The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-07-11
court in, hileroyalty had yet court,
and the court king and queen. Ne,

court IN, while royalty had Yet a court,
and the court king and queen. Ne
It was very elegant embroidered suit.
The shirt was something exquisite, the,
silk stockings were fine, Nothing had
been forgotten, not even scents and cs-
sences, such as were used by marquises in
former times. 49, ss.s
The count gave up his head into the
hands of his old valet, who dressed it
with the greatest care and satisfaction;
mingled, however, with many a deep
sigh. The count was young and hand
some, but he had not worn court dress for
a good while. When he found himself
all ready, curled, powdered, his beard
trimmed, his eyes frightened by good
eating and champagne, he could not re-
sist smiling with innocent self-satisfac-
ton and pleasant remembrance of SEN
sations produced in former days at balls
at the Grand Opera. I'LL.
His sword was given him as he stepped
out Of prison, with a reminder that he
had promised it should not be drawn.
1t was dark when he crossed the gar
den. Assembled at the ball were all the
prettiest republican ladies of the prov
ince. But every one knows that, how
ever advanced woman may he in poll
TO- take" an interest ina brave, gay, ele-
CANT young officer, especially when she
knows beyond a. doubt he is to be shot
| the next morning.
The ball had already begun. The
| bride was Mile. De Mailly, grand-niece
of that sweet De Mailly so beloved by
Mme.De Maintenon. She was very beau
tiful. but very quiet and sad. She had
no heart for the betrethal or its gayeties
while scenes of danger, desolation and
death occupied her mind. Her silence
and depression infected her companions.
There never was so dismal a festival in
Brittany. Everything went wrong.
There was no animation in the dance, no
gayety among the dancers. There was
only vague feeling among the guests
that they wished they were at home.
All of a sudden the tall doors of the
great hall were opened slowly. The eyes
of the uneasy guests turned toward that
door. 1t would hardly have astonished
them to see a ghost, instead of which
| there entered court nobleman,- smiling,
Handsome, beautifully dressed, an officer
and gentleman. He wore court dress,
his air was of the court: his manners
those of pre-republican times. The blu
est OF the blues among the guests were
interested and excited at beholding so
unexpectedly, in the midst of their repub-
lican festivity, relic Of that high society
which in 1889 persisted in night; whose
representative (under sentence of death,)
came, faithful to the last to his vocation
of true gentleman, to share in and con-
tribute to the amusement Of others.
The entrance of BaudelOt, which it has
taken whole paragraph to relate, only
occupied a moment. As soon as he was
in the ballroom, he thought of nothing
but the ball. Without formal. introduce
tion-for introductions are necessary in
France-he asked the tairest lady that
was present to dance with him. 1t was
the bride-that sweet, young, anxious
girl who had looked, up at his window
from the procession. She would gladly
have given him any pleasure at her COM
mand, for she we'll knew that death stood
at his side, and that his bony finger al
most touched his shoulder.
When the men present saw Baudelot
leading out his partner to the dance they
grew ashamed of their own want of ami
nation. They too sought partners. The
women we're all eager to dance on the
same floor with Baudelot, so that soon
| (thanks to the victim of their politics)the
ball began to grow extremely lively.
Both men and women were nervously
wound up. Baudelot was not behind the
rest in careless gayety. He was the only
guest among them all enjoying himself
naturally. His was the only smile that
was not forced; his the one step that was
not constrained. The others danced un-
der the influence of terrible excitement.
They were all greatly moved at the sight
Of their young victim.
Baudelot was king of the feast-far
more so than the bridegroom. He was
more in everybody's thoughts than even
the fair bride. His bride the next morn
! ng was to be the scaffold.
| The ball went on. The mirth and fun
grew fast and furious. Baudelot was the
life of it all. He even charmed the men
who played the music by teaching them
new airs. He took an instrument and
| played himself the last new saraband
composed by Lully.
| AS the gay dance went on Baudelot for
got how fast the night was passing, but
the women knew it we'll. They could
not forget, too. They shuddercd as they
looked at him. They began to imagine
how he would soon look as he lay dead.
For ancient honor was so strong in France
that the very appearance of Baudelot at
this ball was a guarantee that he would
take, advantage of no opportunity to es-
cape that might be offered him. His
word was stronger than an iron chain