Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-07-04

Kind MareP This lively sparkling wine
never approves of being drunk alone by
man. 1t likes gayety and society. 1t is
tne bond of that fraternity about which,
Marie, you have heard so much, and con-
cernlng which those who use the word the
oftenest know SO very little. | pray you
put your lips to my glass, or | shall not
care 10 drink another drop before die"
;. SO saying he put up his glass to Marie's
lips She bent down toward it. But his
last word " die F." moved her soft heart so
strong y that her tears began to fall into
the wine.
" Your good health, Marie!" exclaimed
baudelot, emptying the glass, which was
watered by her tears.
At that moment they heard music, a
horn, violin, and hautboy playing a
gay dancing tune.
What's thatP' said the young officer,
putting down his wineglass and passing
at once from strong emotion to a laugh.
" Ma fol! 1t must be ballr
Aas!" said Marie. Yes it is ball.
My mistress did not want to dance TO-
night, but the Captain and her father said
it must 60 on. She will be very unhappy
all The time"
"Oh, Marie!" said Count Victor, if
you are kind as think you are, do some.
thing for mel Run-hy! Tell your mis-
tress that Count Victor Baudelot de Der
val asks permission to pay his respects to
her, but run and find the Captain. Tell
him that his prisoner will have dreary
vigil here tonight; that he will not be
able to sleep for the noise Of the music
and dancing; that the night will be long
and cold; that it would he charity to keep
poor young fellow from thinking gloomy
thoughts on his last night in this world.
Tell him he has my word Of honor | will
make no effort to escape. Tell him all
this, Marie. Say anything else you may
think of in my favor. Speak loud enough
to be heard by your young mistress, and l
doubt not, my Marie, he will be good TO
me. Then, il he is willing to invite me to
his ball, send me his valet, ask him to
bring me clean shirt and some hair
powder. | dare say the Republic has left
II little hair powder somewhere in the
chateau. Ask him 10 bring me one of his
masters coats, and beg the Captain to lend
me my own sword-only for ornament; |
promise not to draw il out of the scabbard.
Run, Marie-run! and see if you can OBJ
tain all this for me! "
Very shortly after she had left the valet
de chambre of Captain Hamclin made his
appearance in the pigeon house.
Ibis valet was good old servant OF the
old regime, greatly attached to hair pow
der, old customs and arislocracy. Since
the Republic came in he had lost good
deal OF importance. True, he had been
appointed one of the municipal Council nj
Nantes, but his high functions were not
near SO satisfactory as the long private in
terviews he had been accustomed to ENJOY
with noble personages when he assisted
in dressing or undressing them. The only
great man in these latter times whom he
held in great respect was NJ. de Robes.
berre, because he was the only man in
power in the French Republic who dared
to wear hair powder, rutlled shirts and
Tapped waistCoa S with embroidery.
He brought the prisoner IL complete
court suit that Captain Hameln had had
made while he was IL Marquis, to 60 to
court in, while royalty had yet court
and the court IL King and Queen.
1t was II very elegant, embroidered
suit. The shirt was something exquisite,
the stockings very fine Nothing had
been forgotten, not even scents and essen
ces, such as were used by Marquises in
former times.
The Count gave up his head into the
hands of the old valet, who dressed it with
the greatest care and satisfaction; mingled
however, with many u deep sigh. The
Count was young and handsome, 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 cham
pague, he could not resist smiling with
innocent self-satislaction and II pleasant
remembrance Of sensations produced in
former days at the Grand Opera.
His sword was given him as he stepped
out of prison, with Il reminder that he had
promised it should not be drawn.
1t was dark when he crossed the garden.
Assembled at the ball were all the pref
tiest Republican ladies of the province
But every one knows that, however ad-
vanced woman may be in politics, she
always remains aristocrat enough to take
interest in brave, gay, elegant young
officer, especially when she knows beyond
u doubt he is to be shot the next morning.
The ball had already begun. The bride
was Mademoselle De Mailly, grand niece
of that sweet De Mailly so loved by Mad
anne dc Mantenon. She was very beau
tful, but quiet and sad. She had no heart
for the belrothAl or its gayeties while
scenes of danger, desolaton and death
occupied her mind. Her silence and de-
preston infected her companions. There
was never SO dismal a festivity in Brittany.
Everything went wrong. There was no
animation in the dance, no gayely among
the dancers. There was only IL vague
feeling among all the guests that they
wished they were at home.
All of sudden the tall doors of the
great hall were slowly opened. The eyes
of the uneasy guests turned toward that
door. 1t would hardly have astonished
them to see ghost, instead of which there
entered Court nobleman, smiling, hand
some, beautifully dressed, an officer and a
gentleman. He wore court dl ess, his air
was of the court, his manners those OF
pre-republican times. The bluest of the
blues among them were interested and eX-
cited at reholdng SO unexpectedly, in the
midst OF their Republican simplicity, Il
relic of that high society which in 1879
perished in single night; whose repre-
sentative (under sentence of death) came,
faithful to the last to his vocation of true
gentleman, to shine in and contribute to
the amusement of others.
The entrance of Baudelot, which it has
taken whole paragraph 20 relate, only
occupied a moment. As soon MS he was
in the ball room he thought of nothing
but the ball. Without formal introduce
tion-for introductions are not necessary
in France-he asked the farest lady pres
ent to dance with him. 1t was the bride
that sweet, young. anxious girl, who
had looked up at his window from the pro-
cession. She accepted him for her partner
without hesitation. She would gladly
have given him any pleasure at her COM
mand, for she well knew that death stood
at his side, and that his bony finger almost
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 were all eager to dance on the
same floor with Baudelot, so that soon
~. L Al. 1t. 4. A. a.,