Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-09-10
ment around him; black had passed for the

tenth time.
so things went on until all at once the red
gained, and the captain was quite fascinated
8 1000 francs he had lost for M. Narpi. and then
he would leave Off Unfortunately, though,
these 5000 francs followed the Others, and this
enough to exasperate the old gentleman. He
returned to the charge; gained, then lost; with
his hands filled With gold and notes he punted
now on the red, then on the black, or on the
color, according to the inspiration of the
At last the game was over: the bank was
broken, and the captain held I2I, ,249 francs,
which belonged to NJ. Narni. Then came the
revulsion; he must find the young italian and
hand him over the accursed money, which
seemed to burn his pockets, and he rushed off,
regardless Of the crowd that pursued him, to
Meos hotel. But he was not to be found; for
hours the captain walked up and down in front
Meo had by this time reached Strasburg, en-
ronte for Paris, and M. Bittcrlin went back to
Emma with heavy heart.
Lover though he was Meo had read in tho
fathers face sufficient to tell him that this gain
would not help him in obtaining Emma's hand;
and he thought it very probable that NJ Bitter
lin would throw the money at his head and
say, That is yours; it cost you Louis and me
my, honor. Now, good night" And as Meo
had no desire for matters to end thus he
thought it better to get back to Paris and wait
the result there. -.
M: Bitterlin, too, was equally decided on re-
turning to Paris and hiding his shame; all he
wanted to do was to get rid of the money, and
then he might feel easier in his mind. But
even at Paris his fame had proceed him; "Our
own correspondent had sent the news home,
and the poor captain was driven out of his
mind His door was besieged by hungry
speculators. or founders of an anonymous com
pany offered him situation of 2O0, 900 francs a
year on condition Of his depositing 10000
security. A commander Of unknown orders
offered him grand ribbon nearly like that of
the Legion of Honor. Then shoeiess protector.
pledged to triple his fortune in fortnight In
short, it only depended on the captain to start
the mushroom coffee and the haricot-bean
sugar, the umbrella-pipe, the toilette piano,
and the saucepan helmet; precious utensil
In peace, and an Incompatible arm in war.
II, Inc captain felt himself rapidly going mad;
his only chance of safety was to find Meo and
so he applied to the police for assistance, who
laughed at him. However, when he reached
home, he found note to inform him whore
Meo lived, written, to tell the truth, by the
young man gentleman himself Of the cap
tain rushed, but to his horror, Meo would not
accept the money; he said, and indeed proved
most logically, that it belonged to NJ. Bitterln,
and he could not think Of taking it; SO to end
the controversy, the captain threw the money
on the table and made his escape. For the
rest OF the day he was most agreeable, took
Emma for an airing, but when he retired to
bed, he began raving like a madman-he had
found the l20,OO0 francs waiting for him on his
pillow.
The next morning the captain started off
again to MeO, but the young gentleman was
just as resolute, though he allowed there was
one way of settling matters, which, however,
ne said he must decline. On being pressed, he
said he alluded to marriage with Emma, on
whom the money could be settled, but that did
not suit his views. This wns enough to set the
captain on raying; he insisted upon knowing
Why Meo thought an alliance with his family
derogatory, and on the young man persistiDg
in his silence, challenged him, which challenge
Meo at once accepted
Naturally enough, the captain applied to
some Of his old comrades in the IO4th Line to
act as his seconds, while by curious coinci-
dence, Mir. Narni selected as his second the
colonel OF the same regiment whose acauaint-
snce he had forAed at Rome. To him be con-
fided all the circumstances and the coloneI
very willingly joined in his plot
When the opponents met the next morning
at Vincennes, and just as they were about 10
salute, the colonel interposed, and begged to
ask whether the quarrel could not be ainica ably
settled. After some Argument, the e,nts;n
was caught in the trap by Meo assentiag 10
marry his daughter However, by prstan5;no
that he wished to defer the marriage he dives
ed the captains suspicious. and got him into
that state Of obstinacy, that he insisted on the
marriage coming of in fortnight, or he would
ask the reason why. He also insisted that Meo
should visit Emma every day, that she might
get used to him. But the lovers were far too
careful to let him see they had met before, and
the captain was in a fools paradise. as he had
an opportunity of keeping an eye on Moo lest
he might be off to Italy before the marriage
took place. &c.. -.
At length the great day arrived; Meo and
Emma were married, and the captain gave a
great feast, to which all the seconds were in
vited, when he became gloriously booxy; so
much 30, that the family doctor, also present
asked him if he ever had himself bled, as he
had an apoplectic tendency, to which the can
tain replied, in an inimitable voice, Never.
cir. / only shed my blood before the enemyIn
Emma had been married a fortnight and
was happy to degree, though very careful to
hide it from her father, as she knew by expe-
rience how much the happiness Of others an.
noyed him. The young countess was growing
lovelier every day in the rays of the honey
moon, "for the beauty Of woman is a delicate
fruit; 1t blossoms almost anywhere, but it only
ripens on espalier, when leaning on a bus
band" The happiness that makes phiIoso-
piers extrayagant (see NJ. Michelet'sl last work.
sometimes restores sense to mad people. and
this was tie case with Meo; and he began to do
without rings and chains for himself in order
TO present his wife with Cashmere shawl.
Agsthe, the indefstigsble creature, now re-
stored to favor divided herself between the cap
tain's rooms and the nest of the young couple.
and it was her stupidity that killed her mas
ter. One day rs she was busting the sitting
room, the captain, wearied of being all alone,
said to her. "a -'r.;,s -. -
u must confess that, for pious woman,
you behaved very queerly.' 80
II, sir?' she replied, shouldering arms with
the feather-broom. II
Why, did YOU not help your young mis-. |
.ress with her first gallant I kicked you out |
'or that ~ . ( eEH.
"What first gallant?" gT F.
The one whose name I could never learn.
You know it now, then, for it was M.
Narni. What" she added with surprise, oyou |
iidn't believe my mistress could love two men! |
No, no, master, there never was but one, and |
he must have managed fameusly to make you
wallsE the pill. 2
The captain thought mere in one minute
hanf h bad sveraone in his life, but ke did |
lot feel at sll confertsbie, ,fof the blood rusked
0 his head With The idea,s Hs SAN In 1 moment
hat he must be laughed atSby the whole of
he 10lth, from the colonel down 20 The drum
aer bey there had been q hugo conspiracy to