Romance is beyond the bounds of time.
Three years after Giacomo Casanova's release
from Paris' Fort-l’Eveque in 1758, a nonchalant conversation between the
prison's warden and a guard was overheard.
A 16-year-old jail cleaner, Pepon Larionne,
was in the process of collecting garbage in the hallway outside of Lieutenant
Hugo Arrieyenne's office, while the warden and longtime prison guard, Edgar
DeSaviage continued speaking to each other inside.
Pepon was one of three men who had the task
of cleaning the warden's office, guard tower, and guard barracks. This night,
it was Larionne's job to handle the outer hallway, which led to Lieutenant
Arrieyenne's office. The other two jail cleaners had already started going
towards the barracks. This young man, who seemed an unlikely vessel of history,
became Cupid's messenger.
It was at this moment in 1761, when Pepon's
fate changed for the better. Lieutenant Arrieyenne spoke to Edgar DeSaviage
about Casanova's imprisonment and release in 1758. Manon Balletti, one of
Giacomo Casanova's great loves, procured his freedom with a pair of diamond
earrings in 1758.
The fabled lover had received mercy from a
long prison sentence at the bequest of a beautiful woman. And, this is the
story which followed through the years.
Preparing his office for the cleaners,
Lieutenant Hugo Arrieyenne and guard Edgar DeSaviage emptied out desk drawers
onto the floor, revealing several varied sized items, including a small canvas
satchel.
As Pepon entered the warden's office, he kept
his head low and mouth shut in their presence. The lowly jail cleaner scooped
up bits of food, papers, and that canvas satchel with his hands.
The warden and guard stood chuckling at the
dirty work which Pepon had to accomplish as they turned their backs on him and
went back to speaking about Casanova and the diamond earrings.
Finishing up the cleaning of Arrieyenne's
office, Pepon excused himself and grasped a large canvas sack full of garbage.
In the hallway outside of the office, another large sack of trash was gathered
by Larionne. Pulling the sacks behind him, Pepon left through the lantern lit
prison entrance.
Larionne joined up with his fellow jail
cleaners in the courtyard near the guard barracks. He never told the others
about the tale of Casanova and Manon Balletti's connection to Fort-l’Eveque.
Yet, it remained in the back of his mind, while taking his share of the sacks
of garbage down towards an incline to be dumped.
Something that the warden and guard didn't
realize when tossing out the desk contents onto the floor, was the small
satchel contained those precious items of devotion from Manon to the previous
prison warden.
What had been tossed out amongst spoiled
food, soiled sheets, and vomit, were the pair of diamond earrings.
Pepon was also unaware of the situation,
until shaking a canvas sack empty. A final item remained in the bottom of the
sack. As the satchel revealed its contents, Larionne's eyes were affixed on a
pair of earrings, a pen and a slip of fabric.
The simple man of bare means retrieved the
trio of items and silently finished his duties for the night. His fellow
cleaners were none the wiser for Pepon Larionne's fantastic find.
A conversation which he'd overheard from
Arrieyenne and DeSaviage was not just a myth. But a reality, which was now
wrapped in a dingy cloth with spots of crust mucus against Pepon Larionne's
body.
The items weren't contained in a satin lined
mahogany box to be delivered to a royal consort. But, they were transported
within a filthy, loosened blouse of a lowly peasant.
Returning to his small cottage, Pepon placed
small sack into maple table. Alongside those earrings of Manon, a quill pen and
square of lace were laid out by Pepon.
The peacock feathers gave Pepon visions of
Manon and Casanova's tandem pen craft. Just to imagine what each would place to
paper remained more than enough for this young man's imagination. Slight scent
of lavender remained upon that lace.
Night turned to morn, as he left the cottage
for a short journey.
Pepon Larionne's only thoughts were to give
this newly found gift to his beloved Vivienne Coupette. The sixteen-year old
woman with a gentle smile was the core of Pepon's undying devotion. Maybe some
of the herald grace of Manon and Casanova's love would rub off on Pepon
Larionne.
The prison jail cleaner would never be King
of France. But as he presented the diamond earrings, quill pen, and sliver of
lace to the lady he loved, Pepon Larionne would be forever the prince of
Vivienne's heart.
-----End
of Feature----------
In the world of international auctions, a Vancouver antiques
dealer is at the center of an erotic & exotic quest for treasures from a
pair of fated lovers of centuries gone by.
Global gains and ignoble games are the field
which varied characters play upon in this contemporary romantic thriller.
Never had danger touched his life before. But,
mystery landed on antique dealer, Arlington Cross' doorstep with the upcoming
auction of some fabled objects of romance.
Captivating treasures from centuries prior have
led many on a desperate sojourn to a Vancouver auction house. They all want
their hands on these prized possessions of a passionate pair of lovers from
long ago. Yet, some of the buyers have tricks of temptation up their silky
sleeves.
When lust mixes with greed are just one of the
balls that roll across the felt table of "Rack Em".
Rack romance. Rack treasure. Rack history. Rack
pleasure.
Rack your nerves.
“Rack ‘Em”.
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