The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-09-26

coined them to the Charmilles with all the
grace [ could command. A glance at the
creole lady was sufficient to reveal to me a
woman of high resolve and stern determin-
alton. She had evidently been great
beauty, but she was no longer young, and
the outline of both face and form had
Welded to the soft influence of the ener-
waiting climate of her country, and so had
become spread and shapeless. Her eyes
were still large and very black, flashing
with an expression so earnest that thought
it almost malevolent as they rested full
upon my countenance Her dress was
faultIess-rich black silk covered with
black lace-no travelling costume crumpled
and dirty, but fresh and crisp, and worn
with all the coquettish insolence Of her race
changed at the hotel, thought l. Her
hand of snowy whiteness appeared whittier
still through the fall of black lace which
hung over it, and every finger was decked
with rings, which sparkled with dazzling
brightness through the network Of the black
lace mantillia. She did not come forward
to meet my advances, but stood firm and
upright while l bowed and swept toward
her with the grace impaired by the dancing
master of Beldon, from whom both Octave
and I had taken lessons in our youth, and
welcomed her warmly y as my cousins friend.
Then [ turned to Mdlle. Emile, who, un-
like the fashy, jewelbedecked matron,
stood modestly at distance, and when she
took my proffered hand she pressed it,
looking all the while into my face with a
beseeching expression, as if asking for my
sympathy. She was pale, delicate girl,
evidently shy and embarrassed, and sub
dued by the glance of her stepmother, for
even while she was answering my common
place questions concerning the fatigue of
her journey, 1 detected in the look she
directed toward the lady the same express
sion of fear and doubt [ had observed in
Cousin Octave The latter was now alb
sorbed in busy conversation with the Able,
and [ sought in vain for some subject of
mutual interest which should give anima-
ton to our discourse. [ could find none.
We conversed in monosyllables, and in a
tone so low that it was positive relief
when Josephine, my maid, came to an
nounce that the rooms which had been
hurriedly prepared for ices DANES were
ready
My l.eart was full to bursting. 1t was
not thus that I had pictured to myself the
meeting for which l had woven the most
poetical fancies. knew well enough that
the presence of the two ladies must be an
obstacle to any kind of gushing sentiment
on my cousins part, but l had certainly
expected more frank and cordial greeting
"a more open acknowledgment of our past
attachment, and, perhaps, for sentiment Is
subtle, more free acceptance of our prob
able position in the future. l escorted my
guests to their rooms, in accordance with
the rules of old-fashioned etiquette, and
then [ rushed to my own chamber and
bowed my head in resignation to the sac
rifce of all my dreams, and burst into a
passion of tears. No one will deem it
strange that, amid the perplexity into which
the constraint of my cousins behavior had
thrown me, [ should have connected it with
the presence of Madame de M6ris and
Mdlle. Emile 1t was plain to me that
Octave was held in bondage by the elder
lady, but the motive of this abject fear of
her very glance was a mystery. Her scru-
tiny of me had been so keen as to be almost
disquieting, and l could not but associate
with disapproval the frown with which she
gazed upon me. l thought that perhaps
Octave might have spoken of my personal
appearance with the blinded admiration of
an infatuated lover, such as he had been
ten years before, and that the scornful ex-
preston of her countenance was due to the
disappointment she must naturally have
felt at sight of my dulled eyes and faded
complexion. think see it all. She is
bent on making a match between Octave
and her stepdaughter. That is why she
has come to France; that is why she will
not lose sight of him. Well, the girl is not
pretty but she is so delicate and gentle,
far more refined than her mother; she evi-
IDENTIFY comes of better blood. And then
she is young; many, many years younger
than myself All me