, 1882-03-17

lishment, and took places not far from
them, before bottle of wine.
"At lastr' said Gabriel, 'here are two
children of nature. We are going to
know if potatoes are diseased, il the
crops have been large, and if the wine
will be good this year."
"Your health, Father Bourdier,"
"Yours, Father Gaury."
"Have you your Suez still?"
81 sold them to take shares in Pan
anna"
"I made good stroke in British con-
soils"
"When does your son returnP'
every soon. He will be admitted as
an advocate in five days"
"You are very fortunate. Mine will
not receive the degree OF doctor until
next year."
"Let us go away" said Gabriel, "We
are dealing with two citizens of the
Place. e.Royale disguised aspeasants.
After staying week in Mesangerie,
Gabriel noticed that Alphonse disap-
peared invariably at certain hours, and
Alphonse observed that Gabriel vanished
at given moment every day.
"Where do you go in the evening
after dinner?" asked Mesnard
"Where do you stroll in the morning
before breakfast ?" inquired Rondean.
II can tell nothing. I have pi omised
not to speak of it,"
"And I have sworn to keep an inviol-
able silence"
"You have secrets from your old com.
rade p
"Have you not some from yours?"
"Oh, /? That is different. It con-
Germs young woman whom must not
compromise"
81, too. My secret concerns young
girl. Do you think / ought to COM
promise her ?"
"Are you not sure of my discretion ?"
''Are you not certain OF mine?"
"All that l can confess is, that am
the hero of a charming adventure"
"And of delightful romance"
"The most adorable simplicity -
"The most piquant artlessness p
Imagine, my dear boy"
"Fancy, my dear fellow"
"Fool What was going to do?"
"Stupid What was going to say p
"Gool-by, Gabriel"
"Good-evening, Alphonse."
While they conversed thus, two villag-
ers accosted each other mysteriously, and
withdrew from observation under q
| clump of chestnut-trees.
"We!l, Father Durand, how do affairs
stand ?" asked the younger OF the elder.
GAN ,.,.lk na;~hLAr nnha,a All
rightl That's blessing. What fools
these citizens of Paris are Mine, es-
pecially."
"Mine is not less so, / assure you.
He il madly in love with my daughter,
Valentine, and writes the most extrava-
CANT things to her."
"Mine says that he is dead in love
with my wife, Lucille, and addresses to
her verses without. .rhvme or reason. /"
"Never mind, my boy, they have most
to laugh at who laugh last"
"You think that they will suspect uoth.
ing?"
"They? No They will be complete.
ly dazed, and then we can wiring from
them that which will enable us to drink
their healths at our ease."
"Ah, so Your wife has practiced her
part WE'LL"
Fear nothing there. And your
daughter ?"
Don't be uneasy. Valentine has her
role at the tips of her fingers"
The next day Alphonse said to Gabriel:
'I have favor to ask of you my friend
$50 much the better, my friend; was
going to ask kindness OF YOU"
Can you lend me an embroidered
shirt?"
"Haye you any perfumery at your dis
posal ?"
"shall l be inquisitivo if ask you a
question ?"
"That will depend on the question"
"Why are you obliged to appear more
ornamented than usual ?"
"Why do you wish to be perfumed
more than ordinary"
81 am going to tell you"
"You shall know"
"I am going to see her this evening"
~ am going to spend this evening with
her."
"If you could know my Valentiner'
''If you could know my Lucille!'
Eighteen years old and blonde as an
ear of corn"
Twenty years old, and dark as the
night"
"A simplicity that cannot be found in
cities"
"An artlessness that can be found only
in the country"
'My love affair is as sweet as an idyl
of Theocritus."
milne is US pure as an cologne Of
Virgil"
"Oh! when ! think of the girls that /
have been in love with"
HAht mhan + fb;nk oe Lha r;rls r ba,,a