Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-04-24

long line OF light, gllmmerlng thIo
some persiennes, shone upon US. L
CROPPED at the gate for bell-handle,
and rang such peal upon it as the
inmates had not heard for long
time. The window was quietly open
ed, but not the persiennes, and a voice
from behind them said, in English,
"Who is there 2"
Inever was so near fainting In my
life. 1t seemed as some angel from
heaven was speaking a celestial Ian
guage, and | had scarcely courage to
answer. When | did, do not know
what said, but there was a run down
stairs, and a rapid unfasteniDg of the
door, and a hospitable rush to the
gate. 1t was still raining heavily,
but in a minute we were standing
within doors, and two elderly Eng
lish ladies were gazing, in unmitlgat-
ed amazement, upon our bedraggled
and miserable aspect. | glanced at
GATHERINGS abject appearance, and
feeling myself safe from the perils of
the night, burst into fit of almost
hysterical laughter, in which the two
ladies soon joined.
They told US the next day they had
inhabited France during some years,
dwelling in this little villa, just out
side the town where our convent was,
Catherine and | had returned by the
very nearest route to the place from
which we were flying, and it was in
deed the convent bell we heard in the
wood We learned that our story
was known, to the great modification
of the Supericure, and was then the
topic of the day in the little town.
But as we did not wish to be seen,
and the ladies were anxious not to
embroil themselves with the priestly
power, we remained secreted in their
house for some time, after despatching
a second letter to NJ. de Forville.
But just realize, if you can, my
anxiety, when day after day passed
by, and no faithful Pierre arrived |
began to be gravely troubled, for what
could | do with renegade nun on
nv hands? As the slow days of
waiting consumed themselves, her
conscience, like most consciences in
times Of distress, grew outrageously
sensitive; and she tormented herself
and me without ceasing. l thought
of my father and mother, and wonder
ed what they would think if | had to
carry Sister Catherine back to our
English home. | went so far as
to cowardly wish that | had never
meddled in tn e loves of Pierre
and Hortense de Forville; and my
brain grew feveriSh with wondering
why he did not come.
But all's well that ends well. Pier
= re never received my first letter.
} posted in the letter-boX near the con-
e vent,-and our second, and a third,
' which we wrote in our impatience,
7 were sent after him to Rome and, on
r hearing from US, he started off instant
e ly to come. He had concluded that
: GATHERINGS profession had been made
+ at the Eete Of St. Catherine, in De-
d cember. and he had intended to be
e down in the town then, waiting to re-
: ceive her if she Quilted the convent.
e But all was right now, he had come.
t | saw him first. He was no longer
t. a "beau cousin" but q Sun-burnt trav-
r el-worn man, nearing forty, whose
S hair was tinged with gray, and his
e forehead wrinkled, as much with trou-
ble as with years. He looked like a
Y rock against which many rough bill
: low and fretting wave had broken
4 But [ liked him very much, and very
i gently tried to prepare him for the
! change sixteen years had made in his
= cousin.
] "She is always my Hortense p said
N. de Forville.
: Hearing that, led him at once to
the room where she was waiting for
4 him. But don't tell me that he did
( not feel a great shock when his eyes
first fell upon her, for he turned to me
: with look of almost agonized inter-
t rogation. We had done our best in
making becoming dress for her; but
5 still she looked a subdued, faded,
gentle old maid, in the place of the
bright girl of fifteen, half child and
half coquette, whom he had last seen.
: The shock was not so great on her
: side; though she trembled and hesi-
? tated, and greeted him with the grace
2 full courtesy that French women seem
5 born to make. There was something
: very strange and sad in this meeting !;
2 something of pathos which | had not
: thought of before hand: and | ran
: out of the room to hide my tears,
: leaving the lovers alone with one an
< other.
: | thought NJ. de Forville very quiet
| and almost lowspirited, during the
evening; but Catherine every hour
t grew visibly younger before our eyes.
Iron sharpeneth iron; SO a man
!. sharpeneth the countenance of his
e friend" says the Bible. How much
more, then, does a man sharpen the
: countenance of a woman? 1t was
q droll to watch the convent frost thaw-
e ing, and the innocent coquetries of
Y the woman budding out-nay, burst
' ing into full bloom-in sister Gather
inc. Her eyes sparkled, a delicate
r color sufused her face, and her voice
t took gayer and more musical tone.
She langhed-a sweet, ringing, girlish
. laugh, as free from care as childs-
t and Pierre started as if his ear had