PASSIONATE PARISIANS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 December 1924, Page 5

PASSIONATE PARISIANS.

DRAMA OF NIGHT LIFE. A tragic story of a young man’s passionate love for a girl of the streets was told at the Seine Assizes, when Pierre Deravenel, a civil servant, aged 29, was charged with the murder of his fiancee, Francoise Gamier, aged 22. Deravenel, who was employed, in the Prefecture of the Seine, enjoyed the reputation of an honourable and selfrespecting young man with a generous and sympathetic disposition. His thoughts were chiefly devoted to his work and to study, until one night he met Francoise Gamier, and at once fell in love with her. He knew the ignoble life that she was leading, but, strong in the belief that love could blot- out the past, he resolved to rescue her and make her his wife. He gave her from his licanty means sufficient money to meet her needs, and later, to strengthen her in her fight against old habits and associations, he took her to live under his protection, with the promise that he would shortly many her. But Gamier grew restless in her new sheltered life, and the call of the old night life proved too strong for her. De ravenel returned one night to find her missing, and after a long search he discovered her in her old haunts. He took her hack again, to his home, and actually began to make arrangements fo” their marriage, but again she left him. for the old life of the streets. Again she was forgiven and taken back, only to dnft back again a third time to a life of shame. When, after nights of searching for her. Deravenel found her again, she refused to return with him. hut after long entreaty she promised to give up her old life and enter a convent. But she did not cany out this promise, and at length her lover, meeting her once more as she accosted men near the Boulevard Sebastonol. shot her dead and gave himself up to the nolice. Pe”aver"l. who lost a leg and nart of his hand in the war. was a uathatie figure as, in n. voice often broken with sobs, he told his story to the court. There was loud anplause in the court when shortlv afterwards the jury returned a verdict of acquittal.