The Hartford herald., 1875-03-24

eyes upon me again, opened her lips
slightly, said nothing, and finally ad-
vanced a somewhat tremulous hand
which / hastened to receive within my
own. She availed herself at once of this
point d appm to get on her feet, and
bounded lightly tothe floor. A few min
utes later, we were both on horseback and
leaving the courtyard Of the chateau.
We reached the extremity of the ave-
nue. without having exchanged a single
word. felt deeply, as you may believe,
how much this silence, on my part at
least, was awkard, stiff, and ridiculous
but. as it often happens in circumstances
which demand most mperatively the re-
sources Of eloquence, / was stricken with
an invincible sterility of mind l tried in
vain to find some plausible subject of
conversation, and the more annoyed felt
at finding none, the less capable l became
of doing so.
Suppose we have run% said Mad
anne de Palme suddenly.
'Let US have a run!' l said; and we
started at gallop, to my infinite relief
| Nevertheless, it became absolutely
necessary to check our speed at the en-
trance of the tortuous path that leads
down into the valley of the ruins. The
care required to guide our horses du-
ring that difficult descent served for few
minutes longer as pretext for my silence,
but, on reaching the the level ground of
the valley, 1 saw that must speak at any
cost, and was about to begin with some
commonplace remark, when Madame de
Palme was kind enough to anticipate me:
They say, sir, that you are very wit
typ" .',...l :
"You may judge for yourself, madame" ("
replied laughingly.
Rather difficult 80 far. even if were
able, which you are very far from con-
ceding. Oh! you need not deny it! It's
perfectly useless, after the conversation
which chance made me overhear the other
night"
81 have made so many mistakes con-
cerning you. madame. you must realize
the pitiful confusion feel towards you. "
"And in what respect have you been
mistakenT-
"In all respects, believe"
"You are not quite sure? Admit
at least that l am good-natured wo-
man."
"OhI with all my heart madameT"
"You said that well | believe
you think it. You are not bad either, l
believe, and yet you have been cruelty SO
to me-"
"That is trusT'
What sort Of man are you then,
pray% resumed the Little Countess in
, her brief and abrupt tone IL cannot un-
derstand it very we'll By what right,
on what ground do you despise me? Sup
pose am really guilty of all the intrigues
which are attributed TO me; what is that
to you? Are you q saint yourself? re-
former2 Have you never gone astrayi
Are you any more virtuous than other
I men of your age and condition? What
e right have you to despiss me? Explainp
"Were guilty of the sentiments which
1 you attribute to me, madame, | should
:, answer, that never has any one, either in
your sex or mine, taken his own morality
as the rule of his opinion and his judg
i ment upon others; we live as we can, and
we judge as we should; it is more partic.
= ularly a very frequent inconsistency
among men, to frown down unmercifully
) the very weakness which they encourage
I and of which they derive the benefit. Fol
: my part, l hold severely aloof from de.
gree of austerity, as ridiculous in a mar
as uncharitable in christian And al
: to that unfortunate conversation which 8
deplorable chance caused you to hear
!, and in which my expressions, as it always
: happens, went far beyond the measure o
my thought-it is an offense which car
r never obliterate, know; but l shall a
e least explain frankly. Every one has hi
u own tastes and his way Misunderstanding
e life in this world; we differ so much, yor
and | in that respect, that / conceived
=, for you and you conceived for me. at frs
Il sight, an extreme antipathy., This dispo
sition, which, on one side at least, mad
anne, was to be singularly modified OF
e better acquaintance, prompted me to som,
: thoughtless manifestations of ill-humo
and vivacity of controversy. You hav,
doubtless suffered madame, from the vic
!. lence Of my language, but much less
u beg you to believe, than | was to suffe
b from it myself, after l had recognized it
Is profound and irreparable injustice"
u This apology, more sincere than lucid
. drew forth no answer. We were at thi
= moment just coming out of the old Able,
s. church. and we found ourselves unexpeci
o edly mingled to the last ranks of the cav
alcade. Our appearance caused sup
- pressed murmur to run through the dens
Y crowd of hunters. Madame de Palm
It was at once surrounded by merry thron,
r that seemed to address congratulations Il
o her on her winning of her wager. Sh
received them with an indifferent an,
9 pouting look, whipped up her horse, an,
It made her way to the front before enterin
e the forest.
i In the meantime, Monsieur de Maloue
,e had received me with still more cordis
affability than usual and without maxim
10 any direct allusion to the incident whic
a! had brought me against my will to thi
IT cynegetic feast, he omitted no attentio
20 that could make me forget its trihing ar
W noyance. Soon after the hounds started
deer, and followed them with keen rel
: ish, being by no means Indifferent to ths
At manly pastime, though it is not sufficier
W for my happiness in this world:
G. The pack was thrown off the scent tw
or three times, and the deer had the bes
r. of the day. At about four o'clock W
started on our way back to the chatteau
it When we crossed the valley on our re
=" turn, the twilight was already marke
ct out more clearly upon the sky the outlir
n of the trees and the crest of the hills;
IT, melancholy shade was falling on tn
meadows, whilst thicker mist indicate
I'd the sinuous course of the little river. A
ne remained absorbed in the contemplate
u of that scene which reminds me of bett'
ne days, | discovered suddenly Madame
I'd Paine at my side.