The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-11-10

JGaC was almost human.
aToo late" she replied; stoo late.
I told you that you'd be rid Of you.
and thus / keep my word!'
CHAPTER II.
s'THE MOST NOBLE"
If any one had suggested to the
proprietor of the chateau and estate
of Bel-Air, the most noble the Mar
quis de Presles, that he was not a
gentleman, in two moments he would
have whipped out the rapier he car
ried, have called upon the speaker to
bc on guard, and then he would have
done his best to run him through
and leave him dead uponsthe ground,
and without the. least conjunction in
the world. M ta i8e4f
Bv the law of those days, which
have happily passed away, the Mar
quis would have proved in that way
that he was gentleman. =
But so far from being one, he was
as elegant scoundrel as any in
France, which is saying q good deal,
] for the French nobility of those times.
managed to gild sin as no men had
ever before gildedit, as no men ever.
will again. @ !
It was the chief pleasure Of these
men to destroy an honest girl, body
and soul-to make her callous, inso-
1lent, cynical.
They followed the example of the
then almost expiring Louis XIV, and
he had said, "After me, the deIuge.p
The Pavilion Of Bel-Air and its
surroundings were like a hundred
others between Paris and Versailles
"a mass Of gold, velvet and crystal
Of clipped trees a9d fountains; while
the jewellers were dressed in silks,
satfns and laces, and neither men nor
women were tit for any useful occu-
patton or vigorous exercise.
| 1t was some hours after sunset, on
the day when Henriette. was abluct-
ed in the full blaze Of the setting sun
than, that, at the Pavilion of Bel-Air,
a feter Of the usual character was pro
crossing. The worthless of the place
were congregated and lounging about
among a number Of elegantly dressed
women, all Of whom had once been
happy, and equally all ofswhom tried
to fancy they, were. still SO, in a state
of grandeur to which they had not
been born, and which, in, great
measure had been forced upon them
, by the mysteries Of want and temp
tation. .s $50. ,t..
i In such society comrade who ar
rived had no welcome; a comrade
who stayed away was asked aftei
with irritable curiosity; while com.
rade who died was forgotten before
his body was placed in the ground
Upon this occasion the absentee
was represented by one Armant, Che
Waller de Yaudry, who was asked fol
!, several times by,-more than one o.
? two ofthosewhow were present.
Said the Marquis de Presles, tn,
host, eIt is impossible to avoid tn,
conclusion that the Chevalier car
scarcely be considered one of u.s.
. He believes, for instance, that tn,
creatures in the CUTTERS, that til,
latter demalions feel as we feel. ar,
: as we are in their wretched exis
fences. The fact is, the Chevalier i
!. degenerating, and6f he,does not. 500
make some progress toward recove
~, we shall have to avoid him, an,
g leave him to his own company
! (which he will be able to endure,
q was replied in a clear, soft voice
, "The Chevalier,' said several Q
: the splendidly dressedwomen. 1sa
J, Eyes, replied The speaker, 18th
: Chevalier himself, who, having don
his days work, has come here for hi
: evenings amusement, and to lear
: his lesson of life"
}, 1"He talks like a good book, sal
the Marquis. "My dear Chevalicr,
he continued, t'shall We never hes
the last Of your proverbs? VIII
study or worry? You are rich an
noble, and the world is, therefor
: open to you upon pleasant PATHS
= Why labor, when your work vi
:. done for you before you were borni
- aNy dear MARQUIS replied Il
Chevalier, cit may happen I a
binder than most Of, my. order, b
it may also chance that | am bett
sighted. For my part, 1 anticipa
ID time when the people will refor