Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-10-19

upon his lips and walked jauntily to the
sofa. The widow observed him for the
, first time, and blush spread er her face
and neck. 1t was good sign, and La
hure became relentless.
The widow bowed
bon jour, Monsitr. 1t IS some time
since We met"
He bowed in return, silently.
1--WE have been laughing almost foolish
ly," she continued
Il trus' not at the humble individual
who now addresses you"
"Ah ! you who joke others are the hrSt
to resent jokes yourself suppose you
were the hero OF our dithyrIm5."
at would p obably supply me with
supplement to a romance"
The widow gazed at the young man
with tlat impIoring look common to
women and dogs.
"i5e reassured," she rejoined, eve were
only cInvassing play"
Il did not know you we're acquaint ed
with my friend Lahure," terposed the
host, who was passing at the moment.
"Oh yes, indeed. We are coll06oro-
feHrs." As she spoke she moved herskirts
on one side with that gesture peculiar to
ladies' when they invite you TO sit next
them on sofa. The gesture dispersed
the platoon Of admirers.
"What induced you to attack me in the
Charina ia"
To effect ono Of two objects; and l
have succeeded"
What were they 2"
Either to pique you, and thus revenge
myself or to fatter you, and thus TO fnd
you"
And you think 1 was fatterod 2"
Il am sure Of it"
"Do you think it legitimate to bring
your powers to bear against a defenceless
woman 2"
"As legitimate as you consider it not to
keep your word. gave my word not to
follow you nor inquire after you, and
'ept it.
g, .'oade the same promise, and kept t."
Rnt yo,' gave hopes"
Gam one nv hopes in an omnibus :"
"Ah, Nadine. al omnibus may contain
as true a heart as gll, q coupe
Bravo "a capital sen,,. nee for your
next article"
bravo! You wish to humilia,, me
by my profession"
You do me an injustice"
You have treated me badly, aud !
cannot trust you"
If you really knew the truth, you
would not think yourself i'll used"
Il can conceive no possible excuse"
"What would you have thought of q
woman who wrote to you without knowing
your name"
You might have known me"
"No sooner did | discover your real ?
name than | wrote to you"
But you did not give me yours. You
left my finding you to chance"
You wish to humiliate me by avowals.'
"What do you mean ?"
at was not quite chance that made US
meet tonight"
"Why, our host did not know that we
had yer seen each other
But his wife is friend Of mine.
when did see you" burst out the
young man in a transport, my knees al
most gave W y under me-"
Il suppose it was only the sang troi3
Of writer that supported you"
As writer l should have succumbed
1t was my artist-hAlf that sustained me" ,
"Tnen you are two men against one
woman. The game is unequal"
Yet the oman has beaten the two men"
"Exp ain yourself"
"You have learnt my nam, and | am
ignorant OF yours. Really, do you assert {
that you do MT know who 1 am 2" q
"On my word of honour"
She looked at him fxedy-thon con-
tinued IN a low tone
"Guess it them
81 shall g1ess your Christian name"
"What is it 2" t
"Constance."
linen you must know me- l have
always been called Julie but my name is
Constance likewise" ,
Il give you my word it was guess, d
bu' knew ] could not be wrong" Il
Then how did you discover it 2" I
ut is the name love best"
A pause. =
"Now guess my surname"
II cannot" i
"Why!" Il
"Surnames arc vulgar, commonplace. t
They were invented for purposes of civili- a
cation and utility. We never think Of !
those we love by their surnames--our .
sisters, our children, our mothers, our d
wives If we lived with them in desert h
island, we should soon forget any name II
but those Of baptism. 1t is a Christian ?
name that lies in our hearts. Society G
may require me to salute you as Madame Z
So-and.So. Shall l thus recall you in my ;,
dreaming hourS?" II
Another pause, and the widow, in g p
tremulous whisper- Ii
"Then / must tell you myself. My
husband was an old man, who treated ME 9
as his daughter. His namewas Dumesnil- ~
Lacondrage." y
"In that case, Madame, 1 must bid you ffi
good.by." fl
why ?-why7" u
Madame Dumesnil.Lacondrage is ls q
every ones mouth, the beautiful widow =
and the rich one. with sevepty-fve thou ~
sand francs a-year. and the world at her
feet. thought was speaking to my com. II
panion of the omnibus, equal to myself IN Il
fortune, and perhaps not above my love. D
No, Madame, will not contend with the Il
world where there are so many rivals to ;,
mortify my pride during the race, and to v
win it at the end. Let me stop short at |.
the starting.post, not to lose my self-esteem 4
as well as my happiness" u
The handsome features Of the young P
man flushed as be spoke, his eyes halt =
filled with tears
"So farewell, Madame" he continued
"No, Monsieur. will not say farewell :
It is not thus I part With Mistigris. Stay!
Not many months afterwards Monsieur \
Lahure. Matthew gave ball on his own !
n -. n Ill