Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-09-15
that the Duke of Provence was

CAdL tu0 Duhc VI A1OfcuCc "dS
drowned while crossing a river.'
Then a fourth comes exclaiming:
pray God, my daughter; the man
sion in which you were born has taken
fire and they are looking for the body
of your mother who persisted in the
fire.
DO you hear, Maquelon? By gu,
e"scutcheon. my horse shall feel my
spurs.'
THAT is too much.' answers
M%aquelon; ''wait for me, my brother
together we shall return"
But a fifth traveller coming from the
opposite side says to her:
Hurry up, Maquelon. Prince AL
bert is dying with sorrow. as it has
been reported to him that his young
wife has been abducted, and nobody
knows what has become of her,
"A day of misfortune!' cried the
poor girl.
"Let us separate, my brother, anc
may God conduct me to the man tc
whom | belong"
Then, pale and trembling, she drives
on her horse. Heaven darkens more
and more, the tempest bursts forth.
sinister birds fly in the darkness.
grazing her sweet face with theil
heavy wings; her horse. mad with
terror, Frances wildly. Ma4uelon dis.
mounts and continues her way on foot:
the bushes tear her dress with theil
thorny arms, the stones rend her velvet
shoes and stain her delicate feet with
blood.
At this moment a hermit comes to
her. "Ah! father, take pity on my
Sorrows says Maquelon to him. II
have three brothers-the Oldest is a
captive, the second is wounded. the
third is gone to their help. The Duke
Of Provence, my father, is drowned,
and mother is buried under the ruins
of our castle; | am now without either
father, or mother, or brothers-Prince
Herbert is dying, perhaps at this very
hour, and God has said, Woman
sail renounce her family and country;
She shall remain with her husband,
and she shall leave anything and every
thing in order to follow him. Tell
me, mar of God, if | have done well?'
"You are a devoted and courageous
woman, Maquelon!'
Then, . miracle! Heaven becomes
serene again, the tempest ends, and
the birds sing.
"Fathcr, what this prodige means?
The sun is shining, the trees are green
again, and the birds are singing.'
My daughter, we are coming near
the palace OF Prince Herbert, and Joy
always preccdes a wife expected by
her husband"
"See, anywhere l set my feet the
earth covers itself with flowers and
grass
"lt is for the purpose of preserving
them from stones and thorns.'
sis it not an illusion father? II
seems to me that this mountain de.
creases in height and comes to the Level
of the plain?
"That is true, my daughter, and there
Is the palace of Prince Herbert, your
husband.'
The palace was before her; a dark
aud dull building whose windows
seemed as closed for a long time.
"How gloomy and sad his mansion
looks! One would think that not a
living being resides there
Life shall enter with you, Maquelon
as 1t is q handsome and good woman
who is the soul of the house. l mus,
leave you now
The hermit disappears. Maquelon
knocks at the entrance door that is
opened Immediately; in a moment the
house was Illuminated, q delightful
music is heard, and the Prince. mag
%nif*ent|y dressed, advances to offer
his hand to Maquelon.
BE welcome here" says he, ''sou]
of my house!'
Maquelon smiles and bushes. The
husband is the hermit that had assisted
her in the forest. She marvels when
she sees the old Duke. her father, with
her mother and her brothers seated
before a bountiful meal.
"Be blessed, my child,' says the
Duke of Provence the who hast pre-
ferred thy husband to all. Thou
wilt be a strong woman. Thou wilt
know how to love thy children and
command thy numerous servants.
God is my witness that if thou hadst
~succumbed in. this trial the gates of a
convent would have been closed on
thee forever"
Having thus spoken he kissed Ma
quelon, and great rejoicing took place
in the whole dukedom of Provence
Translated from The Prorcmcak.