The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-01-03

o. played very badly that night
and would even have forgotten the
words had it required any effort ofmem-
ory to retain them, but having said the
same thing for a hundred and seventy
five consecutive nights, they were SO
stereotyped upon his mind that they
came to his lips mechanically,
AT last his task was over; his dress
required no change; the carriage was
there, and o., trembling with impa-
tience and suspense. got into it. The
carriage, of course, drove to. the Hotel
de Florac, and into the vestibule 0. was
receiqed by row of lacqueys in full
livery. The udlet de cham6re, throwing
open the door, ushered him through a
long suite of magnificent rooms bril-
liantly Illuminated, but unoccupied, till
atlength last door was thrown open,
and in beautiful and perfumed boudoir
the bewldered actor found himself in
the presence of Clara. He looked up
at her as she stood in her pink MORE
dress, with diamonds onher white arms
and sparkling in her bright chestnut
hair. He gazed in silence. scarcely
feeling she was the woman he loved,
though her image was engraven on his
heart.
"Who are you?" he exclaimed at
last, as overcome by his emotions he
sank into a chair. SC Who are you?"
eY our wife, said Clara, kneeling be-
fore him and putting her arms around
him.
"Not yet," said o. "What do they
call you ow?"
"The Countess de Florac," said
| Clara, almost afraid to pronounce the
title. f1
| o. bent down and buried his face in
the masses of her hair. She felt his
lips upon her forehead, but they were
cold and trembling. Still she moved
not. A vague fear was at her heart.
AT last o. rose. sMudame la Com
tesse," said he, with. emotion, "forgivc
me-" ht
Henrl,n said Clara, rising, "what
do you mean?"
II "Do not call me Henri" said o., in
constrained voice, taking her hard. "all
that must be forgotten. You cannot be
my wife. An actor, Clara, an actor al
second-rate theatre, too, becomes pool
from the moment he ceases to be al
actor, dependent upon his wife, whom
he idolizes, yet whom he isolates from
her family, degraGes from her station o
rank, when he, poor child of chance
: has no family to shelter her, and scarce
Iy name with which to endow her,
No, my beloved, such love as ours cal
be but ~ day dream; do not weep; a
not hate me do not forget me, becaus
I love YOU too well to cheat you o
yourself"
"I, too, have lovedyou disinteres stedl,
for yourself alone---and, Henri, 1 ca
: never love but you.
"Perhaps," sold o., "but women i
!, your station have SO much to suppl
II the place of love. Parting IRON m
: now, Clara, will be but passing cloud
to marry ME would be the sorrow of
= life. Farewell; here is your portrai
: that might betray you; give me on
y lock of your hair, and this ring frol
: your finger---lt is diamond. Th
: smooth, soft hair will recall my Clara
= the ring the Comtesse de Florac, an
so both loves shall be united in one.
i Clara wept and implored, but o. wf
d inexorable, and tore himself from he
e embrace. .g7ola
/, Nine. de Florac was inconsolable fC
g two months. The third she gre
aryof solitude, and went to a gran
# fancy ball, in the costume of Mob
l. but not "all tears" for there she M
d an attache of the Russian embassy, al
er was all smiles.
lie Soon after the invitations for t.
t. marriage of the Contesse de flori
he and Prince M-were issued. In
rs Prince with the magnillicence OF
l. Russian, toOh DoAes az III ei'O '"N
IL tres for the season, but Nine. la Con
tesse declared she hated everythil
at but opera, and would never see anoth
he play.
Ie, O-heard ofthe wedding will
n sigh anda smile, burnt the lock OF ha
ho but kept the ring which he alwa
rs wears. t-s
IS "Thcy are like this diamond, WON
nd OF the great world, d,"he said to himsel
ed s'brilliant and rejecting all things, b
he feeling nothing. In three months
as has forgotten her lover lin thu
w. months she would have wearied OF
nj. husband. Now she is grateful that
al did not marry her, and so l have 10y
10, fr,,. bn.calf ,,