Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-09-21
GaIes aliO Skeiftts.
MADAME DUCHEsxEs DAUGHTER.
ny EDGARFAwcETT
Continued from yesterday. J

HUH WHICH 10aTgdIeL udu cUnuucttu uiH
with such unceremonious haste few
hours ago. His summons was not
answered by Margaret. as he had ex-
pected that it would be. but by old Jo-
sephine herself.
She started on seeing him, and was
about to close the door; but Pritchard.
with sudden resolute exertion Of purely
physical strength. pushed his way inside
and walked TRANQUILITY past her into the
hall.
The old woman stood looking at him,
after she had closed the door, with an
amazed yet angry stare.
"What does monsieur wish ~ she asked
querulously.
HE wishes to know" said Pritchard
in . calm. firm voice, what he failed TO
find out at all to his satisfaction last
evening. He feels that there was some-
thing very strange both in your conduct
and that of the woman called Margaret
when reference was made to Madame
Duchesne's daughter. He feels. more
over. that this daughters death is being
hidden from outside notice in a very sin
gular way, and that he has the right to
learn from you something more definite
than you have thus far told"
Affer this placid yet decisive speech
Pritchard had been prepared to receive an
outbreak of anger from old Josephine !;
but instead Of making any such demon
stration, she surprised him by clasping
both her shriveled hands together and
bursting into tears.
"Come with me, monsieur" she said,
placing one hand on Pritchard's arm eff
you wish to know everything, will OPP
pose you not at all. Tenez, monsieur,
1t was my love and compassion tor poor
madame that has made me to keep silence
and to force silence upon Margaret. Have
the goodness TO come with me, and to
walk softly. softly. :"
fritchard followed her upstairs. They
paused at the door of the same chamber in
which he had held his brief interview with
Madame Duchesne on the previous even
ing. Old Josephine pushed the door
gently backward. and Pritchard looked
inside.
At the further limit of the room rose n
conn studded with silver nails and placed
on trestles. At either end of the coffin
lighted tapers were cleaning. Pritchard
had looked for several moments upon
this unexpected sight before he discerned
kneeling figure, with dropped head in
perfectly motionless attitude. He somehow
recognized the figure at once as that OF
Madame Duchesne, although her back
was turned towards himself and jose
phine.
They remained watching her for some
little time. Presently Josephine pointed
towards the coffin, whose interior was
still hidden from view. go nearer"
she whispered in the fantest of under
tones, "and tread very softly. ~
Pritchard obeyed her When he had
gone near enough to look inside the coffin
he paused. And then pang
Of amazement shot through him.
The coffin was quite empty. The light Of
the tapers fell upon a silver plate which
was affixed to the lower portion of the
collins lid. With little difficulty he was
enabled to make out these words;
IeoDie Duchesne Delvlle.
Nee Sept. 1S5-.
Decedee. Dec. 1856.
He turned as noiselessly as possible
and accompanied Josephine. who beck
oned him to follow her from the apartment.
When they had regained the outer hall he
looked Mt the old woman and saw that
great tears were flowing down her
shrunken cheeks.
docs monsieur understand now," she
whispered. plaintively.
ii think that halt understand" replied
Pritchard
Old Josephine shook her head "Ah.
1t Is plain enough. Poor madame is mad,
II you will, but hers is the worst sort of
madness, monsieur--that which springs
from remorse.'
"Remorse p''
"Ah. truly There is no Leonie Ouch
esne Delville. She died five years ago.
Madame was once a grand lady. She
had chateau in France. monsieur; she
is OF an old. old line; one knows nothing
ofthese things in America. Mademoiselle
Leenie was her only child; madame
adored her. The mother had set her
heart upon having Leonie make great
match. as became her station. One dav
mademoiselle eloped with her singing
teacher. Ii was terrible blow to her
proud mother. Then reverses of fortune
came to my poor mistress; she had in
vested IN Partisan bonds-some dtabIerie
of that sort-I don't know about these mat
ters-but the war with those horrid Ger
mans nearly ruined her. And now Mad
emoiselle Leonie came back-she was
Madame Delville then. She PRAYED her
mothers forgiveness on her knees. but
madame rcpulsed her. Some people are
as proud rs that. monsieur Madame
could not help it then; she loved her
daughter still-greatly, oh very greatly
But pride froze her lips together: she
could not speak. Mademoiselle Leonie-
nay. should say. Madame Delville-went
away. and the mothers agony was some-
thing fearful. She repented then: she
cursed herself; but it was too late. Her
daughter had gone; she could no, tell
where. She searched Paris-in vain. She
went to London and searched there. In
vain, also. Then she heard a sort of rumor.
very uncertain that the missing child had
come here with her husband. Madame
crossed the ocean; she took me with her
or rather she could not choose but take
me. for ! would go; we came to New
York. That was FIVE years since. We
had been at New York seven months when
madame found out that her daughter was
really here. Then when she found for GER
tain that she had found Leonie, her old
pride came back. She would not 90 to
her child; she sent for her to come to this
house; and one night Leonie came.
shall never forget the change in that love-
". golden-haired girl. monsieur; it haunts
me always. She was wasted to = shadow;
ho hsrx