THE DUCHESS AND HER BANKER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1753, 30 January 1888, Page 3

THE DUCHESS AND HER BANKER

A SENSATIONAL STORY. Monsieur Achilla was a wealthy bsnk« m Pari«, but he was not happy. Yeai ago, when he w.io young and not var well off, as far as money went, he hai loved a wonnn She had seen fit. howevei to scorn his aait and marry another, an m the midst of all his w> alth the bank*? conld not forget bis wrong, nor forgiv her. He was not a handsome man, &n< thee was much of the plebeian m hi sallow face, half hidden by bushy blacl whiskora: One morning he was startled by an an nounoement from hfs valet that th< Duchees of Monte fiore was watting to set him m the grand salon, oheel flushed and his heart beat strangely, as h< arranged his toilet carefully to meet hii distinguished visitor. bbe stood feeing him as he entered, Ir m all her regal beauty. What a oontras to him, coarae and ordinary, with au embaraseed manner, unable to meet h* j eye- . She spoke first, ' MoDeienr Aohille, 1 have coma to beg a favor of you — bu pray (it down.' He obeyed her, and they seated themselves opposite each other. 'I have come to aßk $on for money— we know how rich you are. You must know how affairs stand with vs — aur revenues barely support our rank — oar expenses are enormous. The sale of all my jewels will not raise sufficient to pay this debt of honor of my husband ; bat it mast be paid, and paid to-morrow. You, who know everything, must know all this ; and to you ai the richest man m Paris, I oome to reqaect 'he loan— l might almost say the gift — t f fifty thousand loals,' ' Fifty thousand loots, madam ! You ask half of what I possess.' 1 Not so, Monaiear Achilla. One successful speculation will restore it to yoa You will scarcely miss it ; to ma it will be life ; more than life — honor. This, with the sale of my diamonds, will see as barely through.' Monsieur Achllle, was silent for some time j then, with a bitter sneer, ha said, • Try De Weae and Beaoflaur — will not they supply you ? ' 'You are joking — yon know they catnot. Oh ! Monsieur Achllle, have mercy — have mercy ! ' And trie Duohess, sinking on her knees, clasped her hands, and laid them on his feet. * You have had little mercy ! ' And theu there was a panne, At last he orled, ( Yoa love your t usband, madam ? ' ' Better tban life,' wa* the reply. ' Then rise, madam ; seat yourself and listen to me.' That evening, about nine o'olock Monsieur Aobllle, dressed with the utmost elegance, shrouded m a large cloak, voder which be carried a small but heavy paoket, entered his brougham, and drove m the direction of the hotel Montefiore Toe drive was a long one ; so he had lime to rt fleet upon and pander over the events cf the day. She, whom he had so loved — she, who had to spurned, so despised him — the woman he had once !U-d and prayed to, whose laugh o f derision had rune m bis ears so long— she, So worshiped, bo respected, * horn calumny had never reached, who stood m the centre of a profligate Oourfc purer than falling snow — she, to whom all the noblea had s'ghed m vain, reierved at last for him! At the corner of the street m which stood the Hotel Montefiore, hi stopped i(s carriage. He told the coachnun h* *as going on business to the Duke de Montefiore ; and, if the nobleman was xom homo, he should wait until Jie •eturned ; that ha e xpeoJed tho brongbam ;o be at the same spot In t to hours' time, md that, if he waa not there to me6t it he wished his servant to take it home, and le would i earn on fo >t ; «od on no iccoant to mention whe c he had left him, >r to give »ny clue to th.9 prooaediDgs or iegtination of that evening. The coachman obeyed his orders to the letter. Monsieur Achilla reached the Bo .el Montefiore and, pausing at a small ildd entrance into the court, gave a low whistle. The door was immediately opened by a figure co mtifflid that it waa Impossible to distinguish either sex or age. With a silent movement it beckoned bim ko follow ; they crossed the court and reached a small and datk apartment. Fhey paused. 'I have brought it All, most lovely DucheEs. And now ' — he took tenderly ;he extended hand of the figure— the grasp hat met his wes of iron. 1 la It all there V 'AH,' he answered, and this was the ast word he uttered. Monsieur Achilla was missing for two lays, and great excitement prevailed m jonsequence. On tbe third d»y, his body waa found m the river, bo me miles rom the place where his servant stated he had leen him last. His packets were rifled, )ls jewels gone. A ghastly wound m his shest showed how he had died. Bis servants were all atrioily examined > tbe coachman made his statement, a oonseqaence of whioh a visit was nstnntly paid by the commissioners of police to the Hotel Montefiore, the reialt >f whioh visit was that the ccashman was ir rented and tried for the murder and robbery of his master. Want of evidence ed to his acqalttal ; but while m confinement nothing could exceed the kindne.-s jf the Puchfciß towards him, or her liberality after his release. She, so beautiful, so beloved— she was rill tbe tame, as cam, as p oxl, as cold as ever ! Made to rdorn the world, ti her tnat world w»a nothing — over her it had no power ! Among her intimate friends the wae be»rd to Jemant tho death of Monsieur mi the means of depriving her buaband of a large loin which he was to have received on the night oa whio'a the murder was committed, and of whioh it was supposed Monsieur Achilla was robbed while In the aot of bringing it to the Hotel Montefiore. She alao regret' ed having been obliged to part with some of ber splendid, diamonds m order to raise Buffioient to pay her haaband'a debts cf horicr. AU these debts were paid ; and after a time those matchless gems again blfzaa 1 among the pale gold cf her rich hair, and ■panned the snowy circle of her arm ; tbe tressei were ljke sunlight, the arm like Parian marble, the diamonds without price. Mono saw or dreamt of the blood —the blood— that boqnd them round that bright bead, clasped them op that arm, chained them to each other ! Monsieur Achllle waa soon forgotten. The Dake and Duchess of Montefiore lived leng after ; no oloud ever seemed to shade his gay and open brow, or dim the lustre of her glorious boarty. His debts once pi!o\ oo future embarrassments darkened their prospects. One bright path of unbroken prosperlry remained for tba/n ; they died as they lived, honored, respected, admired ; and bequeathed to those around and beneath them the almost singular example of graat rank, unblemished descent, unbounded wealth, { united with- all perfections of mind, character, and oondnot !