The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-09-04
MADAME's MASQUERADE.


half yawn, she flung herself back, nut
tering, my faith, how tiresome" as she
touched the bell on the table ut her elbow
ask Madame Lcnormand to have
the kindness to come TO me, Aglal, she
said. The door closed upon the servant.
and shortly after reopened to admit II
lady in the prime OF lite tall, inclined to
stoutncss, and with mingled expression
of comfort and care marking her good
naturcd face.
You wished for me, madame" She
said, STOPPING to pick up a bomlo"nisrs
that had slipped to the floor. "llow can
! make myself useful?
MY cousin, | am weary OF my life!
said Hortense for Il second opening wide
her childish, solemn eyes in the others
face.
This tragic announcement from crca-
ture in the very bud of her May, with
the first dcwy freshness, aye and petulant
little thorns OF the rose still about her,
might have provoked smile from most
But Madame Lenormand did not smile.
The anxiety deepened in her look rs She
cried. Heavens, Madame, You have
the fever Your eyes are restless, your
checks hectic, and, mon DisuE'-with
glance into the boHboHHieTe still Oh her
lap-"vou have not eaten half dozen OF
the chOcOtdtS!
At is that die Of nothing to do
oravely returned Hortensc, with charm
ing Inconsistencies OF this truly French
suticlimax. Look ut me, cousin she
continued, raising herself in he chair
81. speaking more rapidly: here am |,
eighteen, gay, not too ugIy-noi Balls,
music. theatres, all the amusem"nts nat
urnl to my youth? No II solitude where
time crceps, creeps 50 slow, know the
iays only 10y the order Of the dinners or
the different toilets Aglae choose for me.
Toilet Bah OF what use here They
might as well shut IN" in the family
tomb at once"
Madame LeEormand looked yet more
troubled. "But-madame- she said,
hesitatingly, "maaame will remember
that Monsieur ID Evrccourt will soon be
/ here, and then
And then" interrupted Hortense,
quickly, 81 am likely to wish myself IN
deed in the family tomb Enough she
continued, in an altered voice, the angry
sparkle dying out OF her eyes: 81 have
no secrets from you, cousin. GU know
the unwilling prisoner hold myself
can YOU not comprehend my desire for II
brief playtime before my jailcr comes?
Madame would 90 into society said
her companion doubtiully.
Hortensc made movement of lmpa-
,iencc "Ah, no, not that. Do You not
See" she said with scorntul bitterness,
.nIl that will be my prison indulgences
by-aud-by? No; what | would have Is
liberty. the treer and wilder the better.
They have defrauded me OF my girIhood
All. well uortensc dc Carisnan rebels
against Madame la Marqulsc; she will
have one taste at least OF what they
have taken away The great lady
duy will come soon; but now, no." l
viii be- free to act my caprice as the YER
;..,t grisettc. Ny cousin stopping
short, and claspin. her hands with the
,ravitv of sudden resolution, 81 vii! be
Il griSettel
Madame cannot mean ii, urged her
companion aghast. Consider the scan-
ia"
Bah, who will know it? And | am
not simple demoisetle but II married
woman, with married womans priv
ilcces. Besides. have l not you, cousin,
to be my guardian and warrant at need?
Behold u, then, the good JO'Dgeo'S'
mama and the rkcd little daughter!
r,reia bagateAe" and she began hum
ming gailya bar of a popular melody.
But | assure you, madame, It l. I'M
possible began the other, with per
plcNcd face
"Aud | assure YOU, madame, that It
will bc done retoricd Hortcnse, with
hyht decision. Listen! now am 90
i'm to breakfast; after that will be
dressed and go Tor IL ride Our campaign
must be settled before We return; 80
sharpen Your wits, my good cousin.
With which she roNr, while Madame
L.normaud, accepting the dismissal,
walked slowly from the room, the look
of pcrplrxity deepening on her face as
she revolvcd the situation, which was
certainly an embarrassing one. Given
briefly il stood thus.
Uortcnse de- Ca~iguan, from her very
cradle. had been destined for the son 81
her fathers ucishbor, the Marquis u
Eyrrrourt. The projected union was
partly ol interest, partly OF friendship
,r,,,nurh a, il would unite NJ one" two
adjacent estates and two families whose
heads had ALREADY in early youth sworn
10 rach other the romantic devotion OF
enthusiastic natures In this project
they had never wavcrrd; and when, n
few wears otter the birth of H"rtcnse, VI.
de-. Carignan died, his incou>Olable wild
nw held herself Soirmuly bound 10 see
hi views for their daughter accomplish
ed. Unfortunately, before many years,
Madame De CarIguan was herself at
tucked hy n mortal illness. Finding
har day, numbered, her one anxiety MAS
o., ir.Dr, the execution % IN" sacred
trust: and having persuaded the u hv-
rccourls to her mind, the marriage rite
VA, prrformed beside her dcath-bcd be-
tween the little llortcnSe, then barely
twelve wears old, and jules q hvreco"rt
boy ui perhaps fifteen. HortenSe was
then at once placed in convent, while
Jules returned To the family estate 10
grow up, a seemed probable, IN the IKE
ness of his father, who WAS passion
ate lover of country life aud all Its
sports.
The evil, if evil it were, howe yer
wrought It's own cure, SO far As. Jules was
concerned. For NJ. u Evrecourt, in one
of hi, break neck gallopS, was thrown
and killed by the plunglng Of his horse.
The accident gave his widow an uncon-
querable aversion 10 the place and all
lis associations; she removed to Paris,
where she presently married again, this
time All English lord, who took her 10