THE BRACELETS. A Story of the Second French Empire.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 403, 18 September 1889, Page 6

THE BRACELETS. A Story of the Second French Empire.

It was during the palmiest days of che Empire. Never was Paris so gay ; in fact, it was the fete day of the Emperor, the last flickering blaze of his greatness ere his glory departed for ever. All Paris knew that he would grace the opera that night and add to its usual lustre the glittering pomp and circumstance of power. Accordingly, all that porbion of Paris who had the necessary number of francs went to the opera, and in honour of so great an occasion Mons. Blauvals, the director, was to produce La Prophelc. The overture was oyer ; the Emperor, accompanied by the Empress, radiant in her beauty and glittering with jewels, had just entered the royal box ; his suite, uniformed in every colour of the rainbow, stood grouped in the background. In another moment the bell would tingle, and the opera commence. But in an instant of time, when every sound was heard, the second box to the right of the Empeior was opened, and the curtains were drawn aside and revealed the lovely wife of the Russian Ambassador, Duke Metzkerwitch. Ko wonder that the bell tinkled unheard and the curtain went up unnoticed ; no wonder that every eye was fixed with a fascinated gaze upon the woman who had just taken her seat, and waa calmly and with well-bred nonchalance glancing about the house ; for upon her arms, blazing like beacons, sparkled the diamonds of which Paris had heard so much, and which myalty in vain had so long sought to purchase. A hum of admiration ran through the house, and then, for the first time, the enchanting strains of the chorus were listened to. When the curtain fell upon the first act a servant wearing the imperial livery presented himself at the Russian Ambassador's box, rapped only as an imperial flunkey could wrap, and then entered the box. ' Her Majesty had noticed the bracelets and was dumb with admiration ; would milady be so gracious as to allow the Empress to make a personal examination of one of the bracelets ?' In an instant the fair arm was shorn of its gems, and with a smothered ejaculation of delight the man wearing the imperial livery bowed himself out of the box, bearing the bracelet that a million of francs could not purchase. The curtain fell upon the third act, ascended again on the fourth, the notes of the finale rolled through the house, the curtain fell for the last time, and still, with well-bred politeness, the wife of the Russian Ambassador waited for the return 3f the priceless jewels. The imperial party rose and departed, and yet the bracelet was mot returned. Then the Duke, with a | berrible frown of impatience, rose and ilrove rapidly to the Tuileries and demanded the return of the diamonds. Explanation followed and the Duke was it last convinced that the Empress had lever sent for the bracelet, and the man yearing the imperial livery was one of the laring thieves who infest the Capital. He )ade his coachman drive to the Prefect of Police, and ere daylight a hundred of the shrewdest officers were searching Paris for ihe gems. The Duke, filled with anxiety, ■emained at the office for tidings, while the Duchess restlessly waited the recovery of ler bracelec at home. The great clock had just tolled the hour »f 6, when the bell of the Duke's hotel rang violently, and an officer of the police was ishered into the presence of the Duchess. ' Was the bracelet recovered ?' and would they imprison the scoundrel for the rest of da days V eagerly demanded the Duchess. With a grave bow the officer stated that he thief was taken aud upon his person

was found the bracelet. But the j an d stoutly insisted that he was not a thie ' that the bracelet in his po in hia family for many years, raadame intrust to him the mate to the missing bracelet, that the identity might be complete ? Madame the duchess, without a word, unlocked her casket and placed in the hands of the trusty officer the second bracelet. The officer, with a profound bow, left the apartment, and madame retired once mor8 — this time to sleep and dream of her precioua diamonds. When the bell tolled the hour of nine, the Russian Ambassador, haggard and disordered, entered his wife's apartment and threw himself in despair into a chair. Madame opened her eyes, and, with a smile of delight, asked for the bracelets. ' Satan 1' exclaimed the Duke ; 'we can learn nothing of them.' ' What !' shrieked the madame, have you not recovered it ? The officer who came for the other bracelet said the thief had been taken and the bracelet found !' The Duke, with an exclamation of amazement, sprang to his feet, and in a husky voice besought his wife to explain. In a few words she told him. And then with a groan the Duke dropped into a seat. ' I see it all,' said he ; * the rascals have robbed you of the second bracelet. There was no messenger sent for the bracelet. The man to whom you gave it was no officer, but a bolder thief than he who robbed you first,' And so it proved. The bracelets were never returned, and the Russian Ambassador recalls the fete day of the fallen Emperor with a sigh, for it made him a poorer man by millions of francs than when he handed his charming wife into his carriage and bade his coachman drive to the opera.