Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-21
THE PHANTOM BRIpE
TFrOm the French.1

the reign Of Louis XV. She was a brilliant
brunette, with abundant raven hair, and wore
the Spanish veil and mantilla which she had
assumed for the occasion, with all the grace of
daughter of AndauSia. Her interlocutOr. a
young NIsrpunt of twenty, arrayed "a page
of Mary Stuart. in Scotch plaid and Highland
bonnet and feather, had been pursuing the
fair unknown all the evening with proIesta-
tiOns of love and eternal fidelity. His answer
prompt and unhesitating.
Yes, / swear it. If die / will dream of
you in the sepulchre, and thrill Of Joy will
welcome you If your foot but press the grass
over my head.
And if 1 should d's2'' inquired the young
''lf you should die, Twill be as faithful to
you dead as living; and if you should be per-
mItted to visit me L will kiss your cold hand
with a much love Us at this mOmentn-and he
pressed t. his lips the little white hand of the
beautiful Spaniard.
''Ah, well permit you; then, to love me.
We shall see if You will be constant. Fare
well; we shall meet again
But where when ," demanded the Vis-
count, anxiOusly.
Il cannot tell. Perhaps here-perhaps else
where-but you will see me-" And with a
gesture which forbade him to follow her. she
disappeared in the crowd.
Two years passed, during which Viscount
Ralph sought vainly at Marty, at Versailles
IN every place of public resort-for his beauti-
and, like many Of his cOuntrymen, had en-
tered the service of the King of France But
a court life did not comport very well with
his slender fortune and he became ero long
deeply involved in debt.
y 1Ou must find some rich heiress" said his
sympathing friendS-it was the resource of all
embarrassed gentlemen of that day. But the
NiScount had not forgotten the bewitching An
daluslan, and was In no mood for the search
He was spared the trouble. however His
b,x ;-A.
Asyrian city destroyed by the Romans, in
formed him, one day, that it was time for
him to marry, and that he had found wife
for him.
- Is she rich - inquired Ralph. Il do not
ask If she is pretty-It is all the same to me- -
Very rich and very pretty"
The viScOunt thought of his unknown, and
signed then thought of his creditors and con-
sented. The uncle arranged everything and
when all was settled he gave his nephew his
benedictiOn and two hundred piStoles and
sent him of to Burgundy to pay his respects
to Mile. de Roche Noire, whom he was to marry
IN a fortnight.
A gloomy journey of several days duration
brought him at length to the ancient feudaI
manor house of Roche NOire, situated in the
heart CT forest, on lofty rock, from which
II derived Its name. He was expected The
grand door of the mansion was open, and an
aged servant met him at the Threshold and
conducted him 10 large hall at the extrem-
lty OF which sat an old man and a young girl
The former, whom he OWNED at once to be the
Baron OF Roche NOire, rose at his entrance
and, saluting him in the somewhat formal
fashion of the day, presented him to his daugh-
ter Hermine. The latter had the delicate
beauty of the flower which has unfolded under
northern sun. She was pale, with fair hair,
and eyes of the deep blue of an Italian sky
Her figure was slight but graceful, her hands
exqulsltely shaped, and transparent as alabas-
ter. So much the viscOunt saw as he bent low
before his betrOthed, and in spite of his pro-
fessed Indifference, he inwardly congratulated
himself on his good fortune.
The yiscount and baron exchanged the usual
reciprocal compliments and inquiries Ralph
was accustomed TO society, and understood
well the art OF making himself agreeable; the
baron, spite Of his seventy winters had not
forgotten how to be a courtier and Hermipe
had the simple grace, the dignity, the modesty
without prudery, of young girl of high birth,
rellgiOuSly educated, but WITHOUT any rigidity.
The conversation soon became animated and
sparkling, while Ralph watched Hermine,
and now and then murmured to himself
She Is charming blessings on my uncle
for finding Inc wife at once 80 pretty and So
rich"
When supper was announced he offered his
hand to the young girl, who accepted it with
blush while the baron led the way to the dining
room. Ii was lofty apartment, furnished in
the massive style of Louis XIV, and upon the
walls were suspended ancient family portraits
As Ralph's eve glanced over these, it was at
tracted by one whose freshness formed a strik-
ing contrast to the smoky canvases of the de-
funct barOnS of Roche Noire. 1t represented a
young girl of dazzling but foreign beauty such
ds Is only found under southern skies. A more
brilliant daughter of Spain never danced the
bOEcTO In the perfumed gardens of the Alham-
bra. The eyes of Ralph were fixed immovably
upon the canvas; the first glance had told him
1t was his loDg-lOst unknown of the fancy ball
Come, my dear yiscount, said the baron,
''let Us be seated.
Ralph started and Obeyed, then turned his
eyes from the portrait to Herminc. In contrast
with that glowing beauty she appeared to him
utterly insipil. He made some remark about
the picture. The baron did not reply, but Il
cloud passed over his face, and Hermine turned
pale, and sat silent with downcast ewes
chill seemed tpjbe thrown over these three pert
sons, just now talking so joyously. Brief re-
marks were made occasionally, in a constrained
tone, and the supper ended almost in silence
At Its close the viscount made the fatigue of
his journey an excuse for retiring early As
the servant WAS conducting him to his apart
ment, they passed again through the dining
hall.
Whose portrait is this2'' he asked, pointing
10 the picture of the lady.
The servant hesitated.
Speak said the viscount, imperiously.
1t is the portrait of Mile Fulmen, y said
the old man, trembling
And who is shel'
The elder sister of NJ lie Hermine.'
But she Is dressed in Spanish costume
Yes, her mother was Spanish lady"
And Fulmen, where is she now?''
she Is dead said the old man. solemnIy.
She lies at the left of the altar in the chapel
of the chateau"
Fatigue had no power that night to bring
sleep to Ralph's eyelidS. 1t was in vain that
he extinguished the candles, and buried his
head under the blankets the imsge of Fulmen
still pursued him. Now, it was Fulmen radiant
with beauty, as she was represented in the pic
ture, and as he had seen her at the fancy ball:
again, il was Fulmen, pale and cold, extended
in her coffin under the pavement of the chapel
Then he remembered his oath to love her as
we'll dead as living, and a cold sweat bathed
his brow At that moment light at the oppo-
site extremity of the apartment attracted his
attention; a door, whose existence he had not
suspected, turned noiselessly on its hinges; the
candles relighted themselves spontaneously,
and figure, draEed in winding sheet, en-
tered the room and approached his bed. 1t
advanced slowly; the most acute could