The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-02-06


it's, and superintended with condescand
ing solicitude, the arrangements for he
palace lodging. Nadge inhabited small
tower adjoining the bedroom of her mis-
tress, and above this was an unoccupie'
room, which, at the present suggestion 0
tl1e fairy little attendant, was allotted t,
the new conner: The staircase opened b,
one door into the private gardens, and b,
the opposite into the corridor leading inn
mediately into the imperial chamber
The Marquis delicacy would fsin have
made some suggestion to this very init
mate location; but he could hazard moth
ing against the interests of his sovereign
and he trusted to speedy termination o1
his disguise with the attainment of his
object. Meantime, the close neighbor-
hood Of the fair Nadge was not the most
intolerable of the fteceHaities,
The Marquis task vas very difficult
one. He was instructed, before abandon
ing his disguise and delivering his secret
dispatches, to awaken the interest of the
Czarine on the two subjects to which the
document had reference, viz: A form
erly discussed project of seating the
Prince de Count on the throne of Poland.
Bestucheff had so long succeeded in cut
ting off all approach Of these topics to toe
ear of the Czarine, that her Majesty ha6
probably forgotten them altogether.
| Weeks passsd, and the opportunities to
broach these delicate subjects had been
inauspiciously rare. MademoiselIe de
Beaumont, it is true, had completely
eclipsed the favorite Nadge; and Eliza
beth, in her hours Of relaxation from
State affairs, exacted the constant attend
ance of the new favorite in her private
apartments. But the almost constant
presence Of some other of the maids of
honor opposed continual obstacles and
interruptions, and the Czarine herself
was not always disposed to talk of mat
ters more serious than the current tri-
fles of the hour. She was extremely
indolent in her personal habits; and
often reclining at full length upon
cushions on the floor OF her boudoir,
she laid her imperial head in the lap of
the embarrassed den1oiselle, and was
soothed to sleep by reading and bathing
Of her temples. And during this period
she exacted frequently Of the Marquis,
with kind of instructive n1istrtist, prom
ises Of continuance for life in llef personal
service.
| But there were sweeter hours for the
| enamored La Chetardie than those passed
in the presence of his partial and imperial
mistress. Encircled by sentinels and
guarded from all intrusion Of other eyes
in the inviolable sanctuary OF royalty,
the beautiful Nadge, itnpassioned, and
she knew not why, in her love for her
new companion, was ever within call and
happy in devoting to him all her faculties
of caressing endearment. He had not yet
dared to risk the interests Of his sovereign
by disclosure Of his sex, even In the
confidence Of love. He could not trust
Nadge to play 90 difficult part as that
of possessor Of 80 embarrassing secret
in the presence Of the shrewd and observ-
ing Czarine. A betrayal, too, would at
once put an end to his happiness. With
the slight arm of the fair and relying
creature about his waist, and her head
pressed close against his breast, they
passed the balmy nights of the Russian
summer in pacing the fowery alleys of
the imperial garden, discoursing with but
one reserve on every subject that hoated
to their lips. It required, however, all
the self-control of La Chetardle, and all
the favorite darkness of the light, to con-
ceal his smiles at the naive confessions of
the unconscious girl atd her wolfderings
at the peruliarit5 Of her feeliiigs: She
had thought hitherto that thers were af-
fections in her nature which could only
be called forth by lover. Yet, now, the
thought Of caressing another than her
friend, much less man, seemed itnpossi-
Bile, and yet these new born vows Of love
filed her with alarm and horror. She
felt that she had given her heart irrevoc-
able away, and to woman! All, with
what delirious, though silent passion, La
with the pressure of his lips upon
hers, interrupted those sweet confessions.
Yet the time at last drew iieaf for the
walking frbhi the celestial dream. The
disguised diplomatist had found his oppor-
tunity, and had successfully awakened III |
Elzabeth's mind both curiosity And inter
est as to the SUBJECTS Of the dispatches still
seWsd safely iii his corsets. There re-
mained nothing for him to do now but to
seize favorable opportunity; and, with
the delivery Of his missives, to declare his
sex to the Czarine. There was risk of life
and liberty i'll this, but the Marquis new
not fear, and he thought but of It's eonse-
quence to his love:
In La Chetardis'h last Interview with the
savant Wl,a conducted him to Rugsia, his
male attire had been successfully trans
ferred from one portmanteau to the other;
and it was now in his possession, ready for |
the moment of need. With his plans
brought to with single night Of the de-
nouement, he parted froii the Czarine, |
having asked the imperial permission for
an honr's private interview ON the morrow,
and with gentle force excluding Nadge:
from his apartment, he dressed himself in
his proper costume, and cut open the
warm envelope Of his dispatches. This
done, he threw his coat over him; and,
with dark lantern in his hand, sought
Nadge in the garden. He had determined
to disclose himself to her; renew his VOWS
of love to her in his proper guise, and ar
range, while he had opportunity and ac-
cess, some means for uniting their desti-
MES hereafter.
As he opened the door Of the tliTfet
Nadge run to meet him, and obsery-
ing the cloak in the faint glimmer of the
stars, she playfully endeavored to envelope
herself in it. But, seizing her hands, La
drawing her after him towards small pa
vilion in the remoter part Of the garden,
persuading her with difficulty to desist
from putting her arms about him and sit
down without u caress, he retreated a few
steps, and, In the darkness of the pavilion,
shook down his imprisoned locks to their
masculine abandon, threw OF his cloak, and
drew up the blind of his lantern. The
scream of surprise which instantly parted
from the lips Of Nadge made him regret
his irnprudence in not having prepared her
for the transformation; but the second
thought was ofmirth, for she believed it Of
course to be nothing but playful masqueF-
ade, and with delighted laughter she
sprang to his arms and overwhelmed him