A TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1055, 22 April 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

A TRAGEDY.

Ono night, wliilo reckless gambling was going on, the ".ventriloquist." slipped into' the room, " The, Marquis. d'Albano,, dark visaged, extremely elegant, and, in the prime .of his life, was seated at a card table opposite to a quiet young man who had just won all the _ marquis' money.' The , loser, as was his habit on such occasions,'spread out on the table a number oMarge showy emeralds.'aiid ; sapphires and asked tohave'hia revenge, which was granted. From that'iristant luck turned in the sharper's favor; iu2o minutes he had-plundered the young man'of some 40,000 francs, which he heaped up before him amongst his pretended precious,atone3, The young man in '.turn', demanded a rovenge with 'all he had lost, namely, 40,000 francs,, as the stake.. ,A portion of the lady|s guests, crowded'round towatoli'.tlie players. l ;: The "Ventriloquist".pressed into tho front rank, in onfer not to lose a movement of the marquis'hands,'and he distinctly saw him exchange one of the cards he held for another card'which he drew out of his sleeve.- :The marquis was about to play a king when the "ventriloquist" sent forth from his interior the words, vou areaHiiefl" < ■': <■■■' ■'■:■■ ■ ■ This unexpected accusation, interrupting the profound,.silence.caused by.the importance of the game, came down upon them like a thunderbolt. The .young, man rose from fhe table, indignant) angry. ■ Tho marquis, ignorant whence the sound proceeded, and asmuch surprised as his adversary, lost countenance, 'He rose abruptly, leaving two kings' of hearts upon the table',; 'Evidently ono of the players was a cheat' . ■. A shout, of intligaation ; escaped from the]

jbompanyiThe" ventrilooHiisjt "whohad proyoked this salutary: diversion'in' the young man's 'interest prepared to-lay'hands upon jiho. marquis, but he reokohed without the mistress of the Hous'e ahd'the'counsellor,' Th'is latter personage,' who had as much rea-' pon as tlie ; lady to -prevent; his confederate's betting 'into trouble, profitedby.'the' con-' jfusion caused by'a denunciation which seemed to come from another'worldf ; Tho'yO'uhg man had; also threatening nim as 'a' swindler and a thief. 'During tho altercation, tho' counsellor'tcfok,advaiitage : of the moment [when the chairs were 1 being pshed "about'in" the 'Struggle,' With'the Spanish'-"-woman's help 'he 1 extricated'tho duplicate'cards from hisaccomplice's'sleeve and', thrust" thenv into the'other player's ■pocket, ','"" : , [ '■; ■'■■. ;.-■'!; i- '•'!■■;: ■-■■■-';■■■■ The'''! ventriloquist "failed to observe this pianp3uyre.,[ When .the marquis, saved by' [the counsellor, insisted that both.he and his. adversary, should 'be searched, in order'to see |Whioh of the, two jvas, the swindle^'it was [the young'man and the"ventriloquist'' who. ifouiid themselves^''.Hpnoi" After searching the marquis,and'finding'.n'othing wrong, they searched his-dupe, m'.whpse',pbckets were 'found the"duplicate cards,' whioh.'m reality, yonged'to the Greek, i',';.',,',[[, .'.'\ j A general outcry was the consequence. .Tho young man 1 seemed'suffering from a horrible: Siight-mare. As the money he had staked iwas not Ms-own, but was taken from a bank jin which he-was clerk, his condemnation, he knew, was already certain.,! Under the weight ,of so terrible an accusation,.ho did not;hesiitate to condemn himself. ■ Leaving the.room, jin tho ante-chamber ho seized his ,cane, a .sword-stick,. left : there, and : plunged.the jblade into his breast. .Then, dragging him-' jself back,.all bleeding, into the.room, while; [(the marquis,,was pocketing his .dishonest: ! Winnings, the unhappy.viotim. asked of tho, {affrighted guests,."Does a sharper, like that jvillain, dip in this, way?" ■! ..i.-j; : ,.j; , ■;,,„... I He.fell, and expired a few moments after-jWardßr-rrw«.. -, , . ..-. •.,,