Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-01-29
From the Overland Monthly.
An INEKPLFCARLE FANCY,

Frenchmen and Frenchwomen are
tragic, or nothing, unless they happen to be
comical-Nature has endowed the Gal
lie mind with an adrol: aptneds that siezes
with equal facility upon the terrible or
the grotesque- revolution or a masuuer-
ade. This, by way of preface, and the
story Of An snexpl;eable Fancy be
gins:
Henri Cardone was a young French
artist of distinguished promise. His neat
little domiGll and his pretty little wife
were situated IN suburban Paris. One
early twilight IN the month of November
of q 5ertaln year, as he entered his home,
his wife ran unto him, twined her plump
arms about his neck, bestowing a full
blown affection upon his responsive lips,
and Immediately exclaimed, /" Oh, dear
Henri | have had such surprise-such
an odd yisit0r-this afternoon man
with such an explioable fancy that I have
been waiting these two hours for your ar,
rival, and (be8towing playful cut there
upOn) your earss
And now the ears have arrived, Irene,
my pet, l suppose your merry tongue will
rattle away al glibly as a newly wound up
music box and once started, / shall not
have an opportunity TO put word in even
edgewlse until you have run down COM
pletely. But for this odd man, with the
'inexplieable fancy He could not have
taken u fancy 10 yon for that would have
been neither odd nor inexplieable. Did he,
utterly regardless Of the divine set of his
trousers, go down upon his knees, and
beseech ofyou to fly with him to some
intensely rural retreat, there to gubsist upon
moonshine and his adorable mougtache ?
and It was MS inexplicable fancy that
you should be accompanied by such little
article of available value as this Door
hovel might afford ? Or, was he i wan
derlng Gypsy lord, who predicted that you
were to be queen Of all proud France, in-
stead of one humble French heart and
did he, Just as he was about to surround
your august brow with the imperial crown
suddenly suspend it and take an inexplic-
able fancy to have his dirty palm FIRST
crossed with 4 crown Of silver ? Or
Therej:.. there! do cease your badin-
age," said the pouting little woman,
stamping her small foot impatiently.
You will never become wise listening to
your own wisdom
"N0t weary listening TO yours, nv
charming sage laughed the voluble
Henri, caressing her soft, brown hair fond
". "Proceed; from this on / am all
ears
"Well, let all ears listen. At about
three o'clock this afternoon, as | was sit
ting intent upon taking the finest possible
stitches around the border of your finest
oanlbrie, there came sharp rap on the
street door, ! FASTENED, opened ii, and
found myself face 10 face with man of
middle age, who bowed politely, and
inquired if he was on the Rue de ChaIong.
On being informed that he was he thanked
me very afably, and was turning to depart
when his glance CHANGED to fall on this
little cOrnelian cross, which, then as now,
was lying on my bosom. lie stopped
short, gazed fxedly at it as though it pos
essed some terrible fascination, turned
first deadly pale, then hvid purple, and
III a hoarse whisper articulated, Madame,
you will pardon me; it is no ordinary
curiosity that prompts the question, but
might | venture to ask how that trinket
(pointing a trembling finger at the cross)
came into your possession-under what
circumstances -
well" queried Henri, In low, inter
ested tone, ''wh8t was my little wife's
reply?'
Your little wlf8 lold him, sir, that It
was a present from her husband, and that
it had been IN her possession about four
years. How or where you came byit, she
could not inform him.
"Then he departed satisfied ~
"No, indeedo
Then he inquired your name, age and
profession"
did he ?" l do not know whether
! ought to feel oomplimented or insulted.
Did you tell him.
hesitated and then told him.
g wish you had not hesitnted and then
not told him. Something of moment
may grow out Of his curiosity. But it will
not matter. Then he departed ?'
No; lie stood absorbed in troubled
thought few minutes, as though weigh
ing deep problem, and then said he had
taken very strong and eccentric fancy
for the trinket, and asked if ] would for
consent to part with it,
What was your reply to that very
buslnessllke proposition ?"
That, being your gift, | should much
dislike to let it gO.o
"Of course that must have terminated
the conversation "
"Of course, but it did not, though! 1t
became more pointed than ever.
al I -