River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-07-12

coldly. The apotheeary, Mignonnet, asked
permission to address the meeting. Brin.
quart granted the Permission, and Mignon-
net was very severe on Montsegur. "Ht
had been weak, timid, irresolute; he haC
not heard the voice of France, and We
france had spoken clearly enough. France
wished TO be oheyed. Forward was hel
world" Thus AIignonnet. Montsegur re-
piled that he had gone forward until he was
beginning to feel the need of little repose
and that he thought that the majority OF
the nation were of his opinion. This de-
claration produced disastrous effect. The
apothecary manifested The most violent IN :
dignation at the idea that repose was pos
sible for France. Brinquart, seeing that
Montsegur was going to plunge deeper in
to the mire, adjourned the meeting brusque.
ly, and taking Montsegur aside, said tc
him:
You ere on the wrong track. Come
and dine with me Tonight, We shtll be
alone, and able n tsik Quietly"
Brinqutat was by no means fool, He
might easily have supplanted Montsegur al
the election, only he felt no desire TO leave
ms business and go 20 Paris 10 potei
among the FIVE Hundred and fifty sovereigns
IT Trance. He did not wish to be deputy
himself, but he did not wish Mignonnet to
be deputy either. He wished to spare
Saint Chamand the disgrace of the election
of the apothecary, who, although free
thinker was an ass.
Montsegur went to dine with the Brin-
quarts in the evening. There were five at
table-M. and Madame Brinquaat NJ. La
Glen Brinquort, lieutenant in the Second
hussars, Mademoiselle Adrienne Bnnquart
and Montsegur himself During the din
ner BrinquaIt addressed long speeches TO
Montsegur, impfessing upon him the
nee essity bf advancing IN Llg ideas; OF
abandoning the Republican Left as he had
already abandoned the Left Centre The
future was for the Republican Union; the
man of the future was Gambetta one
ought always belong to the party of the fu-
ture,
But Monsegur did not listen to Brin-
quarts panegyric of the Republican Union
any more than he had listened on a certain
evening 10 Madame Lambertine's celebra
ton Of tbs gloriee Of the Left Centre. lie
wna looking at Adrenne. He had just
been smitten for the third time Brinquart
went on talking and talking, Montsegur
went on admiring and admiring.
Still Brin1uarts remarks could not re-
main without reply. Montsegur declared
simply that he had resolved not to take
another step toward the Left. He did NOT
nina If he lost his seal. Now that he vas
installed in the country, he had recovered
the former way of living. He was happy to
walk, and drive, and ride about more the
country.
do you ride, mOnsieur?"
This was the first time that Adrienne had
spoken. The phrase seemed delicious to
Montsegur. he found her voice warm and
musical.
Yes, mademoiselle, be replied
"Do you like it7''
very much, 1nademoiselle..
so do l., passionately. | ride every
morning with my brother"
Politics were abandoned, and the CONVEX
sation turned on dogs, horses. and hunting,
subjects as inexhaustble as politics.
Montsegur, have told you, easily fell
in love. 1t is great resource III life. In
an instant, as if by magic, the sweet and
restful vision of this young girl had driven
from Montsegur's mind the disturbing mem-
DRY of Madame Lambertin One thing
alone cures love and that thing is love.
The day after the dinner, at seven O'Clock
in the morning, Montsegur was in the sad
die, aud posted in the woods Just opposite
She gate of Brinqusrt's parh. He remained
there an hour, invisible, but himself seeing
very distinctly. Had she not said on The
previous night: 1 ride with my brother
every morning?" And about eight O'Clock
Montsegnr saw the brother and sister APP
pear. they entered the wood. Montsegur
followed them, and taking a cross cut, he
joined them. as if quite accidently, in the
bend Of an alley, and the three went riding
-,
Whist parties after dinner followed whist
parties, and rides succeeded rides. At the
moment of the meeting of the chambers,
Montsegur had asked for leave of absence
on account Of III health. Strange to say,
NJ. Brlnquart had not said another word
about progress, or about joining the Re-
publican Union.
Three months passed in this way and
Mentse9ur was thinking of sending for his
Aunt Caroline from PARIS to make the
official offer of marriage, when an event
happened which induced him to manage
matters brusquely, and to sin against the
rules of correctness. 1t was a very small
event; a simple pressing of hands. One
night, when Montsegut was going away,
Adrienne shook hands with him SO sweetly.
so caressingly, that ne suddenly felt him
self full of impotence and full of hope
troubled the complete innocence of their
conversations; and yet, softly drawn tow
ards one another. they had found the means
or expressing their love merely by press
ing of the hands. There are so many ways
of talking love.
Those hand DRESSINGS had passed
through many phases and many shades of
meaning. Inc flr5t we're rapid, uncertain,
hesitatipg. Then friendship came, and
then sort of Companionship. Then they
shook hands frankly, openly, cordially, in
q brotherly manner. Bat after that, and as
if fluid had circulated secretly in their
interlaced fingers, both on the same day had
felt the same confusion and the same en-
barrassment. The band DRESSINGS became
short, nervous, and agitated. The crisis
had been short. Sentiments of sweetness
and tranquility had, at the same time, won
their souls. and the hand DRESSINGS became
long, languid, tender, contiding, trustful
TO such a degree that on that last night
Adrienne's hand remained in the hand of
MOntsegur while they exchanged, in d
voice that was by no means shaken by
emotion, some words that were quite sig
niticant. Adrienne suddenly blushed.
She must have said to herself: My
handl Where is my hand? And how long
brusquely.
This was the reason why, the next morn
ing, Montsegur entered, serious and grave,
the stady OF Brinquart. He began by this
phrase, which he had long premeditated:
My dear Monsieur Bnnquart, have n
serious confession TO make to you.
His voice trembled. Brinquart looked
ut him, and said:
IL know what 1t is.
You knowl"
"You are in love with Adrienne, and you
come TO ask her hand. Do you think
have my eyes in my pocket? You are a
charming fellOw, you have a nice fortune,
we are neighbors, and never has there been
the slightest discussion between us as to
boundaries and what not--a fact very much
to the credit of both of us. In short, /
shall be very happy to call You my SON in
law, and so will my wife. You won her
heart the first day she saw you. And as
we did not interfere when we saw you fall
ing in love with Adfienne, otherwise you
may rest assured that we should not have
authorized all those ctynlcades and moon
light rides. As to Adrienne, | do not ex-
pect to and any obstacle on ner side.
will confess her; the confession is not like
ly to be long. Go and take walk in tho
park fer half an hour When you return
you shall have a definite answer.
Montsegur obediently walked through tho
park. AS he approached the chateau, COM
ing back, he saw hundred yards ahead of
him, in the bend of an avenue, n white
dress. 1t WIS Adlienne. She had come
to meet him, courageously, alone. and when
she came near him not a word was neces-
sary. Adrienne's reply was in her eyes, in
her smile, in the artless and frank emotion
Of ner whole being. She took Montsegur's
arm Ihev ralnrned SLOWLY tnMard the