

contemptuous

and

had disturbed

terror that

had now given place

features

65

incredulity

to

his

an
lip

his nostrils arched, as in reply

his

air

of

curled,

the

to

Count's question, he said that, "If he had

been deceived once, he would take care not to

be duped a second time/'

"Why,

no," answered the Count, with a

that

then addressed his conversation to

M.

careless smile, " cela serait trop fort

would be too much

He
de

making many

la Rive,

their

!"

mutual friends and

especially

the

garding the

Countess

inquiries respecting

relations,

most minute

latter days,

and asking

particulars

re-

and the death of the

a circumstance he appeared sin-

cerely to lament.

In this sort of discourse the evening wore

on,

that

till,

it

as

it

grew

was time

he should

sleep.

late,

for

"

the

him

Count remarked

to consider

Are there any beds

pared here?" he inquired.

VOL.

I.

where

pre-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

^6

" None/' replied

De

mount my horse and

la

ride

"

to

Why,

you

will

find a

suppose I must," answered the

" unless

M.

work

wlQ

set people

to put things in order here

am

soon as I
will

some

de Franooeur will lodge

To-morrow

for to night.

you

" I intend to

at the inn."

Count,

me

back to town, and

me

you had better go with

bed

Rive

estabhshed,

come and make

time, as

we have

De
this

and as
hope

la Rive, I

your

home

for

a great deal to say to

ach other, and a good deal of business to

discuss."

M.

de

la

Rive bowed, and appeared

to accept this invitation

remarkable,
participate

that,

in

M.

so

far

and indeed

tacitly

was

it

from seeming

de Francoeur's scepticism,

he had rushed into the opposite extreme

if,

to

by an excess of confidence on his own

;.

as

part,

he had sought to counterbalance the insulting

incredulity of the other.

The

agent's

immediate response to the

THE ACCUSATION.

67

Count's request of a night's lodging was only

a disdainful smile
recollect himself,

the

first

but presently, seeming to

he changed his attitude for

time, and, advancing a step or two,

said, " I

he

have a bed at your service/'

" Well, then," said the

gaiety, " I think, as

better

then

De

horse,

Francoeur and

late,

We
De

will

we had

will

first

la Rive, and

walk

Beau-

to

which was the name of the agent's

lieu,"

*'

residence.

words

as

getting

adjourn for to-night.

you mount your

see

he.

it is

Count with easy

to the

"I

By

the bye, I

must speak

concierge before

suppose

him

I shall see

we pass ;" and thereupon,

the

a few

go," added
in the lodge

Count taking

M.

the precedence, they went forth to where

de

la Rive's

horses and

and the equestrians

steeds, the

lodge.

At

groom were standing

having mounted

their

whole party proceeded towards the

the gate, ready to open

it,

and

eager to salute the brother of their former

mistress, stood the concierge

and
F 2

his wife,

on

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

68

De

observing which

Rive drew his rein to

la

speak to them.

"Well, Martin, how

this year ?"

" But

is

your rheumatism

he asked.
please

indifferent

answered Martin

"

and

your

doubt

it

honour,"
will

never

be better.

Old age and the rheumatics

friends that,

when they have once met, seldom

part

death divides them.

till

honoiu- and the

young

hope your

lords and ladies are

well ?" added Martin with his best

before his

had time
startled

are

bow

all

but

obeisance was completed, and he

to recover the perpendicular, he

by a loud scream from his

on looking round, he saw the old

was

wife, and,

woman

with

her face as white as her apron, leaning against

the gate-post.
attitude

Her arms were

an

of astonishment, and her eyes fixed

upon the newly-arrived Count

had the husband turned
tion,

raised in

and no sooner

his in the

same

direc-

in order to discover the cause of her

agitation,

than he became equally disturbed.

69

THE ACCUSATION.

Nor was

this to

be wondered

The

at.

features

and the person of the Count not only bore

the most striking resemblance to the picture
of

Count Joachim, but

the same

had

come

really

frame, as

When

perfectly familiar with the

than that

it

and walked out of

its

thought nothing

portrait,

De

an

la

to

life,

less

Rive had jestingly insinuated.

ensued

explanation

nation in which, however,

took no part

though

the gentleman
ejaculations of

man

forth

to

pity

and

the

tenants,

than, after sundry

stick,

and hobbled

who one and

news

all

agreed,

was that the Countess had not

meantime,

spreading the

they were

extraordinary

the

survived to see that day

In

de Francoeur

wonder and thanksgiving, the

carry

it

expla-

and no sooner had

them

seized his hat

amongst the
what a

left

M.

an

less terrified,

surprised;

scarcely less

old

precisely

so that the worthy unsophisticated

who were

couple,

was

his dress

whilst

Martin

was

unexpected tidings over the

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

70

much

neighbourhood, and Madelon, his wife,

against her

home and

own

will,

was obhged

to stay at

mind by apos-

relieve her excited

trophising the Countess's parrot (a bird that

enjoyed an easy fortune of a hundred francs

annum,

per

bequeathed

to

by

it

the

Countess, who, at the same time, appointed

this

worthy couple

its

M.

guardians),

Rive rode thoughtfully forward to the

He

Aries.

had reason

de

la

city of

to be thoughtful

for

the re-appearance of his hale and healthy-

looking

brother-in-law

removed him to a

considerable distance from his sister's inherit

tance

and the projects he had

some time

for

entertained for the advancement of his family

must be

The marriage

with his means.

Ernest

more

laid aside for others

with

De

Francceur's

phonsine was perhaps

Francoeur

it

of his son

daughter Al-

now more

than he had formerly considered

the other hand,

consistent

was just

desirable

but,

on

possible that

De

it

might think otherwise;

for

the

THE ACCUSATION.

71

agent, untitled as he was, had a de to his

name, and was a gentleman hy

the

road

though

birth,

from

by which he had passed

poverty to wealth, being soiled by commerce,

something

or

damaged

With

like

had

it,

considerably

his pretensions.
all

De

the pride of poor nobility,

la

Rive resolved to take the initiative^ as the

French have

and

it,

to

diately relax his attentions

declared himself

imme-

bid his son

and firm

till

De

Francoeur

in this resolution,

he rode into the town, where he found a

crowd assembled round the inn door

in con-

sequence of the rumour having got abroad

that

M.

de Chateauroux had arrived at the

Lion d'Or, the same afternoon in

carriage with four horses^

and

handsome

that,

having

taken a slight refreshment, without alighting

or saying a

word

to anybod}^

he had driven

forward in the direction of the chateau.

had no

servant,

perfectly silent,

the

postilions

had

He
been

and moreover, had they been

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

72

otherwise, they could have given no information with respect to the traveller, of

on

return,

their

they

declared

whom,
knew

they

nothing whatever, except that they had been

engaged

to

drive

He

him.

and had sent them back

liberally,

them

paid
to

put up

at the inn, finding the stables at the chateau

quite unprovided.
self

But the innkeeper him-

had seen him whilst he was taking

coffee at the door,

persons

his

and so had several other

and not one of them entertained a

doubt of his being the long

the appearance of

M.

de

lost

la

Count.

On

Rive, the host

and a few others who thought themselves

entitled to question

his chamber,

own

him, accompanied him to

and having communicated their

impressions with regard to the traveller,

they had the gratification of hearing

confirmed.

matter

them

There was no doubt about the

the long lost Count de Chateauroux

was come

to light again,

claim the estate.

and had arrived to

THE ACCUSATION.
That was

i6

a glorious night for the host of

the Lion d'Or

What

potations, pottle deep,

were quaffed to the health and welcome of

that prodigal husband
else,

there

kind

is

heaven

is

For, if in nothing

one particular in which man-

apt to resemble the angels

rejoices

than

repenteth

and as

more over one sinner

over

ninety and

that

nine just

persons, so does the world not unfrequently

exalt a
left

oif

man

into its hero for having simply

behaving worse than other people;

and thus the good people of Aries lavished

more time and money

in

the

celebrating

return of this peccant Count, than they had

ever

done

upon

well-conducted

the

all

Counts of Languedoc put together, who had

been staying

at

home and

conjugal

duties,

solutely

wandering

neglecting

his.

whilst

attending to their

he

over

Life

is

generally but

dis-

world

and

the

however,

Gratitude,

have something to do with

had been

this

a dull

may

peculiarity.

procession

of

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

74
events

and

at Aries, as elsewhere,

unnatural to

broken

its

tricities

feel obliged to the

monotony by such

and

stirring

it

was not

man who had

startling eccen-

interests.

hunters and the gossips might

The news-

now

consider

themselves provisioned for a month's cam-

paign at

least;

Lion d'Or

and

it

behoved the host of the

to count his

that his larder was well

wine casks, and see

filled.

75

THE ACCUSATION.

CHAPTER
In the meantime,

the

Francoeur.

When M.

Count had

all

this

de la Rive rode away,

quietly turned

that direction, saying, "

pleasure

hero of

had reached Beaulieu with M. de

sensation

the

IV.

Now,

of accompanying

you

his

steps in

wiU have the

;"

and the

agent had silently acquiesced, and walked by

his side.

" I

hope

Madame

de

Francoeiu*

survives," said the Count.

" She does," returned the agent.

stiU

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

76
"

Your

made no

when

children were but infants

saw them," observed the

answer.

"

May

The agent

first.

ask what family

you have ?" continued the Count.

"I have
returned

and one son,"

three daughters

De

Francoeur, in an impatient, sulky

tone.

"

Any

of

who

Count,

them married ?" inquired

did not appear at

all

the

affected

by

the ungracious demeanour of his companion,

and who,

in

spite

of

the

almost

negative granted to this question,

his interrogatories with the

most

fierce

pursued

entire

com-

posure.

"Ah, you have been

making
served,

building, I see,

great improvements
as they passed the

here,"

remember

rightly,

he ob-

farm where De

Francoeur had formerly resided.

if I

and

where

"I

think,

now

see a

garden there was formerly an orchard and a

well?"

At

this

last

observation,

De

Francoeur

THE ACCUSATION.
and

started,

"That

well,

hard

looked

do you get your water now

" I

opened

answered

another

the

assumed

indifference

exists

where

?'*

behind
with

agent,

Count.

the

at

no longer

see,

77

the

but

it

house,''

voice

that

was evident

something had given a shock to his

that

This discomposure did not escape

nerves.

the Count, and he

subject further,
into view,

felt

when

inclined to pursue the

the

new

came

residence

and the appearance of an

elderly

lady on the door-steps interrupted the conversation.

" Ah,

mon Dieu

mon Dieu

she, as she hastened towards

cannot

dress.

roux
"

the
"

It

be

mistaken

1"

them

the

exclaimed
;

" surely

person,

the

must be the Count de Chateau-

!"

Madame
Count

presume," said

gallantly, taking her hand.

Can it be

after so

de Francoeur,

many

possible ?" said she

years'

absence

" returned

was

at

my

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

78

chamber window, and

moment my

eyes

fell

" Yet years have

it,

you and

since

I recognised

upon your

made

you the

figure."

a great change in

danced together
"

wedding," said the Count.

my

at

You were

then

not married."
"

Ah,

that's

" However,

true !"

the

replied

lady.

you look wonderfully well

for

your age."

The Count,

of course, returned the com-

pliment, and thus they walked

towards the

them and entered

quitted
a

word

it,

De

Francceur

without uttering

or even informing his wife that their

was

visitor
roof.

whilst

house,

up the garden

to

pass the night under their

However, the Count,

seemed

nothing

discompose or abash, took upon

to

himself

whom

to

apprize

his

hostess

that

her

husband had been so kind as to promise him

a night's hospitahty
evidently

having

a communication that

afforded her great satisfaction; so

conducted

him

to

the

salon,

and

THE ACCUSATION.
him

introduced

them

to

79

her daughters,

left

together, whilst she gave orders for the

preparation of his chamber

and so weU did

he contrive to please the young

when he

retired to dress,

were voluble in his

*'

she

two of them

at least

praises.

Oh, mamma,"

" I do not

ladies, that

said Mademoiselle

know what

he was young, but he

now."

Laure was the

several

years,

the
is

Laure

Count was when

perfectly

charming

eldest of the girls

and did not forget that

by

this

agreeable elderly gentleman was a widower

a recollection to which her carefully studied

toilette^

when she appeared

at dinner, bore

lively testimony.

Do

"

look at

Laure

1"

said

Alphonsine,

" dressing at that grey-headed old profligate

in

chocolate

his

coat

How

eminently

him,"

answered

ridiculous."

"

Rose

Not
;

if

she

admires

" I really think he

is

But you cannot view him

very agreeable.
indulgently,

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

80

know, Alphonsine, and

it.

His

resuscitation,

do not wonder at

fear,

will

be

the

grave of your hopes."

"I do not know," answered Alphonsine.

" If papa

is less

have fewer

objections

am

really I

M.

willing,

to

de

la

Rive

the match.

will

No,

disgusted with the utter selfish-

ness and want of feeling he has evinced

through

He made

life.

excellent wife,

come back
finds her

dead, he
it;

to suffer

and now that he

to suit his

a sou about

the misery of his

and nearly caused her

an ignominious death

all

is

own convenience and

evidently does

not care

no, I cannot like such

man."

But

in spite of the justness of these ob-

jections,

them

it

was not easy

to retain fast hold of

in the Count's presence

his counte-

nance was so open, his manner so frank, and

they found

extremely

much

his

conversation

entertaining.

travelling

in

at

dinner

so

There was not so

those

days as there

is

THE ACCUSATION.

now

and

made

as everybody that

did not write a book about

stayed at

home knew much

we

they did not see than

teauroux,

it

traveller.

He had

81
a journey

people

it,

less of the w^orld

M.

do.

de Cha-

had been a

appeared,

who

great

not only crossed the Alps,

but he had been to the east and to the west

could

who

talk

about

those

proud islanders

raw beef and vegetables boiled

ate

water, which rendered

them

in

so savage that

they had actually cut off the head of the

most

beautiful

relate

how

the

Queen

women

in

Europe

and could

in the East, as

soon as

they were married, instead of enjoying that

liberty that

French maidens sigh

for,

were

shut up in a harem for the rest of their

lives,

with nobody to admire them but their

own

Even Alphonsine's

pre-

tiresome husbands.

judices began to yield at last

ladies

and when the

took their leave, and had retired to

enjoy their nightly gossip, she scarcely dis-

puted the justice of their laudations.

VOL.

I,

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

82
"

But

she, "

that papa does not like him," said

very

is

He

clear.

cannot pardon his

unfeeling conduct, because he

entertaining, if

appeared; for

we
all

can."

is

agreeable and

And

so indeed

it

the Count's addresses had

been met by a dogged silence on the part of

De

Francoeur, and

were

alone,

left

now

he

still

that the gentlemen

same

the

retained

discontented and sullen expression of counte-

while on the other side of the table

nance,
sat

M.

de Chateauroux, with an

air

of the

most absolute comfort and complacence.

" I think

grew
his

could

name

the

vines

that

this wine," said he, raising the glass to

Ups

"

Burgundy

it

has exactly the flavour of the

used to get from Lecoque.

the bye,

how

filled ?

Has

By

ar the cellars at the chateau

the stock been kept up ?"

" Indifferently well," replied

M. de Fran-

coeur, drily.

" I

must have that looked

diately," returned the

into

Count, "as

it

immeis

my

THE ACCUSATION.

83

intention to reside here chiefly for the rest of

my

Hfe."

" Indeed !"

De

said

his eyebrows

Francoeur, lifting

up

with a peculiar expression of

sarcasm.
" Yes,

repHed

indeed,"

suppose you suspect that

sities

win be too strong

De

Is that the case,

I

shaU be

" I

Count.

the

my

roving propen-

for

my

resolutions.

You

Francoeur ?

think

off again ?"

M.

Whereupon
slowly round

de

upon

Francoeur,

his chair

till

turning

he faced the

Count, placing his two arms upon the

and fixing

his eyes

upon those of

his

table,

com-

panion, answered with a firm and significant

tone, " I do."

"You

are mistaken, quite mistaken," re-

turned the Count, with perfect good humour

and equanimity
perience.
besides,

age

" years

have brought ex-

see the folly of

has

changed

languish for repose and a

kittle

my
my

past life;
taste.

quiet society."

G 2

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

84

"Then

elsewhere,"

to seek

them

de Francoeur,

with

would advise you

replied

M.

"

uncontrollable irritation.
sir,"

"

it

said he, turning

The

jest is stale,

away contemptuously;

may have answered

once

won't do a

it

second time."
"

De

him

turning towards

but
"

an

me you don't mean

you doubt my identity ?"

Your

identity,"

indescribable

identity

upon M.

Aux
de

impose upon

"Well,

la

me

pleasure

the

of

lip

" your

You may impose

Rive,

sir,

but you cannot

be assured of that."
really

least

singular,"

said the

appearance of dis-

the contrary, he laughed

believe an impostor

when he comes

name, and you won't believe

really before

to

echoed the agent, with

autres

this is

on

curl

Count, without the

my
am

a face of amazement,

really surprise

imply that
"

Count,

the

with the utmost suavity of voice,

still

you

returned

Francoeur,"

your eyes."

"

you

here in

me now

THE ACCUSATION.
"

/ never

85

believed in the impostor,

more than

in

believe

any

sir,

you now; but

countenanced the imposition for a time, for

the

sake

and

De

answered

"

But

that

will

not see her family de-

Francceur.
exists,

Countess,"

of the

no longer

motive

frauded of her estates by a scoundrel."

" Bravo

!"

said the Count, with

"

lively approbation.

De

You

Francoeur.

you ought
natural,

so

far

caution, I admire

the

range

of

are

really

it.

It is

should have come here to

him stand

in

my

months, wouldn't
the right
I shall

man

it

exactly

as

are extremely

from blaming

possibility

second time, and

air of

charm me,

acting

Your doubts

to do.

and

You

an

your

certainly within

that
try

would be too

that
his

fellow

luck a

much

to let

shoes for another eighteen

it ?

at last,

But never

fear

depend upon

it,

am

and so

be able to prove to you."

" Never,
flinching

sir,"

returned the agent with un-

firmness

" never ;"

and

as

he

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

86

uttered the last word, he forcibly struck the

table with his clenched

" Ha, ha

something
"

!"

laughed the Count, " there

think so," answered

" but I fancy

is

really comical in this."

You may

coeur

fist.

you

De

Fran-

will find the

not quite so good as you expected.

It

joke

would,

no doubt, be extremely agreeable to step

quietly into so fine

it

is,

you cannot

and

if

horse

earliest

to-morrow

you

you

piece of well-meant advice,

your

and had

been

you might probably have succeeded.

dead,

As

an estate

will take a

mount

will

morning with

dawn, and disappear from

the

this part of

the country for ever."

"

modest request, De Francceur,

tainly," returned the

Count

" I

am

sorry I

cannot obhge you by complying with

shall

remain and establish

identity

beyond

the

my

possibility

cer-

it.

right

and

of

con-

troversy."

"

You

cannot do

it,

sir

you cannot do

THE ACCUSATION.
it,"

answered the agent, vehemently

cannot prove what

Chateauroux
are, I

is

is

dead

you

The Count de

false.

"
;

dead,

Who

sir.

you

do not know; but you are no more

the Count de Chateauroux than

am my-

self!"

" But,
"

De

Francoeur," returned the Count,

how can you

possibly

when not

De

he,

only

wife recognised

thought

that I

am

not

Rive but your own

person at a glance

understood you to say that no

Count w^hatever had reached

tidings of the

you since

my

la

know

his departure.

" Precisely," answered

a less confident tone,

Is not that so ?"

M.

and

de Francoeur, in

slightly

changing

colour.

" Then,

how can you be

his death ?"

asked the Count, fixing his eyes

on the agent's

"Because
replied

De

rassment.

so well assured of

face.

have no

doubt of

Francoeur, with evident

" I have

no doubt he

is

it,"

embar-

dead."


LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

88

"Pooh!"

How

said the

What

will

Count; "is that

all?

you in a court of law

will that serve

your 'no doubt' weigh there?"

"It does not matter," replied De Fran-

making

coeur,

an

effort

recover

to

the

assured and confident demeanour with which

he had commenced the dispute

not

Count de Chateauroux, and you

the

know

it.

one

am

and

Resign a hopeless enterprise,

although

sir

resolved to defeat; begone in peace,

not

will

" you are

am

impede

aware that

your

if I

did

departure,

my

duty, I

should expose you to the chastisement you

merit

but

and

once,

severe.
if

countenanced your deception

am

not perhaps entitled to be

give you

till

you have not quitted

this

to-morrow morning
this house,

nay, and

neighbourhood, before nine o'clock to-

morrow,
that, I

he

beware the

consequences.

wish you good night

summoned

servant,

!"

With

and thereupon

and

conduct the visitor to his chamber.

bade

him

THE ACCUSATION.

The Count,
bowed

seat,

and

quite

89

unmoved, rose from

his

courteously, retired to his room,

carefully locked the door.

By

nine o'clock on the following morning

he was gone

but

it

was no farther than the

chateau, where, ha\dng engaged the necessary

domestics, he quietly took

up

his abode, his

right to do so being unarraigned by the

Rives or anybody

la

the

to

the

best

agent
that

but

so,

extreme annoyance of M. de Fran-

M. de

coeur,

Not only

else.

De

la

possible

asserted,

the

Rive persisted in living on

latter

terms

with

impostor.

argued

It

the

as the

this,

was in vain

and

case,

re-

presented the extreme folly of relinquishing

He

the property to a mere adventurer.

farther

than he

went

had ever done before

in

acknowledging, that he had not been duped

by the pretender even for a moment.

"

How

could

I,"

he

said,

"

when

the

pecuniary transactions betwixt the Count and

me

were unknown to everybody

else ?

The

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

90

man, whoever he was, had been extremely

tutored

well

doubtless

and reserve contrived

silence

much

very tolerably; but

than

deceived

affected

moment he was

to act his part

fewer people were

to

be

and the

so,

me

alone with

Why, you have

him.

and by means of

detected

confessed to

me

your-

your suspicions were very strong,

self that

although, for your sister's sake, you never

admitted them."
" I

had

my

M. Eugene,
the

''

suspicions certainly," returned

but I had never seen

Count de Chateauroux, and

desire

trouble

to

them; but
dinary

air,

my mind
"But

and

The

rather

voice, leave

had no

extraor-

identity

of

no doubt upon

whatever."
this

resemblance was just as extra-

ordinary before,

roux,"

or

of

by expressing

sister

have none now.

resemblance,

feature,

brought

my

much

yet

the

man

your brother

was not the Count de Chateauurged

De

Francoeur;

"or

if

he

THE ACCUSATION.
were,

man

this

is

not,

91

own

by his

con-

fession."

"
is

Very

my word

but take

true,

the veritable man,"

for

it

responded

still

this

De

la

Rive, to the infinite annoyance of the agent,

who,

after

an

argument on

would go away
irritation at

in

of undisguised

state

what appeared

to

him

ordinary infatuation of his friend

belief of

men

subject,

this

the extra-

and

as the

in general is extremely apt to

be influenced by their

interest,

it

certainly

seem very extraordinary that M. Eugene

did

should so obstinately persist in a persuasion

that

was

and

in order to explain this

so contrary to his

we must

sistency,

accompany us back
our

first

chapter,

own advantage
seeming incon-

request our

readers

to that night described in

when M. and Madame de

Chateauroux were overheard in high

tion

by

to

alterca-

their servants.

When

the young Count Philibert married

Madame De Rosemont,

he had no intention


LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

92

of making her unhappy, for he was a good-

man

natured

in the main, but not loving her

so well as he loved his diversions, he wished

make

to

her happy at as small an expense to

own

his

inclination

might perhaps have

his

and

possible,

he

conciliated both objects

pleasures and her contentment

had not unfortunately happened that she

if it
fell

own

as

in love with

him

as

men

are constituted,

the most injudicious thing a wife can do,

husband.

especially if she is older than her

This unlucky passion was the destruction of

She could no longer

both.

feelings, or

manage

who wishes

to

control her

his selfishness

manage

woman

manage her husband must

take care not to be in love with

indeed

own

woman

in

love

him

but

never desires to

the object of her affection, she only

Madame

de

Chateauroux would have been too happy

to

aspires to please him,

and poor

have rendered obedience for love

love

but the

was beyond her attainment, and by her

THE ACCUSATION.

93

struggle to retain her volatile charmer, she

only disgusted and alienated

more,

as

till,

never came

him more and

she justly upbraided him, he

home

need of money

when he was

except

and

it

was

precisely

in

the

necessity of replenishing his purse, together

with an unpleasant report regarding financial

that

affairs,

had brought him back on that

unlucky night.

The

family

of

De

Francoeur, though not

were gentry, and, as we have

noble,

distantly connected with the

De la

said,

Rives

but

being without fortune, they had been obliged

to seek their subsistence in

church.
in

our

former

Francois de Francoeur,
story,

the law or the

who

had been educated

figures

for

the

but instead of pursuing his vocation,

when Sophie de

la

Rive inherited the im-

mense fortune bequeathed

to her

by her aunt,

he consented to undertake the agency of the

property.

The

entire

management of

it

was

placed in his hands, and during her minority

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

94
and the

life

of her

first

husband, she had every

reason to congratulate herself on this judicious

When

appointment.

M.

married

she

de

Chateauroux, no alteration was made in this

The young Count knew nothing

particular.

of the business, nor had any vocation to

it,

and he had no

to

desire to have anything

more

do with the estate than to draw what money

he wanted, and be
to his

him
all

own

to

De

pleasure.

to his

went

left

spend

and thus

Gradually,

demands increased

according

Francoeur supplied

heart's content,

well.

it

at first

however,

his

he had taken to play,

and he drew to an amount that alarmed the

agent,

who thought

the growing

money

it

to

evil

was.

it

right to give a hint of

the

Countess,

whose

But she was very fond of

her husband then,

and had not resigned

hopes of reclaiming him by indulgence.

would not therefore

risk

the sake of money.

"

said she

" he

offending

How

can

must spend what he

She

him
help

all

for
it

likes."

?"

THE ACCUSATION.

You might

"

95

speak to him on the subject,"

suggested the agent.

" Never," replied the lady
far,
is

"

goes too

if it

you can say you have no money.

to

be any

restriction,

If there

you must manage

it

yourself."

The agent
very

objected that that would be a

awkward thing

him

for

to

do

and

so,

between them both, nothing was done, and

the thingwent on as before, ultimately leading

much more

to consequences

parties concerned

De

had

serious than the

foreseen.

Francoeur's prosperity had been growing

with his years, and as his means increased so

He was

did his desires.

no longer

satisfied

with the profits of his agency and the gains

of agriculture, but

was induced

speculations

more

precarious.

He meant

ginning, and at

with his

dazzling,

first

own money

pected turn of

to

but also

affairs,

in

more

no harm in the be-

he played this
:

embark

but,

game

only

from some unex-

suddenly finding him-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

96

he disentangled himself from

self in difficulties,

the immediate dilemma by borrowing from

the funds of his

roux.

When

to replace

it

client,

Madame

de Chateau-

he took the money, he meant

but somehow or other, instead

The

of doing so he borrowed more.

him a good

infraction cost

the second less

first

deal of uneasiness

and by degrees he got so

used to the thing, that one might have thought

the

money was

He had

fortably.

for the

his

own, he took

so

it

terrible facilities for

com-

doing

it,

Countess never inspected his accounts,

nor ever doubted his integrity, although when

complaining of her husband's desertion, she
accused the

agent

means of staying away from her

had refused

to interfere

recommended her
interest

him the

of furnishing

to

but she

when he had honestly

do

so,

and

his

own

and safety now forbade him to take

any step

that

might force on

an

expla-

nation.

A circumstance unexpectedly occurred, how-

THE ACCUSATION.

97

which seemed extremely likely

ever,

this very

produce

to

A property

alarming consummation.

which divided two of the Countess's

estates,

and which she had on that account long

wished to possess, suddenly came into the
market, and

De

Francoeur immediately re-

ceived her injunctions to purchase

it

but he

had not the money, and the only excuse he

could

make

at the

deficit

drafts

for not

having

it,

w^as to lay the

door of the Count's exorbitant

on the revenue.

This being an amount

of extravagance that she had not reckoned

upon, the Countess was both sm'prised and

angry, and she declared her determination to

put a stop to
her

mind on

it,

and to teU M. de Chateauroux

the subject the

condescended to

visit her.

Here was the

had hoped

next time he

w^hich

crisis

to avert, but

overtakes everybody

De

which sooner or

who

VOL.

was great
I.

to

later

ventures on a similar

course of dishonest appropriation.

plexity

Francoeur

His per-

avoid the impending

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

98

exposure he would gladly have sold his

estate,

but there was no time to look for

Madame

and

a purchaser,

de Chateauroux

missed the acquisition of the property

the agent dared to hope was, that

long before a

it

and that

might occur
rassment.

"

way

What

to

in the

thoughts are

into the

home

it

would be

alties that
still

to

might

his

befall

as if the devil

pering

wicked

happen

if

Count

the

and

the possible casu-

all

him.

was

suggestions

Worse thoughts
it

seemed

at his ear,

whis-

of w^hat

might

they were riding over the lands to-

gether, through the

forests,

find

so situated.

if

would intrude sometimes, and

him

embar-

again !" thought he

his imagination painted

pro-

his

sure to

mind of a man

a good thing

never came

might be

meantime something

him from

relieve

Evil

all

from her husband afforded

visit

her an opportunity of arraigning

their

she

This vexed her extremely, and

desired.

digahty,

own

where a

tail

fern

traveller is

and the lonely pine

not seen twice in

THE ACCUSATION.
a

week

listen

but he cried avaunt

and went away

labourers at

But

and would not

to the fields to see his

work and admire

there

99

his crops.

how

came a pang again

fine

and rich they looked as they waved in the

light breeze, or fell beneath the scythe of the

reaper

but

everybody

if

whose were they ?

Not

though they grew upon

had

his assuredly

his land, they

never be stacked in his yard

with a sword over

he
life

rose,

was wretched, and

many more

from

M.

and

might

he lived

fall

ere night.

his brain

His

teemed with

his misery

but there

roads for getting into trouble

than for getting out of

find one,

for

head, which, every day

he feared might

projects to escape

are

iiis

own,

their

it,

and before he could

de Chateauroux came home.

H 2

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

100

CHAPTER

V.

It was evening, and being the anniversary

of his

some

wedding-day,
friends at his

period a

man

M.

de Francoeur had

He

house.

at this

of about five-and-thirty

had been married some years

woman much

was

to

younger than himself; he had

whom

he doted, and he

little

had

in short everything in the world to

of

children on

happy, but one thing

all

clear

he

an agreeable

two

life

conscience

make

the most important

;

that one blessed

THE ACCUSATION.
possession which enables us

101

to live without

the fear of man.

There can be no manner of doubt that any-

body who has once played away

mable

sunk

and thereby sold himself a

treasure,

bond-slave for

life,

would, unless he be so

in brutality as to have

and

manity

this inesti-

be

forfeited his

abandoned

of

hu-

conscience

give everything else he possesses

altogether,
in the

world to recover that one untarnished

gem.

M.

for

de Francoeur would have done

he was a

man still of

so,

sentiment and feeling,

loving his family and naturally courteous to

his friends.

But

this cruel

memory

that sat

with him at meat and forbade him to be

cheerful,

marred his enjoyments and

However, to-day, he had determined

temper.
to

spoilt his

be happy, come

what might

hereafter

what was the use of meeting sorrow half-way,

and poisoning the present by the

future

that

Besides,

it

might never

arrive

fear of a
for

him

had more than once occurred to

102

him

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

that he

might borrow money enough, by

mortgaging his own

was

deficient,

estate,

to

replace

and that then he would go

the Countess, and

tell

M.

to

he had disco-

her, that

own

vered an extraordinory error in his

count with

what

de Chateauroux

ac-

that by a

mistake in figures he had in his book assigned

a

much

larger

sum

and that

received,

he,

found that he had

M.

and there
His

it

missing the purcarelessness,

which had sometimes appeared

and sometimes

whichever side of
its

in hand.

w^ould end.

project,

feasible

it

at

money

and would accuse him of

chase,

now

de Francoeur,

that

all

She would be annoyed

sented

him than he had

to

it

according

not,

he surveyed, now pre-

most smiling

aspect.

would answer his purpose

the mortgage would straiten his

stances terribly, yet he

He

means

if not,

felt

sure

and although

own

might pay

time and economy; and

restriction of his

to

it

circumoff

with

what was the

to the anguish of his

103

THE ACCUSATION.
Nothing; he would do

mind!

it;

and

in

the meantime, he would be happy for that

day at

least.

His wife was delighted to see him more

cheerful than

and

he had been for a long time,

his friends took the occasion of its being

his wedding-day,

domestic

felicity.

to congratulate

When

him on

his

English and Scotch

people assemble together for the purposes of

enjoyment, their custom

successive hours as

generally

enough

at a table

sit

room, and eat and drink

in a close

is

to

is

to

much

as they can,

much more than

which

they ought, and

make them somewhat uncomfort-

able the next morning,

their day's

for several

and unfit them

work, whatever

it

may

be.

for

When

French people assemble for the same purpose,

they dance

admit

out

of it;

of doors,

and some

refreshments send them

if

the season will

light

and simple

home with

as

clear

heads and good digestions as they brought.

When

they are older and graver, and have no

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

104
young ones

in their society, a petit souper,

without any strong potations after

sufficient

and

is

ment

attraction to bring

a very innocuous

mode

is

together,

of entertain-

after their early dinner.

On
coeur's

this

memorable night M. de Fran-

young wife and her

dancing on the lawn, and

teauroux,

her

them

it,

friends

were gaily

Madame

de Cha-

whose disappointment had made

graver than her years,

was pleasantly

entertaining half a dozen of her acquaintances

with a petit souper in her saloon, whilst on

the road from Aries to Beaulieu, which latter
lay

on the way to the chateau, a

fine black

horse was jogging gently forwards, bearing

on

its

back the person that was to mar

harmony.

However

thoughtless,

this

and im-

prudent, and selfish Philibert de Chateauroux

had shown himself

not a

man

since his marriage,

he was

altogether without conscience and

honour, and consequently

when any circum-

stance occurred to place his

own conduct

be-

105

THE ACCUSATION.

the broad hght of day and force

fore

him

him

to look at

in

deformity

he was not insensible to

it,

its

and such a circumstance was a

report that

had just reached him that the

property so long desired by his wife had fallen

into other

hands

vagance and her

two days

in

consequence of his extra-

inability to

before,

purchase

he had written to

coeur for suppHes

to a rather large

But

it.

De

Fran-

amount,

but on hearing this rumour, he resolved to

go and fetch the money himself, and

same time inquire

into

the state of affairs at

home.

He

but to

ruin her into the bargain

much

and

at the

had neglected his wife shockingly,

if

he found

resolve to pull in

it

was too

necessary, he

and retrench

must

and as he

must needs pass Beaulieu, he would stop

there and have a

little

conversation with

Francoeur before he met the Countess

when he reached

De
so

the gate, he alighted and

fastened his horse to

it

for

with a servant having his

he never travelled

own

reasons for

106

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

not carrying

home with him

might blab of

his whereabouts.

As by

this

a person

who

time the evening was closing

in,

the dancers had just re-entered the house, and

was supplying them

host

their

when

freshments,
told

come

am

" Say I
the

person

re-

a servant approached and

him he was wanted by

refused to

with

a gentleman,

who

in.

engaged,"

call

"

said he,

to-morrow.

and bid

cannot

see

anybody to-night."

The man,
servant,

was turning away with

when M. de
" It

is

who was but an

M.

le

Francoeur's

own

occasional

this answer,

valet whispered,

Comte de Chateauroux

that

is

in the hall, sir."

Little

what a

thought he that said those words

significance

heard them.

they had for

They were

sentence of death to a

reckoned
pardon.

surely

on a

like

him who

an immediate

criminal
reprieve,

who had
if

not

THE ACCUSATION.
"

Excuse

me

!"

107

he to a lady standing

said

room

beside him, and hastening out of the

he

for

gi\dng

haU
"

way

and

in a

my

his knees

moment he was

face to face with his

Ah,

and

colour change

felt his

unwelcome

in the

visitor.

are

you ?" he

hearty welcome.

" I have

dear Count,

how

said,

affecting a

some

friends here celebrating the anniversary

of

my

wedding

come

in

and join us."

" I would with pleasure

attired,"

if I

were suitably

answered the Count; "but

am

ridden far in the dust and heat, and

fit

to

"

have

not

be seen in a baU-room."

Oh, nonsense

!"

replied

De

Francceur,

taking refuge in a forced gaiety; " the gallant

be welcome to

Count de Chateauroux

will

the ladies in any dress.

Come, come

;"

and

he drew him by the arm towards the door of

the dancing-room.
" Excuse

me

" not to-night

want

to talk to

!"

said

De Chateauroux

besides, I

am

tired

but I

you about business, and

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

108

me

wish you would come to breakfast with

to-morrow

at ten o'clock,

much

very

annoyed

my

property

wife wanted

fallen into other

" Well,

if

to

you?

will

that

that

learn

am

purchase has

to

hands."

you

will not

Francoeur, " I suppose

" You'll be with

me

come

must

said

in,"

De

let you go ?"

at ten ?"

rejoined the

Count.
" Certainly !" answered

"

Good

De

Francoeur.

night, then," said the former

" I

will not detain

you longer from your

friends.

and he quitted the

hall

demain

remount

.'"

his horse.

" Attend

agent

to

to

M.

one

de Chateauroux
of

the

!"

said the

whilst

servants,

he

himself, instead of re-entering the ball-room,

strode hastily up-stairs to his

in

own chamber,

order to steal a few minutes from

many

eyes below that he feared might read

his secret in his

they

the

who need

face.

fear

Oh,

blest, blest

no human eye

are

THE ACCUSATION.
But

sitting

situation in

all

and

alone,

found was not the way

meet

his

reviewing

M.

horrors,

its

109

company with more

de Francoeur
to

self-possession

he returned amongst them

so

him

enable

to

his

and endea-

voured to forget himself and his troubles in

wine and

amazed
and

His sober

revelry.

at the

long draughts he swallowed

at his noisy

demonstrations of joy
it

when

people

quiet

but

by the remark, that

they accounted for

sober,

were

visitors

do outstep their

customary bounds of discretion, they are apt

to

rush into greater excesses than habitual

revellers.

"

Pauvre homme

been evident

for a

much

been too anxious; he

from

piness

by

school,
all

"

it

has

long time past that he has

devoted himself too

loose

one

said

is

that

sorts

to

like

business and
a child broke

manifests
of

its

absurd

hap-

gam-

bols."

"He

is

an excellent man,

M.

de

Fran-

110

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

coeur," said another

well for his family

"And

" so desirous of doing

!"

Ma-

such an invaluable friend to

dame de Chateauroux," observed

" I do not

know what

third.

she would have done

without him."
"

And

with

the property

all

his care

very

is

and anxiety,

much

scapegrace her husband.

I fear

injured by that

It is

reported that

he has spent enormous sums," remarked a

fourth.

"

They say

it is

that circumstance that has

been weighing so painfully on

mind

for

"

He

ronde

messieurs et mesdames, dansons

cried the host, clapping his hands,

and dispersing the

"

has certainly been very

depressed of late."

" Allons
la

Francceur's

some time back," observed one of

the speakers.

much

De

Why, De

little circle

Francoeur, you have shaken off

fifteen years to-night.

said one.

of gossips.

You

are a

boy

again,'

THE ACCUSATION.

"To

Ill

be sure," cried the agent, "what

Toujours gai,

the use of being sad ?

vive la bagatelle

" Bravo

!"

that

the

Long

hour

company would

"

friend.

live

De

Fran-

our noble host

at

which

this

1"

his

naturally have dispersed, he

go

to

and when they

away, he locked the hall-door,

slip

and threw the key out of the window

by

et

motto."

arrived

would not allow them

tried to

my

is

his

cried

coeur for ever

When

is

and similar

mad

and

pranks, he contrived,

with or without their consent, to keep them

with him

till

the night

was more than half

spent.

But

time,

and

will

not be defrauded of

it

which,

Hke death,

is

inexorable,

amongst many other hollow

aU

reckons
pleasures

factitious

so that,

joys

and

alone

memories, and hi

things,

iU-bascd

defer their departure as

he would, the hour came that

Francoeur

prey,

its

with
fears.

his

left

M. de

thoughts,

The mom^ent

doors closed upon the last of

Ms

his

the

party, he

112

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

was quite exhausted,

told his wife that he

and must go

to

He

bed.

could face the

but he could not face her that was

visitors,

accustomed

to read his features;

them upon

his

sleep

came

to

smooth

however, no

where,

pillow,

so he hid

care's furrows,

or to

bring back colour to the bloodless cheeks;

and whilst he

lies there,

come morning, we wiU

waiting the unwelfollow

teauroux on his way to the

As we have

M.

de Cha-

castle.

intimated above, the Count

was going home oppressed with a consciousness that he was by no

regard to his wife.

He

means blameless

had hitherto excused

himself at her expense, attributing his

errors

and

to

her

her

she

reflected

was

own

and beauty,

of youth

injudicious

could not help

wise,

want

in

reproaches.

But

he

feeling that if she w^as not

at

least

liberal,

when he

what unrestrained command he had

had of her money;

might have retracted

privilege

at

any

which she

moment

she

THE ACCUSATION.

113

the fortune by her aunt's will being

chose,

entirely in her

own

Softened by this

power.

penitent feeling, he resolved to meet her with

more

affectionate

and genial manner than

he had done on his recent

visits

and though

he knew himself too well to promise that he

would reform

mined

to see his

more

to be

his

whilst he

ways

home more

friendly

was

altogether, he deter-

frequently,

and agreeable

there,

than of

and

to his wife

late years

had

been his custom.

But unfortunately

all

tions were rendered nuU,

these

good

resolu-

and a long concate-

nation of unthought-of misfortunes, entailed

by the circumstance of finding his wife in

company.

Without that contretems

have been well

all

might

but her injudicious reception

and unhappy display of temper reacting upon

him, his
stifled

that

good

feelings

of repentance were

he returned to his former opinion

the

faults

were

hers,

not

his

ana

instead of his heart being softened towards

VOL.

I.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

114
her,

became harder than

it

BOW,

She had

ever.

destroyed that motive which often

too,

serves to keep people

from extremes when

better ones have failed; she

had exposed

all

their

domestic squabbles to her acquaintance, and

if

she had no more delicacy, he thought there

He

was no reason that he should.

much

betray so

did not

ill-humour before the supper-

party as she did, both because he had

command

more

of himself, and because, having no

love to aggravate his vexation, his irritation

was

less

gone,

poignant

and the

complaints and

but as soon as they were

Countess broke forth into

reproaches,

she found hinl

more hard and contemptuous than on any

former
slightest

occasion.

Instead

making

the

admission that he was wrong, he

told her that she

had no right

would ever come home

that

of

home

at

to expect

he

aU when she made

so disagreeable to

him

and when

she reproached him with his extravagance, he

retorted

by accusing her of meanness

115

THE ACCUSATION.
reproof she certainly did not merit

domestic quarrels, above

the

scrupulous

least

weapons they

When

all

but in

others, people are

regard

with

to

the

use.

had exhausted

they

their

whole

repertory of bitternesses, they retired to their

chambers, separating with that vague threat

uttered

by the

temptuous
chapter.

Countess,

answer

was not

It

and

his

con-

in

our

first

recorded
till

Count had

the

dow^n in bed and his servant had

that

he began to

menace.
if

She

feel

the

lain

left

him,

of

that

sting

certainly could revenge herself

she pleased, by stopping the supplies, and

that

was probably what she contemplated.

This unpleasant anticipation, together with

the pre\dous

excitement of his brain,

He

naturally prevented his sleeping.

to

resolved

banish the whole thing from his mdnd,

but that

is

a resolution

more

similar situations than fulfilled

one

very

side,

easily
;

made

in

he turned on

then on the other; thought of a

I

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

116

flowing stream, of a flock of sheep, and of

waving corn

but

it

was

rejected his allurements,

Now, most

him.

how
is

and would not

sleep
visit

people have experienced

very unpleasantly active the imagination

become under

apt to

lence

how

this sort of

terrible

sou

probably

would

on

the

would be

following

not a

day

she

to the agent to

pleasant situation he

prisoner for

want of the

Then another

idea occurred to him.

words, prisoner and

how,

lettre

time

of going elsewhere, and his wife his

means
jailor

in

was so with the

at the

commands

issue her

him no more.

give

It

he had no money

Count

any disagreeable

gripe

fancy takes of the mind.

insomno-

small evils swell into great ones,

and what a

fear

of no use

all

the

if

jailor,

These

awakened a new

Countess

applied

for a

de cachet, and got him shut up in the

Bastile

deprive a

These

man

terrible letters

which might

of his liberty for the rest of

THE ACCUSATION.
his

were

fore,

why

without his knowing

life,

rife in

many

might aid her

was meditating;

to procure such

most

signal

upon

him.

and

would

it

an

revenge she

be the

certainly

bitter injury she could inflict

As

these

apprehensions

and

he

now

suspicions

got possession of him,

began

regret

to

Madame

influential connec-

Perhaps that was the

order.

or where-

those days; and

de Chateauroux had
tions that

117

exceedingly

he had

that

come home, and, from wishing he had not

come, he naturally began to question with

how he

himself

was

to

obtain

The

could go.

some money

from De Francoeur

the agent to supply

first

in the

but how,

if

him? and

step

morning

she forbade

unluckily

M.

de Francoeur was to be at the chateau at ten

which would

o'clock,

opportunity of doing
"

I'll

it.

be beforehand with her," thought he,

suddenly
leaping

her the earliest

afl'ord

flinging
to

the

off

floor.

the
'*

bed-clothes

I'll

be

off

to

and

De

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

Francoeur, get

some money, and be out of

her reach before she

is

Then

up.

write

I'll

and propose terms of separation."

to her,

The dawn was

Count

just

when

breaking

arrived at this determination,

dressed

himself

so he

was

and

hastily,

the

about

leaving the room, when, in throwing on his

cloak,

he overthrew the glass that covered a

stuffed bird,

and in the attempt to save

cut his hand

severely.

it

he

Having wiped the

blood on the sheet, he bound up his wounded

hand with a handkerchief, and

softly

after

opening his room door and listening,

he cautiously descended the

and

then,

let

himself out.

stairs to the hall,

His horse he could not

get at without disturbing the grooms, so he

resolved to borrow one of

would send his own

De

after

Francoeur,

who

him; and being

thus safely out of the house, he bent his

steps towards the agent's.

Now,
coeur's

as

we have

described,

M.

de Fran-

couch that night was no more a bed

THE ACCUSATION.
of

down than

Sleep, that loves

the Count's.

the cool and dewy

119

brow and calm pulsations

of a heart at ease, shunned these hot, uneasy

pillows

and

as there is

no place so wretched

the bed that sleep refuses to

as

visit,

the

agent had also risen with the dawn, and had

descended to the garden to seek the fresh

morning
ing

fevered skin was thirst-

and he was slowly pacing backwards

for,

and

air that his

weighing

forwards,

fortune

when he was

balancing his chances,

to

his

and

surprised

behold the very person that chiefly oc-

cupied his thoughts coming towards him.

" Bless

me

forgetting

his

"

what

in

"

he

cried,

dilemma

the

out so early.

pened

!"

Count?

has

moment

amazement,
brought

you

Why,

Has anything hap-

nothing very new has happened,"

answered the Count, " but

and

his

in

world

for

want you

to

francs immediately."

give

am going away,
me five thousand
I

120

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

"

Going

away

!"

the

agent,

my wife

and

reiterated

" going so soon ?"

" Yes," replied the other, "

cannot agree, and

we

parties that
I

am

it is

there

me

She accuses

better for both

should separate.

in fault, but so

come home

much

she

is
is

inevitably

but women,

and

mean

First of

she says I

as

when they

are

Now, you

angry,
see,

De

cannot stand this any longer,

to bring matters to a settlement.

all,

want you

an exact statement of

drawn from you

to furnish

all

the

power

me

sums

with

have

since our last winding-up of

accounts, so that at least she

in her

quarrel.

money than

much

never stick to the truth.

Francoeur,

of extravagance too, and I

ought, though not so

;

dare say

and whenever

dare say I have spent more

have

to misrepresent

may

not have

me and
;

it

then I

appoint

some of her

friends to arbitrate betwixt us,

and arrange a

shall

request

separation.

her to

Do you

not think I

am

right ?"

THE ACCUSATION.
"

121

But what made you come

Why

you

are

in

so

early ?

such a hurry ?" inquired

Francoeur, rather pursuing his

De

own thought

than attending to the Count's question.

'<

Why,

did not sleep, and I wished to

be away before

Madame

de Chateauroux can

open her morning battery upon me."

"

Then have you

left

the chateau without

taking leave of her ?"

" Certainly I have.

left

it

before any-

body was up, and even came away without

my

horse,

because I w^anted to avoid any

delay or chance of disturbing her.

De

I believe,

Francoeur, that you have no experience of

your menage

if

you

had, you would not be so surprised at

my

this

sort of thing in

making

By

this

vigorous

the bye, you

"

You had

effort

must lend me
better

stay

to

escape

it.

a horse."

and

take

your

breakfast here," said the agent.

"
" I

Not

for the world,"

mean

answered the Count;

to be ten miles off at least before

122

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

breakfast time;

what

is

but

De

me,

tell

Francoeur,

the reason you did not purchase the

La Roche

my

which

property,

wife

was

always so anxious to possess ?"

Why, we

"

returned

the

hadn't

agent,

some weeds from the

money

the

stooping to
gravel

"

ready,"

pluck

and a cousin

La Roche's who has long wished

of

the land, just

and snapped

stepped

in

exactly

what

up

for
it

up."

But

*'

that

is

stand," returned the Count

mean by

not having the

" If there

do not under-

I
;

"

what do you

money ready

?"

had not been a purchaser on the

spot to anticipate us, I could soon have got

it

together,"

replied the other;

"but they

gave us no time."
"

But why should you need time ?"

sisted the

of
the

De

Count,

who was

not unobservant

Francoeur's confusion,

first

time in his

life,

in-

was

faint suspicion that the agent

and who,

for

sensible of a

might not be

123

THE ACCUSATION.
mirror

the

they had

of integrity

"

thought him.

Do you

hitherto

not regularly collect

the rents ?"

"As

regularly

tenants

the

as

will

pay

them," answered the agent.

"

are the arrears ?" inquired the

But what

Count.
" I

am

looking
"

sure

at

my

But you know

cannot recollect

without

the

former.

books,"

said

last year

some of the vines

failed."

" If the deficit arises

have

I should like to

said the
coeur, I

power

Count

owing to

me

my

my

part,

it

in

that she has lost

I

cannot understand

came

my

wife's

extravagance, and that

am

really

it is

La Roche.

very sorry the

property was not bought, and I

" It

De Fran-

to the world that she is

to complain

by

rent,

properly understood,"

" because you see,

do not choose to have

distressed

For

it

from arrears of

confess

it."

into

the

market

so

unex-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

124

pectedly," replied the other

the matter with your hand

"

mere

better

come

what

is

?"

cut

trifle;

" but

with

it

some

glass."

You had

*'

something to bind
"

Nothing

wash

I'll

And

*'

De

said

it

so

up

good

it's

as a

and

let

me

get

bleeding."

little

cold water

here at the well."

I'll

fetch

you a clean handkerchief,"

Francoeur, returning into the house.

" I have half a

with

it

in

him

mind

after all,"

to stay

and breakfast

thought the Count, as he

turned towards the well, which was in an

orchard on one side of the building.

should like very

become of

am

all

much

the

make

to

money

'*

out what has

I will

stay too, I

determined."

In the meamvhile,

De

Francoeur, glad to

escape into the house in order to avoid so

embarrassing a conversation, fetched a clean

white handkerchief to bind up the wounded

hand, and was returning to the orchard with

THE ACCUSATION.
it

when

it

occurred to

take out the

that he would also

thousand francs which he

five

happened luckily

him

125

have by him, as possibly

to

the Count, once provided with them, might

So he

be disposed to depart immediately.

took a key out of his pocket, and opened the

door of a small apartment, w^here he kept his

money and
nard

down, down

dog pf the
left

valuables.

St.

!"

"

Ah, Bernard, Ber-

said

he to a

fine

young

Bernard breed, who was always

by night in that room as a guard. The dog,

dehghted to be

set free,

about him whilst

jumped and gamboUed

he unlocked his

and took out the money

saw

his

this

up some

and then when he

master turn tow^ards the door,

bounded before him

At

escritoir

moment

he

into the garden.

the Count, w^ho had draw^n

fresh water for himself, w^as stooping

over the bucket bathing his hand, the dog, a

large

and powerful

activity,

creature, fuU of spirit

and

sprang forward, and leaped with his

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

126
two

upon

forefeet

was in

sport,

The animal

his shoulders.

but

was death

it

sudden push caused him

the

to

lose

and he went head foremost

balance,

man

to the

his

into the

well.

De
to

who was

Francoeur,

hastening forward

prevent the dog alarming the Count, was

just in time to see the accident

the corner of the house

a few steps

then

the

and he

water then

he stopped short

faint

distinguished his

dog stood looking down

whined

wistfully

more

was

be seen, and he stepped a

little

they

the

at

windows of

the

were

closed,

He

well.

splashing, splashing

around

there

to

and

own

house

to

all

his

and up

ceased

own name

The agent looked

stifled.

him,

nearer

there

then there was another cry

and

nobody

turned

he rushed forwards

was a voice from the deep

second

as he

and

heard

the

water

but presently the sound

the water was

still.

THE ACCUSATION.

Then he drew

nearer

127

the dog looked at

him, and then whined again

De

Francoeur

turned his eye from the aperture, but with

his foot he

covered

it

pushed the board over

up.

it,

and

LIGHT AND DARKNESS,

128

CHAPTER
Upon what narrow
depend

VI.

chances

and not only our

lives,

sometimes our guilt or innocence

not occurred to

money

De

but

even

Had

it

handkerchief, the dog

would not have been released

the

Hves

Francoeur to take out the

as well as the

moment, and

our

at that critical

Count de Chateauroux

would not have been drowned in the well

and had De Francoeur been a
in

his

little less

rapid

movements, he would have escaped

witnessing the accident, nor was

it

probable

THE ACCUSATION.
would

he

that

become of

have discovered what

his visitor

him any

afford

was too

it

till

assistance.

let

down

to

late

save the

might have been unavailing

had

was certainly

It

possible that his efforts to

probabihties

129

Count

though the

were that had he immediately

the bucket,

extricated himself

might have

the victim

from the water ; but whilst

the result of what might have been done was

uncertain,

there

was one thing too

he had done nothing

man

he had suffered the

to die whilst calling

upon

his

had not stretched out an arm

and he
It

felt

was

that he

was

first

security

immediately that he

anything

he

could

had

Count's expenditure

nobody
VOL.

could
I.

this conviction.

could arraign him

mortal lived that

prove

affirmed
;

touch

he

to help him,

were those of

sensations

no one

name

guilty of his death.

not, however,

was conscious of the weight of

His

certain

he was

him

or

and

relief

now

no

disprove

regarding

the

safe, safe, safe

there.

What

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

130
release

was from a

it

was a worse

there
veiled,

he

whistled

behind

fear

and he did not

When De

daily fear

see

it

It is true,

but that was

yet.

Francoeur had covered the well,

dog

the

him,

follow

to

and

returned into the house, where he locked up

the animal in the same

him from; and then he

and lay down,

for

had been

that he

room he had
retired to his

no one

astir

chamber

house knew

in the

thus early

released

and as the

whole family had gone to bed fatigued, they

slept soundly

and rose

been glad to sleep

sleep

and he

too,

late.

He

would have

but he had murdered

lay restless

and listening

tiU

he

heard the servants moving, and then he rose

and

called for water to shave

to his valet,

said

it

with the Count

!"

did not dare to look at the

;

man

as he

he was afraid of what he might read

in his face

" for," said he

" I have to be at the chateau at

ten, to breakfast

He

but he might

safely

have done so

the face was perfectly blank, and expressed

THE ACCUSATION.

131

no interest whatever in the communication,

neither did he

make any answer

none to make.

was

there

But De Francoeur

felt

his

significant,

and

glanced at him to see the reason of it; for

how

silence as if

did he

it

know

were something

that

some wakeful

eye,

undis-

cerned by him, had not witnessed that morning's tragedy ?

" No, not he, at least," thought

coeur, as

De

Fran-

he saw the man, with an unconcerned

countenance, arranging the clothes his master

was about

He

felt

put on.

to

somewhat

encountered one

fortified

human

by

this

expressed no suspicion.

Then he

the hour, and

of morning

and he spoke

what

he had

countenance, and

sort

to the servant with

it

inquired
it

was,

unusual

fa-

miliarity, for

he was glad to keep him in the

room;

man seemed

him and
for

the

that other that

to

stand betwixt

was there too

him, though the fleshly eye

discern him.

K 2

there

oould not


LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

132

As soon

as

he was dressed, he called for

his

hat and gloves, and sallied forth on his

way

to the chateau.

his

appointment

He was

and indeed there was no

need to hasten to keep

first

him

but he was

restless,

besides, he

he would he there

it

and motion relieved

did not wish to meet his

wife just then, nor to look

his

young children

direct road,

rather early for

upon the

faces

of

and instead of going the

he w^ent a

far

way round through

the fields and meadows, and the clock struck

ten as he walked

up the avenue

to the castle.

Madelon, then a young woman, had opened

the gate for him, and said she supposed he

was aware that Monsieur had returned the

night before, and he answered, " Yes

come

to

on to

breakfast with

the

terrace;

him

where

;"

he

am

and walked
rang

the

bell.

" 1 hope I
servant

down

am

who opened

stairs yet ?"

not late,"
the door

said he to the
;

"is the Count

THE ACCUSATION.

133

" Oui, Monsieur," answered the

lord
"

is

"

my

gone out."

Gone

came

man, "

expects

Francoeur,

''

him."

to breakfast with

He

De

out," repeated

you.

servant, " and he will

returned

Sir,"

the

doubtless return im-

mediately."
"

Good," said

De

Francoeur

and good

it

appeared to him, for here was no suspicion

either,

and he followed the

the servant closed the

he was alone

into

where the table was

breakfast room,

two

man

waiting

for

door,

him

the

laid for

and there

that was to

eat with him.

He was
picture of
piece

the

who came

in that very

room where hung

Count Joachim, over the mantelfather of

him he waited

Do what

not.

himself bewitched to stare upon

times he fancied

him

it

for,

it,

he

felt

and some-

returned his stare

strangely.

and

he would, he could

not keep his eyes from the portrait

looked at

the

Allowing

and

for the

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

134

difference of age
like

and

dress,

the young Count

handsome

features of

it

was exceedingly

and he saw that the

Joachim were just what

those of Philibert would have become with

time

but he and time were divorced

young

and those handsome

for ever,

features

were

fixed in death.

De

Francoeur passed his hand across his

brow, and turned to the window, which looked

out upon the broad gravel walk, and the soft

There were a few sheep

greensward beyond.
with very white rich

handsome cows,
placed

there

Countess.

the trees that

the

gratification

and

it

living their

pure

brought a choking sensation into

made him suddenly

turn away from the sight of

servant

of the

dotted the turf here and there,

the beholder's throat that

the

and

was a calm and lovely scene

and the innocent animals

life

and two extremely

selected for their beauty,

for

It

fleeces,

entered,

it.

Presently

under pretence of

ranging something on the

ar-

table, in order that

135

THE ACCUSATION.

commu-

he might have the opportunity of

nicating that he had

been looking for the

Count everywhere, but could not

Having

De

said

he went out again, and

this,

Francoeur

him.

find

stayed

on for another

half

hour.

By

this

time the Countess had risen

having been

had

Francoeur

by

told

been

Clarice

waiting

that

and

M.

de

below for

considerable time to breakfast with Monsieur,

who had

invited

him

to be there at ten, she

desired that the great bell sliould be rung, as

no

doubt

the

Count was walking

in

the

grounds and had forgotten the appointment.

So they rung the

Madelon
But

to ask

still

she seen

the

bell

which brought up

what had happened.

Count came

him pass

not, neither

the gate;

had

wherever he

was, however, he must be on foot, and therefore

at

no great

distance, for

was ascertained that

stable.

his horse

The Countess now

on inquiry

it

was in the

sent

Clarice to

136

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

M. de

Francoeur to recommend him to take

his breakfast

and wait no longer ; so he

When

lowed her advice and went away.

home he found

reached

wife

his

fol-

in

he

great

and very talkative about the preceding

spirits,

evening's amusement, and he tried to listen

to her

but do what he would, his thoughts

would wander away

orchard.

to that dismal well in the

Then, there was the dog

he could

not keep the animal shut up in a room, and

he was somehow afraid that

if

he

he would bound away to that

draw attention

to

could do was to

mount

ride,

and

let

The

fatal

him

out,

spot and

best thing he

his horse

and take a

the dog go with him.

As he had
well the

it.

let

expected, the animal ran to the

moment he was

but

when he saw

left

it

and sprang

his

outside the door

master cantering

after

him.

De

off,

he

Francoeur,

though he was fond of the dog, would now

have been very glad to get rid of him
it

was

difficult to lose a large

but

animal like that

THE ACCUSATION.

137

whose owner was well known, and

of

gift

could

Madame
not

it

being a

de Francoeur's brother, he

with

propriety

part

with

him.

For a few days, the inconvenience continued

dog

the

on remembering what his

insisted

master wished to forget

week he had forgotten

it

but by the end of a

and

too,

At the same

to the spot.

coeur closed

up the

well,

left off

time,

M.

running

de Fran-

under pretence that

was too near the garden, and dangerous

for his

young

children,

who were now

begin-

ning to run about alone, and he opened one

in another situation.

Meantime,

the

mystery

of the

Count's

disappearance was making a great sensation

amongst the servants and

retainers

of the

family, although the Countess herself evinced

neither alarm nor curiosity

The

fact was,

on the

subject.

she entertained no suspicion

whatever of any

ill

having befallen her hus-

band, nor did any such notion occur to her

till

the rumours that were circulating abroad

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

138

were brought home by her own

For

friends.

her part, she concluded that he had never

intended to remain with her
the

quarrel

that

many

days,

and

succeeded his arrival was

quite enough, in her opinion, to account for

sudden departure.

his

Besides,

the

threat

she had used w^as very likely to have added

spurs to his speed.

It

had been indeed but a

menace uttered

mere vague

in

a passion

but she comprehended that he might have

understood

Her

it

pride

as implying a deliberate design.

and

the

consciousness

of her

innocence led her to treat the imputation with

contempt, and she had scorned to take any

own

steps in her

seized

by the

The

first

till

she

was

authorities.

thing that led her to apprehend

the possibility that

was the

justification,

flight

some mischief had

of her two servants

occurred,

a pro-

ceeding she was quite at a loss to comprehend,

and which was

malous

state of

itself,

in the

extremely ano-

French judicature, very

fatal

THE ACCUSATION.
to her case

for as there

139

was no robbery, nor

any conceivable reason to be assigned that

would have induced Clarice and Morel

take the Count's

life

themselves,

it

to

was con-

cluded that they had been her accessories, or

was

at least the witnesses of her crime,

and

thus

body was

the

that

accounted

all

the servants testifying

when they themselves

that

these two people went

and

master

their

Clarice and
gallery

as

up

retired to

bed,

stairs to attend

slept

on

Moreover,

mistress.

Morel alone

the

his

This suspicion was strength-

for.

ened by the fact of

rest

of

disposal

it

on the same

Count and Countess

all

the

of the establishment lodged in another

part of the building, and quite out of hearing

of anything that might have happened.

While

all

coeur kept as

He

this

was going

much

on,

M.

de Fran-

as possible out of the way.

took the opportunity of going to Paris to

transact

some business he had on hand

and he professed

his

there,

opinion that the fuss

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

140
that

making

was

about

Count was

the

absurd, and that he would doubtless appear

But although

by-and-by to laugh at them.

affecting

to

treat

the matter thus lightly, he

lived in anguish lest

all

these inquiries should

lead to a discovery of where the

in

body was

which case he would alnaost inevitably

under the suspicion

of being the

fall

assassin.

But when he heard of the Countess's danger,

his situation

He

became much worse.

shrank

with horror from the idea of allowing her to

suffer for a crime of

be innocent,
dicate

when

and save

which he knew her

word of

her.

How

have spoken the word

how he
known
it,

regretted

if

that

the accident the

his could vin-

gladly he

had not made

he

moment he

constant terror on himself, and

But
closed

and misery on others

still

would

he had dared, and

witnessed

instead of entailing by his silence a

justice

to

all

life

this

of
in-

the fear that then closed his lips

them

still

and, no doubt,

the longer

THE ACCUSATION.
the communication was
certain

it

was

to bring

141

down

destruction on

So he delayed and delayed

himself.

of his

her,

own

though

life

it

was

He

felt

wrote a

statement of the case, omitting, however,

confess his dishonest appropriations

money

of

the

accident

as

witnessed them, dilating upon his

fusion
to

and

terror,

and attributing

to

of the

intrusted to him, but narrating

circumstances

he

expense

at the

and honour.

the

till

Countess's condemnation, and then he

must save

more

the

deferred,

the

all

he

had

own

con-

his silence

the true motives, namely, as there was no

witness but himself,

that he

might be sus-

pected of the murder, and the difficulty he

had placed himself

in

the circumstances at

and

by not making known

set his affairs in order

signed

and sealed

He made

first.

his

his will

and then, having

confession,

and em-

braced his wife and children on the pretence

of a journey to Paris, he bade adieu to his

home,

as he believed, for ever,

and started

for

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

142

Aries, in order to deliver his letter himself at

the door of the prefecture; after which, in

order to avoid the ignominy and misery that

awaited

him

he

if

lived,

he

had provided

means of

himself with a sure and speedy

death.

The

love

of

life,

and the vague hope that

Countess might escape, and so deliver

the

him from

this fearful extremity,

him

to defer

and

it

had induced

moment,

this step to the latest

was now

in the

late

evening of the

day preceding that fixed for her execution

that he entered the city
to

encumbered with a

who

foot, for

he sought

and he did not wish

avoid notice,

people

on

horse.

are doing

to be

There are few

anything, although

it

be an indifferent thing, consciously for the

last time,
feeling

who

are

of regret

taken by

M. de

not sensible of a painful

and there was not a step

Francoeur on that evening

over the ground so

often

trod

in

happier

circumstances, nor an object on which his eye

THE ACCUSATION.
fell,

did not bring a

that

pang

143
to

his heart,

with the bitterness of self-reproach to sharpen

How

its sting.

happy he might have been

had he but have observed the simple rule of

honesty

By how many

surrounded

Everj^thing

make

life

forfeited

all

to

blessings

that

happy he possessed
by

unholy

his

was he

was required
;

but he had

greediness

for

more, and the beloved family whose aggran-

dizement

had

he

fortune he

left

sought

them

would

tainted

find

the

with suspicion

and disgrace.
Oppressed
he

flections,

Aries,

with

these

paced

unnoticed

overwhelming

through

and

the

unknown,

street
till

re-

of

he

reached the one where the prefect resided.

As he approached
was about

the Hotel de Ville, and

to lay his

hand upon the

bell,

the

consciousness that that paper once delivered,

the step was irrevocable, and the vague appre-

hension that he might be pursued and overtaken before he had reached the lonely spot

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

144

he had fixed upon for the closing scene of his

sad drama, caused

him

hack a moment, more

to hesitate

and draw

especially as the clatter

of a horse's feet denoted that some one was

approaching

so he crossed over to the other

side just as the

animal reached the gate, but

he was near enough to distinguish that the

was a government

rider

courier.

" See," said a pastrycook

who was

stand-

ing at the door of his shop with his apron

on,

bet

" that's a king's courier

is

it

what

will

you

not a pardon, or a reprieve for the

Countess ?"
'*

had rather bet with you than against

you," replied his companion

pected, for
into

my

game
" It

the

part, to see the sentence put

Bah

execution.

They do not
if

man,

Countess

cut off the heads of such high

they can help

will

" I never ex-

it."

be a terrible disappointment to

populace,"

observed the pdtissier

shouldn't wonder

if there w^as

an emeute''

" I

THE ACCUSATION.
**

145

If the despatch regards the Countess,

shall

know

soon

observed

it,"

the

we

other,

" because the prefect wiU carry the news to

the prison himself"

So

burning

If

he was saved
to

it

who,

Francoeur,

had been

ears,

dialogue.

died

De

thought

listening

were as these

men

to

with
this

imagined,

he would have confessed and

rescue

from death,

Countess

the

because he could not contemplate the horror

of living with her blood upon his soul; but

he was not equal to

sacrifice to

making
fame

vindicate her

Madame

herald of

life

it

or death to him.

to con-

was

Chateauroux,

de

so that the

bearer of that despatch, supposing

cern

great

so

It

the

may be

judged, therefore, with what eager interest he

observed the movements that ensued at the

gate of the Hotel de Ville.

Having rung the

and throwing the
admitted him,
VOL.

I.

bell,

rein

the

to

man

alighted,

the porter,

he entered the court.

who
The

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

146

horse was led in too, and the gate closed.

quarter of an hour
indication of

during

now

elapsed without any

what was going on within;

w^hich

people

the

interval

of

together on

neighbourhood were gathering

the spot, whilst the news spread from

to

mouth

that a royal pardon

A few

the Countess.

the

mouth

had arrived

for

who, for some reason

or other, were attached to her party, rejoiced

at her prospect of escape

but the mass of

the people, disappointed at losing the spectacle they

had hoped

to enjoy, vented their

vexation in strong expressions of indignation

at the favouritism

shown

M.

to the rich.

de

Francoeur stood silently amongst them with

his hat

fixed

drawn over

upon the

gate,

brow and

his

which

his

eyes

at length opened,

and exhibited the prefect already mounted,

who rode

forth accompanied by the courier,

and followed by the mob.

De

Francoeur

into the throng,

and followed too

of

where,

the

prison,

now

to the

feeling

fell

door

pretty

THE ACCUSATION.

14?

secure that the conjectures of the people were

made an

well-founded, he

disengage

effort to

himself from the crowd and advance, intend-

ing to address the prefect

but before he

could push his way through, the great

had entered, and the door was

paused,

what

hesitating

man

He

closed.

do betwixt his

to

anxiety to learn the truth, and his disUke to

enter those heavy gates, which open so easily

on one

and so hardly on the other

side

summon

before he could
bell,

"

What

Countess

alone.

What's the news

is it ?

pardoned ?"

and

courage to ring the

came out

the courier

the

cried

Is the

people,

pressing round him.

" What's that to you ?"

" go

about

naille

your business

But the canaille did not

contrary, their

moment

the

man

Disperse,

disperse

ca-

on the

numbers kept increasing every

and as

an assemblage

said

it

to

was

in the nature of such

get riotous

L 2

and make a

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

148

mob, finding they

noise about something, the

could obtain no satisfaction of their curiosity,

began

to batter at the gates,

murmurs
manner

against the court for pardoning

all

of crimes to rich people, and hanging

up poor ones

for

nothing

at

As one

all.

another, and their increasing

fortified

and louder every minute,

growing louder

when again

the gates opened, and the prefect

were seen on the other

and the

jailors

Silence

instantly

entered the court.

if

they would have

The prefect held up his hand.

friends," said he, with a loud voice,

" disperse

It is

time that

were in their own homes.

good

all

citizens

The Countess de

Chateauroux has been

falsely accused.

M.

Rive,

has

now on

the

brother,

side.

but there was a

ensued,

general rush forwards as

My

num-

them courage, the disturbance was

bers gave

*'

and utter loud

husband,

Count de

who

de
is

la

Chateauroux

morrow morning."

will

found
road.

be

here

Her
her

The
to-

THE ACCUSATION.

An

English

cheers for

the

mob would

149

have given three

Countess;

the

French

one

turned away in silence from the gate, and

it

was a minute or two before they recovered

their surprise sufficiently to

unexpected

comment on

When

intelhgence.

they

the
did,

most of them discovered that they " had

and remarked severely

always thought so,"

on the

imperfect

constantly

jurisprudence
people

subjecting

to

was

that

death

for

crimes that had not been committed at

Those who had nothing

them, resolved to be

all.

particular to prevent

at the prison the

day betimes, in order to witness the

next

arrival

of the Count and the lady's liberation; and

thus

terminated

the

grand

event

of

the

evening as far as the public were concerned.

But
whose

there

ears the

strangely

He

was one amongst that throng on

words of the prefect sounded

M. de Chateauroux was found

that was dead

at the

that

had

lain for

bottom of that deep well

months

would

be

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

150
at Aries

to-morrow

It could not

How

be the real Count de Chateau-

roux that was coming

Yet the

could that be ?

prefect

that

was impossible

had said so

and M. de

la

Rive could not be deceived in the identity of

his brother-in-law

authorities

his trying to deceive the

would be too vain an attempt to

be thought of for a moment.

and

thoughts

fantastic

invaded

Then
his

wild

brain.

Could the Count have escaped from the

The

well ?

every

seemed

notion

now and

absurd

then impossible adventures

and miraculous escapes were heard

nobody could have believed
actually

occurred.

there was nothing

were the

If this
left for

but

thing was certain

it

on

that

of,

they had

till

him but

the intention with which he had

that evening

but

to fulfil

home

left

could not be
earth,

case,

if

any-

the Count de

Chateauroux was dead, and no mortal knew

where the body

lay

but himself.

Distracted by these thoughts, and feeling

THE ACCUSATION.

151

himself quite unable to determine whether he

should

and face the

live

escape the sufferings

might have

garding the Count's

step,

known

He had

fate.

re-

but to

name and connexion with

his

in store

once to the prison for the purpose

at

of ascertaining what was reaUy

ring

or die and

he resolved to make a bold

for him,

and go

it

future,

the

heroine of the drama were his passport to

instant admittance,

of

congratulations
prefect

and he was met by the

all

the

The

officials.

shook hands with him, and offered

to

conduct him to the injured lady.

"

But

coeur

"

certain ?"

it

" is the

found

is

De

Fran-

Count de Chateauroux

really

Not

shadow of doubt of

the prefect.

very bad

"

He

health, a

grave, whilst

strange

it

;"

returned

long and severe

the

illness

brink of the

prevented his hearing of the

suspicions

rise to."

it

was found in Paris in

having brought him to

given

inquired

his

disappearance

had

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

152

"And he
"
it

be here to-morrow ?"

will

He would

have been here to-night, were

not that his infirm health obliges them to

rest at

Nimes, and so the prefect of Nimes

sent forward the courier to

But come, you

approach.

Countess

announce their

her

brother,

must

see

the

M. Eugene, and

several of her friends are with her."

"

Excuse me," returned De Francoeur ; "

must hasten home

good news;

my

to inform

wife of this

cannot allow her to remain

ignorant

of what

pleasure.

Present

give

will

my

her

much

so

congratulations to the

Countess."

De
these

Francoeur, however, did not go

assurances

served to

make

of

prefect

perplexity

and the agitation of

to his body.

the

his

town

till

had

only

more perplexed,

mind forbade repose

So he wandered

outskirts of the

home

forth to the

morning, and then,

muffling his face between his hat and handkerchief,

he re-entered the gates and joined

the throng that was already collected in front

THE ACCUSATION.
the

of

He was

prison.

travellers arrived,

and

153

when

there

as they alighted

the carriage, he saw what appeared to

the

and

pale

shrunken

the

from

him

and the

features,

attenuated form of the Count de Chateau-

His

roux.
possible

intellect

No

said,

it

is

but his eyes responded, Yes,

im~
it is

he.

Terrified
city,

and confounded, he

and made the best of

his

fled

from the

way

to Paris,

there to await the disclosures he expected to

follow.

him

But none ensued

that the

his wife wrote to

Count had been found, that the

lady was liberated, and that the happy pair

were living together in the greatest harmony.

"

So we

hear, at least," she added,

" for

they are not at Chateauroux, but are residing

at

Remy, where they pass

retirement.
believe
is

it

is

Some

substituted

foolish

really the

some impostor
to

their days in great

people refuse to

Count, and declare

whom M.

save

his

de

sister's

la

it

Rive has

life.

Can

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

154

anything be so absurd

had a

She

the Countess yesterday.

you

letter

from

inquires where

and begs, with her best regards,

are,

that you will pay

them

a visit as soon as

you

return."

Upon

this

De

Francoeur immediately re-

traced his steps to Beaulieu, where a pressing

Remy

invitation to

proceeded,

awaited him.

and having

the

Thither he

satisfaction

of

finding himself extremely well received, after

a week's visit to the happy pair, he repaired
to

his

mode

own home and resumed

of

life.

his former

THE ACCUSATION.

155

CHAPTER VIL
From
not

be

the details of our last chapter

difficult

surprise

and

to

comprehend,

agitation of

De

obstinate incredulity

first,

with respect to his

not an easy matter for

rest of the

the

and next

being the person he claimed to be

was

will

FranccEur at the

appearance of the old gentleman

his

it

him

but

it

to bring the

world over to his conviction, or to

communicate the foundations on which he

rested

it.

He had

countenanced and accre-

dited the first imposture for the sake of the

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

156

and

Countess

own

his

motives no longer existed

but

safety,

these

she was dead, and

time had placed him, as he considered, be-

yond danger, whilst on the other hand, he

had every motive

Not

aggression.
interest

of the

for

De

the property, and

Rive family, but the

la

it

him

a personal one in

was not

to be expected

he would tamely allow this stranger to

step in " and

yet while

push them from

M. Eugene was

believe in

to

present

only was he attached to the

projected alliance gave

that

resisting the

him,

their stools ;"

so infatuated as

how was he

to

be

un-

seated ?

Nobody had

discovered

who

was, nor whence he came.

had

an

maintained

regard to him,

known, made a

the pretender

M. de

absolute

and had never,

as far as

single confidant.

It

de Chateauroux

ference before her

death,

Rive
with

silence

one time hoped that the priest with

Madame

la

was

was

at

whom

had a long conmight be able

to

THE ACCUSATION.
throw some light on the
during the law-suit

might

knew

justifiably
it,

it

and

mystery,

as

was considered that he

the

disclose

secret,

if

he

he was sought out and examined.

But he had nothing

old,

157

to

teU.

Though

very

he was perfectly capable of understanding

what was required of him, and the Countess

and M.

Adolphe being dead, he had no

objection

He

communicate what he knew.

to

said the lady

sion, that the

was not the

had admitted in her confes-

man

her brother had produced

Count,

though she

given any indication of

who he

had not

really

was

but at the same time, with her dying breath,

she had declared to

him her

of the crime imputed to her.

entire innocence

She lamented

the offence she had given to her husband

and

said,

that

fatal night,

her

error,

gone to

after they

had parted on that

she had become so conscious of

that she

the

door

had

actually

risen

and

room

with

the

of his

intention of seeking a reconciliation

but that

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

158

her pride having got the better of her good

had returned

she

resolution,

chamber without doing

it

an

during the latter years of her

besought

Thus

God

error she had,

life,

continually

to forgive her.

the fact of the imposition was esta-

but on the present

blished;

was of

success

been expected

less

assumed

value than might have

because the old gentleman

be

to

teauroux,

he

the

real

declared

returned since his

after the quarrel.

first

Count de

Cha-

he had

never

that

departure on the night

Then

were for

the public

They urged

decidedly.

Whilst he

that there was

no reasonable grounds whatever

cluding that the Count was dead
it

was

this

occasion,

himself asserted the same thing.

him

own

her

to

utterly impossible that

for
;

con-

and that

anybody could

be so like the portrait of the old Count but

his

own son

arguments

seemed

to

and

that

make

as

De

for

M. Eugene, no

Francoeur

could

use

the least impression on him.

THE ACCUSATION.

The more he
firmly

159

talked to him, he said, the

more

he was convinced that there was no

deception.

"

You

coeur,

have been deceived once,

and that makes you suspicious

assured you are mistaken

was

know not; but

Chateauroux, I
" Impossible
'*

But

am
!"

why

was

but be

w^ho the pretender

the

this is

exclaimed

De

Count de

sure

is

to

Francoeur.

We

impossible ?

pretty

Fran-

certain."

proof whatever that he

he

De

dead

return

have

and

no

if alive,

sooner

or

later."

" It

is

not always easy to prove a death,"

answered the agent.

" Then, in the absence of such proof, I do

not see what

we can do but admit

tensions of this

gentleman

the pre-

whose person

certainly furnishes very remarkable testimony

in his favour."

" I

am

really suprised, su',"

responded the

agent, " that you should be so willing to give

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

160

up

a fine

and allow yourself

estate,

gulled by a scoundrel

" It
plied

is

very easy talking,

no more willing
other people are

to give

Francoeur," re-

up an

estate than

me

with

adequate

proof that the Count de Chateauroux

and you

am

pretend to no such disin-

Furnish

terestedness.

De

" but what can I do ?

M. Eugene,

be

to

!"

is

dead,

my

soon see the measure of

shall

self-denial."

"Ah

thought

!"

walked away

" but

De

Francoeur,

how am

without criminating myself?"

It

do

to

was

he

as

that

certainly

no easy matter.
not

to

these years,

M.

It

is

that heavy

be supposed that during

de Francceur's mind, with

weighing upon

secret

very comfortable
siderable

from

far

time the fear

that apprehension

was not

it,

of

detection

Of late

had subsided;

silent

and

if

had been

For a con-

it.

haunted him day and night.

science

all

but

had
years,

con-

he had escaped

THE ACCUSATION.

161

detection on the score of his embezzlements,

he had purchased his immunity very dearly.

Besides,

all

the

strange

events

that

arisen out of the Countesses danger

him

continual hot water

in

after the lapse of so

He was

like a

and even now,

man haunted by

of one he had mm-dered.

Thirty years be-

weU

he

w^as

dead

and

yet,

returned upon his hands again

lay the ghost

he could not

for doing this, however,

when one morning

him
a

the spectre

he had seen M. de Chateauroux

fore

the

had kept

long a period, he was not

from the persecution

free

summons

tell.

I.

necessity

on

an exact account of

that

is

to

quitted his home.

As

Chateauroux had never

lost

confidence in him,

VOL.

to

the old gentleman sent

had

the habit

and how

to appear at the chateau

Count
de

into

became doubly urgent,

certain day to render

Madame

fall

here he was

The

his stewardship since the time he

say the

had

she had neither been in

of inspecting his books nor inves-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

162
tigating

his

For years before

statements.

her death he had carried everything as he

liked,

and now, although he had no plea

for

refusing this demand, he was aware that he

could not

comply with

without entailing

it

the risk of a ruinous exposure.

What was

done

Play for a great

aU

or nothing ?

open,

he would be deserted, and there

game
laid

to be

was no

telling

what suspicions

awakened by the discovery of

But

if,

books were

If his

might be

his dishonesty.

without betraying that, the Count's

death could be proved, the pretender would

be at once unseated, and losing aU

obliged to retire with

ignominy

hoped that the advantages accruing

la

credit,

be

whilst he
to

M.

de

Rive would indispose him to making too

curious inquiry into an affair that happened

so long ago.

most intimate friend

in

M. Eugene was

Besides,
;

and he trusted much

his unwillingness either to

even suspect him of

his

evil.

harm him

or

THE ACCUSATION.
Having come

163

to this resolution,

making any demur, he appointed

producing his accounts
perfectly willing to do

although protesting

it,

demanded

time, he

M. Eugene and

of both

some

same

at the

a day for

expressing himself

against the authority that

ment

without

begged permission

Count

the

alteration in his old

the state-

farm

to

make

at Beaulieu,

where, by the bye, he no longer resided, having

erected a

handsome new house on another

was now very

part of his property, w^hich

considerable

and

request being granted,

his

he took care that the job should be put

hand without

The

in

delay.

plan proposed, however, involved one

inconvenience, which was that the well, the

new

well, as

to the

was

called in contradistinction

one into which the Count had

must be
chitect

it

filled

up and

pointed

consultation

out

held

opening another.

built over.

To

to

The

ar-

and there was a

this,

as

fallen,

the

this

best

site

for

consultation

M.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

164

Eugene was a
all

his

party

as in this, as well as in

agent osten-

other proceedings, the

tatiously treated

This

estate.

him

as the real

naturally

w^hy they had

filled

owner of the

him

led

inquire

to

up the old one

and De

Francoeur answered that one of the reasons

was, that the water had become so offensive
that they could not use

"But
"

cause,"

The water

dant,

must have been from some

that

accidental

but

it.

observed

De

Rive.

la

of that well was not very abun-

it

was always

Didn't

excellent.

you send anybody down to

see

what was

wrong ?"

"I'm

sure I forget,

replied the agent.

Gilles,
self,

and

cause,

it

who was

it

is

so long ago,"

" But I rather think old

alive then, did

go down him-

that he could not discover any

said

except that there was very

was an extremely dry season,

But the

truth

trouble about

it,

is,

did

not

little

water

remember.

spend

because at that time

much
had a

THE ACCUSATION.

165

notion of taking that part of the ground into

my

garden, and I did not want to

well

near the house on account of

so

young

now

you," said

less

little

right.

De

la

Rive

" and

it

reparation

new

would possibly

Francoeur

to send

to

would be

expensive than digging a

examine

to

De

would be no inconvenience

it

recommend you

down

my

children."

" But

much

have a

well

set it all

somebody

it."

made

a few objections, but

yielded to the opinion of

M. Eugene.

" We'll

send to Aries for Lemoine," said he

" he

understands these matters better than anybody, and perhaps you wiU meet

him and

hear what he says."

M.
own

de

la

Rive did not seem to think his

attendance necessary

wished

it,

but as the agent

he promised to ride over.

This was an anxious

coeur;

but he

carried

crisis for
it

off

De

Fran-

wonderfully,

going about with a thoroughly disengaged

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

166
air;

calling

gaily of his

upon

improvements on the farm, and

on

freely

jesting

the

The day

claims.

talking

his acquaintance,

and

pretender

his

Lemoine was

before

to

descend the well, he actually had a party to

dinner

walked with them over the grounds

showed

them

the

new

well

and the old

and discussed with them the

one,

advantages

re-opening

of

the

relative

or

latter,

digging a third.
All this excited no attention at the time,

it

seemed the most natural thing in the world

but
la

it

was remembered afterwards by M. de

Rive and the Count, when they compared

their recollections,

and discussed

his character.

Well, the eventful morning arrived.

may be

Francoeur,

as

closed his

eyes

De

imagined, had never

during the

night

but

he

bathed his face with cold water, and endea-

voured to look as fresh and cheerful as he

could

that he

indeed,

it

was subsequently thought

had rather over-acted

his part in this

THE ACCUSATION.
latter

respect

he

had been too facetious

and Lemoine, who had of

him

a reserved

struck

larly

and

w^ith

167

silent

this

late

years found

man, was particu-

deviation

from

his

usual demeanour.

When M. Eugene

rode up to the gate, the

agent w^as not sorry to see

him accompanied

by the lord of the chateau; who,

for

some

reason or another of his own, had never

testi-

fied

any indignation at

De Francceur's insulting

incredulity, nor taken offence at his refusing

to

acknowledge

him.

He

had

contented

himself with quietly asserting his rights and

assuming possession of the

which

it

estate

was nobody's business

rights

to dispute, as

long as the next heir raised no objections.

He came

now, as lord of the

soil,

to inspect

the plans for the proposed improvements.

Whilst Lemoine

w^as

making some

pre-

cautions to prevent accident from foul air and

so

forth,

farm

the

gentlemen walked

over

the

with every inch of which the Count,

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

168

or pseudo-Count, whichever he was,

himself
liarity

intimately

His fami-

acquainted.

with the land might have deceived any-

body but M. de Francoeur

him

evidently deferred to

At

property.

and

return

When

and M. Eugene

as the

owner of the

length, the agent proposed to

what Lemoine was doing.

see

they arrived at the well, he had just

descended

with

stooping over,

called

Not

a drop

De

and

lights,

were any water in

''

showed

out to

Francoeur,

know

if

there

it.

as

it's

dry as

my

hand,'*

cried Lemoine.

" Doubtless

it

dried

the other well so near

"the

new

one

up when you opened

it/'

said

M. Eugene

would draw

off

the

all

water."

" Send
"

De

He

a basket," cried Lemoine.

has found a treasure,

Francoeur

command
and

down

failed

hope

1"

but as he spoke, his

him

his lip quivered.

his cheek

However,

grew
to

said
self-

pale,

hide his

THE ACCUSATION.

169

confusion, he busied himself with lowering

the basket.

Lemoine's request had awakened

and
to

all

curiosity,

the assistants drew round the aperture

The

watch for what was to come.

signal

being given, the basket was drawn up

first.

appeared to be fiUed with a heap of

dirt.

It

One

of the labourers put in his hand and

took up something.
"

that ?" said

What's

" I think

was

it's

a bone,

M. de

la Rive.

man.

a bone," said the

perfectly black

It

and much de-

cayed.

"

Some

fallen

dog, or sheep, or something, has

into the well

probably

that spoilt the water," observed

Whilst
Francoeur

this conversation

was

leaning

M.

but

there

de

was going

over

the

superintending the drawing up

gineer

was that

it

la Rive.

on,

De

aperture,

of the en-

was an eye upon

his face

that watched every turn of feature or change

of colour with scrutinising curiosity.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

170
"

What

you've sent up ?"

is this

Eugene, as Lemoine

inquired

on terra

set his foot

firma,
" I

know

don't exactly

replied the

yet,"

engineer, stepping towards the basket.

"Is there any

where ?"

asked

leak,

De

have no interest in
"

Lemoine
that's

"a few

these parts?"

basket

"for

these are

"

Here

human
is

affecting

to

can see," replied

anybody ever missing

he,

turning

out of the

Here

lost in this well.

of clothes

in

much mistaken

I'm not

somebody has been

are the remains

any-

contents.

that I

said
if

in,

bricks out here and there,

Was

aU.

falling

Francoeur,

its

None whatever

or

and

suspect

bones."

a watch, too," said one of the

men, taking up what

at

first

appeared

clay,

the outer covering of dirt was cleared

till

away.
"

That may have been dropped

M. Eugene.

in," said


THE ACCUSATION.

171

" Disturb nothing more," said the lord of

the chateau, cutting short the discussion with
authority.

" Place

bring out a

cart,

aU in the basket again

it

and

accompany me

shall

it

home."

When De Francoeur entered

enterprise

this

upon

this bold

neck-or-no thing expedient

he had overrated his own powers of dissimulation

and when

utterly failed him.

the

crisis

Indeed,

a trial for

any man's nerves

ceedingly

added to

his

arrived,

they

it

was too severe

and what ex-

confusion,

was the

demeanour of the Count from the moment

drawn up.

the basket was

There was some-

thing in that curious, inquiring eye, following

and gesture, that put

his every look

all his self-possession,

tactics.

to flight

and confounded

That eye seemed

and his own feU before

its

all

his

to read his soul;

penetrating glance

convicted and abashed.

"

the

Come, De

la

Count

and you, Lemoine, wiU take

"

Rive, let us be gone," said

172

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

'

charge

of

the

basket

and

accompany

us."

M. Eugene

M.

acquiesced in silence

whilst

de Francoeur, making an effort to recover

himself, asked

them

to

go into the house and

some refreshment, but they declined

take

and he walked beside them

and the

their horses

"

We will

to the gate,

where

cart awaited them.

ride gently,

and you

will

keep

near us with the basket," said the Count to

Lemoine

in a

low

voice.

" I

must not

lose

sight of it."

As

the two gentlemen rode

silently

away,

they

touched their hats to the agent,

"

stood bareheaded on the footway.

back," said Lemoine,

who

I'll

be

who understood nothing

of what was going on, " as soon as I have

delivered

the basket at the chateau, and

you what

" I

am

from the
attempt

tell

advise about the water."

lost !" said the agent, as

he turned

gate.

" Fool, fool, that I was to

have pulled down the roof

it.

THE ACCUSATION.
upon

my own

the ruins

must perish beneath

!"

" Didn't I

M. Eugene
later

head, and

173

tell

you so ?"

"I was

said the

certain

he would betray himself."

Count

to

that sooner or

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

174

CHAPTER
And

"

VIII.

now," said M. de

la Rive, as

they

sipped their wine on the evening of the day

that

had betrayed M. de Francoeur's

"

fulfil

cannot imagine

your promise to

what nobody
" I

will,"

how you came

else ever

said the

begin with a sketch of

"

with

The

my

woman,

earliest

me

tell

dreamt

your
to

story.

suspect

of."

Count, " but

my own

thing I can

secret,

must

history.

recal,

was

living

mother, then a very pretty young

in

square

opposite

to

large

THE ACCUSATION.

175

church, and being visited by a gentleman,

whom

called

He was

father.

men who came

and the

to the house with

messages from him, used to

Commandant.

conclude

mander of the

a soldier;

he

Be

him Le

call

was comit

may,

he was evidently a person in authority.

He

garrison.

that as

seemed very fond of me, and always told

me

be a soldier and an

should

my

and

already

sigh

for the fine

saw

in

childhood

clothes

and

the possession of

my

began

fine

to

horses I

father.

can

those circumstances and feelings per-

recal
fectly,

although

more than

lost

four,

when

of age,

had

in

officer;

do not think

or

understood that

some near

to quit us,

the most

at

relative,

and that

and

could be

five,

my

years
father

and was about

my

mother were

shortly to follow him.

"

He

herself

departed

and

in preparing

some of which were

my

mother busied

quantity
black.

of clothes,

remember

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

176

being delighted when I was put into mourning myself.

" After

an

interval

of,

fancy,

some

weeks, I was placed on a horse in front of a

and with

servant,

who had

called Lucile,

on a journey.

started
this

my

My

but

tion.

we

sleep by a

of

numerous

and

my

and

on the

the

light

my

in the

eyes, I perceived

room with drawn

mother,

floor, in

in

whose bed

an attitude of supplica-

She was on her knees, and holding up

her hands, as
spare her.
terror

think

my

two or three men

slept,

when one

and on opening

swords,

of

travelled several days,

noise

torches

we

recollections

night I was awakened out of

great

girl

the care of me,

journey are very vague

must have

and a

mother,

in

if

At

entreating the assassins to

this sight,

as loud a cry as

gave vent to

my

small lungs

could emit, by which means, I fancy, I

betrayed

my

my

presence to the troop,

first

for

remember one of them immediately rushed

to

THE ACCUSATION.
the bed, and lifting

me up

in his arms,

about to thrust his sword into

my

mother, forgetting her

to

my

rescue

177

my

own

side,

was

when

danger, flew

and so sudden were her

movements, that she had snatched

me from

the men,

and had darted out of the open

door with

me

in her arms, before they could

stop her.

"

Of what

followed I have a very obscure

recollection.

town was
soldiers

arms,

whole

that I

think a

my

me from

her

man

took
to

kill

me,

when

From

VOL.

I.

At

was cut by a sabre on the

shoulder, for I have the

'*

tell

was separated from

another interfered and prevented him.

1

the

can never forget.

and was going

aU events,

saw

in every direction,

in this confusion, I cannot

by what means,
I

the

flying as if for their lives;

Somehow,

mother.

that

commotion

and naked swords

and screams

cries

remember

in a violent

and people

"

mark

of

it still.

that hour to this, I never saw

my

LIGHT AND DARKNESS

178
mother

again

and

many

for

years,

fray.

supposed she had been killed in that

have since made out, from a comparison of

dates, that

must have been the

it

how

of St. Bartholomew, and

cannot

my own

For

tell.

fatal

night

she escaped I

part, a

number of

events are mixed up in such confusion in

memory,

that

anything,

till

have very

found

little

my
of

idea

myself following

drum

troop of soldiers, with a

tied to

my

back, which I was regularly taught to beat.

In this way

few years,
other,
I

my

was

till

went about the country

Serjeant procured

shop

and
I

My

in

able

to

set

good-natured

own, who kept a

the

master taught

in process of time I

was

a situation as errand-

relation of his

hair-dresser's

Honore.

me

or

no longer required,

and

discharged,

boy with a

some reason

at length, for

services being

for a

up

Faubourg

me

grew so

St.

his trade

expert, that

for myself;

and by

degrees became the most fashionable artist in

THE ACCUSATION.

my

line in the city.

179

I assure you,"

old gentleman, quietly smiling,

some of the
" Well, I

and tapping

" I have dressed the perruques

his snuff-box,

of

said the

men

greatest

was

of the age.

living contentedly enough,

and was making a very good living of

when

was one day sent

gentleman

my

carried

made

my

in

tools

on a

Though

d'Or.
pocket,

and the servant of the

know me,

man;

Croix

the

it,

always

a point of appearing in the street well

dressed

not

at

for to wait

I fancy,

so that I

took

me

was shown

inn,

was informed a

into the saloon

my

was waiting

visitor

did

for a gentle-

bed-chamber, and

instead of the

who

client

to see

him.
" This

Adolphe de

client

was

la Rive.

your

brother,

You may judge

of

M.

my

amazement, when on entering the room, he

first

stood for a

moment

as if transfixed

by

amazement; and then rushing towards me

and throwing himself into

my

arms, he burst

N 2

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

180

and poured forth a torrent

into tears of joy,

of mingled

The

that confounded me.

was so

feelings
I

and reproaches

congratulations

expression of his

vivid, that for

some moments

could not get in a word; but as soon as

excitement was somewhat subdued and

his

he began to inten-ogate me,

he was mistaking
family

his

me

I discovered that

some connexion of

for

w^hom he had

been

anxiously

But

seeking, and had despaired of finding.

even then, although

error,

it

him of
I

was

assured

was with much

it,

him

of his

difficulty I

convinced

especially as I could not

deny that

called

Phihbert;

extraordinary a

so

resemblance he declared he had never beheld,

except in the case of twins, whilst the coinci-

dence
stiU

"

of

more

name rendered
inexplicable.

When, however,

what

the circumstance

I asserted

was

had

true,

satisfied

and

him

that

that, instead of

being the Count de Chateauroux,

was only

a hair-dresser, he, after some inquiries into

THE ACCUSATION.

my

and

character

again;

power
the

life

time,

to do

him a

that

had

great

would

consent

At

first

seigneur;

on the

Count de Chateauroux

should incur
trophe
"

if I

grand

should have
reality the

Count

I recoiled

from

besides which, I was

insensible

the

to

were found out

danger

a catas-

thought unavoidable.

With

respect to the danger, your brother

promised to hold

me

the

not that

or any other

but I had a conscience, and

means

and save

taste for being

been very glad to have been in

by no

my

for.

contrar}',

the idea of the fraud

in

personate

I refused positively

wanted ambition or a

me

for a short

if,

to

me

for

it

service,

of a most worthy lady,

gentleman he had taken

"

sent

situation,

me

and told

181

after

me

harmless, and to dismiss

certain

person or character;

period

and

undamaged
as

regarded

in

my

conscientious scruples, he took great pains to

convince me, that

w^hilst I

should be doing

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

82

him and

his family a considerable service, I

injui'ed

nobody.

that

if

should

would

not

He

promised

moreover,

listen

to

his

entreaties,

handsome

a very

only receive

my

reward, but that he would take care of

fortunes for

my

the rest of

observed, being but

common

life

he

this,

justice, since so

long an absence from Paris might possibly

ruin

my

prospects

my

in

present

line

of

business.
" Well,

at

length,

consented

we

there was no time to lose,

south;

it

started for the

to take

our confidence, except his

rest of the world,

to be the real,
if

and as

being stipulated, both on his side

and mine, that we were

roux;

nobody into

sister.

For

own

family, I

even his

all

the

was

bond fide Count de Chateau-

we do not adhere

scrictly to

this

precaution, he said, the truth will be sure to

ooze out in one direction or another.

For myself,

I shut

up

my

was going into the country

shop, and said I

for a little while

THE ACCUSATION.
and as

had no

business

relations,

was nobody's

it

what was become of

inquire

to

183

me.

"As we

along the

travelled

brother, whilst he treated

person

the

really

whose

me

about to assume, gave

and instructions
enable

me

as

character

scholar,

tion

by which

were

was

such information

my

part

always declared he had found

and that

as if

he thought necessary to

support

to

me

your

road,

me

and

he

a very apt

I fully justified the appella-

was known in Paris as The

Gentleman Barher.
" Well,

enough,

everything went on

we drew near

till

journey, and then

told

M.

should be

de

la

my

Rive,

detected

prosperously

the end of our

courage failed me.

that I

was

certain I

and exposed;

that

he

would share the disgrace and infamy of the

imposture, and be not only imable to protect

me, but himself; and

I entreated

him

to let

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

184

me

my

return and resume

Faubourg
hear of

though

it,

But he would not

Honore.

St.

cost

it

old trade in the

him

a great deal

of

argument, and indeed supplication, to over-

come

my

purpose

and win

fears,

and as

it

back to his

expressed

that the confusion of

betray me,

me

my

conviction

countenance would

was agreed between us that

should bleed myself copiously on the morning

we were

arrive at Aries

to

was very well

me

entitling

the

me

What

me by

to

mufEe

my

person, render dis-

difficult.

followed you

know

authorities,

the cheers of

your

sister.

and the reception given

M. de

la

dared to write the truth to her

first

This would

others.

for

mob, the congratulations of the governor,

and other
to

it

an appearance of sickness, and by

covery more
"

operation I

able to perform for myself, as I

had often done

give

an

Rive had not

and

at

my

introduction she was entirely deceived.

THE ACCUSATION.
It

was not

we were

till

185

in the carriage

on

our way to the chateau, that he ventured to

inform her of the real state of the

" I

was now

installed

and

Chateauroux;

Your

tolerably well.

peaceably together

sister

and

my

part

very

I lived

we seldom met

when we drove through

the town occasionally to

repay or

Count de

fancy acted

though

except at table, or

to

case.

the

as

receive

show

ourselves, or

We

visits.

conversed

with few people, considering that our safety

depended

much on

" In spite of
scious that
tity,

retirement.

my

many

good

acting,

persons doubted

especially the servants,

sarily

be very

difficult to

circumstances

and

least surprised that

lutely
clearly

that he

supported

me

fully

was con-

my

who must

iden-

neces-

deceive under such

was therefore not the

De

to imderstand,

was

Francceur,
in

public,

who

reso-

gave

when we were

me

alone,

aware of the substitution.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

186

At

first,

imagined him to be

entirely ac-

tuated by his desire to serve the Countess

but gradually some doubts arose in

my mind

with respect to the integrity of his motives.

The

equivocal position in which I appeared

threw him
for

off his guard,

and as he took

an adventurer, he was indifferent to

me
my

esteem.

For the purpose of maintaining ray

character,

it

was necessary that

sionally sign papers

him
I

I should occa-

and transact business with

and inexperienced

as I was, I fancied

could discern that he was not altogether

the disinterested, honest agent that

Madame

de Chateauroux represented him to me.

even ventured to give her some hints of
opinion

be

but,

of course,

expected that

it

she would

my

was hardly
listen

to

to

the

representations of a person in so equivocal a

situation as I was,

against a

confided in for years.

I

did

myself harm,

man

she had

Seeing, therefore, that

and her no good,

THE ACCUSATION.

My ovm

forbore.

opinion,

187
however,

was

rather confirmed than otherwise, by continued

obsers^ation.

" I suspected that he was in some degree

making a
by the

tool of

me

and

as actually dead

in the case

me

and

he always spoke of

there

was never an

when he was

if

alone with

In the presence of

was more cautious

after I

and even with

had once turned suddenly towards

him, and inquired

assiu-ed

off his guard.

others he

me,

at least

-,

often struck

which he pronounced

certainty with

on the Count's death

him

was

how he

could be so well

of a fact that appeared buried in

mystery, he changed his tone and spoke of

the matter,

if at all,

hypothetically.

Certain

strange suspicions did even then occasionally

my mind, but they were too

justify me in communicating them.

glance across

vague

to

Besides, I

was not

an accuser

and

in a situation to

I felt

become

that I should probably

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

188

bring myself and perhaps the Countess and

her brother into trouble by

and do no good

recommending M. de Fran-

How

coeur to his surveillance.

by them,

no response
" I

chateau

quitted the

did venture to address a few lines

to your brother,

fected

interference,

to anybody.

" However, before I

finally,

my

af-

do not know, as he made

to that part of

my

letter.

can hardly say whether

satisfaction,

he was

was with

it

or the contrary, I learnt at the

end of eighteen months that the purpose of

the

substitution

liberty to depart

being

when

answered,
I pleased.

dismissed, observe; I

was

free, that

was only

a certain

be lodged in Paris for

situation

sum

my

of

was

at

was not

told

that I

money would

use,

had been procured

and that a

for

merchant's house, which would

to rise to affluence

me

enable

in

me

and an agreeable position

in society, if I conducted myself prudently

189

THE ACCUSATION.
a

your brother and

point on which

were pleased to intimate

tiiat

sister

they entertained

no doubt.
confess

''I

the

life

led

was

some

in

respects too agreeable to be resigned without

regret; but, on the other hand,

quiet

and inactive

a young

to

it

was too

be quite satisfactory to

man; and my mind

had, besides,

never become reconciled to the idea of the

imposition I was practising.

my

So

Countship with a good grace

privately

taking

and

after

Countess,

of the

leave

I resigned

departed in the middle of the night, as the

mode most
racter,

consistent with

my

assumed cha-

and without giving any notice of

intention to the servants, carrying with

my
me

the warmest assurances of good-will on the

part of your brother and sister.
"

The promises

fulfilled.

Messrs.

had been recommended

Colard

your family.

made me were amply

they

as a

distant

found,

to the

connection of

beyond

my

hopes,

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

190

a junior partnership in the house had

that

me

been purchased for

been
'*

my own
I

fault if I

was not

and

would have

had not prospered.

of

guilty

myself, and ingratitude to

this

my

rose rapidly, married well,

short history

it

of myself,

treason

benefactors

and, to

make

am now

to

a rich

man."
"

But

still,''

said

" I

M. Adolphe,

am

in

the dark with respect to the motives of your

late

sudden appearance here, and the source

of your augmented suspicions of the agent."

is

the part of

my

story I

coming

to,"

returned

the

old

"

six years ago, business took

"

That

About

Normandy
I

thought

gentleman.

me

to

and when in the neighbourhood,

am now

should like to take a peep at the

antique city of Rouen, of which I had heard

so

much.

must

tell

you, that although I

remembered the few circumstances of

my

infancy I have related to you, I had not the

smallest idea of the

name

of

my

birthplace,

THE ACCUSATION.
or

of the part of France in which

situated

the

191

but I had no sooner set

my

Cathedral Square of Rouen,

whole scene seemed

the

past

houses, and

felt

one in which

was

foot in

than

the

like a vision of

very

the

recalled

me

to

it

individual

sure I could point out the

had

lived

with

my

mother.

cannot find words to express the sensations

this recognition

awakened

in

discovered thus much, you

ceive

my

anxiety to learn

the circumstance of

my

Le Commandant, my
facilitated.

My

so,

garrison stationed at

may

more

inquiries

and

in ascertaining that the

but having

easily con;

and from

father being called

own age

the year, or nearly

me

were greatly

fixed the date

I

had no

difficulty

commandant

Rouen

of

at that

of the

period

was the Count Joachim de Chateauroux."

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

192

CHAPTER

IX.

CONCLUSION.

On

hearing the unexpected announcement

with which

Eugene

are

mind

closed our last

very

surprised,

we

we

naturally

and not a

afraid

looked

little

M.

chapter,

somewhat

disconcerted,

and

a slight suspicion crossed his

that this

story

might possibly be part

of a plot of the pretender's to possess himself

of the estate and

title

by hereditary right

at

aU events, he was about to remind him that

the

now

death of the
established,

Countess's husband being

the property necessarily re-

193

THE ACCUSATION.

when

verted to her family and not to his,

who

old gentleman,
in

probably read his thoughts

warning

rendered this

countenance,

his

the

needless.

"Do

"I am come

not suppose," said he,

my

here to lay claim to any property

may have

left,

nor even to his name; although

of the relationship
secretly taken

culars of

inferior
till

at

beyond

doubt,

that

I,

have

he

was

Rouen, whilst he commanded the

to a

daughter of a cloth mer-

but that, on account of the lady's

condition,

the union was kept secret

the death of his father,

Normandy, and
bade adieu to
little

Ha\'ing

satisfied.

measures to ascertain the parti-

garrison there,

chant

am

Count Joachim's marriage,

established,

wedded

brother

boy,

when he

that she shortly

quitted

afterwards

Rouen, accompanied by her

avowedly

to join her

husband

in

the south.
" I cannot entertain the
that I

VOL.

am
I.

that

child,

most

distant doubt

and that

am

in fact

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

194

the eldest son of that house

my

intention of establishing
private gentleman
v^^ho is

am

my

that I was

from which

be rich

The

men.

the

destroy

my

which

discovery

family

agreeable

poor nobleman
aspiring to.

is

position

The name

that of Philibert Petit.

me

regiment,

w^hen they picked

I

me

am

To be
far

me

up.

from

The

first

was the

my

mother

the second was given

because

at

have always borne

baptismal appellation by which

always called

now

affairs

once to straitened circumstances.

the

me,

after

assuredly reduce

maintain, and would

in

son,

Count would possibly disturb

contentment,

equilibrium

is

daughters are happily married to

respectable professional

their

As

my

and

rich,

will

have no

claim.

a partner in the business

have now withdrawn,

whilst

but

As

was a

me

child

Philibert Petit

have hved, and as Philibert Petit

mean

to die.
"

But

to continue

my

story.

Having thus

THE ACCUSATION.

195

my birth and my near relationship

to him whom I had been personating, and
whom I may now, I think, venture to call
my brother, I naturally felt desirous of learnascertained

whether any

ing

reached

of his

tidings

Through

Aries.

my

fate

had

mercantile

correspondents, however, I soon ascertained

that

my

after

departure

mode

ceased, the characteristic

had

inquiry

all

of

my

disap-

pearance having been generally accepted as

satisfactory proof of

my

identity with the late

lord of the chateau.

so

" For

my own

many

years, I could entertain

his death,

of

De

gave

and

part,

I confess

me

great uneasiness.

justified in

with

my

myself,

silence

since I found myself a

these

my

lapse

of

no doubts of

former suspicions

Francoeur not only revived, but often

questioning

Still,

the

after

and

could not help

how

far

was

inaction, especially

member

of the family.

on the other hand, the foundation of

suspicions

was

so

unsubstantial,

o 2

and

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

196

would probably appear so visionary

tbe

to

world in general, that I shrank from stirring

in

the

business,

had not

the

shadow of

proof, nor could I devise

by which

in the affair

any mode

Thus

could attain any.

moving

ferred

slightest

from year

I de-

to year,

my

and had grown pretty well reconciled to

own
that

inaction,

when

a circumstance happened

me

roused

suddenly

my

from

indif-

ference.

" I had often been invited to spend a few

days with a friend in the neighbourhood of

Fontainebleau

and some business taking

me

into the country, I resolved to avail myself of

the invitation,
house.

So

arriving to
to

the

and spend the night

his

wrote, saying that I proposed

supper provided
before

contrary

Receiving no

at

letter,

heard nothing

certain

concluded

my

day.

was ex-

pected,

and made

ingly;

but the distance was greater than

had reckoned

on,

arrangements accord-

and

as

it

was

nearly

THE ACCUSATION.
midnight when

was not

little

drove up to the gate,

disconcerted to learn from

man who opened

the

197

door that

the

master had been absent from

home

his

some

for

weeks.
" I did not

know what

to do, for

it

was a

long way to go back to an inn at that

was very

late

hour

and

pose

appeared a good deal disappointed, for

besides, I

the man, after a

if I

would

femme
tain

my

alight,

little

tired.

reflection,

sup-

said, that

he would speak to

the

de charge, or housekeeper, and ascer-

what could be done

horse,

hung with

for

and was shown

me

so I got off

into a large saloon

family pictures, where

the concierge,

left

me

my

friend,

with a single candle,

that dimly lighted the apartment.

"

had taken the candle

examine a

portrait of

my

in

my hand

to

absent host, when,

hearing the door open, I turned round, and

saw a respectable-looking woman

the

moment

enter,

who,

she cast her eyes on me, uttered

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

198

a laud scream,

and rushed out of the room.

Supposing that her fright arose from seeing a

stranger where she had not expected to see

anybody,

ran after her, begging her not

be alarmed, and assuring her

to

harmless

But

traveller.

it

was a very

was some time

before I could so far overcome her terrors as

to

sank into a chair in the

bing like a child
her eyes to

She

an explanation of them.

arrive at

my

hall,

crying and sob-

and every time she

face,

lifted

her emotion burst forth

afresh.

"
'

It is

yes, yes,

he

it is

" For

she said

!'

he

it is

some time

from her; but,

he

this

it is

his very self L

!'

was

length,

at

somewhat soothed,

could get

all I

when she was

learned

what

had

indeed began to suspect, namely, that she

took

me

for

my

brother;

immediately undeceive her.

all

me

anxiety to

and

did not

She was now

accommodate me, and make

comfortable; and I soon discovered her

THE ACCUSATION.
to be that Clarice,

who,

maid,

Madame

199

de Chateauroux's

the footman Morel,

with

had

disappeared previous to the Countess's arrest.

Morel was

and she

dead,

was

now my

friend's housekeeper.

"You may

suppose this was a very in-

teresting discovery;

and

not only stayed

there that night, but the whole of the follow-

ing day, for the purpose of conversing with

Clarice,

whom

me

she

all

much

but

my own
it

had
"

found willing enough to teU

knew,
little

as

which

indeed

was not

was, combined with

it

previous observations and suspicions,

a significance for me.

What had become of the Count

no more than the world

she

in general.

knew
Both

she and Morel, to

whom

privately married,

had overheard the quarrel

and the Countess's

for the night.

had

at the

threat,

Clarice,

also heard her rise

time she was

when they parted

who

slept near her,

from her bed, and go

towards her husband's

chamber;

and she

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

200

confessed that her

idea,

first

\^hen

in

the

morning they found the room empty, and

the bed stained with blood, was, that she had

She

murdered him.

also

under the horror and

suspicion, both herself

spoken very

and

that,

admitted

excitement

that,

of

this

and her husband had

Countess

of the

injuriously

moreover, although various obser-

vations and reflections subsequently caused a

change
the

their opinions,

in

honesty and

courage to withdraw

they

imputation

they had not had

had

upon

flung

the
their

from the apprehension that they

mistress,

might be suspected themselves.

"

'

We

suspicions
'

knew

that

of the

some people entertained

servants/

she

observed,

and M. de Francoeur alarmed us very much

by

difl'erent

subject,

things

he

and we thought

large fortune

said

my

to

us

on the

Lady, with her

and great connexions, had a

better chance of getting justice than

But when we heard

we

had.

that the marechaussee

201

THE ACCUSATION.
were coming, we w^ere so frightened

lest

we

should be called upon to prove w^hat we had

that

said,

we took

and never returned

flight,

into that part of the country again.'

"

The

indications of

my

brother's fate that

I extracted by interrogating Clarice were but

small; yet
that he
for

it

gathered enough to satisfy

had not been murdered

was

in the

me

house

utterly impossible the Countess, or

any other woman, had she taken his

life,

could have removed his body without assistance.

for

It

would not have been an easy thing

man

Now, not

do.

to

the smallest

suspicion attached to any one in the chateau

except

it

were

people w^ho fled

the
;

perfectly assured.
clear that the

hall- door,

inside

and of

and the two

their innocence I felt

Moreover,

it

seemed pretty

Count had withdrawn himself

I

voluntarily.

Countess

ascertained

that

the

great

which had been locked on the

when

the servants retired, was found

only on the latch in the morning, and that

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

202

well

the latch, as

were

stall's,

stained

hand of the murderer

much more

likely to

when

brother's,

the

ballisters

of the

with

blood.

These

supposed to be from the

had been

stains

as

but I thought them

have proceeded from

some broken

I learned that

had been found on the

glass

chamber.

he had

Then, although

left his

it

floor

of his

was true that

cloak and horse behind him,

he were bent on departing

if

my

could not do otherwise;

secretly,

he

was

for the horse

locked in the stable, and Morel had himself

taken away the cloak.

attire

had vanished

scarcely doubt,

own

back.

"

Then,

Clarice,

the

v\^th himself, and, I

had been

must

my

carried

say, the

more

became with respect

learnt

The remainder

more

my

vivid
to

De

could

away on

his

questioned

impressions

Francoeur.

from her that on the morning

brother's disappearance,

of his

when

after

the agent

arrived to breakfast, he was in a state of such

203

THE ACCUSATION.
and

agitation

visible

Madelon,

on

came up

to the

happened,

confusion,

hearing

she

she

when

had

dreadful

body had remarked

know what had

M.

his Hvid paleness

though

to get

Every-

occurred.

hand shook and

Moreover,

enough

terrified

de Francoeur's

strange expression of his features

his

ring,

she opened the gate to him, that

something

how

bell

was quite

because she had seen from

face,

when

great

the

house to

said

that

his

had

he

and

lip

and the
also

quivered.

waited

long

an appetite, he had not eaten

a morsel of breakfast

and when he

left

the

house, the footman observed that, instead of

making

for

opposite

the

he turned in an

hall-door,

direction

as

had

he

if

been

stranger to the locality.

"These symptoms of disturbance, and many

other

that

singularities

remarked,

were

about

Count

the

construction

were

attributed
;

but

upon them,

subsequently
his

anxiety

placed

another

to

especially

when

204

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

learnt

from Clarice that he had sought, by

various and repeated insinuations, to inspire

her and Morel with the apprehension that

they would be implicated in the danger
authorities

interfered

though he had never

to

fly,

he

the

thought

whole

affix

about

allowing
Still,

to

mind,
itself

somewhere

tiU it settled

another

to

nature against a

never

been

lest

suspicion

should

it

horrors

for

accusation of

man whose

on

the

of

crime.

his

character

was

very

undertaking, the more so that

conviction was,

it

sufi*er

impeached,

instinctive than based

were

restless

on himself, and yet

come forward with an

had

own

the

desirous that

this

serious

could discern through

from the additional

shrinking

them

and the tortuous path of a guilty

and anxious

float

short,

directly counselled

proceedings

of his

interference

should

in

that,

the

was that had suggested the idea

it

to them.

and

if

whole,

on evidence

my

rather

and even

well-founded, I might not be able to

THE ACCUSATION.
the

substantiate

would, on
painful

whilst a failure

allegation,

accounts, have been extremely

all

and embarrassing.

" I believe, under

these considerations, I

all

should have been tempted to

alone,

had

I could not

That decided

permit your son to marry

the daughter of an assassin, and

I

the matter

let

not heard of the impending

alliance betwixt the families.

me;

205

formed the plan

have

was then

it

executed

the

success of which has been considerably aided

you

by the frank unsuspicion with which

me

received

on ray

confident that

few

Francoeur,

himself

if

expected

to

pretty

felt

me

pass

for a

the

for

could extract the truth from

if

death,

brother's

you would allow

unquestioned,

weeks,

Count, that

De

if

arrival.

he were not guilty of

or

he were
for I

am

force

him

to

and the result

satisfied

my

betray
is

that the

as

dis-

covery of this morning has been planned as a

dernier ressort to get rid of

me

altogether

206

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

and put you

How

in possession of the property.

happened that M. de Chateauroux

it

placed himself in his power,

means he

know

we

effected his death,

unless he confesses

and by what

but

I feel satisfied

that the motive which impelled

act,

was the

never

shall

him

the

to

desire to conceal his dishonest

appropriations."
It

was not without considerable pain that

M. de

la

Rive yielded to the conviction of

Francoeur's guilt thus forced

upon him. There

was an intimacy, approaching

subsisting between them,

De

to friendship,

and the attachment

of his son to the agent's daughter, rendered

the

matter

doubly

distressing.

He

had,

however, great reason to rejoice that this

link

had not been made

last

faster before the dis-

covery.

The
done

question

The

now

arose,

what was

to

be

contents of the basket furnished

indisputable evidence that the remains found

in the well were those of the

Count

and

it

THE ACCUSATION.
occurred to them to

never

207

doubt that

De

Francoeur had been instrumental to his death.

for

Still,

Rive

de

la

great reluctance to accuse him, and

felt

But

children.

on

disgrace

entail ineffaceable

sure

M.

the sake of his family,

justice

demanded the expo-

of so great a criminal

Petit enforced

it

and Philibert

as a duty not to be evaded.

Whilst the two gentlemen were

ing on this

innocent

his

affair at

deliberat-

the chateau, the unhappy

agent was suffering tortures of suspense at

the farm.

M.

his

world's

honest

The

Petit's face.

own

never

conscious that he had acted

and he had read suspicion

part badly,

his
in

He was

ever

for

eye

and

raise

his

man.

it

he

own

After

had

veil

was

laid

knew

to

from

bare to the

that he

again

some

fallen

that

interval,

could
of an

he

re-

turned home, where he passed the day and

night in inexpressible agonies.
his

children,

daughter,

especially

the one

of

The
his

sight of

beautiful

beloved by Alexis de la

208

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

Rive, tortured his soul.

He

wished he had

courage to rush upon death, but his

quailed at the

might come

We

Beyond

there "

spirit

what dreams

!"

never write these sad records of crime

without being disposed to reiterate that,

dread of

ment

human vengeance

aside,

could wretched

to himself for one

able that

bosom,

moment

be committed.
discovery

Human

life,

science

is

man

may be

but the

eluded,

fiery

the hell inalien-

carry in

his

could ever

guilt

and the Divine

to the

end of a

curse of an

born of the crime

unfailing offspring

but realize

vengeance, or even

judgment may be deterred

long

or Divine judg-

he would thereafter

no such deeds of

all

its

ill

certain

con-

and

the bitter fruit that surely

blossoms, but never dies.

We
of

do not deny that the

and deaths

lives

some few criminals of the lowest

who
seem

are steeped in ignorance

classes,

and obduracy,

to contradict this assertion

but these

THE ACCUSATION.
are strange exceptional cases,

man

reckon for his

are

as

strange

physical

to

hope

to

on which

let

own exemption.

and

we sometimes

instances

209

pain; and

exceptional,

no

They
as

the

read of insensibility

one

might

as

well

undergo the amputation of a limb

without suffering, on the strength of these

few precedents, as expect to enjoy peace and

holy sleep with the blood of a fellow-creature
staining our souls

M.

de

Francoeur

and although

had

not

is

true

murdered

the

it

Count, the circumstance of the case

him

feel as

He had

made

guilty of his death as if he had.

reaped the harvest he had sown;

from the hour of the Count's death he had

been a miserable man, and not a whit the
less

miserable for the success with which he

had deceived the world.

No

one ever bore

about a secret burden of woe, without feeling

how much

its

weight would be alleviated by

sympathy and participation

VOL.

I.

and the deeper

P

210

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

we need

to hide

it

more inexorably

from our fellow-men, the

it

will

upon

press

our-

selves.

must be a

It

bitter

pang

human being,

to a

not sunk into the sloughs of utter corruption,

to

whilst associated with the virtuous

feel,

and upright, that every pure soul and

friendly

would be turned away from him

for ever,

face

could

read the

but

they

on the black

tablets

records inscribed

of his

own undying

memory.

Long
gnawing

years

had those eating cares been

heart of

at the

and undermining
not

more than

looked and

felt

nature

de Francoeur,

his constitution.
fifty

years of age,

seventy;

struggle was over and the

lost,

M.

collapsed,

He was
but he

and now that the

game
and

irretrievably

sunk

ex-

hausted.

When De
to the

la

Rive and Philibert Petit rode

farm on the following morning, for

THE ACCUSATION.

211

the purpose of having an interview with the

agent, and hearing

what he had

to say with

respect to the events of the preceding day,

they learnt that he was so

ill

that he

was

unable to leave his bed, and that his wife had

sent

Aries

to

for

physician.

He

earthly physician could help him.

and died on the third day.

rallied,

he

departed,
priest
to

fall

and enjoined him,

whom

and family

wife

the

Before he

after

to a

he was dead,
it

to

M.

de

he conjured, for the sake of

past intimacy,

their

never

confession

communicate the substance of

la Rive,

or

made

But no

pangs

to

the
of

spare his innocent

horrors

learning

of

exposure,

their

father's

guilt.

occasioned

It

M.

de

la

Rive

satisfaction as surprise to learn that

coeur

was

less guilty

as

much

De

Fran-

than they had supposed

him, and he and Philibert willingly acceded

to his

dying supplication

the young
p 2

Alexis

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

212

made

alone being
secret;

which

after

father sent

his

him

to

he took upon himself to break

travel, whilst

off the

acquainted with the sad

subsisting

engagement betwixt him

and De Francoeur's daughter. Time, absence,

and change of

scene,

wounds of the

lover;

was of

heart

at length healed

but

poor

the

softer material,

the

girl's

and a slow con-

sumption and a patient death were her share

of

of

expiation

the

sad

her

termination

father's

of

and

guilt,

her

true

love's

course.

His

object

returned

Petit

station that so
side,

and

his

M.

being attained,
to

Paris,

content with

to place

him

in

the other,
whilst the

intimacy thus originated, together with

la Rive's

the

strange an accident on one

own good conduct on

had combined

Philibert

M. de

conviction that he was reaUy of the

blood of Chateauroux,

ultimately led to a

union

and

betwixt

Alexis

his

youngest

THE ACCUSATION.
daughter.
Philibert

sessors of
fatal

So

that

Petit

the

dowry of

grandchildren

became the

the estate that

213

heirs

of

and pos-

had formed the

his unfortunate brother.

11.

THE MORNING VISITOR.

OxE

each of which

times,
tion

as of all

in its

genera-

crimes.

Every

of the features of our time

is

new

is

the character of

phasis of
civilization,

human

its

every

affairs,

every shade

advance in

improvement

of

in

our material comforts and conveniences, gives

rise to

new
were

new modes and forms

births

of crime, the

only waiting

spring in

for

nay, to actual

germs of which
congenial

soil

to

whilst others are but modifications

216

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

new

of the old inventions, accommodated to

circumstances.

There are thus stages

crime indicative of ages.
heroic.

At

history

we have

First,

of
the

a very early period of a nation's

annals crime

bloody, bold, and resolute.

is

Ambitious princes
with those

in the

who

advancement

make quick

stand in the

and

'

fierce

conveyance'

way

of their

barons slake their

enmity and revenge in the blood of their

foes,

with

little

attempt at concealment, and

no appearance of remorse.

Next comes the

age of strange murders, mysterious poisonings,

and

passions,

and the

life-long incarcerations;

yet

rife,

their

methods.

But

new

gratification

This

is

the

unsubdued by education
influence of religion,

practical

rebellious to the

when

restraints of law,

and
seek

by hidden and tortuous

the romantic era of crime.

as civilization advances,

lower sphere, sheltering

it

descends to a

itself chiefly in

the

squalid districts of poverty and wretchedness

THE MORNING VISITOR.

217

the last halo of the romantic and heroic fades

from

it

and except where

brutal

ignorance,

it is

chief

its

the result of
characteristic

becomes astuteness.

But we
tinge of

are

often stiiick by the strange

romance which

stiU colours the

of continental criminal records, causing

page

them

to read like the annals of a previous century.

We

think

we

perceive also a state of morals

somewhat

in

arrear

of the stage

we have

reached, and certainly

some curious and very

defective forms of law

seem

combined,
enterprizes

tion

this

to

criminal

country
or,

could
if

must have met with immediate

they
detec-

and punishment.

There
cation

is

also frequently a singular compli-

or imbrogUo in

would be impossible

in

rise

have been undertaken,

scarcely
w^ere,

give

to

which

and these two causes

the details, such

as

in this island of daylight

for enveloped in fog as w^e are physically,

there

is

a greater

glare

thrown upon our

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

218

actions here than

among any

the world perhaps

an imbroglio

to fling the narrative

era,

and

How

that appears

back into the romantic

to indicate that

of civilization

other nation of

we have

belongs to a stage

it

already passed.

thoroughly foreign and strange to us

was the history of Madame Lafarge

unlike ours were the
life it
it

disclosed,

was the

Priest

tale

modes and

and how

of another land

Riembauer, noticed in a

the " Edinburgh Review,"

woman he had

outraged

habits of

one

vividly
!

late

How

felt

that

So of the

number of

who murdered

the

the details of whose

crime were as foreign to us as the language

To what

he spoke.
story

age or class our present

might be properly assigned, we should

be puzzled to determine

the circumstances

of the crime being, as far as

out precedent, and,

form one

we

we know, with-

hope, not destined to

whilst the boldness of the enter-

prize

on the one hand, and the

that

still

hangs

over the

veil of

motives

mystery
of

the

THE MORNING VISITOR.

perpetrator on the

seem

other,

to

219
endue

it

with the mingled hues of the savage and the

romantic.

The

we

question, however,

will

leave our readers to decide for themselves.

It

was between ten and eleven o'clock on

the morning of the 28th of February, 1812,

that

a gentleman presented himself at the

door of Mr. Schmidt, an affluent merchant

Being admitted

of Leipsic.

to

an interview,

he informed Mr. Schmidt that he was from

Hamburgh, where, not

able to his objects,

finding affairs favour-

he had come to see what

could be done in Saxony

himself as

Schmidt's

especially

good

and, describing

recommended

offices,

to

he requested

Mr.
that

gentleman's advice with respect to the most

advantageous

mode

In the course of
lasted

of laying out his money.

this conversation,

upwards of half an hour, Mr. Schmidt

opened his desk, and took from

the

which

amount of one hundred

it

a biU to

dollars,

the visitor begged leave to inspect.

which

Having

220

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

done

he restored

so,

whilst

returning

had taken

it,

deprived of

owner, who,

to the

whence he

to the place

suddenly sank to the ground,

On

consciousness.

recovering

he cried to the stranger to

his senses,

him

it

it

hut the stranger was gone.

When

Mr. Schmidt arose from the

which he did with much

difficulty

head was bleeding profusely

he

chairs standing about in confusion,

desk

assist

open,

and a

showed him that

moment's

bills to

the

floor,

for his

saw the

and

his

examination

amount of

three

thousand dollars were missing.

By

this

time his

cries

had summoned

his aid Vetter, the landlord of the house,

his v^dfe,

to

and

who, having bound up his bleeding

head as well as they could, the unfortunate

man,

to

whom

indignation and despair lent

strength, rushed into the street, and,

his

way

making

to the sheriff's office, there lodged

information against the stranger, giving the

best description

of

him he

could.

Notices

THE MORNING

VISITOR.

221

the

banking-

were immediately sent to

houses in the

city,

of the missing
done,

together with the

bills

was too

it

all

numbers

but, quickly as this

The house

late.

was

of Frege

and Company had already cashed them.

On

learning this, Mr. Schmidt returned

home, took to

some

his bed, and, after

duration, died

an

illness

of

from the consequences of

the w^ounds in his head, which the surgeons

declared had been inflicted with considerable
violence,

and by a blunt instrument.

Before he expired, he reiterated upon oath

the above particulars, adding, that he did not

know how

or

why he had

him

the stranger had struck

seems to have prevailed

had sank

to

nor whether

fallen,

or not.

at the

the ground

An

idea

time that he

immediately

after

taking a pinch of snuff from, the stranger's

box

but this fact was not positively estab-

lished.
visitor

Of

the appearance of this ill-omened

he could give very

except that he believed

years of age.

him

little

description,

to be about forty

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

222

The account given by

the

bankers was,

that between the hours of ten and eleven on

the day in question, a stranger had presented

himself, requesting cash for the

duly received, partly in gold,

As

silver.

as they

far

bills,

which he

and partly in

had observed, he

exhibited no appearance of haste or uneasi-

On

ness whatever.

the contrary, he had not

counted the money and inspected the

only

various coins with great deliberation, but he

had returned some of them, requesting others

With

in their place.

ance, both they

in

dressed,

his appear-

and Vetter, who had seen him

Mr. Schmidt's

well

respect to

office,

agreed that he was

and had much the

air

of

country clergyman.

This scanty information furnished no clue

The mur-

to the discovery of the assassin.

dered

man was

causing
the

much

laid in his

terror

inhabitants

and

after

and excitement amongst

of Leipsic for a time, the

story sank into oblivion,

at least ceased to

grave

and was forgotten, or

be talked of

THE MORNING VISITOR.

year had

elapsed,

223

and the month of

February had come round agam, when one

morning a rumour spread through the

that a fearful miu-der

the person of an
called

Kunhardt.

had been committed on

elderly
It

city

of property

lady

appeared that

Madame

Kunhardt had sent out her maid between

eight

and nine o'clock in the morning

from a house hard by.

fetch a flask of wine

The
five

girl

declared she

had not been absent

on her return, she

minutes, and that,

was met

by a clergyman,

in the entrance-hall

who asked

her

if

she were going out, and

whether she should be long.

she was

now

to

returning

quickly forth at the

She

told

him

whereupon he went

street

door.

The

girl

then ascending to her mistress, heard the old

lady's voice crying,

"

Hanne

on entering the apartment,

Hanne
she

!"

and

discovered

her lying in one corner of the ante-room, with

her head bleeding.
a stranger,

She

told the

who had brought

maid that

her that

letter,

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

224

pointing to one on the floor, had struck her

On

down.

being asked

if

him

she said she had never seen

The

knowledge.

her

before to

with

stained

letter,

examination,

Madame

dressed to
that-

on

proved,

blood,

knew him,

she

to

be

ad-

Kunhardt, and purported

she should give the bearer one thousand

dollars.

was

It

dated

Hohendorf,

24th

January, 1813.

The

walls

and the

floor

were sprinkled

with blood, and from one spot the colouring

of the wainscot seemed to be rubbed

Dr. Kunitz,

house,

said

that, just

maid crying
sized

man,

who

for help,

resided in the

before

he had seen a middle-

and a black

cap, going out at the street door.

as if

it

same

he heard the

in a dark frock-coat

was marked

ofl".

His coat

had been rubbed against

the wall.

Of course
the

more so

suspicion
as the

fell

maid

upon

this stranger;

said that the

same

gentleman had called two days before, and

THE MORNING

225

VISITOR.

inquired for her mistress, but

had gone away

on learning she was engaged with company.

The coachman's

wife also,

low^er part of the house,

him

at

request

his

to the apartments of

She having business

Kunhardt.
herself,

lived in the

had seen the stranger

on that occasion, and

directed

who

had followed him up

Madame
that

it

down

stairs

was a mistake, and went

Hanne

whereon the

to let in the baker,

stranger turned

way
Just,

stairs.

however, as they reached the door,

opened

had

again, saying

it

straight out of the

house.

Meantime Madame Kunhardt

the alarm became veiy general

died,

and

people grew

extremely shy of receiving morning visitors

and

persons

several

came forward

laying

claim to the honour of having already been

favoured with the attentions of this mysterious stranger

amongst the

the wife of

rest,

Dr. Kunitz, and a Demoiselle Junius, a lady

of

considerable

VOL.

I.

fortune.

But on both of

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

2126

these occasions circumstances

had been ad-

verse to the success of his object.

Presently a

rumour began

to circulate that

the maid had been heard saying that she

knew who

the assassin was, and that he was

a clergyman

whom

she had often seen whilst

living in her last place, with a certain Dr.

whereon being

called

upon

arrested

but

name

who was

him, she fixed upon a gentleman,

immediately

to

on being

con-

fronted with him, neither she nor any of the

witnesses recognised

morning

visits

him

had

as the person

become

so

whose

notorious.

This mistake, however, directed attention to

another

clergyman,

who was

in

the habit

of frequenting her late master's house

Dr.

remembered that a

called Tinius,

night

preceding

Kunhardt
in the
after

had

slept at his

the

murder

and

friend of his,

house on the
of

Madame

had gone out about eight o'clock

morning; and had returned

at

nine,

having read the newspapers, and bought

THE MORNING
a book of a person

227

VISITOR.

named Rau, which he

brought in with him.

was

Dr. Tinius

man on whom no

shadow of suspicion had

ever

rested.

He

was minister of Posenna, an eloquent and

far-famed

other things, of his

of

an

preacher;

amongst

author,

own biography

man

deep learning; and one of the greatest

book

collectors

contained

not

Germany.

in

than

less

His

sixty

library

thousand

volumes.
Nevertheless, strange as the thing seemed,
suspicion

attached itself to Dr. Tinius; but

in so delicate a matter,

of so eminent a
caution was

ventured

to

maid Hanne
pened

to

felt to

where the reputation

man was

concerned, great

be requisite.

accuse

him,

to Posenna.

Before they

they carried
Tinius,

who hap-

be just stepping out of his house,

turned pale at the sight of her.

clared he

the

She

de-

was the man, and he was forth-

with arrested, and carried to prison.

Q 2

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

228

Nothing could equal the surprise of the

nor their

citizens of Leipsic at this discovery,

when

horror

further investigations brought to

attempted

other

niany

light

pesides the successful

When we

say

assassinations,

one of Mr. Schmidt.

brought to

we mean

light,

broduced a universal persuasion that

the,

till

now, respected Dr. Tinius was the criminal

for to this day, although so

many

years have

elapsed since these events occurred, they are

shrouded in an impenetrable mystery; and

Dr.

Tinius

still

lives,

residing

at

a place

Nor does

called Zeitz,

under

surveillance.

there appear

much

reason to hope that the

secret will
fession,
it

be cleared up by a death-bed con-

old age having hitherto brought with

no appearance of remorse.

At

the end of the

graded from his

first

clerical

year,

office,

he was dea ceremony

which appears to have been conducted with

great solemnity, and given over to the civil

power

after

which, by his talent and ob-

THE MORNING

the investigation or

stinacy,

229

VISITOR.

was spun

trial

out nine years more.

The

success with which

Germany seem

many

criminals in

to elude conviction, frustrate

the law, and thus prolong their

own

lives,

forms a very remarkable feature in the

cri-

minal records of the country, and appears to

indicate

something extremely defective in the

judicial process:

in short, the

difficulty

of

obtaining a conviction seems quite extraordinary

trials

and we find numerous instances of

extending to ten or more years, where

no shadow of doubt could

exist

as to the

guilt of the parties arraigned.

Neither,

reasonable

as regarded Dr. Tinius, has

motive

for

commonly suggested

is

extraordinary

these

assassinations been discovered

the one most

that which romance

has attributed to Eugene

Aram

namely, an

inordinate desire to purchase books.

believe

him

to

any

Others

have been actuated by a diabo-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

230

hatred to mankind, more especially to

lical

the prosperous portion of

He had had

it.

two wives, neither of

lived happily with

him

whom

and there were not

wanting persons who declared that he had

always inspired them

repugnance
heard of

with

an inexplicable

but this feeling had never been

after tiie crime.

till

Dr. Tinius endeavoured to prove an alihiy

but with very indifferent

goes

far

nature

to

Madame

the

one

it

he

house

had

of a

presented

like

to

Kunhardt, and addressed to various

opulent people in the

city,

evidently intended

same atrocious purpose.

for the

and

establish his guilt, that several

to

were found in his

letters

success;

hammer,

with the handle shortened, so as to be conveniently carried in the pocket,

covered

on

and

Madame

flicted

it

was

also dis-

was thought that the wounds

Kunhardt's head had been in-

with such an instrument.

THE MORNING VISITOR.

231

But amongst the most extraordinan"

tures in

he wrote

friends

his

to

generally clerg}-men

and

numerous

the

are

tliis affair,

was

them

and swear the

that,

men,

in prison,

the investigation was pending

coolly requesting

letters

respectable

whilst he

letters,

destroy

to hide this,

other,

which,

whilst

they furnish the strongest proof of his

betray

the

at

absence of

men

These

either

the

moral perceptions on

all

or else a con\iction

part,

able

same time

fea-

guilt,

entire

his o^ti

that these honour-

were in that condition themselves.

lettei-s

referred to certain mattei-s con-

nected with the murder of Mr. Schmidt, as

well as that of
It

appeared that the

that he
to
It

Madame

Kunhardt.

tirst

intimation he had

was suspected, was from a

Posenna by some

letter

sent

friend, dated February-

7.

informed him of the maid-servant's de-

position;

and

at the

were these words

bottom

Deleatur

of

et igni

the page

tradatur

232

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

a piece of advice which, strangely enough, he

neglected to follow.

The murder
be the

to

first

street of a

the

bold enterprise

first

it

cer-

in broad daylight, in a frequented

populous

self into the

money with

so

introduce him-

city, to

of an affluent and well-

office

known merchant, and

his

not

doubtless,

And

attempted.

was

successful crime of this bold

though,

assassin;

tainly

of Mr. Schmidt was supposed

rob

much

him

of his

life

and

adroitness, that the

people in the house heard no disturbance

and with so much

self-possession, that

he was

able immediately afterwards to present himself

banking-house,

at

demand cash
the

for

money and

the stolen

select his

of deliberation and

would have been

cion,

had any

He

and

not

only

bills,

coolly

but count

coin with a degree

repose

of

sufficient to

manner

that

disarm suspi-

existed.

does not appear, however, to have been

233

THE MORNING VISITOR.

qiiite so

much

at his ease after the

Madame

Kunhardt.

had been

less favourable

his object, he

maid Hanne,

Circumstances
;

and

to

whom

he spoke

's.

in the hall,
;

She

as did also
said

when he returned home that morning

was ashy white, and

for

when he

that

his face

his step unsteady

and

entered the parlour, he stood

some minutes with

his hand,

shook, resting on the Bible.

marked the same symptoms of

table whilst

The

had been disappointed.

cook at Dr.

that

there

booty were

if

asserted that he looked very pale

the

murder of

which visibly

She had

re-

agitation at

he laughed and joked, and exerted

himself to appear cheerful and disengaged;

and although, during his

several examinations,

the system of obstinate denial he had adopted

was never shaken, yet there were moments

wherein he betrayed an irrepressible confusion,

which he endeavoured
a violent

fit

to

mask by pretending

of yawning.

Whilst in confinement, he occupied himself

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

234

chiefly in writing

and corresponding with

his

acquaintance.

When

surveillance, his

former congregation, disliking

him amongst them,

to receive

sum

sufficient

he was released under

to provide

subscribed a

him with

a domicile

elsewhere.

He

described as a middle-sized man, of

is

complexion, and black hair, which he

pale

wore combed straight down on each

He

his head.

cloak

was generally wrapt in a blue

and thus he went about paying these

fearful

side of

morning

with

visits,

his

hammer

snuff-box and deadly

mysterious

in his pocket,

biding his opportunity.

The

remarkable

following

was

passage

found in his autobiography, written previous

the

to

narrated
"

The

occurrence

of

the

events

above

fact

that

it

is

not customary to

publish the histories and motives of living

persons,

having

is

sufficient

omitted

to

to

treat

exonerate
openly

on

me

for

these

235

THE MORNING VISITOR.

The

subjects.

for

picture

The

posterity.

which

now

paint

is

colours will remain un-

Many men's

faded, and the drawing correct.

thoughts have been laid open to me, and their

words and deeds have pronounced judgment

upon them

where the
all

that

patience,

is

longer or shorter,

we

hid in darkness be brought to

I

being so

my

wait

justification

own, that

in

accustomed to calumny,

me

has ceased to affect

it

since I observe that

their

it

secrets of all hearts shall be revealed,

Meantime,

light.

that

and, be

one day stand before the great Judge,

shall

and

it is

my

not

especially

honour, but

my enemies injure.

To

suffer

for righteousness' sake is pleasing in the eyes

of

God and man.

that

is

I will hold fast the truth

in Jesus, fight the battles of

unto the death, and rest

my

promise of the dying saint

shall the

Lord

fight for thee.'

hopes on the
*

"

my God

So,

my

son,

III.

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

in the

West

of England,

nameless,

there

dwelt two

In a certain town

which
maiden

be

shall

ladies of the

possessing

small

name

of Smith; each

independence,

each re-

siding, with a single maid- servant, in a small

house, the drawing-room floor of which was

whenever lodgers could be found

each

hovering somewhere about the age of

fifty,

let,

and each hating the other with a

and implacable enmity.

The

origin

restless

of this

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

238

names

aversion was the similarity of their

was Miss

each

the

Cecilia,

called

C. Smith,

cumstance which

Charlotte

other

gave

one being

the

cir-

such innu-

to

rise

merable mistakes and misunderstandings, as

were

sufficient to

constant
Letters,

were

of

state

maintain these ladies in a

irritability

and

mis-sent,

person,

affairs

of one to the other;

thus

aversion had long

delicacy

like

exposing the

ago

of

on

either

house;

found

and

if

their

they

even

were

when

side,

all

or other delicacies

way

not

the

unfre-

wrong

the

to

letter,

for

mistake,

without

remorse,

excuse

appropriated

any

Presents,

unaccompanied by a

which took away

their

as

was used without

from the neighbouring gentry,

quently

private

and

mutual annoyance.

vegetables,

fruit,

the

extinguished every-

information so acquired
scruple to their

bills,

opened by

wrong

too,

warfare.

messages, invitations, parcels,

daily

thing

and

appropriating

party

felt

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

absolute

and

her;

from

the

took in vexing each

they

delight

from

not

this

but

rapacity,

or

greediness

was

that the article

confident in her heart

not intended for

239

othei*.

must

It

be

admitted,

also,

that

this

enmity was occasionally played

well-known

upon by the

com-

frolic-loving part of the

munity, both high and low;

over

so that

and above the genuine mistakes, which were

of

themselves

poor ladies

some

then

quite

hot

in

water,

hoax

little

upon

practised

enough

them,

to

every

was

got

such

as

keep the

now and
up

and

fictitious

love-letters,

anonymous communications, and

so

It

forth.

as they

and

as

were not answerable for their names,

they were

similarity

complain
other,

might have been imagined,

one

having

of this

that they

mutual

freak

as

sufferers

by

much

right

of fortune

might have entered

compact of forbearance,

as

the
to

the

into a

which would have

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

240

been equally advantageous to either party

but their naturally acrimonious dispositions
prevented

and each continued as angry

this,

with the other as she could have been

if

she had had a sole and indefeasible right to

Smith, and her

the appellation of 0.

had usurped

it

we must

much

annoyance

in a pure spirit of

To

and opposition.

observe

be quite just, however,

Miss

that

the worse of the two

management Miss

rival

Charlotte

Cecilia

was

by judicious

might

have

been tamed, but the malice of Miss Cecilia

was altogether inexorable.

By
little

the passing of the

Reform

town wherein dwelt these

Bill,

the

belligerent

powers received a very considerable accession

of

importance

it

was

borough, and had a whole

itself,

cation,

elevated
live

into

member

to

which, with infinite pride and

it

extracted

sent to parliament,

from him

all

and loaded him with

after

manner of
all

manner

gratifi-

having
pledges,

of

in-

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

structlons

under

himself
stance

to

as

how

he

every

241

should

conduct

conceivable

circum-

not to mention a variety of biUs for

the improvement of the roads and markets,

the erection of a town-hall,

and the reform

of the systems of watching, paving, light&c.,

little

town of

and

the important

ing,

consequential

short time previous to the

an

event

which

first election

was anticipated by the

most vivid

inhabitants with the

interest

one of the candidates, a country gentleman

who

resided

lodging
his

in

some twenty miles

took a

and came there with

the town,

and family,

wife

off,

order,

in

by a

courtesy and a few entertainments,

little

to

win

the hearts of the electors and their friends

and his

first

move was

vitations for a tea

in

due time, when

completed,

was

to

and

send

card party,

the

be

to

out

which,

preparations

followed by

in-

were
ball.

There was but one milliner and dressmaker

VOL.

I.

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

242

of any consideration in the town of

and

may be imagined

it

that

on so splendid

an occasion her services were in great request

so

much

so, that

in the matter of head-

found that

dresses, she not only

it

would be

impossible, in so short a period, to

commands

fulfil

of her customers, but also that

she had neither the material nor the

give

the

them

satisfaction.

settled that she should

was,

It

skill to

therefore,

send off an order to a

house in Exeter, which was the county town,

for a cargo of caps, toquets, turbans, &c.,

and

for all ages

faces

fit

" such as were not

disposed of to be returned ;" and the ladies

consented

wait,

to

with

the best

patience

they could, for this interesting consignment,

which was

to

without

arrive,

fail,

on

Wednesday, Thursday being the day

for the party.

Wednesday
boxes

message

But the

for

the

Miss

fixed

coach arrived on

without

night

however,

last

the

the

expected

coachman brought
Gibbs,

the

milliner,

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

243

assuring her that they would be there the

next morning without

Accordingly,

when

through the

rattled

which was about

was

that

boxes

three of

up

first

little

Exeter coach
of

street

out

head

the

for

them

large

enough

deal

whole town.

Then

to contain caps

was

there

bonnets and shawls

a rush
;

and

young and

in a few minutes troops of ladies,

were seen hurrying towards the market-

place,

in

the freight was to be

in

anxiously

stairs for their

old,

and, sure enough, there they were

for the

the

half-past eleven, every

interested

looking

seen

fail.

where dwelt Miss Gibbs

pursuit of

artificial

flowers,

and such-like adornments

search of a

Amongst

young

gold bands,

the

more mature order of

the

elderly

in

decoration.

the candidates for finery, nobody

was more eager than the two Miss Smiths

and they had reason

to be so, not only be-

cause they had neither of them anything at

all

fit

to

be worn at

Mrs Hanaway's
R 2

party,

a;

244

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

which was in a

style

much above

the enter-

tainments they were usually invited

because

also

they

turbans, and each

might carry

off

both

was

the

this

feeling,

wore

invariably

afraid that the other

identical

might be most desirable

by

but

to,

turban

that

Urged

for herself.

so alert were they, that they

were each standing at their several windows

when

the

coach passed, with their bonnets

and cloaks
the plate!

actually

on

determined

ready

to reach

to

for

start

Miss Gibbs's

in time to

witness the opening of the boxes.

But " who

shall control his fate ?"

Miss
she

Cecilia

was stepping

Just as

off her threshold,

was accosted by a very gentlemanly-

looking person, who, taking off his hat, with

an

air really irresistible,

begged

to

know

if

had " the honour of seeing Miss Smith"

he

question which was of course answered in

the affirmative.
" I
I

was

was not quite sure," said

right, for I

he, "

whether

had forgotten the number

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

but I thought

it

was

sixty,"

245

and he looked

at

the figures on the door.

" This is sixty,

sir,"

adding to herself, " I

Miss CeciHa

said

wonder

teen he was sent to," for at

was

if it

number

six-

sixteen

Miss Charlotte.

lived

" I

was informed, madam," pursued the

gentleman, "that

could be accommodated

with apartments here

had a

that you

first

floor to let."

"

That

is

quite

true,

Cecilia, delighted to let

replied

sir,"

Miss

her rooms, which had

been some time vacant, and doubly gratified

when

the

Bath,

bears the

replied

and

" I

come from

and was recommended by a fiiend

of yours,

" I

added,

stranger

indeed probably a relation, as she

same name

Miss

know Miss Joanna

Miss Cecilia

I'll

Joanna Smith."
very

" pray, walk

well,

up

show you the apartments

(For," thought she,

out of the house

"I must

till

not

let

sir,"

stairs,

directly.

him go

he has taken them, for

246
fear

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

he should find out his mistake.)

nice rooms,

and comfortable
in front

everything clean

a pretty view of the canal

you'll get

a peep,

Then

window.

step to this
;

see

just between the baker's and the

shoemaker's;

lively

you

sir,

Very

it's

sir,

if

you

uncommonly

Plymouth coaches, up

the Exeter and

and down,

rattling

indeed

night too, for the matter of that.

all

A beautiM

little

through

it

to be

opened

less

stranger,

sensible of

it

all

as he

it

look

not

for I never allow the

altogether, there can't

it is."

must be owned, seemed

these advantages than he

ought to have been

the apartments

sir

certainly does

be a pleasanter situation than

The

too,

but there's no dust

the least in the world

windows

day long, and

bed-room, back,

Yes, as you observe,

over a brick-kiln

all

however, he engaged

was but

for a short time,

had come there about some business

connected with the election

and

as

Miss

Joanna had so particularly recommended him

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

to the lodging,

he did not hke to disoblige

So the bargain was struck

her.

247

maid

the

received orders to provision the garrison with

bread,

butter,

sugar,

tea,

whilst

&c.,

gentleman returned to the inn

Boots with his
"

You

were

the

despatch

to

portmanteau and carpet-bag.

only just in time, sir," ob-

served Miss Cecilia, as they descended the

stairs, " for I

expected a gentleman to

who

twelve o'clock to-day,

am

call at

sure would

have taken the lodgings."

"

should be sorry to stand in his way,"

responded the stranger,

been

who would

an opportunity of back-

at all sorry for

" Perhaps

ing out of the bargain.

better let

not have

him have them

you had

I can easily get

accommodated elsewhere."
"

Oh

dear, no, sir

dear

me

do such a thing for the world

who had

I wouldn't

!"

exclaimed

only thrown out this

Miss

Cecilia,

little

inuendo by way of binding her lodger

to his bargain, lest,

on discovering

his mis-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

248
take, he

annul

the

that

was

it

thmk himself

should

was Miss Charlotte's

Miss
do,

Cecilia,

Joanna of Bath

!Miss

first

cousin, and, hating

she was in duty bound to

would rather have sent her a dose of

She had

than a lodger, any day.

arsenic

used

as

to

For well she knew

agreement.
a mistake

liherty

at

ever}^

precaution to avoid the accident

that had happened, by \M'iting

" Miss Charlotte Smith, No.

opposite

the

but the thoughtless

of the

danger

in

1 6,

on

High

linendraper's

Street,

shop;''

never dreaming

traveller,

which he stood,

lost

memory,

card, and, trusting to his

card,

fell

the
into

the snare.

Miss Cecilia had been so engrossed by her

anxiety to

hook

this

fish

her rival

before

could have a chance of thro^sing out a bait

for him, that, for a time, she actually forgot

Miss Gibbs and the turban

but

her point was gained, and she

her man, her former care

now

felt

rewed

that

sure of

with

all its

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

force,

and she hurried along the

249
street to-

wards the market-place, in a fever of ^ipre-

^oidd be

hension lest she

matter certainly looked

ill ;

for,

breathless at the door, she

self-satisfied

faces

amongst the

rest,

lotte's

issuing

The

too late.

as she anived

saw groups of
fi:om

and,

it,

the obnoiious l^ss Char-

physic^nomy appeared, looking mare

pleased than anybody.

" Odious creature !" tbooght Miss Cecilia;

''

as if she supposed that

world could

make her

any turban in the

look tolenihle !"

Miss Charlotte did suppose

oTer, she

it;

and, more-

had just secured the Ycry

turban that, of

all

But

the turbans that

identical

ei^er

were

made, was most like^ to aoocnnplish this

desideratum

^at

least so

Poor Miss Cecilia !

she opined.

Up

bouncing into Miss Gibbs's

strewed with finery.

stairs
little

she rushed,

room,

"Wdl, Mks

now

GSbbs,

I hope you hare something that will suit

mer

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

250

" Dear me,

" what* a

mem," responded Miss

you did not come a

pity

sooner.

The

just gone

Mrs. Gosling

see

them

;"

which they

them

two

She stood aghast

shall

Miss

Cecilia.

The turbans were

respectable turbans indeed

eager

very

but, to her disap-

desires,

worthy of Mahomet the

Grand Sultana,

you

and presented

deposited,

w^ere

and

of the beau-

she opened the boxes in

and

to the grieved eye of

pointed

are

took one, and Miss

they are, indeed

here

little

we had

only two turbans

Charlotte Smith the other

tifullest

Gibbs,

they

appeared

Prophet,

the

or

or any other body, mortal or

immortal, that has ever been reputed to wear

turbans.
tion she
it

And
had

this

lost

by an accident,

had thought

it

consummation of

lost just

that,

by a neck

perfec-

missed

however gratifying she

at the time, she

now

felt

was

but an inadequate compensation for her present

disappointment.

remedy.

Miss

Gibbs

But

there

w^as

had nothing

fit

no
to

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

make

turban

besides,

of;

would have scorned to appear

251

Miss
in

Cecilia

any turban

when

that Miss Gibbs could have compiled,

her rival was to be adorned with a construction of

No

such superhuman excellence.

the only consolation she had was to scold Miss

Gibbs for not having kept the turbans

had seen them, and

greater

number of

for not

turbans.

till

she

having sent for a

To which

gations Miss Gibbs could only answer

objur"

That

when

she had been extremely sorry, indeed,

she saw the ladies were bent upon having the

turbans, as she had ordered two entirely with

a view to Miss Cecilia's accommodation

and,

moreover, that she was never more surprised

in her life than

when Mrs. GosHng

desired

one of them might be sent to her, because

Mrs.

Gosling never wore

turbans

and

if

Miss Gibbs had only foreseen that she would

have pounced upon
Gibbs, would

have

never have seen

.

it

it

in that way, she.

taken

care

Miss

she should

at all," &c., &c., &c.,

all

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

252

of which the reader

may

believe, if he or she

choose.

As

Miss

for

was implacable,

Cecilia, she

and she flounced out of

through the

to

streets,

the

her

own

temper of mind that rendered

far as the peace of the

and

house,

it

town of

door, in a

fortunate, as

was

concerned, that no accident brought her in

contact with Miss Charlotte on the way.

As soon
threw

as she got into her parlour, she

off her

bonnet and shawl, and plunging

into her arm-chair, she tried to

mind

sufficiently to

and

dilemma,
conduct

take a calm view of the

determine

pursue

to

compose her

on what

whether

to

line

of

send an

excuse to Mrs. Hanaway, or whether to go to

the

party

one of

in

her old head-dresses.

To lose

Either alternative was insupportable.

the party

the

game

at loo, the distinction of

being seen in such good society

provoking
suppose

besides,

she

it

was too

very likely people would

had not

been invited;

Miss

253

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

she had no doubt, would try to

Charlotte,

make them

believe

Bat

so.

then,

on the

other hand, to wear one of her old turbans

were
on an

was so mortifying
so unfashionable

they

so very shabby,

occasion, too,

everybody would be so well-dressed

was aggravating

Oh,

it

vexatious, in the extreme

She passed the day

cud of sweet and

when

in reflection

chewing

bitter fancies

the

recalling to

herself

how

well she looked in the turban

for she

had

tried

on

it

figuring what

would

have been Miss Charlotte's mortification

she had been the disappointed person

if

how

triumphantly she, Miss Cecilia, would have

marched
her head

into

how

have looked
tion

by

the

room with

crest-fallen

the turban on

the other would

and then she varied her occupa-

resuscitating

all

her

old

turbans,

buried in antique band-boxes deep in dust,

and trying whether

it

were possible, out of

their united materials, to concoct one of the

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

254

But

present fashionable shape and dimensions.

the thing was impracticable

was composed of crimson

hel-s

the

satin

new turban

and gold

lace,

of pieces of muslin and gauze.

When

the

whether the

mind

is

subject

much

very
of

rapidity

flies

and Miss

be

contemplation

pleasant or unpleasant, time

ceivable

engrossed,

with inconCecilia

was

roused from her meditations by hearing the

clock in the passage strike four, warning her

that

it

was necessary

to

come

to

some

decision,

as the hour fixed for the party, according to

the primitive customs of

past seven,

when

was

half-

the knell of the clock was

followed by a single knock at the door, and

the next

moment

room with
cal

of

what do you think the

?

identi-

crimson and gold turban in her hand

"

it

her maid walked into the

What

a beauty !" cried Susan, turning

round, that she might get a complete view

it

in

all its

phases.

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

"

Was

Miss

255

Sue ?" inquired

there any message,

gasping with agitation, for her

Cecilia,

heart was in her throat.

"

Gibbs's girl just

have come
places to
''

answered

ma'am,"

No,

" Yes,

it

she

" Miss

she said

but

earlier,

go

And

left

Sue

it

should

had so many

to."

she's gone,

Susan ?"

she,

is

ma'am, she went

directly

she said

she hadn't got half through yet."

" Very

Susan,

well,

remember, I'm not

and

if

at

you may go

home

if

anybody

and
calls

any message comes here from Miss

Gibbs,

you'll

don't expect
"

Very

"

And

gone

I'm

me home

well,

till

out,

and you

very late."

ma'am."

I say,

make any
say you

say

Susan,

if

they send here to

inquires about that turban, you'll

know nothing about

it,

and send

them away."
"

Very

well,

down she dived

ma'am,"

said

Susan,

to the regions below.

and

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

256

Instead of four o'clock,

Miss

wish

Cecilia

it

how

ardently did

were seven

for

the

danger of the next three hours was immi-

Well she understood how the turban

nent.

had got there

but

the

it

chance

was a mistake of the

was great

girl

before

that,

seven o'clock arrived, Miss Charlotte would

take fright at not receiving her head-dress,

and would send

when

to

Miss Gibbs

to

demand

it,

the whole thing would be found out.

However, no message came

when

at five o'clock,

the milk-boy rang. Miss Cecilia thought

she should have fainted; but that was the

only alarm.
at

At

began

to dress,

and

seven she stood before her glass in

full

array,

She

with the turban on her head.

thought
indeed,

six she

she
she

had

never

looked

was sure she had

so

well

not.

magnitude of the thing gave her an

air,

The
and

indeed a feeling of dignity and importance

that she had never been

The

sensible of before.

gold lace looked brilliant even bv the

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

light of her single tallow candle
it

257

what would

do in a well-illumined drawing-room

the

colour

was

strikingly

her

hair

exactly

suited

Miss

of dark

frontlet

and

becoming,

we

Cecilia,

must here observe, was quite grey

wore a

then

but she

and a

curls,

little

black silk skull-cap, fitted close to her head,

which kept

and tight under the

neat

all

turban.

She had not

thought

it

go

to

far

nevertheless, she

would be as well

to

once, for fear of accidents, even

way

lingered on the

every

moment

the

she called to Susan

set

off

at

though she

to fiU

up the time,

for

danger

augmented

so

to bring her cloak,

and

her calash, and her overalls, and being well

packed up by the admiring Sue,

clared

the

the turban

beautifuUest

started

I.

" without

however,

but to

make

de-

exception

thin^ she ever saw,"

determined,

the direct way,

VOL.

was

who

she

not to take
a little circuit
s

258

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

by a back

street, lest,

fall

foul of the

" Susan,"

by

ill

enemy.

said she,

pausing as she was

stepping off the threshold, "

you'll say I

if

anybody

calls,

have been gone to Mrs. Hana-

way's some time

and, Susan, just put a pin

keep

in this calash to

my

she should

luck,

it

back,

eyes so that I can't see."

over

falls

it

And Susan

pinned a fold in the calash, and away went

the triumphant Miss Cecilia.

She did not

wish to be guilty of the vulgarity of arriving

first at
it

the party

so she lingered about

wanted a quarter

knocked

at

to eight,

till

and then she

Mrs. Hanaway's door, which a

smart footman immediately opened, and, with

the alertness for which

many

of his order are

remarkable, proceeded to disengage the lady

from her external coverings

overalls, the calash

the

cloak,

the

and then, without giving

her time to breathe, he rushed up the stairs,

calling

out,

" Miss

Cecilia

Smith

;"

whilst

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

who

the butler,

threw

door,
cilia

it

Smith;"

reader

little

think,

259

stood at the drawing-room

open, reiterating,

"Miss Ce-

and in she went.

But,

do you think, and

little

did she

where the turban was that she ima-

gined to be upon her head, and under the

supposed shadow of which she walked into

the

room with

placence.

It

the floor,

wench
in

them both

With

was below

dignity and

his

cruel

haste,

on

which Susan,

to

had pinned

com-

in the haU, lying

fast in the calash,

ill-starred

footman,

much

so

it

and the

had dragged

off together.

only

some under-trappings on her

cranium, and altogether unconscious of her

calamity,

smihng and bowing, Miss

Cecilia

advanced towards her host and hostess, who

received her in

the

most gracious manner,

thinking, certainly, that her taste in a headdress was peculiar,

and that she was about

the most extraordinary figure they had ever

beheld,

but

supposing

that

such was the

s 2

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

260

fashion she chose to adopt

the less

asto-

nished or inclined to suspect the truth, from

having heard a good deal of the

of the two spinsters of

rest

company,

of the

made was
tomed

inexnlicable

her

see

to

eccentricities

But

to the

appearance

the

they had been accus-

and oddly

dressed,

ill

dressed, but such a flight as this they

not prepared

for.

had gone mad

be accident

Some

somehow

were

so,

must

but even

the joke was an excellent one,

and nobody cared enough for her

their

amusement by

Miss

Cecilia,

setting

blessed

in

anxiously

which gave her a

full

to sacrifice

her right.

So

delusion,

tri-

her

umphant and happy, took her

whist table,

it

or other she had

forgotten to put on her head-dress

if it

were

whispered that she

others suspected that

that

she

selecting

place at the

position

view of the door, in

order that she might have the indescribable

satisfaction of seeing the expression

Charlotte's countenance

of Miss

when she entered the

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

room

that

she came

if

is,

261

the prohabilit}^

was, that mortification would keep her away.

Miss

Charlotte had

But no such thing

too

much

for her turban, because

tience

told her, that,

send out,

it

late before she

six arrived, she

impatient, and despatched her

The maid

things

maid

got

it

became
to fetch

returned, with " Miss Gibbs's

and the

respects,

Miss Gibbs

having many things to

might be

but when half-past

it.

field

She had waited with pa-

manner.

in that

had

be beaten out of the

to

spirit

girl

was

she would be

Charlotte's before she

out with the

still

sure

to call at

At

came back."

Miss
half-

past seven there was another message, to say

that the

time

turban had not arrived

had

the girl

her,

But

was

irreparable

that her

it

by this

done her errands,

Miss Gibbs, on questioning

the truth.

was too

Susan

late

and

discovered

the mischief

averring, with tinith,

mistress had gone to

Mrs. Hana-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

262

way's party some time, with the turban on

her head.

We

will not

lotte's feelings

vour.

attempt to paint Miss Char-

that would be a vain endea-

Rage took

of her

possession

her attire was already complete,

head-dress, for which she

soul;

but the

all

was waiting.

She

selected the best turban she had, threw

on

her cloak and calash, and in a condition of

mind bordering upon

frenzy, she rushed forth,

determined, be the consequences what they

might, to claim her turban, and expose Miss

Cecilia's

dishonourable

conduct

before

the

whole company.

By
way's

door,

intervened,

owing
it

to

all

Hana-

the delays that had

was nearly

the company had

butler

arrived at Mrs.

the time she

arrived

half-past
;

eight;

and whilst the

and footmen were carrying up the

refreshments, one of the female servants of

the establishment

had come

into

the

hall.

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

and was endeavouring
sort of order

and

263

introduce

to

classification

some

amongst the

mass of external coverings that had been

thrown

hastily

by the

off

ladies; so,

when

Miss Charlotte knocked, she opened the door

and

let

her

and proceeded to

in,

relieve her

of her wraps.
" I

suppose

I'm very

dropping

Charlotte,

a moment's

rest,

her boots

for she

haste,

into

whilst the

late,"

said

Miss

to

seize

chair

woman drew

off

was out of breath with

and heated with

fury.

" I beheve everybody's come, ma'am," said

the

woman.

" I

should have

since," proceeded

been here

some time

Miss Charlotte, " but the

most

shameftd trick has been played

about

my

believe

myWhy

declare

me

really

" and she bent forward and picked

up the turban

the identical turban, which,

disturbed by the maid-servant's manoeuvres,

264

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

was lying upon the

floor,

attacked

still

to

the calash by Sukey's unlucky pin.

Was

there ever such a triumph ?

as lightning, the old turban

new one

on, the

and a proud

step

oif

and the

maid with bursting

assisting in the operation

light

was

Quick

sides

and then, with a

up walked

heart,

Miss Charlotte, and was ushered into

the

drawing-room.

As

the door opened, the eyes of the rivals

Miss

met.

disappointment

and

has got a turban too

got

it

?"

and

were those of

feelings

Cecilia's

surprise.

How

But

was vexed

she

Miss

It

slow to

the stoiy

tell

it

as

Charlotte

may be supposed

ecstasies.

Then she

could she have

triumph was not so complete

expected.

"

that

her

she had

was

in

she was not

soon flew round the

room, and the whole party were thrown into

convulsions of laughter.

was not

in the secret

Miss Cecilia alone

and

as she

was sue-

THE TWO MISS SMITHS.

cessful

and therefore

cards,

at

265

in

good hu-

mour, she added to their mirth, by saying

that she

was glad

everybody so merry,

to see

and by assuring Mrs. Hanaway, when she

took her leave, that
she had ever seen in
" I

am

really

it

was the gayest party

ashamed," said Mrs. Hana-

way, " at allowing the poor

my company

the jest of

woman

to

be

but I was afraid to

teU her the cause of our laughter, from the

apprehension

of

what

might

have

fol-

lowed."
"

And

it

said her

must be admitted,"

husband, " that she well deserves the mor"

tification

that awaits her

when

she discovers

the truth."

Poor Miss Cecilia did discover the truth,

She parted

and never was herself again.

with
a

her

relation

broken;

house,
at

and

Bristol

and, after

went

to

but her

live

with

spirit

was

going through

all

the

266

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

stages of a discontented old age

peevishness,
existence,

and

fatuity

she

ill

temper,

closed

her

as usual with persons of her class,

unloved and unlamented.

IV.

THE TILE-BURNER AND HIS FAMILY.

In the
lived

near

of last century,

early part

there

the town of Pont de TAin,

in

the South of France, a brick and tile-burner,

named Joseph

Vallet.

Joseph was an in-

dustrious man, skilful in his profession,

his bricks

the

and

tiles

neighbourhood.

and

were in great request in

No man

does well in

life

without exciting the envy and the enmity

of

mean-spirited

persons

about him,

Joseph was not exempted from the

and

common

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

268
fate.

He

these

was M.

had a few

and among

evil-wishers,

who had no

Frillet,

other

reason for hating Vallet than that he was a

rival

in

commanded

bricks

Vallet's

trade.

This

of Frillet might have been of

quence

however,

possessed,

hostility

conse-

little

He

circumstances.

ordinary

in

tiles

a better market than those of

and that was enough.

Frillet,

and

the

power

as

well

as

the inclination to torment his rival; being

the king's Attorney-General for the

a function which rendered

enemy

to a poor

Some

him

district,

a dangerous

man.

time in

1705,

peasant

named

Dupler, a neighbour of Vallet's, died in what

were alleged to be suspicious circumstances.

He

had been seen

intoxicated in the
it

was

led

said,

to

rumour

his

one

night

company of

somewhat

Vallet,

who,

had given him a blow, which

illness

How

and death.

arose no one could teU

this

but having

become pubhc, the Attorney-General made

THE TILE-BURNER.

269

He

rigorous investigation into the subject.

however, to criminate Vallet in the

failed,

affair;

and

finally

it

appeared that Dupler

had died a natural death.

nothing

suffered

in

Vallet fortunately

from

character

this

attempt to injure him; nobody doubted his

He

innocence.

and had a family,

married,

and his trade flourished as

before.

Nineteen years had elapsed, and the story

of Dupler had

been long forgotten,

when

Joseph Sevos and Antoine Pin, two persons

character

of loose

disappeared,

evening

previous
a

after

of

state

without
the

their

question

them

ha\dng

seen

19,

17*24

the

in

They were nowhere

and when a week elapsed

making
arose,

their

appearance,

what had become of

After some inquiry,

had gone
he

habits,

been

February

inebriety.

be found

to

and intemperate

to

it

was found that Pin

Dombes and

had often threatened

enlisted
to

do.

a thing

But

ot

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

270

Sevos there were no

more

This was the

traces.

seeing he was

strange,

in

good

cir-

and was the possessor of

cumstances,

Some thought Pin must

small property.

have made away with his companion; but

combated

others

pression that

if

he would have

this

under the im-

idea,

Pin had committed murder,

fled

no one knew whither,

instead of enlisting as a soldier.

While public
to discover

curiosity

with

burner.

It

stretch

what had become of Sevos, a

rumour was propagated

right

was on the

the

family

was

discomposed, as

that

all

of Vallet

was not
the

said they were very

if

tile-

much

conscious of having com-

The

mitted a grievous crime.

rapidly through the country,

report spread

and the Attorney-

General, Frillet, lost no time in inquiring into

the facts.

The

result

of his investigations

was, that on the 19 th of August,

filed

an information

Sunday

evening,

1724, he

to the effect that,

the

i9th

of

"

On

February,

THE TILE-BURNER.
Joseph Sevos,

after eating

had

house,

Vallet's

271

and drinking in

suddenly

disappeared,

and has never since been heard

further, according

been

murdered

to

general belief, he had

the

in

That

of.

buried under the stove

and

house,

tiler's

but that afterwards

the body had been raised, and

consumed

in

the kiln."

Upon

commenced by
I'Ain,

the authorities

Pont

at

The

and witnesses summoned.

was

person

man

by

noise,
"

Help

and
!

Forgive

me

Joseph

will

once,

this

a voice,

VaUet's,

more confessing

confess

three

a great

the words,

eveiy tiling

and spare

my

!"
life

which he knew to be

answered,
;

he was

about

when he heard

distinguished

clearly

help

Whereupon

house,

Vallet's

He

19 th of

February, having been to Mastalion,

hours before daylight,

de
first

Vaudan.

called

on the night of the

averred that,

returning

were

information proceedings

this

"We

you must

die

want
1"

no

This

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

272

of dialogue continuing some time,

sort

witness became alarmed

hear the end of

it,

but,

the

anxious

to

he hid himself behind a

bush, whence he distinctly heard the blows

that were given

however,

became

all

afterwards the

and

still

door of the

two sons, came

the

to

heaping

buried,

order

place

call

to

He

it.

but,

cluded that

on Vallet

see if

wife

brick-kiln,

and

at

and

wood

added, that

four days afterwards he

pretext to
in

house opened,

a quantity of

over the spot to conceal

or

and presently

bearing a dead body,

out,

which they carried

three

Suddenly,

accompanied by his

Vallet,

there

the victim.

to

made

the brick-kiln,

he could recognise the

from what he observed, he conthe

body had been removed;

and he had since learned that the murdered

person was Joseph Sevos

and that on Good

Friday the Vallets had consumed the body in

the furnace.

There were several other witnesses exa-

273

THE TILE-BURNER.
mined ; but on
had

they

received

circumstances

aggravated

the

presumption

the

ap-

was decreed, and executed with

their arrest
all

from

against the Vallets, that

strong

so

appeared that

it

information

their

However,

Vaudan.
peared

close inquiry,

that

so

justify.

brigade of mounted police, followed by a

mob

of the lowest class, proceeded to the

tile-

hooting

and

unnatural

burner's

seemed

crime

house,

to

amidst

and,

howling, dragged away the whole family to

Pont de

I'Ain,

happened that

It

He was

ill.

and shut them up in

at this

suffering

accompanied by ague

was placed

in

loaded with irons

time Vallet was

from a violent

and

fever,

Nevertheless, he

fits.

dungeon,

miserable

prison.

wife

his

and

and sons

were exposed to equally harsh and unjustifiable

his

treatment.

house

With

was given up

authorities neither took

goods nor
VOL. L

not

set a seal

less

to

injustice,

pillage

the

an inventoiy of his

For eleven

upon them.
T

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

274

days the doors stood open, and the neighbours, quite willing to second the law, helped

themselves
twelfth,

to

what they

On

liked.

the

occurred to the Attorney-General

it

that the premises should be searched for the

clothes of the

murdered man; but by

was useless to search

time

it

The

chests were broken open;

&c.

linen,

away,

carried

sister,

owned

to

for anything.

the clothes,

and doubtless the

clothes of Sevos with them.

let's

this

Francisca, Val-

having removed two

bundles of her brother's property, in order to

them from the plunderers

save

but

she

declared that nothing belonging to Sevos or

any other stranger was in them.

however, forced to produce them

She was,
and though

nothing was found in them but what she had

said,

she was cast in the costs of the pro-

ceedings

against

herself,

and fined twelve

livres.

Whilst these things were going on, there

was a party who looked on the whole

affair

THE TILE-BURNER.
with dissatisfaction.

275

They ventured

to

ex-

press doubts of the guilt of the Vallets, and

protested against treating

severity;

them with

whilst Antoine

so

much

who was

Pin,

as-

suredly not free from suspicion, was allowed

to

matter got so public, that

it

At

range the world at pleasure.

was talked of

at

subject for the salons

it

last

the

reached Paris;

Court, and furnished a

;

and as the

fine ladies

and gentlemen became curious to learn the

truth of the business, orders were forwarded

Dombes

to

him

to arrest

forthwith to Pont de I'Ain.

No

sooner did the fugitive find himself in

he volunteered a

prison, than

He

Antoine Pin, and send

said that

full confession.

nobody knew better than he the

particulars of poor Sevos's

murder

and that

he was resolved, be the consequences what

they might, that he would disclose the whole
truth.

"
said

On
he,

the evening of the 19 th of February,"

" I

and Sevos were drinking

T 2

in

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

276

Vallet's house,

when Sevos took

it

into his

head, being drunk, to reproach Vallet with

being the cause of Dupler's death; whereupon, in a rage, Vallet took up a heavy tin
can that stood upon the table, and struck

Sevos

such

that he
*

backwards

fell

Mercy, mercy

spare
talk

blow on the head with

my life
to me of

Take

But

!'

to the earth, crying,

all

!'

boy, joined

the

in

money, but

Even

fire

Don't

shovel, also

Philippe, the eldest

murderous work;

amongst them, they soon put an end

Joseph Sevos

'

continued to strike

him, whilst his wife, with a

lent her assistance.

my

Vallet saying,

mercy

young

it,

and

to poor

Pierre the while stand-

ing sentinel at the door to keep off intruders.

Vallet,

when he saw

wanted

me

to

that he had killed Sevos,

strike

him

too,"

continued

Pin, " lest I should be a witness against

but

would

they carried

not.

him

When

to the kiln,

him

Sevos was dead,

and there buried

him, covering the place with a heap of wood

THE TILE-BURNER.

277

and on Good Friday they dug up the body

and burned
day

it.

I called

know

this,

because on that

the kiln, and not only smelt

at

the burning, but saw the burat bones in the

me

Vallet told

fiimace.

that if ever I said

word about the matter, he would serve me

had served Sevos;

as he

time,

but,

at

the

same

must own he behaved very hand-

somely to

me

the

in

silence liberally

business,

papng my

both with wine and money."

This testimony chimed in wonderfully with

that of

Vaudan

and although the dead body

was not forthcoming, that circumstance had

little

when

weight,

well accounted

confirmed

by

its

disappearance was so

for,

and when the story was

the

utter

impossibility

of

finding any traces of Joseph Sevos as a living

person.

The

denying

the

themselves
defence

on

Vallets,

whole
innocent,

two

however, persisted in
affair

and

they

declared

founded

circumstances.

The

their
first

was, that, as they asserted, on the day after

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

278

the disappearance of Sevos, blood was found

upon

in his bed,

and

on

the

tion

floor

of

on the bedclothes,

his

room,

proving

that he had been murdered in his

decisively

own

his pillow,

house, and affording a strong presump-

Antoine

that

The second

Pin was the murderer.

was, that on the night in question

Pierre Vallet, who, according to the evidence

admitted, had been

so useful

a coadjutor in

the business, had in fact been absent from

home,

having

slept

at

the

house

of

his

schoolmaster at Poncin, in the same bed with

two other boys.

Strange to say, the authorities refused to
investigate

On

truth

the

of these

allegations.

the contrary, they maintained that, being

accused by two

person

of the

crime,

the

strongest suspicion attached to Joseph Vallet,

and that

his guilt

was rather aggravated than

otherwise by his attempt to

from
Pin

his

an

own

shift

the load

shoulders to those of Antoine

attempt in which he had entirely

279

THE TILE-BURNER.

and the Attorney-General holding,

failed;

therefore,

the

demanded

that

crime

proved

fession should

request,

rack

whilst

con-

be wrung from the mother

and sons by the

Pont de

father,

him,

should

death

of

sentence

be passed against the

against

The jurisdiction

rack.

I'Ain, instead of

complying with his

condemned the whole family

whereupon

of

Frillet,

dissatisfied

to the

with a

decision which gave the tile-burner a chance

for

his

life,

appealed to the parliament or

high court of Dijon;

who

forthwith issued

an order transferring the prisoners

own

fortress;

whither they

to their

were removed,

followed by the hootings and execrations of

the excited multitude.

It

was soon perceived that the

authorities

of Dijon meant to treat the matter with more

earnestness

and impartiality than those of

Pont de I'Ain had done.

They began by

admitting the guilt of VaUet and his family,

which they considered established beyond a

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

280

but they looked upon Antoine Pin as

doubt

in

probability equally guilty,

all

to be treated as a criminal,

and therefore

and not

had been hitherto the

ness, as

as a wit-

They

case.

alleged, in support of this opinion, his

character,

his

suspicious

his

flight,

bad

avowed

presence at the murder, which he not only

made no attempt

and they

concealed;

conditions he had

regiment

at

had since

to prevent, but
also

dwelt on certain

made when he

Dombes,

all

entered the

tending to his

security in case of being pursued.

own

In hopes

of eliciting the truth, he was put to the rack

but the torture he endured did not

testimony

cumstance

him

it

alter his

only recalled one additional

namely,

that

cir-

had given

Vallet

a louis-d'or to entice Sevos to his house

on the day in question.

The
decided
less,

fate of the Vallet family

;

and

their case

was the more hope-

that by this last avowal Pin

himself under the

arm

seemed now

had brought

of the law

but now,

281

THE TILE-BURNER.

when

expected,

least

pressible witness,

No

that

conscience,

awoke and spoke

sooner had he returned to his

for

irre-

them.

cell,

than

the thoughts of destroying a whole family by

He

perjury overpowered him.

his

night

of

morning dawned,
person

qualified

might be sent

to

and when the

anguish,

sleepless

he
to

requested
receive

One

him.

passed a

his

that

some

confession

of the barristers

engaged in the cause was immediately despatched

made

the

to

the following narration

He

confessed

series of crimes,

he had

fallen

that his

and that

life

had been

at length, in

1722,

and, without

being

recog-

by the boy, had robbed him of

nised

money and

upon young Philippe Vallet on

high road,

the

and Antoine Pin

prison,

clothes.

his

Sevos, however, hidden

behind a bush, had witnessed the crime, and

had frequently reminded him that he had

in

his

any

power

to bring

day he pleased.

him

to

it

the scaffold

He had shown

no

LIGHT AND DARKNESS,

282

an intention to do

signs of

it,

theless the threat disturbed Pin,

but never-

and he never

ceased wishing to get rid of so troublesome

an acquaintance.

On

the 19th February, they had gone to-

gether to Vallet's house, where they drank

and chatted

for

liked idling

and drinking as well as he did

they

repaired

some

various

to

Sevos, he said,

time.

wine-houses after

leaving Vallet's, in the last of which they sat

till

state of

There

past midnight.

of his pocket,

dollars

money

was, that, in a

maudlin intoxication, Sevos pulled

bag out

forty

it

to

in

Pin,

silver,

containing about

and

exhibited

who was immediately

the

seized

with a desire to get possession of the booty,

and

at the

same time

gerous witness,

who might

some day when he

this view,

dan-

turn against him

least expected

it.

With

he accompanied Sevos home, and

when they got

that

relieve himself of a

to the

door, he represented

although they had drunk a great

deal,

THE TILE-BURNER.

283

they had had nothing to eat, and proposed

getting something for supper.

he was hungry too

whereupon Pin went

whom

the house of Michel Morel,

up, and from

whom

he carried back

way

to

Sevos said

he knocked

he procured a
Sevos's,

to

loaf,

which

having on the

own

slipped into the house of his

father,

and armed himself with a hatchet, which he

hid under his coat.

Meanwhile Sevos, overcome by

lost

sight

of his

liquor,

had

hunger, and declared

his

intention of going immediately to sleep, re-

questing Pin to pass the night with him, to

which the

latter

consented

and just

as the

unfortunate host was stepping into bed, Pin,

who was

standing behind him, brought

down

the hatchet with tremendous force upon his

head.

" O,

God

I'm

killed !"

only words that passed the

before he sunk to
blood.

lips of

were the
the victim,

the earth, bathed in his

" After rifling his pockets, I carried the

284

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

body on

my

back to the stable," continued

he, " where

covered

with manure

it

and

then feehng that Bresse w^as no safe nest for

me,
a

started for

He

soldier."

quitted

" This

as

added,

before

he

is

the

efface

that,

said

and the

much

his crime.

of

traces

"

he,

and the

had neither aiders nor abet-

no one living was in

without

tried,

the truth,"

whole truth.
tors

enlisted

the house, he
to

effect,

Dombes, and

my

Vallets, father, mother,

confidence

and sons, are

innocent of the whole affair."

On

being asked why,

if this

were the

case,

he had persisted in accusing the Vallets, he

answered that

was
he

arrested

his

was

had changed

Vaudan, the

first

first

to

intention

when he

confess the truth,

mind;

his

adding,

but
that

witness against the Vallets,

was a good-for-nothing scoundrel, on whose

testimony
placed

no

and

reliance

that,

if

whatever

could

be

they secured him, they

THE TILE-BURNER.

285

would learn what weighty reasons he had

for

giving false evidence.

As Pin

persisted

in

this

without

story,

waiting to investigate the matter further, he

was

once condemned, on his

at

admitted
the

the justice

only request he

mitted

to

see the

confes-

He

be broken on the wheel.

to

sion,

own

of his sentence

made

fully

and

was, to be per-

Vallets before

he

died

which being granted, he threw himself

their feet,

reiterating

assertions of their

his

He

innocence, and entreating their pardon.

seemed

and, great as were

really penitent;

desire he evinced in

his crimes,

the earnest

the midst

of his tortures

to

vindicate

and promote the ends of

guiltless

won him

at

the pardon and pity

the

justice,

even of the

injured Vallets.

Thus
dead,

died Antoine Pin

the authorities

and when he

w^as

bethought themselves

of searching the stable for the body, and of

verifying his story by ascertaining

what

traces

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

286

of the crime had been found about the house

by those who

first

entered

it

appearance of Joseph Sevos.

after

the dis-

But with

re-

spect to the house, the bed

was gone, the

place had been scoured, and

nobody seemed

able or willing to give any accurate account

of what had been observed.

Then with

gard to the body, which Pin said

re-

he had

hidden in the stable under a heap of manure,

there was not only no body, but not a single

bone

to

justify

be found, nor

any appearance to

the suspicion that a body had ever

been there.

Here was a puzzle

was

silenced for ever,

the

mystery?
:

Vaudan.
"

tell

confront

knowing what

He

to unravel

whom

but as Pin was gone,

did not choose to

to

and who was

Perhaps Vaudan,

had arraigned

nobody

But Antoine Pin

else

if

he
he

the truth, there was

him.
to

persisted in

do,

However, not
they

arrested

what he had

said

what he had heard he had heard ;" and

his

THE TILE-BURNER.
evidence was true to a

28?

He

tittle.

his

felt it

duty to confess to the judge that his character

was not unstained; he had once

committed a dishonest

and a
ness

from

filly

of this

his favour.

court

was

act

The ingenuous-

needless avowal told

Well-nigh

at length

Pont de

at its

On

it

much

wits' end,

induced to

I'Ain.

oxen

stolen three

his master.

records of the whole case, as

at

in his Hfe

call

the

for the

had been

looking

in

tried

over the

papers, they found such strange informalities,

so

many unaccountable

erasures,

and so many

equally unaccountable interpolations, that the

affair

took quite a

new turn

nobody had yet dared

shrewdly suspected
ney-General,

his reputation as

ensued;

began

to be

that the Attor-

had been playing a part in

as

mth

and the

and that which

to suggest,

namely,

Frillet,

the drama, which

little

comported with

his office.

result

justification of the Vallet

scrutiny

was, the complete

family.

Not

had every witness against them been

only

either

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

288

themselves deceived,

deceivers, or

but

the

evidences in their favour had been kept back

or suppressed.
satisfactorily

even came out, and was

It

proved, that distinct traces of

the murder had been found in Sevos's

several persons

and that
facts
so,

had sworn

before FriUet himself.

room
to the

Nay, not only

but even traces of blood were stiU dis-

tinctly

on the

visible

and the very

floor;

instrument with which Antoine Pin said he

had committed the murder was discovered

in

the house.

Considering
cials

how

very inexpert these

appear to have been in extricating truth

from falsehood,

it

is

fortunate

that

seems to have been something in the

their

offi-

there
air

of

dungeons that disposed people to con-

No

fession.

Vaudan

sooner did

find himself

alone in prison, than he declared his intention

of clearing up the whole

that his testimony
to

end

adding,

was

afl'air.

false

He avowed

from beginning

that the officer

who sum-

THE TILE-BURNER.

moned him
wait

as a witness,

289

had desired him

upon the Attorney- General

to

as soon as the

examination was over, and relate to him

all

that had passed.

The Parliament

of Dijon, who,

when they

had got a criminal, seem to have proceeded

with uncompromising diligence,
passing

in

sentence

no time

lost

on Vaudan, who was

forthwith conducted to the scaffold, and died

The

asserting the innocence of the Vallets.

real

motive of

this case

this injudicious haste,

and many others rendered the

covery of truth so

No

the prisons.

difficult,

sooner were they satisfied

make room

quently

dis-

was the fulness of

of a man's guilt, than they put

way, to

which in

him out

for the next

comer

of the
;

fre-

thereby not only committing great

injustice,

but

depriving themselves of the

most important testimony.

Vaudan was executed on

ber,

and on the

l"2th

the 5th of Octo-

an order was issued

placing another prisoner on the rack.

was a man

called

Maurice,

VOL. L

This

who had made

himself exceedingly busy in the whole

in the case of

for

affair,

Sevos as well as of Dupler, and

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

290

whom

on

had

suspicion

The moment Maurice

he avowed himself a

felt

at

length rested.

the thumb-screws,

false witness,

of the Attorney- General,

in the

who was

pay

the origi-

nator of the whole cabal against the Vallets.

He

had desired him

Dupler.

Maurice

first resisted,

to

revive the story of

declared that

he had

at

but that the threats and promises

He

of Frillet had at length prevailed.

added

that the Attorney- General had two assistants

in the affair

called Mallet,

namely, Torrillon, and a forester

who had

traordinary trouble

given themselves ex-

to bring

such wit-

in

nesses as suited the great man's purpose.

On

the 13th, the day after he had

this confession,

he

made

Maurice was executed; and

also died maintaining the innocence of the

Vallets.

They had now put

three persons out of

the world on account of this affair

the murder, and two for perjury.

was the greatest criminal of

was the Attorney- General

suborner,

all ?

Frillet?

one for

But where

Where
He, the

the wors than murderer, the per-

secutor of the innocent, the betrayer of his

THE TILE-BURNER.
and

office

was

at

291

his oath, the ten times guilty

large,

'

going to and fro upon the

and walking up and down on

earth,

his great prototype

VaUets

And where

They were

he

still

like

it,*

were the

in prison

Three

persons had died declaring their innocence;

every witness against them had
of perjury or delusion

victed

circumstance
could

any

in

remained

been con-

not a single

uncontradicted

way connect them with the

deaths of either Dupler or Sevos

was

tification

umphant

that

indisputable,

their jus-

and

clear,

tri-

the whole accusation was proved

to be the fruits of a cabal,

envy and malice

at

the offspring of

least,

if

were not,

it

what had Vaudan and Maurice died for?

And

yet,

at large,

on the 13th of October,

and the Vallets were

Frillet

was

in prison

However, they were at length restored to

liberty,

with

recompense

500

of

(about 20), which Maurice had been

to

pay as an expiation

at

the

measures were taken for arresting

his

two

abettors,

francs

made

same time
Frillet

and

Torrillon and the forester

but the Attorney-General was

too well in-

u 2

292

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

formed of what was going on

He

be taken.

self to

found refuge in a

him-

to allow

Savoy, and

into

fled

where the arm of

cloister,

the law could not reach him.

the meantime the

In
Vallets

was destroyed.

of the

prosperity

Their

had

healths

been injured, their money had gone to the

had been plundered, and

lawyers, their house

everything belonging
bare

had

walls,

knocked

to

to

either

pieces.

except

old

It

was

man had
up-hill

and in time

best,

the

disappeared or been

The

begin the world again.

but he did his

them,

to

work

partially

recovered his former position.

Several years had thus elapsed, and the

VaUets had fought through

their difficulties,

when one

the

day,

youngest son, being on business

At

first

came

it

town

was a phantom of the

but on a nearer approach, he be-

satisfied that the

was no other than

had caused

at a

the

who? why, Joseph Sevos

he thought

imagination

Pierre,

of

he was walking through

called Boiu-g, met, as

the market-place

worst

so

person he looked upon

he,

much

whose disappearance
trouble.

Perceiving

293

THE TILE-BURNER.

himself to be recognised, Sevos attempted to

the crowd

escape in
followed,

but Pierre promptly

and had the

satisfaction of seizing

and bringing him before

whom

of

he demanded that both himself and

man

the resuscitated

should be held in cus-

the mystery could be investigated.

tody

till

The

reserve

and equivocations with which

Sevos sought to

suggesting a

baffle inquiry,

was not altogether inno-

suspicion that he

cent

magistrate,

he was accordingly removed to Dijon

was not

he was

thi'eat-

ened with the rack that the truth was

elicited

but even there,

it

till

from him.

"On
he,

"

the

Antoine Pin and

drinking
closed,
I

19th of February, 1724," said

was about

him

together to
to

sleep.

a violent blow

was.

not

stir

my

for a day's

However,

house, where

when

upon the head.

again,

all

undressed, and

to step into bed,

ground, exclaiming that

I did

went out

and when the wine-houses were

we went

invited

was

received

I fell

killed

to the

and

as

no doubt Pin thought I

was only stunned.

He

294

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

then

rifled

my

pockets, in which I had about

the stable,

and covered

There

and listened

away

I lay

then

me

and afterwards dragged

forty dollars,

me

manure.

with
I

till

went back

to

heard Pin go

and

to the house,

fastening the door, I stanched the blood that

my

flowed from

head as well as

could with

In the morning I bound

old rags.

and bethought

me what

should

it

up,

but

do

the fear of Antoine so entirely overcame me,

that I durst not leave the house,

open the door

and

for

nor even

two whole days and

nights I sat there, listening for his return,

which

momentarily expected.

However,

he came no more; and on the third

tured, before the day

out

and

had well broken,

ven-

to slip

managed, without being seen by

anybody, to reach the Attorney- General's, and

to

him

related

listened to

some

my

who

story with attention, and, after

consideration, he advised

the place.
will

stick

out you are

He

what had happened.

Pin,'

at

alive,

said

nothing

he

will

he,
;

'

and

me
is

if

to

quit

a villain,

he finds

never stop

till

he

THE TILE-BURNER.
Take my

has completed his work.

and leave

this as

295
advice,

your legs can carry

fast as

you, and the farther you go the better.'

Sevos was a timid and weak

man

"
to be

The

once murdered he thought was enough.

advice of so influential a person as Frillet,

who must

one

case so well,

necessarily

was not

and never stopped

fled,

self far

dent

understand

till

at

He

he thought him-

out of the reach of his enemy.

had

the

be neglected.

to

Acci-

brought him to

length

the

market of Bourg, where Pierre Vallet met

him.

The agreement between

this story

and that

of Antoine Pin, was sufficient to insure

acceptance

as

as

far

it

went; but

it

its

was

generally believed that Joseph Sevos, timid as

he was, had been influenced by something

more than
and

fear to

abandon

his little property.

his native

empty-handed recommendation was not

to have induced a
exile for

place

The Attorney-Generars

man

to

likely

condemn himself

such a length of time.

whether from the apprehesion of

to

However,
sufl^ering the

legal penalty, as a party in the plot, or

from

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

296

the dread of the great man's vengeance, Sevos

could not be brought to any further confes-

On

sion.

this occasion the

rack was spared,

the desire for a further revelation not being

sufficiently
ties to

strong on the part of the authori-

induce them to have recourse to

As soon

news of Sevos's reappear-

as the

ance reached

it.

Frillet,

he quitted his sanctuary,

and loudly arraigned the Parliament of Dijon,

not only for their proceedings against himself,

but also for having broken Antoine Pin upon

the wheel for the murder of a

man who was

proved never to have been murdered

In spite of

and

at

all.

however, they arrested him,

this,

instituted investigations,

which led

to the

conviction of several other persons as parties

in the conspiracy of

contriver
rently

turning

telling

how

far the

juncture,

was appa-

there

had he

loosed,

most

was no

evidence

against

so

Frillet,

and

not, just at

unexpectedly died

Nevertheless,

to death,

tide

tongue of Joseph Sevos

prison.

demned

him,

against

might have been

this

which he had been the

and now that the

strong
that

was

he was

his property

in

the

con-

mulcted to

THE TILE-BURNER.
amount of 8,000

the

li\Tes, for

297
the benefit of

the Vallet family.

Great was the joy of the people at this

decision

Nine hours had the Parliament of

Dijon sat before they could agree upon the

The whole town had been

sentence.

commotion

for days

and

for the execution of a

himself
feeling

all

seemed anxious

man who had

such an oppressor.

was doomed

in

proved

This vengeful

The

to be disappointed.

sentence of death against Frillet was com-

muted by the
years.

He

Kmg

into

banishment for ten

received the intimation with an

affectation of pious gratitude;

to

for he

seems

have been as great a hypocrite as a sinner.

But

it

was the

will of

God, whose justice and

mercy he had outraged, that he should not

profit

by the corruption that had spared his

life.

On

the day appointed for his quitting

the prison, that

life

was required of him by a

Judge incorruptible.

He

expired suddenly as

they were throwing open the gates to set

free.

His coadjutors

him

in crime suffered various

degrees of punishment, and the injured Vallets

received the 8,000 Hvres.

298
Perhaps

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

a

more

extraordinary

record, nor one that exhibits a

picture of the effrontery with

case

of

is

not on

more

frightful

criminal jurisprudence than this

which the strong

dared to oppress the weak, or of the carelessness, precipitance,

and contempt

for the

most

ordinary principles of justice with which, at

one period, the judicial proceedings of France

were conducted.

THE BRIDE'S JOURNEY.

CHAPTER

I.

In the year 1809, when the French were

in

M.

Prussia,

commissariat

an

Louison,

department

in the

officer

of

the

imperial

army, contracted an attachment for the beautiful

Adelaide Hext, the daughter of a re-

spectable

but not wealthy merchant.

The

young Frenchman having contrived to make

his

attachment known,

reciprocated by
dently, for the
father,

who

its

it

object;

was imprudently

we

say impru-

French were detested by her

declared that no daughter of his

should ever be

allied to

and occupants of

one of the invaders

his beloved coimtry.

Thus

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

300
repulsed,

M. Louison had

to press his suit,

where he was
suitable

to his

the good sense not

and proceeded

to

Vienna,

installed in a lucrative office

wishes and

Here,

abilities.

however, he could not altogether relinquish

the expectation of being one day married to

the

fair

Adelaide Hext, with

whom

he con-

tinued to correspond.

After the lapse of a few months, the aspect

Hext

of affairs underwent a material change.

lay, as

he supposed, and as the doctors told

him, on his deathbed, and, pondering on the

probable destitution of his family, he repented
of his rash vow, and stated to Adelaide that

he should no longer oppose her wishes.

M.

Louison, procuring leave of absence for a few

spot, and, with as

days,

was speedily on the

little

loss of time as possible,

was united

to

the daughter of the seemingly dying merchant.

As, in such circumstances,

have been cruel for

Madame

it

would

Louison to leave

the bedside of her aged parent,

ranged that she should remain

till

it

was

ar-

the period

of his decease, and then join her husband,

who, in the meanwhile, was

compelled to

THE bride's journey.

The

return to Vienna.

old

301

man, however,

recovered as soon as his son-in-law departed,

and he now almost wished the marriage were

undone; but

as that

with as good a grace

was impracticable,

he,

saw

his

as

possible,

daughter set out on her journey to Dresden,

whence she was

M. de Monge,

to be escorted to

a friend of her husband.

Nothing occurred
of

Madame

Vienna by

to interrupt the journey

Louison,

for

the

intermediate

country was tranquil, and she had the happiness of arriving safely under the roof of her

This person, who held a

husband's friend.
situation of trust

under the Prussian Govern-

ment, connected with the establishments for

popular education, was one of those
act

conscientiously

until they encounter

to

error.

in

an

who

aU situations of
irresistible

life,

temptation

Such was the present

Overcome with the beauty of

\^ill

his

occasion.

unsuspi-

cious guest, he basely attempted to divert her

affections

from her husband, and Adelaide

had not been many hours

she

ardently

wished

in his house, before

she

had encountered

alone the perils of her journey rather than

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

302
accept

the protection

His

assumed a character that alarmed

attentions
her,

De Monge.

of

and when he found himself repulsed, he

sought by calumny to undermine her confidence in the

man

she had married.

But

she repelled his insinuations with scorn, for-

bade him her presence, and insisted on being

allowed to depart alone
to

threats,

declaring

then he had recourse

that he

would accuse

her to her husband of the very crime he

vainly sued her to commit,

menaces no more

till

finding his

efiicacious than his suppli-

he condescended to other means of

cations,

detaining her under his roof, beginning by

feigning repentance, and an earnest desire to

conform
"

to her washes in all respects.

You

refuse to travel with

me," said he

" and I feel that you are justified in so doing.

I

will

not attempt to accompany you, but

you must forgive

me

for

However

secure.
that, in

many

of great

counter

saying I cannot

The

permit you to go alone.

quiet

we

roads are not

are here, I

know

parts, the country is in a state

disturbance,
difficulties

and

you might en-

and dangers of a nature

THE bride's journey.

you

little

and

Wait but

anticipate!

303
a few days

engage to find you a

will

and

safe

suitable escort."

Alarmed by the representation of these

unknown

Madame

perils,

her

defer

to

departure,

Louison consented
whilst

De Monge

abstained from

any open demonstration of

the

he had previously evinced.

sentiments

But she discerned the

constraint he put

upon

himself; he could not recover her confidence,

and her situation became

more unpleasant.

Under

daily

more and

these painful

cir-

cumstances Adelaide was detained upwards of

a

month under

had

De Monge, whose

an invalid confined to her cham-

wife, being
ber,

the roof of

no

suspicion

treachery, whilst

Madame

of

her

husband's

Louison was de-

terred both by delicacy

and compassion from

acquainting

what

But

her

with

at length the

senting

itself,

had occurred.

promised escort not pre-

and wearied out with anxiety

and expectation, she determined

alone, without

making known her

to

set

out

intentions;

a resolution to which she was pushed by the

alarming circumstance of finding the frag-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

304
ment of
ing,

a letter in her husband's handwrit-

which had evidently been addressed

herself

under cover to

to

De Monge, and by

him suppressed.

Whether

or not her host

became aware of

her resolution, remains uncertain

day,

when her arrangements were

pleted,

nearly

com-

some hours, he

after

being

absent

the

room

congratulating

entered

but one

her

on

having at length heard of a party about to

start for

Vienna with

whom

she might se-

curely travel.
"

They

are

" called

he,

an

Italian

Mazzuolo.

and his wife," said

He

is

the

steward

and she the housekeeper of the Marchese

Montebello,

him
son,

who has summoned them

in Vienna.

He

to join

seems an agreeable per-

and you could not have met with a

They

better opportunity.
if

del

start

on Tuesday

that will suit you."

Adelaide,

much

relieved, said it

would

suit

her perfectly, and cheered by the prospect of

escaping from her present annoyances and

of soon seeing her husband, she dismissed

her fears and became cheerful and happy.

THE bride's journey.

On

305

the evening preceding the day fixed

De Monge

for her departure,

said to her, " I

have been talking to Mazzuolo about your

me

journey, and he begged

to

warn you not

to be surprized at seeing his wife

attire.

he thinks

Madame

man

only one

might expose you

travelling

as

safer,

it

women and

tion,

male

in

In the present state of the country

to

it

them,

to protect

annoyance."

Louison approved of the precau-

and she bade good-night

hoping

with two

was the

last

to her host

time she should ever

have the pain of seeing him, although at the

same time she had

to

mention

to

some

unless

But

arise.

secretly

anybody what had happened,

necessity for doing

so evident

was

tell

him of her

so

should

his agitation

he took leave of her that she

to

determined never

felt

when

half inclined

resolution, and, indeed,

was

only deterred by the apprehension that he

might put a

false

construction on her for-

bearance and interpret

when

in fact she

it

in his

own

was wholly actuated by the

desire to defend her

husband from the dan-

gers of a quarrel.

VOL.

I.

favour,

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

306
So she

retired to her

she believed, in

as

guilty fears;
his ej'es

room, leaving him,

the agonies

all

for his cheeks

hand he extended

was cold and clammy, and

As

issued from them.

by his

ance of a

He
gle,

Led

side,

two arms

and he had

all

and had arrived

at

fell list-

the appear-

hopeless despair.

had indeed undergone a

fearful strug-

a dreadful climax

and weak

by strong passions

principles,

he had imperilled

not

reputation,

but his position

and

means of

subsistence, for he

only his
his

public, the best

had

to fall

injured.

hand and

for Adelaide

hope that remained

by the sword of the

A prey

terror

to passion

on the

very

was well aware

that the circumstances of the case once

would be

lips

she closed the door

chair, his

man overcome by

astray

to her

white

his

would speak though no sound

as if he

he sank into a
lessly

were deathlike,

were distended with a wild expres-

sion of horror, the

moved

of his

to

made
him

man he

on the one

other, his sentiment

had become a strange mixture

of love and hatred.

He

idolized her beauty,

but he trembled at her power to injure him

THE bride's journey.

and whilst he ardently longed
his arms,

to press her to

he as ardently wished some thunder-

would come

bolt

30

dead at his

to his aid

and

strike her

feet.

Beset by these contending feelings he had

day to day, hoping he

detained her from

knew not what, when one night

theatre he

fell

had formerly been a

courier,

by some acts of dishonesty

of his employers,

had

he had no resource
ling.

He

but

who having

lost the confidence

fallen, step

left

the

at

man who

in with Mazzuolo, a

by

but to live

step,

till

by swind-

had even been suspected of crimes

of a blacker die, but there existing no evi-

dence sufficient to convict him, he was

at

large,

upon the

public.

Now

it

happened that De

Monge, who was bred

to the law,

merly been

by Mazzuolo

difficulties,

knowing

still

pursuing his vocation of preying

consulted

had
in

for-

his

and had had good opportunity of

his

real

character.

He was

well

aware that the hands of the Italian were not

unstained by blood, and that there was no

crime of which he was not capable.

sight of the

means

to

do

evil often

X 2

The

suggests

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

308

thoughts,

evil

and the sight of Mazzuolo

De Monge

suggested to
his

embarrassment.

the

subject

a wicked

way out of

conference

ensued,

was broached with caution

handsome sum was tendered, and

it

was

intimated that the lady's wardrobe contained

Mazzuolo was

articles of considerable value.

He

not slow to comprehend the hint.

it

would

suit

him

said

very well to undertake the

journey, only stipulating that his vnfe dressed

in

male

attire

and a lad he could

The bargain was

should accompany them.

struck and Adelaide naturally

snare

of course

it

rely on,

fell

into

the

was never intended that

she should reach Vienna,

De Monge had
spect of escaping

was not

certainly

from

sufficiently

now

without

pangs of conscience, and even of

pecting

He

pity.

There

was beset by a thousand hor-

a seat of war, wherein a

spirit

dreadful

so young, so beautiful, so unsus-

and a thousand relentings;

rors

was

but he

hardened in guilt to take

such a stride into crime,

she was

a fair pro-

his difficulties

fought

out

their

his

breast

good and

deadly

fight;

evil

but,

309

THE bride's journey.

he had committed himself to Mazzuolo,

Whilst Madame
and the e\dl prevailed.
Louison slept in peace, he passed a painful

alas

and when the morning

of agony;

night

dawned he

retired to his

chamber, having re-

solved to spare himself the horror of seeing

his victim depart.

At an

eai'ly

Adelaide,

hour the carriage

was handed

velling companions,

lisse,

She wore a black

a Chantilly

the same costly material

weather was

a crimson

veil,

trimmed with

profusely

into

it

by

the deference her appear-

all

ance demanded.
bonnet,

and

not before seen her tra-

who had

Mazzuolo, with

arrived,

cold, she

sables, a

and over

velvet

silk pe-

all,

boa of
as the

threw a green velvet

cloak, lined with rich furs.

Mazzuolo and

his wife

augured well of the

contents of her heavy trunks.

As

they drove away from the door, she

felt grateful to

ance.

It

De Monge

was proper,

it

for his non-appear-

was

delicate.

Under

other circumstances, his absence would have

augured a want

of good

breeding;

considering tbe relation in which

but,

they stood>

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

310

commend-

she thought his forbearance highly

able

her spirits rose, she cast her cares be-

and prepared

hind her,

make

to

herself

agreeable to her companions, whose appear-

ance

her

pleased

rather

than

otherwise.

Mazzuolo was a fme-looking, dark man, and

his

extremely

wife

and

pleasing

prepos-

sessing.

The

length of the journey, the dangers

of the road,

and the goodness or badness

of the

they

inns

should

have

to

rest at,

formed the subjects of conversation

first

hour or two.

and

it

stage was very long,

was eleven o'clock before they reached

their first

the

The

relay

young

of horses,

traveller

had much reason

by which time

had decided that she

be satisfied with her

to

escort.

The

taining

he had travelled a great

w^as
lively

full

Italian

of anecdote

and

garrulous,

was

did not prevent his

to

her

in

the

polite

and enterdeal,

and

and being naturally

the

tained of taking away the

able

for the

design he enterlife

of his charge

making himself
meantime.

well-seared conscience, he neither

agree-

With
felt

his

nervous

THE bride's journey.

311

nor saturnine at the prospect of what was

him

before

why

he indeed?

should

for

only part of the prospect he fixed his

the

eye upon was the gain

by means of which

it

the

was

to be acquired,

did not think very seriously of;

did not intend to perform

When

operation

little

it

besides,

he

he

himself.

they stopped to change horses, a

named

lad of about seventeen years of age,

Karl, nephew of Mazzuolo's w^fe,

came

to

the carriage door: he seemed to have been

Mazzuolo spoke to him

waiting for them.

aside

for

some

minutes,

started again, the youth

The

the carriage.

and when they

mounted

Italian said

in front of

he was a lad

they had engaged to look after the luggage,

and be useful on the journey.

one

fact,

who was

work, good or bad.

He

his employers

face

He

was, in

possessed no moral

strength, could be easily led

ful ally.

He

hired to do any piece of

and, in short,

had a broad,

by the

will

of

was a very use-

fair, stolid

German

and, from the glimpse she had of him,

Adelaide thought she had seldom seen a more

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

312

unprepossessing-looking person

his

manners

were coarse and unpolished, and his dress

shabby.

The

first

day's journey

When

enough.

they arrived at their night's

Mazzuolo having handed

station,

bade them

ladies,

passed agreeably

go up

whilst he and Karl

supper,

looked

putting up of the carriage.

Tina, as her husband

the

order
to

the

Agostina, or

commonly

much on having

very

insisted

out

and

stairs

called her,

room

for

Adelaide adjoining her own, alleging as her

reason

that

The

safety.
tion,

they were answerable

for

her

bride thanked her for her cau-

but added, laughingly, that she did not

think she had

much

time before the two

then they sat

down

acting as waiter.

to fear.

men

joined

them

and

the lad Karl

to supper,

As he

was some

It

stood

behind his

aunt's chair, and exactly opposite Adelaide

she observed that his eyes seldom wandered

Rude

from her

face.

seems

have impressed him.

to

as

he was, her beauty

When

supper

was over, being fatigued, she retired to her

THE bride's journey.

room

and then the party that remained

and bidding Karl

closed the door,

and eat
her

313

down

sit

supper, they held a council on

liis

fate.

Mazzuolo opened the conference by mentioning that he had

a hint of

already given the

lad

what was expected of him, and Tina

asked him

he thought he was equal to the

if

know

Karl said he did not

undertaking.

whereupon they encouraged him with promises of a handsome

him

telling

him, and
question

him

done, and where ?

day, or in

if

thing

Whether on

the night

either case, there

the

were

when they
difficulties

by

But the

necessary.

how was

was,

booty,

that they would stand

also

help

share of the

to

be

the road by

In

stopt ?

many

parts

of the road they had to pass were extremely

and

lonely,

fit

for the pui'pose

but then

were they to get rid of the postilion

as they

had a fresh one

was no time
Then,

to

at every stage,

win him

especially as the

rally small.

how

And
there

to their purpose.

at the inns, the obstacles

siderable,

were

also con-

houses were gene-

LIGHT AND DARKNESS.

314

Tina suggested, that whenever the bride

dropt out of the party, she had only to re-

sume her female

attire,

never miss her.

she

the carriage,"

Thus

Louison's.

many

we

as

and the people would

" Karl can take

w^ere

said,

" and

v/e shall
;

but,

and there

they found

any plan
be

to

left

had
the

to

it

after

Madame

will

be no dis-

The

hint

was

an hour's discussion,

impossible to conclude upon

the execution of their projects

chance and opportunity

do was, to be prepared to

first

place in

appear to be as

crepancy with the passport."

approved

my

all

seize

that offered.

END OF VOL. L

LONDON
Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street.

must
they

upon

m:

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA

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