Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-06-13

ana worthy OF me-She VIII De my
wife,"
"You can depend on me,' replied
Emile, grasping his friends hand.
Paul departed, tranquil and conf
dent.
Emile and Hortense were left to
themselyes-she with all the sednc.
tions and beauty of youth, he with
all the ardor of young man OF
twenty.
At twenty they made sacrifices
be of his desires, she of finer instincts,
keeping in subordination all their
thoughts, all their wishes, all their
conversation, to find their supreme
satisfaction in duty accepted and
accomplished.
When Hortense returned from the
shop aud Emile from the office, they
spoke of love, OF a divided passion,
he pleading the cause of the absent
lover, she deceiving herself while
listening to him.
On Sunday, when the shop and
Office were closed. and when they
went to Meudon, to st. Manda, to
fetes or to pleasant reunions, the
passer-by would pause to look at the
couple, SO young, beautiful, on whom
the sunlight Of happiness seemed to
smile, and would say:
allow charming is lovem
And Emile's neighbors, looking
through the window into the room
where the happy couple sat, would
say:
"There is paradise ~
That paradise was hell. Forced to
speak of love to Hortense, Emile ex.
perienced 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 express the language
of the true passion, and that the
woman who might be loved as she
could love Emile would be very hap.
Ply. The flame which they wished
to fan for another burned them.
Emile ceased his kind attentions
to Hortense, so much did he fear
that he would betray himself. He
affected to speak of acquaintance
that he had not made and Of love
affairs that did not exist.
He bought at the stationer's a
photograph OF an actress, and show
ing it to Hortense, said:
"That is my sweetheart. What
do you think Of herr"
And Hortense replied with indif-
ference: "She is very pretty"
Then the two retired to their
rooms and wept.
When Paul had been gone two
months he ceased to reply to Emile's
letters. This state of affairs contin.
ued until the morning of the LIST of
January, when Emile awaited the
rising of Hortense in order to wish
her happy New Year.
He had managed to procure from
Paul's parents photograph reduced
from a portrait, and had encased it
in a pretty gold locket bearing the
initial of Hortense.
When the young girl saw the por-
trait of Paul she blushed, then turn
ed pale and began to weep.
Emile departed and did not return
until Intervening was we'll advanced.
Hortense awaited him, seated by
the fire. She was still weeping.
The open locket was on the man.
tel. Emile mechanically turned his
eyes toward it, then uttered cry.
His portrait had replaced that of
Paul in the lOcket.
"What does it mean f'' he ex-
claimed. "Hortense, what have you
done ~
"Leave me.n she said, taking the
locket and slipping it into her bosom.
"Leave me! Do not speak to me
l am madp'
Madw repeated Emile, really
frightened.
"Ah, You see nothing! You un.
derstand nothingr cried the young
girl, prey to violent passion. "You
do not see then that this existence
is impossible! You do not under.
stand that ] adore you, and that this
life OF deceit and constraint is killing
me!r
And throwing her arms about him,
she let her head fall with sigh on
the breast Of the young man, who
trembled violently.
When he had recovered from his
agitation he disengaged himselffrom
the embrace Of the Young girl, and
leading her to seat, said to her in
a broken voice:
And /, Hortense, | adore you.r
"Ah, may Godw exclaimed Hor-
tense, with great joy.