Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-21

pair, while all the court antic;rs,pIII ,pIItOssenlns s
ton, and were smscking their men,aI u.,
over the expected scene But like a b,In.
sumner wind dispensing the clouds Of t.Uy
smile scattered the frowns; and adSsIc;.,
step or two, the king briefly exclaimed in
voice inaudible to any but them" Son ),
"Father," said lie Norman, in the sam.
tone, "wooing peasant girl, have found ths
Lady Nathalie d'Arens FE--
While he spoke, Nathalie and the king
measured each other with undaunted eyes
The prince, in his present passing fsncy,"
sala the king, " does the court honor. Let us
none that when this boyish freak is finished,
tne LADY Nathalie will regard il as leuientIy
As IL deserves Mademoiselle, your father
LenaeTed me distinguished services; but for
LII, should have lost my king dom, CON-
mand from me any favor. -
sire answered Nathalie, "beyond pro-
lection from royal and princcly insults during
the reception, l neither ask nor will receive
any iavors from your majesty" And with a
ooer'esey as superb as the least possible loyal
submission could render so graceful an action,
she sailed between king and prince, and s,ood
beside tho marchioness, little in the rear
upon the right Of the unoccupied throne
wen, sir, said the king TO lie Normsn.
In the same low tone, savage in its almost in
| audible intensity and slow pronupciation
while sunbeams could not equal the benignity,
on his noble face, swell sir, / have heard
something ef this before 4 was not upnre-
pared A pretty affair you made out Of moth
ing
Sire, EN- in earnest" said L. Norman.
| And SO an 1, you graceloss wretchn' re-
turned the king "Must drag into court all
your awkward country danes" J"
~ have never before intruded, believe"
$50 much the worse now" said his father,
"tO find you entangled so uselessly at this
sCould vou eira ohoo.o;n
of Europe queenlier bride ''
by heaven, young man, you won't want a
queen till you are king And IL you think
OF this again ii declare your brother heir in
your stead"
Sire" said LIE Norman, with cOolness,
nothing would better please me-"
:, Then, if that your cue" returned his
father, you shall be both heir and king -
"I will not consent to be either on apy
other terms than that my wife be Queen Ma.
thslie," said LIE Norman.
Your Wife" whispered the exaspersted
married to her sirrah?''
But not deigning to reply, LIE Norman
bowed, and stepping aside joined Nathalie,
while the chamberlain Immediately continued
the presentations They stood in the shadow
of curtain, and as lie Norman again drew
Nathalie arm into his with decided ges-
ture she withdrew il, and only lightly laying
ber hand on his, gaIed steadily into his face
What reproach, what passion, what great sor-
row suffused her cOuntenance. Though he
could not help loving her, nor, as we have
seen, forborne vowing fidelity to her, vet his
heart smote him that he had never concealed
his rank.
"YOu would never have loved me, Satha-
lie, if had told you," murmured lie Nor
man. "FOrgive me-fortrne willfavor us-I
shall yet make you my wife-we shall yet be
happy"
a sudden dizziness, like the precurso.tof
swoon, overcame him, and in the midst Of il
her voice tolled out low and clear as a bell
upon sultry air the one word Impossible!
Great must have been her self-controI: for
m this moment Of bitter pain, disappointment,
aud emotion, so lightly had her fingers touched
his hand, that be was not aware when the
pressure ceased, but only felt her face reced-
ing, as a vision fades, while she fitted back
ward and away from him into the throng and
out among side arches. With low moan he
reeled and fell; caught by an attendant, he
was borne unseen to his own apartments, and
the gayety Of the others continued Tbu,.
frequently under the gayest masuue are the
saddest tragedies enacted
Scarcely had Nathalie gained a remote cor
ridor when a sudden rush and murmur pro-
claimed that the king had withdrawn and
that the audience was broken up. While she
paused to look around her she became sensi-
ble Of an approaching step, and in a moment
her into private apartment, and cOarteously
requested her to be seated
Madame" F" said he, sternly, while seating
himself opposite, "by what authority dc you
receive my sons addresses :"
Nathalie raised her eyes, and with her head
somewhat thrown back, she answered, II
must be addressed altogether differently be-
fore l reply at all.'
perhaps the Lady Nathslie will instruct
Ter slave in some suitable conversational
termsn said the king, his face slightly on
one side, his eyes ieering upon her, and in his
most Insinuailng manner; nevertheless, II any
voice was ever plainly suggestive Of seafOld
and battle axes, this was one.
Nathalie, forest girl as she was, could not
condescend to battle the king with these his
own weapons, and as there did not appear TO
be any osher, she thought best to make fsint
Of surrender, and calmly said, 81 wish 20
leave your mpjesty possession OF your son Be
assured, had no knowledge Of the princes
rank when he offered me marriage My reli-
giOus faith will be an invincible bar 20 his
wishes love lie Norman the huRter; will
never wed your son the prince
"Msdame," returned the King, "your frank-
ness charms me! You have truly made me
your friend My son, confess it, i. more
than a match for me. If you had been the
daughter of grand duke or a minor King,
would not have whispered a word against
your faith bat as you we'll know, my king
dom, C0OuRu IcSSht, ic iIlpOItouti anu Will
become more so, strengthened by royal alli-
ance. Still generous as you are to resign your
lover, human nature is not infallible; it were
too much to expect this of you. Let me guard
you let me always be your friend. Asa
proof of 1t, let me offer you a most worthy
husband, in the person Of the Count En-
tremern'
The indignation of Nathalie was too great
for utterance but ct last, as the king con-
tinued his harangue, it broke forth in wild and
angry protest.
"Allow me, at least, TO convey the future
countess TO a place not so liable to listeners,
he said; and Nathalie accompanied him per-
force through several devious ways TIL they
stood in the dimly lighted palace chapel.
"Now, madame, sa,a ipe and his now IT spssE.
inc in his lowest tones, "I give you choice
This is what is called civilised community;
nsyerthe!ess, you are completely in my power.
Won have not q relative in the worid IL you
der