narrow escape. She communicated her murderous object to Jacques Moura, her porter, who became her accomplice. Many others, whose names it is of no use to give, joined in the plot. On the evening appointed for the crime, all the accomplices were posted on Tiquet's way; but at the last moment Angélique was undecided, and out of remorse or fear she countermanded the execution of the plot. As to the councillor, although he had no suspicion of the criminal designs of his wife, he became more and more jealous. Suspecting the honesty of his porter, Jacques Moura, he dismissed him with many reproaches and threats, and being unwilling to entrust the door to anyone, he actually became the porter of his own mansion, receiving only well-known persons, taking the key away with him when he went out, and concealing it under his pillow during the night.

This minute inquisition and almost complete imprisonment exasperated Mdme. Tiquet, and threw her again into morbid ideas of murder. One day the old councillor was ill, in his room; his wife, suddenly becoming affectionate, sent him by her valet a cup of broth she had prepared herself; but the shrewd servant, guessing his mistress's design, made a pretence of stumbling, dropped the cup, and left the house. Tiquet knew nothing of this second attempt.

Mdme. Tiquet was not discouraged, and still entertained sinister intentions.

A few nights after this adventure M. Tiquet was in the company of Mdme. de Villemur, who lived in a house not far from his, while his wife remained at home with the Countess de Lénonville. As M. Tiquet emerged

in the street, several shots flashed through the darkness, and he fell, struck by five bullets. None of the wounds, however, were mortal.

On the following day Mdme. Tiquet rose early, and, probably to avert suspicion, she paid a visit to her friend, Mdme. d'Aunay. The latter asked her whether M. Tiquet suspected any one. Even if he knew them,' answered Angélique, ‘he would take care not to say so. Ah, my dear friend, to-day it is my turn to be murdered!' Mdme. d'Aunay tried to calm her by assuring her that so foul a charge could never be brought against her. 'The best thing they can do,' she added, 'is to arrest the porter your husband dismissed the other day. He may very well have committed the crime out of revenge.'

These words struck Mdme. Tiquet; she saw all that she could make, for her own defence, out of the dismissal of Jacques Moura, who had more than once expressed the greatest vindictiveness with regard to his former master, and had uttered threats against him. She resolved to remain in Paris, and turned a deaf ear to the advice that was given to her on all sides. A monk offered to disguise her, and take her to Calais, where she could embark for England. Angélique steadily refused, but in spite of her apparent security she felt anything but safe. One morning she was conversing with the Countess d'Aunay, who, being convinced of her innocence, was faithful to her to the last. As the Countess was about to retire, Mdme. Tiquet kept her back, saying that she had a foreboding that she was going to be arrested, and she should like her friend to be present. Hardly had she uttered these

words when the criminal lieutenant entered, followed by a number of archers. Mdme. Tiquet remained unmoved. She asked leave to embrace her youngest son, followed the lieutenant, and during the whole of the way showed extraordinary calm and serenity. She was taken to the little, and then to the great Châtelet. The indictment preferred against her was drawn up with unusual expedition.

As soon as Angélique's arrest was known a man named Auguste Cathelain spontaneously declared that three years before he had received money of Jacques Moura, commissioned by Angélique, to join in the murder of M. Tiquet. Jacques Moura and the informer himself were arrested. They were confronted with the chief prisoner; no proof, however, could be adduced that they were the authors of the last attempt; but proofs were not found wanting concerning the first plot. And, strange to say, the conspiracy which had not been carried out became the basis of the charge against Mdme. Tiquet.

Sanson de Longval had followed all the phases of this celebrated affair with painful interest, for he but too well foresaw that work was being prepared for him. It was with grief that he heard, on June 3, 1699, that a sentence of the Châtelet 'condemned Angélique-Nicole Carlier to be decapitated in the Place de Grève; Jacques Moura, her late porter, to be hanged; their property to be confiscated, and from Angélique's property ten thousand for the benefit of the King, and one hundred thousand livres for that of Tiquet, her husband, to be extracted.'

This sentence, of which I have given the textual wording, caused much sensation, although it was felt that something must intervene before it was carried out. M. Tiquet appealed to the Parliament, on the plea that only 100,000 livres had been awarded to him and to his children. He asked that an additional 15,000 livres should be taken from his wife's fortune and handed over to him. The Parliament was not deaf to the prayer of one of its own members. By a decision taken on June 17, 20,000, instead of 15,000, livres were awarded to Tiquet. But the remainder of the sentence was confirmed. This decision was much criticised. The public felt that the Parliament exacted too harsh a retribution for the crime committed against itself in the person of M. Tiquet. After all, the victim had recovered; M. Tiquet was quite well again, and no proof tended to show that Angélique was responsible for the second attempt on her husband's life. And then Mdme. Tiquet was handsome, witty, and accomplished, and she belonged to the best society; her love passages with Montgeorges, to which the trial had attracted general attention, her ill-assorted union with an old man, to whom she had sacrificed her youngest years, and many other things besides, contributed to make her interesting. Her fate excited much compassion, and on all sides it was hoped that royal clemency might spare so touching a victim.

It was said that M. Tiquet himself went to Versailles with his two children, and threw himself at the feet of Louis XIV. Having failed to obtain either his wife's reprieve, or some mitigation of her punishment, he asked

that the whole of her property should be remitted to him. This he obtained. But the cupidity manifested by the old councillor on this as on other occasions excited universal indignation; and this naturally gave rise to a corresponding amount of interest and sympathy on Mdme. Tiquet's behalf. Her brother also was moving heaven and earth to save her. Thanks to his high connections, he induced the most powerful persons to intercede in her favour; and Louis XIV. might have yielded but for the stubborn opposition of the Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal de Noailles.

All hope being lost, my ancestor could only expect a prompt requisition of his services. The execution was appointed to take place on the day after the Fête-Dieu. The altars erected in the public places and streets had but just been removed, when Sanson de Longval arrived on the Place de Grève to see the scaffold erected. immense crowd witnessed these sinister preparations.

An

Meanwhile Mdme. Tiquet was led into the chamber of torture, where, in the presence of the criminal lieutenant, her sentence was read to her without bringing a tinge of paleness to her cheeks. Deffita, the criminal lieutenant, was one of Angélique's former admirers. He could barely contain his emotion; but nevertheless he thought fit to address to the victim a few words of exhortation. The poor woman could hardly forbear from comparing the times when this magistrate was sighing at her feet, with the present occasion. I am not afraid to die,' she said. 'The day which brings my life to an end sees the last of my misfortunes. I do not

!