Des Arc weekly citizen., 1869-03-09

strewn thickly wlln sceu Pe"ii ""' ""'
 broideries of silver, his hose Of ricl
 white silk, all slashed and lined witt
 cloth of silver, his injurrd arm suspen
 ded in rare scarf of the lady's coiors
 and. above all, the air of quiet conf
 dent success with which he offered
 and that lovely girl received, his 'nii'
 mate attentions, showed that for once at least, the tongue of rumor had toio truth. gIH fFi !, s8s- 4AI If0N am
 Therefore men gazed in wonder--and marvelled us they gazed, and half con demnedl--yet they who had been loud est in their censure when the first whls- per reached their ears of so disloyal love, of so bold -fronted an incostaney, now found themselves devising many an excuse within their secret hearts for this sad lapse of one so exquisitly fair.
 Henry himself had frowned, when Armand de Laguy led forth the fair be- trothed, radiant in festive garb and decked with joyous smiles-but the stern brow of the offended prince had smoothed itself into a softer aspect, and the rebuf which he had determin- cd--but seconds space before--to give to the tntimely lovers, was frit tered down into jest before it left the lips ofthe repentant speaker.
 The day was well-nigh spent the evening banquet had been spread, and had been honored, duly-and now the lamps were lit in hall, and corridor and bower; and merrier waxed the mirth, and faster wheeled the dance.
 The company were scattered to and fro, some wandering in the royal gar den, which overspread at that day, most of the Isle de Paris: some played with cards or dice some danced un- wearied in the grand saloons; some whispered love in ladies ears in dark sequestered bowers-and of these last were Marguerite and Armand-a long alcove of thick green boughs, with orange trees between, towering in marble vases, and myrtles, and thou odorous trees mingling their perfumed shadows, led to a lonely bower--and there alone ih the dim stariight--- indeed! for they might now be deem ed as one, sat the two lovers. One fair hand of the frai lady was clasped in the bold suitors right---whill his left arm, unconeious of its wound, was twined about her slender waist; her head reclined upon his shoulder, with all its rich redundancy of ringiets float ing about his neck and bosom, and her eyes, languid and suflused, fondly turned up to meet his passionate glan- ces. And can it be"---he said in the thick broken tones that tell of vehe- ment passion---"A can it be that you indeed love Armand ?---I fear, 1 fear, sweet beauty, that l, like Charles, should be forgotten, were l, like Charles, removed---for him thou didst love dearly---while on me never didst thou waste thought or word.'
 "Him-never, Armand never I-by the bright stars above us-by the great gods that hear us--I never--never did love Charles de La-liire-never did love man, save thee, my noble Armand. False girlish vanity and pique led me to toy with him at first; now to my sorrow I confess it--and when thou tlidst look coldly upon me, seem dst to woo dark Adeline de Courcv, wo- mans vengeanc stirred up my very soul, and therefore to punish thee, whom only did I love, well nigh yielded up, myself to torture by we'd ding one whom 1 esteemed indeed and honored-but never thought of for one moment with affection-wilt thou be- lieve me, Armand? ?'
 Sweet angel, Marguerite r and he clasped her to his hot heaving breast, and her white arms were flung about his neck, and their lips met in long fiery kiss.
 Just in that point of time-in that soft melting moment--a heavy hand was laid quietly on Armand's shoulder he started, as the fiend sprang up, revealed before the temper of Ithurel's angel weapon--he started like guilty thing from that forbidden kiss.
 A tall form stood beside him. shrou- Ja1 crnp, had to haaI in o JorI. ,;J;n,, cloak of the Italian fashion; but there was no hat on the stately head. TOT any covering to the cold stern impas- sive features. The high broad forehead as pale as sculptured marble, with the dark chestnut curls falling off parted evenly upon the crown-the full, fixed, steady eye, which he could no more meet than he could gaze unscathed on the meridian sun, the noble features, sharpened by want and suffering and woe-were alll all those of his good cousin.
 For a moments space the three stood there in silence !-Charles de La-Hire reaping rich vengeance from the uncon- querable consternation of the traitor |, Armand de Laguy bent almost to the earth with shame and conscious terror! !! and Marguerite half dead with fear, and scarcely certain if indeed he who stood before her were the man in his living presence, whom she had vowed to love forever; or if it were but the visioned form of au indignant friend returned from tho dark grave to thun- derstrikes the false disiurbers of his eternal rest.
 ''I am in time"-he said at length, in accents slow and .unfaltering, as his whole air was cold and tranquil-''in