The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-11-22
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She is leaning back in deep crimson
chair, with white dress sweeping ir
long. shining folds about her. She il
talking to two or three men with tina,
rather weary grace he has grown accus.
toned to see in her, and which is &C
different from the joyous smiles Of the
Jeanne de Beaujen whom he knew sc
long ago. He is watching her from the
opposite side ofthe salon, as he stand.
beside his hostess, and he tells himself
that it is for the last time. He is goine
to her presently, and he knows Just how
coldIy she will raise the dark eyes that
once never met his without having con.
fessed that she loved him. He knows
just what he will say and what sire will
will answer, and there is no need for
haste in this last scene of his tragedy.
IA man should know when he is
beaten" he is thinking, while he smiles
vaguely in reply to Nine. de Soule's
common.plaees. "T1ere is more stupid
ity than courage in not accepting de-
feAt while there is yet time to retreat
with some dignity. For six weeks
have shown her, with directness that
has, dare say, been amusing to our mu-
tual friends, that after ten years alb:
sence my only object in returning to
Paris is her society. She can
not avoid meeting me in public, but she
has steadily refused to receive NE when
] call upon her, Or to permit me q word
with her alone. I have been fool to
forget that all these years IN which i re-
GREETED her she naturally despised me,
but at least it is not just other to refuse
Inc hearing" The moment he had
been waiting for is come, the little
curt about her disperses, until there is
b 1t one man beside her, and she glances
around with look of mild appeal
against the continuance of his society.
De Pal,ssler has eacaped from his
hostess in an insta mt, aud the next he il
murmurlng, with the faintest suspicion
o: a tremor in his voice, "Will Nine.
Miramon permit me dancer"
Thanks, NJ. de Palissier, but I am
not dancing this, evening"" she replies,
with exactly the glance and tone he ex-
pect-.
Will madame give me few mo-
nents' serious conversation" and this
time the tremor is distinct. for even the
nineteenth century horror OF melodrl-
ma cannot keep q mans nerves quite.
s'eady when he is askin.a question OF,
which his whole future depends.
"One does not come to balls for seri-
ols conversation =" she begins, lightly
tHp'ed eagerly.
"Nowhere There is no need for &C.
rIous conversation between US, NJ. de
Pnlhsier," she replies, haughtil,, and
rising she takes the arm of the nuch-ed.
fled gentleman beside Der, and moves
away.
1t is all as he prophesied to himself,
and yet for mommet the lights swim
dizzily before him, and the passionate
sweetness of that Strauss waltz the band
Is playing stabs bis heart like knife.
For a moment he does not realize that
he is standing quite motionless, gazing
with despair in his eyes, after Nine. de
Miramon's slender, whitehead figure,
aud that two or three pc ople, who have
seen and heard, are looking at him with
that amused pity which sentimental
catastrophe always inspires in the spec
taiors.
Some one touches his arm presently
with ian, and with start he comes to
himself and recognizes Lucille de Beau
jen, the young sister Of Nine. de Mira
mon, whom he remembers years ago as
child, and with whom he had danced
several times this winter.
And our waltz, moDsieur?" she asks.
gayly. "Do not tell me you have forgot
ten it. That is evident enough, but you
should not admit it"
~ %
w am very lea;' good tonight" she says"
putting her hand on his mechanically
extended arm. Though the waltz is
half over, there is still time for you to
get me an ice." g.
So they make their way through the
saloon, she taking lightly and without
!pausing fof a reply, while he, vaguely
graceful to ;her@for extracting him fro j
an awk ward position, wonders also. thu!
she should care to be 80 kind to mat
whom her siste r has treated with sucll
marked dislike. -,
Tie rereshment room is almost emp
ty, and she seats herself and motion,
him to a chair beside her when he la.
brought her an ice.
"Do you think. NJ. le Marquis that i
was only to eat ices with you1hat ] have
forced my society, 80 ;iresolutely upon
your" she asks with q look Of erstnes>
very rare on her bright coqdettish face
II think you an angel Of com passion
to all old friend OF your childhood
Mile. Lucille-"
1T was mpassion, but more for my
sister than for YOU" she says gravely.
"Your sistetv' he echoes, bitterly.
's1t has not occurred to. me that Nine
de Miramon is in need of compassion,
and yours is toolsweet to be wasted
"Chut, monsieur" she interrupted
"Forget that l am as fond of pretty
speeches as most young women: and
think of me only as Jeanne de Mira
she loves her, you love her even
more, -
For the second time this evening De.
Palissier forgets possible observers, and
clasping both the giri'ssslender hands III
his he mnrmurs, unsteadily: God bless
you" ~
You forget that we have anaudience,
monsieur she, says. withdrawing hel
hands quickly, but with smile Of frank
comradvship. "L have q story to tel
YOU, and not much time to ten it in
Years ago, when Jeanne left her con.
vent ON becoming fance to NJ. de Mira
mon. she metyou at her first ball, and
you loved each other. 1t was. very 70 |.
lsb, for you were a cadet of your house
and Only sous lieutenant, and Jean nc
had not a sou, so both the families were
furious; but all would have ended we'll
as fairy tale if you had been reasonable.
Jeanne met you time after. time in
secret, and promised any amount 81
patience. but she would not run away
and marry you in defiance of her par.
ents; SO you terlnented her with doubts
and shamed her with: suspicious unit
she dreaded those secret meeting almos
as much as she lonsed 1or them. Al
70 last, after making more violent quarre
than usual, you exchanged from your
regiment at Versailles to one in Algiers
and left her no refuge from the re-
,proaches ,of;our.. father and mother bu
to marry M..de Marimon. He might
: have refused to marry her after hearing
her confess, as she did, that she had
1 given her heart to, you, and that
only your .desertion : had in
duced her q to #ay consent tx
their marriage. But he did not; he had
q better Freyenge than that. He mar.
risd her; and for eight years he tortured
her in every way that 9 Jealous and cru