New-York tribune., 1883-03-11
MONSIEUR, MY HUSBAND.

| TO marry Marie TO a PrussianP Mlle ATcbambault,
the sister of the well-known Strasburg banker was
for reused from her ordinary wen-Dreu CAIN;
she spoke shrilly, and her dark eyes sparkled
| with rage.
Il do said the ugly little abb6 the great friend
of the family, and cOnfessor to Marie ArchaihoauS
| and that beloved twIn-brotber, Alphonse who
| was killed In the late FT1ucO-Gertnan war J. ne
able and Mile Archaimbault who Kept house iot
| her widow ed brother, now absent Tor the moment
| in Paisl were~.seated in the magnihcent drawing
room of the Hotel Archaimbauls in Strasburg
| Imp0ssble-prcposterou Marle.-the Dest
matsh IN Ihe town.-who might marry vicomte
at the very least and the aunt glanced c0hipla-
Gently around at the tapesried walls the heasY
amber satin drqperies, the massive glt Inrnlture
aud N marqueierie cabinets arrayed as prnlly as
tne garden outside. where avenues, Gu. ,straghtly
if by some sharp giant knife. enqed IN S'",de Ms
brother must be mad, or you turning sharply 10
| the abbe-' are jesting. ,u
And indeed the abb6's wrinkled leather lace was
twisted into AN expression of grave perplexty as he
leaned his elbows his knees loosely clasplng his
thin hands, and staring vaguely az tne hugc rose
bouquets ON the Aubuss0n carpet. lie understood
the letter be had that morning received from ms
friend the banker, well. IL was dated Paris, and
conmissIoned the abb6 to break the news OF his
consent to the pretensions for Mares hand OF
young German officer the son OF Berlin niiIon-
aire. This the abbe, who had been partially In M
Arcbalmbaut's confidence, took to mean that the
recent alarming failure OF certain great Parlsian
bankers had 80 far mperlied the StrasDurg mousse
that failure would cnly be averted by this marriage
For Mares dot had been temporary stUp;gap,
and the young German was more than ready 10
marry her without IL; IN fact. TO make any arrange
ments NJ ArchaI bault pleased.
But the abb6 did not unders tand the BANKERS 5
postscript, which assumed Mares consent, ana
announced the arrival of ~ u preieadu as immedl-
ate lie wishes 10 have his first interview with
Marie alone wrote NJ. Archambault. Request
my sister that 1t may be
1t was necessary for the able TO break tho ice.
The the carpet did not help him. At last
he blurted out:
This gen tleman arrives to-day
I.t q
back in her char. folded her arms lightly across her
bosom and looked--in the neat black dies she was
still wearing mourning, not only for tho young
nephew murdered by the Prussians.' but for cap.
tured subdued, enslayed StrasDurg-as grim and
furblddng ~ a prison portculs. Let him arrive.
NO said the Abb6 quantity Your brother dc.
sires that he shall SEQ Marie alone!
No she'll thrown into the beautiful city when be-
leag1ered by her victorious foes. could have pro
duced "a sharper effect. Mile. Archalmbault
gasped paled cboked; took up her fan, then
dropped IL, and burst into tears.
That il all right thought the abb6. cheerfully.
When once they begin 10 cry. they give in. Then
he save her time TO have her cry out, aud, walk
ing to the window, gayed out whore the town lay
spread out around the proud cathedral, whose lofty
spro seemed still stretching skyward tho beloved
city, now all patches aud props like some woundeu
human being. But mademOlselle Wept on, and he
came back into the stately room thinking now
much more unpleasant this was than his usual ex-
perlenccs OF the hotel; the evenings spent playing
pIcquet with NJ. Archaimbault aud teaching the
fair, beautiful Marie English. Latterly there had
been more English and less Dicquet; for the banker
after losing game after game through inhdNcTteuce
would get up and 20 TO his own room, and the
able, after taking a few thoughtful pinches OF
snud would put away the cards Hnd loip Marie
where she snt at work in the corner with her aunt
They had nearly finished reading lyanhoe Z; anu
to-day an unknOwn knight would appear. How
little had they dIeaMed this!
lilo Won not think il would be better tu think
how we shall reak the news to Marie. instead OF
crying about nP asked the abbe. gently. Ihrn rs
mademos selo incoheiently mdrmuIcd something
about the shucki and being totally unneryed,
he rang small silver hand-bell.
The yellow satin poriieres were III ted. and as II
bv magic n foutman, in the tAWn and crimson
Archaimbaut livery. with heavy silver shoulder
Knot and loops, spotleHa stookngs ani freshly pow
Tell Mlle Marie began the abbc hut the
footman stepped aside with resDectfni obeisance.
large bows of black ribbon. She was tall. fair
with serene blue eyes under arched bro"s. ana
soft white skin more Ike the Belgian mother who
mad died shortly after the birth OF the twins, Marie
and AlpLonse, than like the Frpncn father and
aunt, dark. why and determined Perhaps the
ltautful girls most potent charm was her graceful
throat and neck, which deserved the epthet of
'swan-lke anccnily bestowed uDOn the ceicbrated
Matilda of Flanders 'Good-mornlng she began
good atured. monkey like face OF the abbe with
those stray wrps or BAR which never would keep
in the right place across his bald head. lher her
welcoming expression changed to Que OF CON
sternstIon Ma taHtet-and she went quickly to
her. kneelng down aud eAclaiming '.rapaF
has been cryirg-about you'
'Hbout-neF Mare looked psrpeIed.
Yes. You have received proposal OF marriage
Tue aunt clasted her neces hands. and ayeried
her eyes smile fitted across Marie's face
unused, incrednlour as n stray sunbeam hickers
upon wutry landscape. She had rarely smiled
.incs nor twin brothers death. But mon ptTo,
there is no one she said Indeed they had led sn-
cuded lives since the warsince their terrible loss
at the Hotel Archambauit.
The abbe cleared his throat. Yes there 49, he
do not tell her, cannot bear it. II Is an in
suit murdered her amt.
Marie glanced quickly from one to the other. then
she Impressed her lips. Please tell NE a once
she SAID firmly. Whatever 1t is / can bear IL. l
have known grlei.
ing. in which he desires me 10 inform you that be
approS ca OF proposal mace for the honor OF an
allauce with you by young German.
Tho abb6 repres-ed tho contemptuous term
Prusnan out of respect for the approved aspirant.
Still. strong was the Strasburgan hatred OF their
present rulers. that he felt ashamed when he dis
closed the Intelligence and could not bring himself
10 look Marie in he face. Therefore neither he nor
Mile. ArohaimbaIlt. who sat the Image OF despair,
gazing into vacancy, saw the beautiful blush. The
droup of the eyes, the happy smile that dwelt one
moment upon the young gir's iace-ono moment,
for 10 was only memory. SUI, the memory soft
ened the 'Ohr with which she greeted the an
You perceive we have not quite killed her with
oar intelligence, remarked ihe aDDe To the aunt,
some what sntiricay.
The idea IL too preposterOus for her to realize
replied the lady Indignantly.
What l-thut German wishes to marry mo 7 |
Does nv father desire the alliance. mon ptreP
j an aiIaid-l think lie dOes, ma me-
What il this man-this German--likeP
WELL the aDb6 paused thinking pitIfuly of |
the natural curiosity of these daughters of Eve "a
so strong that il seemed 10 smother theiI
hOliest natural Impulses-'he ~. suppose, tall =
throwing up his arm strong '-inIatng his chest |
- fierce Trolling his lit 9 eyes with great
rloustache, red. red 10 fire.
mo no. not red-faIrY cried Marie. Then as her |
aunt and her confessor stared In astonshment, hor
head drooPed, and binsh mantled even her fair |
throat with tinge OF pink.
And he is-an officer e At least this will arouse
her nataral animosity toward her brothers say- |
efs.' thought the abbe, himself growing almost an-
nOyed by Mares unnatural demeanOr.)
Marie was silent.
And his name continued the able, almost
sternly, is Karl Eichmann.
'Crnel! You have killed horv cried the aunt |
terrified. Marie had risen 10 her feet, and holding |
her hands TO her breast had staggered away. She