The mountain Democrat., 1865-09-16
The TAlLSman.

the king absolutely reVeled in. Ills motto
wns. A court without ladies is a Spring
without rOSrs,' and he ISSUED SU,Dmsnt
tn the court nUblcs to bring their ~ivei
and daughters.
By some it was considered q privilege
hy Others il was received Nth doubt anc
dread. 1t was DANCE ous fnr the queer
To have a young and beautiful lady ir
waiting, unless she kept her closely ahou
her own person; and the cOnItie,S' wive,
did not escape the prosecutions o! Fran
ciS.
Alta castle in Brittany, a young mar
ii, d pair had taken up their ubudr. retired
from the hustle and confusion Of the gay
world beyond them. It, OW nrr, Me- Stig
neur DE- Chatraubriand, had married tn,
lovely Franr0lse dc Fnix, the sister l."
GaStnn de Fox. The bride was On,
fourteen years of agr, yet young as Sh,
was, she was content aud happy in hel
retirement.
So long as her husband shared it, m
thing disturbed the pure current OF heI
life. They had osen married but LITTLE
mpre than = year. and little child hac
alreaiv added to their joys. When il
thrir que, home they heard from aIar u
the dissipation Of the court, they congrat
ulated rsrh oth' that they, at least, were
mt in hundnge.
Not long however, was this security tc
last. The scion of two illu>tIinu< houses
Jean de Laval lie MoniInnrenci. Seignrur
dc Lhant"auh'iand, ~aS To" important a
prrS0nag" To I've released from the duties
pertaining to the FIR nch n"bes. The
>umn"nS came like thunhtrholt upon
Cmtrauhriaud. II ~a> like death to leave
his y"nnY wife in the lonely castle by her
>rlf. aud Join circle whose pleasures he
had TO heart tn SIarr. And the altrrna
live was even harder To think oC Tn take
his ,onng aud brauIi(ul ~Ilr into the 81
cirIy of such men ahd women NJ Frarci>
kept around him. was an in>upp"It table
thought There Vas no h. lp fur him. -
IT, could not resist the kings >uu,m"rS,
AMI til" pnnr Young Countess must rrInalu
III Brittany until he could obtain have to
IeiuIn.
The terrible hour "f parting came = it
came with passionate tears. Franc"is'
chung To hm. ~ II in his tInhIave She
~"nd n,e and iii. aud lie ,la>led her tn
h'>"m tat ~a> tom ~ith pr"phn tir nm.
gui>h, ,tnr lie knew that he would lie uIg Il
q sud f,r her. Far moment h. almost
wished that they might die there together
But m"rtaI> can"ol dIr " h"n they Will,
aud hIr l. tnu Su e, Ia resign when som,
Trouble, that may be halt imaginary,
=. UleS
Duing these f-w hrief moments of ex
qnI>ilr anguish, the youthful Count hnd
,I"vsiI at ~aV il which he mi. .Et
r,adv tie kirg'> cuiumand tn cary hi
v"iIEg vie with h,m I" cont. Knowing
thnt Flames would moi >c upIe to >to"p g.
~ nnur - aud duriiclv III order 10 gather
,,urd Inn the dow rr ii youth aud be nu
y, re- + ~ urrt two hrautiInl rings. nt a
,rr4 r,cH,ar shape SnI Workmanship,
,nI rrrrI>eh lkr.
uhr lie parting hour arrived, he
...n,td "ne nu the finger "t the Count -.
.ui tade he:' UbseiVe that lie wore its
lIatr.
NY darling, he said, there j. nL doubt
that YOUR Ah>rucr viii br observed aud
roirplcu'ed eIn,n ~ crurt rannot "ptii.
~ dl>ubry the SuNvrrigiS c.uiitnaId tu
>.nd for y"n a he thus wills II. hut even
he SlA MT di~r, gard y"n' inclination, sut
tirIel us I" tHrtc You tn his trrS,ncr. II
Nuu decide to IeiuSr. MAY he under the
pAlniul necessity "t writing (" v"n t"jmn
ur, but yam must answer IN the negative.
l,lraiIHg yonr tUve Ut retirement AID do.
nestlc duties II I tind that il W,rulI b,
le aud pleasant i"r NH To- ctRie To ne,
| wIll write enclosing this ring; Other wise
lrI a. eItresry, even "rHten hy NV own
maud, indu'e vr+R to have the castle
The grIf @ the y"ui.g ~Ar was incon.
>oahle. T'c't to say, the prospect Of
months of SEPARATION IN the old dreary
castle was MT very inviting to a mere
child OF Nrarcc fifteen Years, hut her hn>.
bands will ~a> Law. aud she PROMISES
NJ yer to altempi j"ining him without the
ring 1a> seni.
A sad parting and dreary journey for
the ponr Count. lnWaIdll he cursed the
corruption existing at a court where
>nhj.ct dar, d not introduce a wife or
daughter, lest she be ir1t into snU,e S,arr.
Hi> manner MAS so disturbed H. he rode
IN towards Amb Use, where Francis now
held court, that it attracted the attention
If his old confidential servant Pierre. -
Full Of sympathy tor his masters \ evident
sorrow. lie Str0ve Ia console him, snd the
Count found +, lief ia communicating 10
his humble friend the fears that he>,i him
and the expedrnt he had adopted to make
knGWn his wishes To- the Countess
Arrived al AmbuiSr, Francis welcomed
him warmly; but looked around, As if rx-
perting to see some one else.
You must have forgotten something,
Count, said the king. in a tone which
made Chalrauhriand' : heart quake within
him. 'Whrre is the beautiful young
CunnteSS, of whom | have head such
glow ing descriptions? Surely you have
not been 20 rash a. to leave such youth
aud beauty unprotected!
The Count stood uneaSily, as Francis
turn'u penetrating gaze hpoh MS hce.
'Hs! is it 80. CnunIy Your counten
ance is tell tale. 1t says. plainly -'l
would rather shut her up at home than
bring her thilhrr.' But this shall not
avail you. The Countess MontInortnCid de
ChaIeauhIiand must ornament our court.
Do you mark NV wOrdy'
i do, your maj sty. But, believe me,
the Countess will be miserable To leave
her child
'Ah, had forgotten your little new
horn subject Well, bring him hither,
and | will he god father to the urain.-
We must have the mother at all events.
The Count bit his lip with vexalinn un.
Ill Il blood came. His ingenious rxpe
dient had already come to n"nsht; Vet he
was no less Eager t" try it. At the kings
Won DIS Of bante'ir g. which he easily con
strued into earnest he merely bowed aud