Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 September 1891 — THE AMBASSADOR’S DIAMONDS. [ARTICLE]

THE AMBASSADOR’S DIAMONDS.

j It was during the palmiest days of the empire. The overture was over; the emperor accompanied by the empress, radiant in her beauty and glittering with jewels, had just entered the royal box. In another moment the bell would ,tinkle and the opera commence. But in an instant the second box to the right of the emperor was opened, the curtains were drawn aside and revealed the lovely wife of the Russian ambassador,. Duke Metzkerwiteh. I Every eye was fixed with a fascinated gaze upon the wo-"an who had just taken her seat and was with well-bred nonchalance glancing about the house; for upon her arms, biasing like beacons, sparkled the diamonds of which Paris had heard so much and which royalty in vain had long sought to =ourdhase. 1 A hum of admiration ran through the house. When the curtain fell upon the first act, a servant wearing the imperial livery presented himself at the Russian ambassador’s box, rapped as only an imperial flunkey could rap 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.” In an instant the fair arm was shorn of a bracelet, and witha smothered ejaculation of delight the man wearing the imperial livery bowed himself out of the box. The curtain fell upon the third ascended again on the fourth, the notes of the finalct-blled 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 of her priceless jewels. The imperial party rose and departed and yet the bracelet was not returned. Then the duke, with a terrible frown of impatience, rose and drove rapidly to tne Tuileries and demanded the return of the diamonds. Explanations followed, and the duke was at last convinced that the empress had never sent for the bracelet, and that the man wearing the imperial livery was one of the daring thieves who then infested the capital. He bade his coachman to drive to the perfect of police, and ere daylight a hundred of the shrewdest officers were searching Paris for -the gems. The duke filled with anxiety, remained at the office for tidings, while the duchess awaited the recovery of her diamonds at home. The great clock had just toled six, when the bell of the duke’s hotel ! rang, and an officer of the police was j ushered into the presence of the duchess. | “Was the bracelet recovered?"\and ; would they imprison the scoundrel | for the rest of his days?" With a grave bow the officer stated

that the chief was taken and upon his person was found the But the fellow stoutly insisted that he was not the thief, and that the bracelet had been in his Jamily many years. Would madam intrust to him the mate of the missing bracelet, that the indentity 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 more - this time to sleep and to dream of her precious 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! we can learn nothing of them." j “What!” shrieked the madame. have you not recovered it? The officer who came for the other bracelet said the thief had been taken, 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,” §aid he; “the rascals have robbed you of the second bracelet. The man-to whom you gave it was no officer, but a bolder thief than the first.” And so it proved. The bracelets were never returned, and the Russian ambassador recalls the fete day ofthe fallen emperor with a long drawn sigh.