Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-01-07
voice said half tImEaiy, half siaas, With

| put my arms round heT for moment,
whispering a few loving words. She was
smiling In reply when Guy came to us with
| lady on his arm whom / greeted as Mrs.
| Leonhardt Gabrielle Eeonhardt was that
rare being, beautiful French blonde, her
delicate regular features, her luxurant fair
hair, turquoise-blue eyes and stately figure
| forming a tOltt ensemble 50 rarely lovely
| that, looking on her. the thought crossed me
| for moment why Guy had not chosen the
| step-mother, who was 50 much more beauti-
| full than his taiicce. She sat by Guy as we
| drove homeward that soft summer evening,
| Berthe by my side, with one little hand clasp
| ing mine, her eyes studying my face and
| then straying 10 Guys and resting there with
! perfect contentment.
"That dear little stationp' BERTHE said, as
we drove away. us it not pretty, Gabrielle?
| Jean, am English; but this is my first visit
to England. i love that little station"
II hope you will like England also" re-
turned, smiling at her eager warmth. She
| was child to me.
"Ah, but certainly; how could l do other
| wise?''
| The English was almost perfect here and
| there French idiom making Ii piquant and
| pretty; her voice too was sngularly sweet
and rich. And yet, more than once during
our drive, / wished little regretfuliy that
Gabrielle had been my brothers choice, which
regret made me all the more tender, remorse-
fully so perhaps, towards BERTHE.
! This is Tredegar, Berthe" Guy said quiet
! ly, as we entered the park; and though her
| eyes met his with loving light in them, she
| did not speak.
/ When we reached the house, the large
i hall mo
servants were waiting. Guy helped out Mrs
Leonhardt and myself, and then he lifted out
| BERTHE.
| "Do you think you will be happy here,
dearestY heard him whisper.
"AUec tot, Guyv' she whispered, in reply,
| pronouncng his name in the French way.
And then, with her hand still in his, he led
| her into the nall where auntie Oracle stood
Bertie's lip quiyered a little as my aunt took
\ her in her arms; but she looked round and
! smilingly acknowledged the servants saluta-
tions; then Guy drew her away little impa-
tiently, and the library door closed after
them. A few minutes later the dressing-bell
| rang; there was sound of rlstling silken
robes and the Gathering of little pointed heels
| IN the corridors, sweet laughter and wOmen's
voices mingling with mems deeper tones
then sound ct closing doors, and all was
still.
i was dressed, standing talking to my maid
| when little tap came at my door. Wears
opened II and said, Miss leonhardt, ma am"
and BERTHE entered. She was dressed in some
heecy black material the only touch of color
about her being IA creamy yellow rose which
nestled near her white throat. Her face
looked little pale, thought.
JEAN" she said, may go down with
you? 1t is foolish, / know; but feel a little
nervous at seeing so many strange faces"
"Of course, dear" | answered, smiling I;
and we left the dresSing-room which, like
many of the bedrooms, opened into the large
gallery which ran round three sides of the
house and which was lined with old family
portraits and pictures.
"Have we time To see one--only oneY she
said. Jean, will you show me your and
Guys mothers picturep
| / did SO. She looked at il earnestly.
"What dear little baby you were, Jean |"
was the only remark she made.
| We descended the broad "escdlter d'hon-
neur" as she called II, and entered the dim
ing-room. Our guests as yet were notnumer-
Gus, though We generally assembled house
full TO do honor 10 Guys birthday, which was
in the middle of July. Three or four pretty
/ BulS, dDOul lndl VI tllSlDlt
men, Guys cOllege-friends, two or three
pleasant chaperons-that was all. Mrs. Leon
hardt was already there when we entered.
She stood talking to Guy and young Lord
Oldham, who was great friend OF Guys,
and who took BERTHE in TO dinner During
dinner he kept her we'll amused; and BERTHE
evidently talked well, though she was a trife
nervous. An occasional glance at Guy gen.
orally met with loving one in return; but
neither my brother nor his fdncee was Of the
kind who wear their hearts on their sleeves.
After dinner Mrs Leonhardt played some
of Chopn's enhancing music. While she
was playing the gentlemen entered but the
silence was unbroken save for the music
"How exquisitev' what touch! ~ What
taste! p "Such expression echoed through
the room, amid universal applause.
II am glad you are pleased" she said quiet
] w. IL love Chopin. My professor was a
pupil of his. But, Jean, will you not play
something's
AS was excusing myself, Guy approach
ed.
Perhaps you would sing something, mad
ame?" he said. Am l exacting in asking
YOU for songy
She acqulesced. Guy. at the piano, began
the accompaniment of Gounods "Berceuse, "
and she sang it exquisitely. Her voce-a
rich soprano of great purity and compass
had been excellently trained Again the
thought struck me, how had Guy withst0od
destinations such as hers? The song ended,
the applause rang FORTH and Gabrielle laugh
ingly curtseyed her Acknowledgements. When
the room was quiet again, Guy began an ac-
compartment we were very familiar with.
BERTHE" he said quietly, II am waiting"
She came to his side, her face flushing a
little.
Don't ask me tonight, Guy" she whisp
cred.
why not, mousie? 1t is so long since
heard you sing, mignOnne. ask YOU"
Very still was the room as she began. Hel
voice rose, rich and soft, so full of expression
pathos, and pain that my eyes filled with
tears. Strongly, with subdued passion IN
every note, came the words
For him | gave up all,
My peOple-yea, my God
loved the very ground
Whereon the Christian trOdV
There was minutes dead silence as hel
voice died away; then. before any one spoke
Guy, at the piano, began again, and the spell
was broken. Again her voice rose, this time
with triumphant strain, singing Rose
Friquets song out of Les Dragons de w
lars, "Ii-m'dine," the color coming and go
| ing IN her sweet face. When she finished
the applause could not be checked.
There was no more singing. BERTHE retired
to q couch and sat with auntie Oracle. On,
by one our guests retired. the ladies' to theil
dressing rooms and midnight condolences, The
men to the tobugie, as we called the billiard
room, which was in the bachelors quarter:
In the east wing of the house, for last cigal
| aud of hillin r4lc Nm. narti1 Gahriolla