Chapter 8.

Bad Dreams and a Worcester Waking

The sudden and melancholy death of Gaston de Lansing caused a considerable sensation

throughout Paris, more especially as it was attributed by many to Poison.

By whom administered, or from what mode of none could guess?

There was one story, however, circulated that was believed by some people, though it bore

very little appearance of probability.

It was reported that only afternoon preceding the night on which de Lansing died, a stranger

had obtained admission behind the scenes of the opera house, and had been seen in earnest

conversation with the man whose duty it was to provide the goblets of wine for the Poison

scene in Lucretia, Borgia.

Some went so far as to say that the stranger had bribed the man to put the contents of

a small packet into the bottom of the glass, given on the stage to de Lansing.

But so improbable a story was believed by very few, and of course, stately denied by the

man in question.

The doctors attributed the death of the young man to apoplexy.

There is no inquest held on his remains, and at their wish of his mother he was buried

at Rouen, and his funeral was no doubt a quiet one, for no one was allowed to know when

the ceremonial took place.

Paris, soon forgot its favorite.

A few engravings of him in one or two of his great characters, lingered for some time

in the windows of the fashionable print shops.

...