The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-11-25

anu rnouIo nave the oouble plea.
sure OF punishing you and OF &c.
curing my own happiness"
"And that Of your
"D'OrvilleI D'0rvillel Respect
Mad. de Favcntine, or we will
quarrel at once"
"As much respect as you please,
my uncle, but no marriage
The good Rondon bit bis lips.
twisted the tassel of his cane, and
muttcrcd between his teeth words
OF experience, of authority and of
exheI edatioD; but nothing could
conquer the obslinacy Of his Depb-
ew.
D'Orviile's refusal did not come
from the romance system be had
adopted. lie loved, or at least he
believed he loved, which is the
same thing. He had met at the
ball OF the Opera a mask, whose
wit had appeared to him so deli
cato, 80 subtle, 80 opposite to com.
mon place, so much in contrast
with the insipid tattle that reigns
at these nocturnal feasts, that he
believed himself the happiest man
in the world in obtaining a rem.
devious for the next ball.
The unknown appeared there,
without attendance even, always
masked to the teeth, but amiable,
spiritual and interesting.
These conversations were con-
tinued while the carnival lasted,
and although the mask was con-
stantIy kept on "a bad sign, ac-
cording to the knowing ones. the
pretties; foot and the most be auti.
tul hand augurcd fuvorabIy for the
rest. In the midst of this intoxi-
cation, DOrville's uncle proposed
to him the alliance with Madame
dc Faventinc. and suffered refu.
sal, Of which he vas far from d..
vining the true cause.
In the mean time, the season
was passing without D'Orville's
being able to learn the name OF
the residence OF his dear IN known
and TO instruct himself, there re
mained but the last ball. lie wen
there precisely at midnight, deter
mined 10 undertake everything
prayers, tears and even espionage
but the unknown did not appear.
Filled with grief and anger
D'Orville left the ball and wen
home. Scarcely had be entered
his house, when he received visit
from his uncle. New propositions
on the part of the young widow
renewed reflections on the part o.
D'Orville.
"How odd is my lotl'' said he tc
himself. "a woman who has nev
er seen me has determined 10 es
pouse me, and l am determined il
loving a woman whom have Dev
er seen! 1t would seem that they
have combined to enrage me, tn,
one by her silence, the other by
her opportunities.
Whether be bad OWNED Justly
or not, the two ladies continued
the same course, and poor Dor.
vile, after having vainly waited
for news of his dear unknown dur
ing three entire weeks, delivered
himself from the prosecutions O
his uncle by leaving Paris. lie
had communicated his project tc
one of his friends, who secured
him mansion two leagues from
the city. There he took refuge
without other company than thai
of La Fleur, his valet de chambre.
One day as he was walking il
the neighboring woods, he saw twt
young peasant girls seated unde
a tree. The propriety and evel
tho elegance of their village habi
attracted at once his regards. On
held book, which she nPpearet
10 read with interest. The other
her elbows on her knees, and he
face resting on her hands, was il
the attitude OF one who listens =
The whiteness of her hands re
minded him of his unknowh's.
"Heavens!" cried he, "if the fac,
should correspond"
The exclamation interrupted til,
reading.
"My sister, Babetl Get up
Somebody is here"
Babet rises confused, and dis
covers such beautiful and iDgenu
GUS features that the brush O
Greuze alone could give an idea 0
thoir grace.
What a discovery for roman
tic Imagination. So much beauty
and in forest, how irresistible!-
D'Orvile had not even the desir
to resist.
Enchanted by an adventure 81
conformable to his character, h.
yields without effort TO his roman
tic inclination.
"Whoever you may be-" said b
to the villagers, "do not be alarm
ed at my presence. l do not com
to trouble your solitude nor you
innocent pleasures, but allow nj
to share them, and be sure that
will not abuse your confidence
This speech was not brilliant
but it was pronounced in a tone 81
timid that it had effect; for in low
timidity is always persuasive
Babet and her companion, reassur
ed little by little, consent to re
sumo their places on the grass
and the happy D'0rville obtain
permission to scat himself neal
them. He requests them to con
tinue their reading; but Nicole
the elder, prefers conversation =
D'Orville learns from her that sh'
is the widow of the farmer of th,
land of which her friend is the own