Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-04-04


leading their lives in common. Their inti-
macy, which hnd begun at college, was CO |
mented by similarity Of tastes and charac-
ters.
Paul had been educated for an engineer
Emile was notary's clerk. After having |
completed their studies they found them |
selves about TO begin the battle of lite, and |
they resolved TO pass together the periods Of |
trials between school days and the entrance |
on practical lite, when the choice OF friends |
Is 10 difficult Never word or action marred
the serenity of their friendship
Paul was In love with good and charming
girl who dwelt In the Same house. Paul,
who was infatuated with her, was In no way
surprised at Emile's friendly attention to his
sweetheart, and Emile, who was ever ready
to wait on her, never thought Of his familiar
ity being Objectionable to Paul.
Their friendship was founded on esteem
and confdence--a confidence so great that
one morning in April Paul, who had for some
time carried on negotiations with an Amer
ican company engaged in the construction OF
q railway, said to his friend:
to show what can do and to make the be.
ginning of career. have been offered the
superintendent Of the work on railway in
Louisiana shall be obliged to be absent
at least year. cannot take Hortense with
me, and the Thought OF giving her up breaks
my heart. In love distrust is merit I will
| not cOnfide Hortense to my brother. 1 con-
| fide her to you. You will watch over her as
| though she were sister, and In year, when
! return, I shall find her pure and worthy Of
| me--she will by my wife,"
"You can depend on me,w replied Emile,
grasping his friends hand.
Paul departed tranquil and confident
Emile and Hortense were left TO them
selves--she with all the seductions and beauty
| of youth, he with all the ardor of a young
| man of twenty.
desires, she of her instincts, keeping in sri-
| bordination all their thoughts, all their
| wishes, all their conversation, to find their
supreme satisfaction In duty accepted and
| accomplished.
| and Emile from the Office they spoke OF love,
| of divided passion, he pleading the cause OF
the absent lover she deceiving herself while
listening to him.
closed and when they went TO Mendon, to
| St Mande, TO fetes, or to pleasant reunions,
the passers-by wo'lld pause to look at the
couple, so young, so beautiful, on whom the
sunlight Of happiness seemed to smile, and
would say
."How Charming is love ~
And Emile's neighbors, looking through
the window into the room where the happy
couple sat, would say
"Ths is paradise -
That paradise was hell. Forced to speak
of love to Hortense, Emile experienced
strange sensations, the cause of which he
sought in vain to ignore.
Forced to listen, Hortense said to herself
that no voice in the world could better ex-
press the language Of true passion, and that
the woman who might be loved as she could
love Emile would be very happy. The flame
which they wished to fan for another burned
them.
Without having spoken of their love,
without having interpreted one another's
feelings from gesture or look, they had
become afraid even to converse with each
other; they had become afraid to speak OF
Paul, of his love and his hopes. His name
was never pronounced; 1t would have sound
ed in their ears like reproach.
Emile ceased his kind attentions to Hor
tense, so much did he fear that he would be
tray himself He affected to speak OF ac
quaintances that he had not made and of love
affairs that did not exist.
He bought at the stationers q photograph
of an actress, and, showing it 10 Hortense
| said:
"That is my sweetheart What do you
think of herg'
And Hortense replied, with indifference
She is very pretty"
Then the two retired to their rooms anc
wept
, ceased to reply 10 Emile's letters. Hortens.
, had written to him twice without receiving
an answer.
) This state OF affairs continued until tn,
} morning of the 1st of January, when Emil,
awaited the rising of Hortense in order I,
wish her happy new year and to presen
his gift.
He had managed to procure from PAUL.
parents a photograph reduced from portrai
and had it encased In pretty gold locke
bearing the initial of Hortense.
1When the young girl received the presen
and opened the locket, and saw the portrai
Of Paul, she biushed, then turned pale ant
I began to weep.
SWhy do you weep9r asked smile, in
choking voice. "He will soon return
"You do not understand me-" replied
Hortense. al weep, but it Is for joy"
, Her pent-up feelings found relief in sighi
Emile departed and did not return until tn,
evening was well advanced. Hortens
awaited him, seated by the fire. She wa
still weeping.
; The open 1ocket was ON the mantle. Emile
who was greatly embarrassed, mechanical,
turned his eyes toward it, then uttered a cry
His portrait had replaced that of Paul in tn
locket
|, "What does it mean Y' he exclaimed
"Hortense, what have you done?'
Leave me!, she said, taking the locke
Do not speak to me! / am madv'
"Mad ~ repeated Emile, really fright
"Ah, you see nothing! You understand
/ nothing" cried the young girl, a prey t
violent passion. "You do not see then
, | tudt Iuis oAiSVcucc lS lulpOSSlDio! L on Ot
not understand that adore you, and tina
thisl life of deceit and constraint is killing
i, mev'
, And throwing her arms about him she le
her head fall with sigh on the breast of tn,
young man, who trembled violently.
When he had recovered from his agitation
he disengaged himself from the embrace O
the young girl, and leading her to seat, sale
to her in a broken voice:
"And ], Hortense, adore you."
"Ah, my God" exclaimed Hortense, will
great joy.
"Let me speak-I adore you have loved
you for long time I have struggled in
vain against this passion, fool that was
How could help loving your
"Ah, my darling"
"Let me speak. When ! perceived tina
this love had taken possession of my hear
the memory of Paul came TO me like a re
proach. AT this moment see him before
me, the embodiment of my remorse."
81 love you !" stammered Hortense.
"Be silent! Such words must not be
spoken. Poor boy! he is calm as he stands
there, trusting our honor, counting upon on
your loyalty, upon my word, and We"
"He stopped, choked by his tears
"Why is Paul not here 7" said Hortense,
"Because he has confidence in U.S. What
ever 1t costs me, will not betray it, will
rather diew
"And l will die tool"
They paused, and strange look passed
between them like a magnetic current All