The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-28

Are not your brows bound with laurelsf Have
achieved seh . Before your Are you not girt with
honorable knghthood? What more remains to
be .performed2'
Have you not my love my devotion "a
queens idolatry. Crichton You are insatlate In
your ambition. seigneur.
- am inSatiate, or how should my desires eA-
tend beyond this momentF'
"Crichton. you no longer love me. Beware
beware; love you ferve tly. but / can hate ,l IN
the same degree. am by nature jealous The
Medicis' blood within my veins fires me TO love
with desperation, or to resent as strongly. AS
firm my sus spicons If | find you have breathed
words OF passion to another, my rival dies,
though her d"str1cton str, t cost me my kingddo
yourself. am queen. and if l am wronged.
will have queens revenge.
why this sudden frenzy, Marguerite Whose
rivalry do you apprehend ?"
Il know not-I would not know look around
in dread At the fete am bcset with fears
here | am assailed with new agonleS. MY
life IS one long pang ofJealousy. Have rival
Crichton f-'Answer me.Oh! if | have one let
Calm yourself. Marguerite Danish these idle
Are they fancies Chrichton?-are they idle :?
chambpr-here- here
''shall | chide or emile at your folly my
Again, ask YOU are my suspicious ground
less? Call to mind your attentions to the De-
moiselle Esclairmonde.were they not sufficient
Oh, Crichtonl have been anxious-miserabie
since that night; but am easier now"
"Right-right. sweet Mrrguerite-but as you
have alluded to her. may |, without r viving
your apprebensions, inquire whether Esclair-
monde is at the fete =, to-nlgh = ,n,
she is repied Marguerite, with smile la,
Il did not observe her.. said Crichton, with
| affected indifference
Yet she was at no great distance from you"
With the queen your mother?'
| wv ith the king my brother.
| With him!" eJaculatod Crichton.
| ''She stood by Henri's side when he bestowed
| this decoration Of the saint Esprit upon YOU.
| The violet maS6P
You have guessed Shrcwdly.
And she remained with the King When we
! quilted the grand saloonV
/ Despite his efforts to control himself, Crchton
was unable 10 conceal his emotion, With sar-
castle levity Marguerite replied TO his question
| ESclairmonde. | must inform you, has, upon
! her presentation tonight, achieved conquest
less HI g atatn1 haa dbtraed tna1 bs
| her and jealousy apart it must be ,wned she
| is sufficiently charming to warrant his sudden
! fascination. With Henri it was decidedly love
| at first sgnt. which, rdicule it as one may. is
the only true love after all. Since she rendered
her hand to the king he has never quilted it;
! and to Judge appearances. he has already made
/ no nconsiderable progress in her affections.
"Ha' calculated Crichton.
ouct' continued Marguerite. "and will bo
| henceforth tho regning fayorlte, with power
| absolute over all the court. To speak truth,
! | am not sorry for it. as it nips rival In the
I nect. had other intentions with the demoiselle,
| may not entirely approve of the arrangement.
! Marguerite, | implore you to return to the
! fete'
| "Crichton. you love this girl" cried Margue-
rite, furiou6ly.
Il would save her from disbonor. Hear me.
| Marguerite!-Amid the tainted atmosphere OF
! this court, one pure fair flower blooms and Is
seen Tor Il m0ment-the next. a rude hand
grasps it-scatters its fragrance to the wind. and
/ levels it with the weens that grow rife around
/ it. Esclairmonde is that tlower-save her
] thn 30 bop Uuv ity IN
! youth-her innocence. She is unfriend-
ed-alone. Bo 70 her preserverr, my gra
cious queen. You know what Henri'7 love
! issave her! save her!
\ For yOu-ncyGr-
Mistake me not-et not your jealousy con-
/ found my apprehension for her safety with
| other feelings. which, even ii | entertained
/ them would weigh little with me in comparison
with my anxiety fol her presservation." c
Il am sure you love her. Now, hear me. Crich-
ton. Ny husband. Henri of Navarro. demands
my preseece This morn q messenger arrived
! You. % Will YOU form one of my escort? Say you
/ will do so, and | will be myself the bearer OF my
answer ,,
| I respect the bravery of Henri of Navarre-I
! admire his chivalrous character. his bonhommie e.
! his frankness; but having pledged myself to
! your royal brothers cause, how can | enlist un-
/ der hostile banners? cannot quit the court OF
/ France. :.
DO not equivocate, messire, you cannot quit
! Eseairmonde-you refuse to accompany met
Torture me not thus. Marguerite; for pity 9
sake. If you will not go with me to the fete. suffer
me to return alone.
Marguerite. farewell / quit you but for an
instant"
Forever! Marguerite, did | hear aright?'
STAY cried the queen, after momentary
but fearful struggle with herself. stay. COM
mand-entreat you-return not to the fete Have
pity on me. CrchtOn.
This delay is cruel-even now may be too
late to warn her of her danger. Henri may
triumph if l tarry longer. Marguerite, take
1T is true" exclaimed Marguerite, with a
| look of unutterable agony, my frightful suspl-
cons are confirmed. You have never. never
loved me-ingrate -,deceiver--,never ,never--"
however, impetuously interrupted him. DO
not fotswenr yourself. You cannot deceive me
longer All, Crichton Is it possible you can
get-my tenderness Is it possible? but will
no longer indulge this weakness-leave me-
go-go" , n,..
continued in the same vehement tone, But
dare not to approach your minion Esclair-
| mOnde-dare not. as you value her life. breathe
aught Of love or counsel within her ear. for, by
my hope of Heaven, il you do sO she survives
not the night Now you, are at liberty to de-
After what l have said. shall be curious to see
how you will attempt to succor this distressed
damsel."
aside the tapestry. and dragging, Esclair-
! monde forward your own appointment, you
perceive has not been without witnesses"
Henri" calculated Marguerite sternly, SO
soon as she recovered her surprise.
| "Escarmonde" exclaimed Crichton, recoil-
| ing in astonishment and displeasure.
A momentary pause ensued, during which
each party regarded the other in doubt and ST.
lence. The king alone appeared easy and un-
concerned. He was at home in scenes like the
present. and hummed laughingly light air.
Crichton at length spok ke:
rs it customary sire" he said, in tone Of
irony with the King of France to play the
caves -dropper? | have heard Of such practices
in Arabian story. but the incident is new to the
annals of your realm.
In love and war all stratagems are fair" r..
pl ed Henri gayiy. "and | have the sanction OF
/ precept and custom, if cared for either. for my
! conduct All that desired was TO satisfy + clair
monde Of your pcrfidy Yon arr afforded US
an excellent SC een-not a word OF your tete- a.
/ tete or Of our sisters reproaches. escaped US.
| | thank you for your good opinion Of myself; |
| thank you for your kind intentions in respect TO
/ Esclairmonde, and | thank you still more for
prov ny yourself SO satisfactorily the inconstant
She conceived you to be. VOLTA tout, chevalierp i
| Il congratulate your majesty upon your ad-
! dress, returned Crichton. Few scruples APP