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I forged them myself, as well as all the fine letters of introduction with which I befooled the aristocracy of Vienna." Szekuly stared for one moment at his tormentor, then hastily pressing his hand to his heart, he sank with a low sigh upon the marble floor. The countess laughed out loud. "He has fainted!" exclaimed she. "Contemptible world, wherein men act like women, and women like men!
For some weeks past, Count Szekuly had been missing. His servants had given out that he had gone to visit his relatives in Hungary; but they seemed so embarrassed and uneasy, that no one believed them. Colonel Szekuly had many powerful friends. He was an intimate associate of all the Hungarian noblemen in Vienna, and hard long been a welcome guest wherever the fashionable world had assembled.
"Twenty thousand lovers' eyes look out from this casket," said she, with a laugh; "all promising a future of triumphant joy. Twenty thousand ducats! The fruits of my savings! And dear old Szekuly has made economy very easy for some months past, for one-half of these ducats once belonged to him.
The bills announced that Count Podstadsky-Liechtenstein had been condemned to three days of pillory, to public sweeping of the streets, and ten years' detention in the house of correction. Colonel von Szekuly to three days of pillory, and four years' detention. The guilt of the Countess Baillou not having been fully established, she was pardoned by the emperor.
"I must leave the jewels," said she; and climbing up again with her casket, she concealed it in the wall, and replaced the picture. "It is, at all events, perfectly safe, and Giuseppe will come for it." "Come!" cried Szekuly from the drawing-room. "I come," answered she, while she wrapped a cloak about her and with trembling hands tied on her travelling-hat.
"Mercy, sire, mercy for Podstadsky and Szekuly!" cried the noble petitioners with one accord, while all knelt before the astounded emperor. He surveyed them with an angry frown. "Rise, all of you," said he. "Have you forgotten that kneeling has been abolished here?
I fear that my time is too short to gratify you." "Sire, we have but one petition to make," said the count, speaking for the others. "One common misfortune threatens us all " "What can it be" "Oh, your majesty," cried he, fervently, "have mercy upon Count Podstadsky and Baron von Szekuly!"
She had been charged with being a party to Podstadsky's fraud, but he, as well as Szekuly, had loudly declared her innocence. Both had avowed themselves to be her lovers, and it was ascertained that her household had been maintained at Podstadsky'a cost. As his mistress, she had received many of his bank-notes, but he protested that she knew nothing of his forgeries.
"Allow me first to speak a word of consolation to my generous protector," said the countess. "Certainly, madame." Arabella bowed her beautiful head and approached Szekuly, who was scarcely able to stand, so great was his emotion. "Colonel Szekuly," said she, in a whisper, "you lent me fifty thousand florins upon some Italian securities of mine. They are all forgeries.
Now, be reasonable to-night, and don't play the Italian lover. Colonel Szekuly is desperately enamored of me, and he will be sure to sit next to me at the faro-table. The place he covets shall cost him a fortune." At that moment the steward entered the room. "A message from the emperor, my lady." "What can it be?"
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