osition from the
young lady's haughty parents; but they had carried on a constant
epistolary correspondence through the instrumentality of the lover's
valet and the lady's maid; but they had not intended to take any decisive
step, until, at length, they were both startled by the recall home of
the French minister.

When the announcement of this event reached the ears of Waldemar de
Volaski, he was filled with despair at the prospect of parting from his
betrothed.

He instantly dashed off a hasty letter to Valerie de la Motte, earnestly
entreating her to save his life, and his reason, and secure their
happiness, by consenting to an immediate marriage.

Mademoiselle de la Motte, closing her ears to the voice of conscience and
discretion, and listening only to the pleadings of a reckless and fatal
passion, wrote a favorable answer.

They knew that their plan would be exceedingly difficult of execution;
but this did not deter them.

They made their arrangements with more tact than could have been expected
of so youthful a pair of lovers.

He obtained leave of absence and left St. Petersburg, as has been stated,
upon the pretext of visiting his father's estate in Poland; but really
with the intention of preceding the minister's party to Warsaw, where, he
had learned, they would break their journey and remain for a few days to
recruit the strength of the baroness.

There, disguised as a peasant, and concealed in the suburban cottage
of a faithful retainer of his family, Waldemar de Volaski waited for
the arrival of the baron's party.

Then, through the instrumentality of the lover's valet and the lady's
maid, a meeting was arranged between the imprudent young pair, at the
Marieville Bazaar.

There Mademoiselle de la Motte found her lover watching for her.

Taking advantage of a few minutes during which her mother was engaged in
the examination of some curious malachite ornaments, Valerie de la Motte
slipped into the thickest of the crowd, joined her lover, and escaped
with him to the suburban hut of the old retainer, where she changed her
clothes, and from whence, in the disguise of a page, and carrying her
female apparel in a small valise, she finally fled with him to Italy.

They stopped at the little mountain hamlet of San Vito, where she resumed
her proper dress, and where, by a lavish expenditure of money, and a
liberal disbursement of fair words, Waldemar de Volaski prevailed on
a priest to perform the mar