The daily gazette., 1883-07-27


by in all the splendor OF her nonchalant
beauty, You would have taken her for a
IoVeIy somnambulist passing through the
world in a dream.
Such indifference and such coauetry were
not easy to COZ prehcnd Some said that
she cared for nothing: others, that she cared
ohlv Tor hcrsrlt, aud yet a single word ex-
| piainen her character; She was wniting-
ever since tln' sgtof fourteen she had hcnrtl
u continually repeated, that no one was as
charming rs she: of that she had become
convlneei; that was the reason OF the great
care she gave her dress; had she shown lack
OF respect Tor her person, sae would have
thought herself guilty Of sacrilege. She
walked, 81 to speak, like child in his hnll-
day attire; but she was far from beievi 0g
that this beauty ought to continue metfec
tive' beneath her apparent indifference she
concealed purpose, secret, infexible, and
as strong OF It was perfectly disguised.
lh+ cnquetrJ OF ordinary women displaying
! i'scll in elanees, atiectations and smiles,
seemed TO her childish vain and almost con
temp'iblc. She felt that she possessed a
treasure, aud shG dis aimed to risk PLAYING
1t piece by piece. She must have an adVer-
sary worthy OF herself; but so accustomed
was she to seeing all her wishes anticipated
that she did not seek for this adversary;
he delayed appearing. After the four
| or five years that she hi d been min
Cling in society, eonscientiously display
Ing her dresses, her jewelry, and her beauti-
iul shoulders, 1t seemed TO her incredible
that she had not yet broken a single heart.
ii she had spoken her secret thought, she
would have replied TO those who ompli-
mented her; "Wel. If It Is true that am
pretty, why do you not fall in love with
mef A reply which, as far as that goes,
many young women might make and which
more than one of them who says nothing,
has at the bottom Of her heart, sometimes
even on her very lips. '1t
What, after all, can there be more trying
TO woman's patience than 10 be voung,
pretty, rich, to look at herself in the mirror,
to see herself elegantly dressed, attractive
In every way, longing 10 be loved, and
with all that to, say TO herself: "They
admire me, every one thinks me charming,
but no one loves me. My dress is
perfect, my laces superb, my coiflure be-
yond cri iciem, my face the prettiest ia the
world, my figure good, my foot small; and
all this avais for nothing more than TO
leave me To yawn in the corner of parlor.
If young man speaks to me, he treats me
like child; IL am asked IN marriage, II is
Tor my dowry; IL anyone presses my hand IN
a
comb. Whenever | appear anywhere, / ex-
cite murmur of admiration, but no one
whispers In my my ear word which can
make my heart beat faster. | overhear i'm
pertinent people but two steps away talking
loudly In my praise, but no modest
and sincere look meets mine, have a
nature, that is ardent and full of fife, but
after all, am only puppet to be exhibited,
to be made to dance at ball, to be dressed
In the morning by my maid, to have my
hair let down IN the evening, and be put
through the same routine the following
day"
This Is what Mademolselle Godeau had
said to herself thousand times, and there
were occasions when the thought filled her
with such sadness that she remained mute
and almost motionless the entire day. When
Croisilles wrote to her, she was in precisely
such stat Of feeling. She had Just taken
her chocolate, and, reclining in her easy
chair, was lost In thinking, when her maid
entered and handed her the letter with a
mysterious air. She looked at the address,
and not recognizing the writing, fell back
into her reverie. The maid then found her
self forced to explain what had taken place,
which she did in an embarrassed way, not
being sure how the young lady would look
at the proceeding. Mademoiselle Godeau
listened without moving, then opened the
letter, and, after hardly glanclng at its con-
tents, asked Immediately for a sheet of
paper, aud wrote with the utmos. careless-
ness these few words
"Oh mon Dieu! no, am not SO cruel.
IL you only had 100000 crowns, would
marry you very willingly"
Such was the reply which the maid at
once carried back to Croisilles who gave her
q louis Tor her trnnhlA