The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-01-06
THE LAST TRIeE OF A PAGE.
From the French.

From the French.
ln1770. as Versailles, lived the Mar
aus of Oharnay-a gallant nobleman-
who, 4orty-fiye years before, had beer
: ne e. the Young pages of Louis XIV
= ne Earqu1s, In his youth. had beer
: one4t the most dissipated mobiles of tbe
Be had been a fayorite with aIl
t1e yano1s nistresses of his sovereion.
had been friend of Madame de Pom,
padour, and follower of Dubarry: and
growing gray IN pursuit of pleasure
grew weary of the chase and reformed
by way OF alleyiating the hardships
OF reformation, he married a younr and
beautiful woman, whose union with So
venerable spouse afforded much mer.
r1ment to the courtiers of that excelIen;
monarch, Louis XIV, who, like his
subject had grown old, but. unlike him.
had not grown virtuous.
Doubtless the Marquis ran the same
rsk as all men who mate their bleak
December with beauteous May; but he
was still handsome, accomplished and
witty; and, to gain the affections of
hls young wife he was determined to
put forth all his attractions.
Happily for him she was disposed to
be pleased; and he, being neither ieal-
GUS nor careless, succeeded In inspiring
her, ifnot with passionate love. with a
sincere and respectful attachment. He
made no stern regulations for her de-
pertinent; she was allowed to receive
visitors without restraint, land the Hotel.
de Charnay was as attractive as youth.
beauty, wealth and station could make
1t; while the tone of society that.fre
quented Its mistress was In perfect har-
mony with the age and dignity of her
husband.
Among the lordlings admitted to the
Hotel de Charnay was the Baron de
Breuteuil, a young officer who was
making his entrance into society, and
who, for the very reason that he had no
record wherewith to frighten the scru-
pies of woman of principle, was the
very sort of man (should he under
tske to grow sentimentaD that might
also grow to be. dangerous.
He was tall and graceful, had melan-
choly eyes, conversed in melodious
demi-tones, and was given to gentle
pressures of hands. The MARQUIS de
Charnay saw with terror that the young
officer was falling In love with his
wife; and his heart beat with apprehen-
sion, when following this discovery, he
perceived that the Marchioness was
losing her appetite and her ena6o7a-
point, and was looking weary and dis
plrited. Her husband was quite as
much concerned at her detection as at
ms suspicious OF its cause. He was
Just as anxious to make her happy as to
be happy himself.
After revolving in his head fifty
schemes, each one leaving him more
perplexed than before, he conceived the
novel idea of making an appeal to de
Breteuil, and, by a generous candor,
awaken a reciprocal generosity in the
heart of the young man himself
With this intention he drove to the
Baron's lodging. He had lust finished
the elaborate toilet with which he was
accustomed to arm himself for con-
quest In his daily visits to the Hotel de
Charnay, and, in the fullness of salts
faction, was thinking he was more at
tractive and melancholy-looking than
usual
"M de Breteuil, " began the Marquis,
"you are falling in love with my wife.
You areTiolating the sanctity of hap
py home, and, in the thoughtlessness
of extreme youth, are periling the
happiness of an excellent ard yirtuous
woman. Were / a younger M, my
tone would be different, perhaps; butI
have lost my agility as swordsman,
SIR, and cannot measure weapons with
you. The years that have robbed me
OF strength, however, have taught me,
l hope, discretion. My dear wife's
home shall be compromised by no work
or act of mine; be you equally gener-
GUS, and spare her reputation, by leav-
ing this place at once. Join your regi-
ment at Stenay, and let me owe to your
honor the restoration of my domestic
happiness. -
Instead of denying his love for the
Marchloness, and swearing, after the
manner of the gallants of the day, that
he never had presumed to give her a
thought, de Breteuil burst into tears,
vowed that he loved her TO distraction,
and poured the whole story of his pas
sion into the ears of the astonished
husband
What !" sobbed he, "ask me to ban
ish myself from her presencel Why
Punishment to me were DEATH What
to me are fame or honor2 What carr 1
for my regiments The world contains
but one being for me-life but one aim.
To breathe the air she breathes-to die
at her feeti 1 ask but that one sad
privilege. Do not deny me SO small a
boon.n
This was the very last thing the Mar
quis expected to hear. Spite of his
own vexation he felt sorry for de Bret
euil, fer being very young, he was very
much In earnest, and was fully per
suaded at that moment, that simultan-
eous with separation from de Charnay
would be the sundering of his soul
from his body.
Nevertheless, - thought de Charnay,
"the separation must take place. and
feeling that words would be wasted
upon such a moon-struck oddity, he
contented himself with forbidding de
Breteuil the house, and returned home
to see what effect he could have upon
the Marchioness.
He came upon her in her boudoir,
haf-sitting, half-lying upon the downy
cushions of a satin lounge, the very
counterpart of Smindrides and his bed
of rose leaves. Those of his wife, de
Charnay saw, were very much crum
pied, indeed, SO he began his task. with
all possible gentleness.
With consummate tact he led the
conversation to the subject of de Bre-
tt1il; wondered at his frequent visits
spoke of the imprudence of those mar
ried women who suffered one man to be
more attractive than others; and finally
drew from his pretty Marchioness the
confession that de Bretuil had ad-
dressed her several notes.
Madame de Charnay was quite young
and thoughtless; but she was woman
of principle. She had allowed herself
to grow sentimental over the plants of
the interesting youth, and was Just on