River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-09-04
TUE DOCTORS STORY.
FROM THE FRENCH OF GUY DE MAUI
PAssANT.

She was Russian lady, the Countess
Marie Baranow, a very great lady. ex-
quisitely handsome, you know how
beautiful they seem to us, with their
fine noses, delicate mouths, eyes rather
close together and of indiscribable
grayish blue, and that cold grace of
theirs, a little severe. They have
something about them at once wicked
and seductive, naughty and gentle, ten
der and harsh, which is very charming
TO Frenchman. But, after all, it
may be only the difference of race and
typo which causes me to see so much in
| them.
Her physician had for several years
tried to induce her to settle in the
south OF France, as he observed that
she was threatened with consumption.
But she obstinately refused to leave st.
Petersburg. Finally, last autumn, be-
lieving her life at stake, the doctor
warned her husband, who Immediately
ordered his wife to leave for Mention.
She took the train, choosing to re-
main all by herself in the car, while her
servants occupied another compartment.
She leaned out at the door. little sad,
as she watched the fields and villages
passing by--feeling herself very isolat
ed, very lonely in that life of hers,
without children, almost without rel
atives, with husband whose love had
grown cold, and who was sending her
thus far away to another part of the
world, without as much as offering to
accompany her-just as he would send
sick patient to the hospital.
At each station her servant Ivan reg
ularly came to the door to find if his
mistress needed anything. He was an
aged domestic, blindly devoted to her,
and ready to fulfill any order that she
could possibly give him.. Night came
on, and the train was rushing forward
at full speed. She could not sleep, for
excess of nervousness. Suddenly the
idea occurred to her to count the money
her husband had placed in her hand at
the last moment, in gold coin of France.
She opened her little bag and emptied
the shining mass of metal into her lap.
Just then Whit of cold air smote
her in the face. She lifted her head in
surprise. The door of the railroad car
had just opened. Hastily the Countess
Marie dropped her shawl over the mon
ey lying in her hap and waited. A sec
ond later man entered, bareheaded,
wounded in his hand, painting violently
and attired If. evening full dress. He
closed the door, sat down, gazed at his
neighbor with glittering eyes and COM
menced to bind handkerchief about
his bleeding wrist.
The young woman felt herself ready
to faint with fear. That man certainly
must have seen her counting the gold,
and he had come in only to rob and
murder her.
He kept his gaze upon her, still out
of breath as he was, his face working
strangely, as though he were preparing
to leap upon her.
Then he said sharply:
Don't be afraid, madam!"
She could not speak; there was a
sound of buzzing in her ears, and she
could hear her own heart beat.
He spoke again. II am not Grim
inal, madam"
Speechless with fear, she could an
swer nothing, but in the sudden move
ment of her start at the sound of his
voice her knees coming together caused
the gold to trlckle down upon the floor
piece by piece, as the water trickles
from spout.
The man observed with surprise the
falling stream of gold pieces, and sud
denly bent down to pick them up.
Then, wild with fear, she rose to her
feet, dropping all her fortune on the
to leap cut upon the track. But he
comprehended what she was going to
do, and turning, seized her in his arms,
reseated her by force, and grasping her
wrists, exclaimed;
Listen to me, madam. / am not
robber; and the proof is that | am 60
ing to pick up all your money and give
it back to you. But am lost man
/ am a dead man-if you do not aid me
to pass the frontier. / can tell you
nothing more. In another hour we
shall reach the last Russian station; in
one hour and twenty minutes we shall |
cross the frontier line. If you do not |
succor me, / am lost. And nevertheless, |
madam, swear to you that / have not |
killed anybody, stole anything, or done /
one dishonorable act. This / swear to /
you. But cannot tell you anything
more"
And, going down upon his knees he |
picked up every coin to the very last, |
seeking the gold pieces under the
benches, and grasping after those
which had rolled into obscure places. /
Then, when the little leather bag was
full again, he handed it to his neighbor
without word, and retired to a corner
of the car, where he sat down. Meth
er of them made the least movement.
She remained motionless and dumb,
still faint with terror, but gradually be-
coming calm. As for him, he made
not gesture, not sign; he remained
sitting erect and immobile, with eyes
looking straight before him, and so
pale that he seemed to be dead. From
time to time she cast quick side glance
at him, which was as quickly turned
away. He was man of about thirty,
very handsome, with all the outward
appearance of gentleman.
The train rushed on through the
darkness, finging out It's piercing
shriekes to the night, sometimes slack
ening its pace moment, only to start
off again under full steam. But at
last its course became steadily slow, it
whistled several times, and stopped
short.
Ivan appeared at the door to receive
orders.
The Countess Marie gave final look
at her strange travelling companion,
and then said brusquely to her servant:
"Ivan, thou will now return to the
count; shall have no more need of
thee"
Stupefed, the man opened his eyes
enormously. He began to stammer
out.
But-Varinew
mo, thou shalt not come: / have
changed my mind; / prefer thou
shouldst remain in Russia. Here,
this is the money to pay thy way.
Give me thy cap and cloak, quickly"
Dumbfounded, the old servant took
off his cap and cloak, obeying without
a word accustomed as he was to the
sudden whims and irresistible caprice
of masters. And he went away with
tears in his ewes