The Hartford herald., 1875-03-24
VOL. /.

to become absorbed in my reading; kept
seeing multitude of little bronzed slippers
dancing all over the paper. An open
scene would have appeared to me decided
IL preferable to this persistent proximity,
to the mute hostility betrayed to my furs
tive glance by Madame de Palme's rest-
less foot, the jingle of her rings on the
marble manuel, and the quivering mobili-
ty of her nostrils. / therefore unconscious
ly uttered a sigh of relief when the door,
opening suddenly, introduced upon the
stage a new parsonage, whom felt justi-
fed in considering as an ally. 1t was a
lady-a school-friend of Lady A.,
whose name is Madame Durmaitre. She
is widow, and extremely handsome; she
is noted for lesser degree of folly amid
the wild and worldly ladies Of the chateau.
For this reason, and somewhat also on
account of her superior charms. she has
long since conquered the ill-will of Mad
anne de Palme, who, in allusion to her
rivals somber style of dress, to the lam
guild character of her beauty, and to the
somew hat elegiac turn of her conversation,
is pleased to designate her, among the
young people, as the Malabar Widow
Madame Durmaitre is positively lacking
in wit but she is intelligent, .tolerably
well-read, and much inclined to reverie.-
She prides herself upon certain talent
for conversation. Seeing that l am my
self destitute Of any other social accom-
plishment, she has got into her head that
| must possess that particular one, and
che has undertaken to make sure of it.
The result has been, between us, a rather
assiduous aud almost cordial intercourse;
for If / have been unable to fully respond
to al her hopes, listen at least with re-
| ligious attention to the little melancholy
pathos which is habitual with her lap
pear to understand her, and she seems
grateful for it The truth is that never
tire hearing her voice, which is musical;
gazing at her features, which are exquis-
itely regular; and admiring her large black
eyes, over which fringe of heavy eye
lashes casts a mystic shadow. However,
do not feel uneasy; have decided that the
time for being loved, and consequently for
loving, is over for me; now, love is lnal-
ady which no one need fear, if he sincere
ly strive to repress its first symptoms.
| Madame de Paine had turned around
at the sound Of the opening door; when
she recognized Madame Durmaitre, "a fierce
light gleamsd in her blue eyes, chance had
sent her a victim. She allowed the beau.
tiful widow to advance few PAGES towards
us, with the slow and mournful step which
is characteristic of her manner, and BURST
ing out laughing
bravo" she exclaimed with emphasis
"the march to the scaffold, the victim
dragged to the altar! Iphigenia; or, rath'
4 y
'PIeurante apres son char vous voulez quiz on
me voie.'
"Who is it that has written this verse;
/ am so ignorantl Ali it's your friend
NJ de Lamertine, i believe. lie was think
ing of you, my dear.
"Ahl you quote poetry now, dear mad
amer said Madame Durmaitre, who j.
not very skilled at retort.
"Wny not, dear madame? Have you &
, monopoly of it?-'Pleurante apres son,
charT-I have heard Rachel say that =
; By the way, 1t is not by Lamartine, it's by
Boileau. must tell you, dear Nathalie
that intend to ask you TO give me lessons
in serious and virtuous conversation. I'll
so amusingl And to begin at once. come
tell me whom you prefer, Lamartine o.
J BoieauH
. "But, Bathilde, there is no connection,
replied Madame Durmaitre, rather sensi
bly, and much too candidly.
"Ahr rejoined Madame de Paine AnC
suddenly pointing me out with her finger
"You perhaps prefer this gentleman, wht
also writes poetry"
"No, madame" 1 said, ait is mistake
l write none" r
"Ah! l thought you did. I beg you
: pardon"
! Madame Durmaitre, who doubtless
owes the unalterable serenity of her sou
: to the consciousness OF her supreme beau
ty, had been content with smiling with dis
dainful nonchalance. She dropped int,
the armchair, which had given up Il
: her.
"What gloomy weather." she said {,
: me- really this autumual sky weighs up
on the soul. was looking out of tn
t window: all the trees look like cypres
r trees, and the whole country looks like
: graveyard. 1t would really seem that"
2
! "No, all no \ n n I beg of You, Nath
allie" interrupted Madame de Paine, "sa
) no more. That's enough fun before break
: fast. You'll make yourself sick"
I "Well, nowl my dear Bathilde. you mus
have slept very badly last night" said tn
beautiful widow.
n 81, my dear? Ali do not say that.
# had celestial, ecstatic dreams, ecstacie:
t you know \ = + NV soul held convers
with other souls like your ow
: soul n Angels smiled at me throug
: the foliage of the cypress trees
o Madame Durmaitre blushed slightly
r shrugged her shoulders, and took up tn
= Review had laid on the mantel-piece.
= "By the by, Nathalie" resumed Mad
y anne de Palme, "io you know who we ar
= going to have at dinner to-day, in the wa
d of men?'
# The good-natured Nathalie mentione
Il Monsieur de Breuilly, two or three othe
o married gentlemen, and the parish priest
: "Then | am going away after breal
y fast, F" said the Little Countess, looking 6
me.
o That's very polite for us" murmure
e Madame Durmaitre.
= "You know" replied the other wit
= imperturbable assurance, "that only lik
d mems society, and there are three classt
= of individuals whom l do not consider g
Is belonging to that sex, or to any othe
e those are married men, priests and 50
e, Udnts."
| As she concluded this sentence, Mao
y anne de Palme cast another glance at m
Of OF which, however, | had no need to ur
y: derstand that she included me in her ella!
', slication of neutral. species; 1t would onl
be among the individuals of the third ga