A Peculiar Business in Paris

The Avocation of Connubial Spying

A Paris correspondent writes as follows of the avocation of the Connubial Spy:

Although this individual, who is a real character, and is generally called the “Vidocq of the jealous,” is quite above attending to business himself, he has organized a complete establishment of surveillance, to which applications may be made, and where assistance may be secured (for cash), without the slightest difficulty. It is even possible to arrange matters by the month, quarter, or year—for all the world as if you were subscribing for a newspaper, except that it is somewhat more expensive.  The price of an annual subscription is 3,000 francs, or $600.

For this sum, a jealous husband is kept advised of every step Madame takes outside the conjugal domicile, during an entire twelve month, day and night. Nor has Madame any right to complain, for she enjoys precisely the same privilege, and may learn all her husband’s movements as if she never left his side. However, except in rare instances, the yearly plan is not patronized. Suspicion is ordinarily confirmed or removed, in a very brief period, and a few days are generally sufficient. In these cases, the charge is twenty francs per diem.

Not long ago, a certain Parisian Othello, of an uncommonly doting species, all at once tormented himself with a notion that Mrs. Othello held clandestine meetings with Capt. Cassio, of the Grenadiers, who was her own cousin to boot. Off posted Mr. O. to the chief of the conjugal-spy establishment, and employed an expert “shadow” to keep an eye upon Mrs. O’s promenades.

The surveillance lasted a week. It might have gone on for a longer period, but the spy rendered so good an account of the lady he was employed to watch, that, at the end of eight days, her worthy husband began to suspect that he had… Read More