New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-25
ANNA.

and turned up her fine eyes with a look OF I'M
utterabe pathos Her friend, the nlconPoe eSd
FORTY but-like the majority OF French women,
by no means fair, also sighed ana endeaNoreu
to lock as sympathetic as her a5so4te Tbe
of the matter in question would allow oil ne ne
couple were seated in of the shady aiees AZ
Spa, near enough to the band for lts strains "
be distinctly audible but not so near az Of oeooe
passed constantly up and down, ana hauame
Paritof was frequently Obliged to 1reak on III
tho recital of her woes to acknowledge, with q
stately inclination or smiling nod, her numerous
acquaintances and friends. .. .
You were saying, dear madame = lhterro-
rated the Niscountess, after pause
81 was saying then how inconcelvabiy nave
been disappointed in my plans for Anna. You
know how have brought her up-Enghsh nurses
independence, bberty-que sais-le, mSlY livery
thing that is most English. l wished her TO
marry an Englishman, for thus thought shculd
best insure her happiness. You ana KNOW
dear madame, what husbands are
"Ah!" groaned Madame Revcrs, extending one
fat hand in its tight tan-colored covering ana
tenderly caspng that of her companion. .
Russian or French they arc all the same, ,
pursued the latter. u have tried the one and
you the other, my poor dear lrlend-Te Know
with what results. With the English, however,
it is different: they are more serious, moro trust
worthy, more, as they would say themselves
domcsticated--"
siast ga lly dom s-tcecated-that is the word
Well, my bores appeared about to be reailzed
five years ago, when at seventeen. N TINS .S very
place Anna engaged herself to young Mr. Iw1clI,
enham His fortune and position were good, ana
he himself charming. There was but one draw
back his father, un John Bull pur sang, OBJ
jected to his marrying foreigner. AT hrst ne
refused his consent altogether, declaring his son
was too young TO know his own mind but hnaiiy
agreed TO withdraw his opposition II a1ter SIN
notwithstanding which time the young couple were
neither to meet nor to cOrrespond-they were stll
firm in their resolution Well you Will hardly
believe it-befOre three months had passed my
lly oil q m
gagement; his love had cooled, suppose, for he
discovered that he and my daughter were I'M
suited to each other! She viii never get over
it, cannot persuade her to think of marriage,
though several suitable parties have presented
themselves: all men arc alike, she SAYS and she
will have nothing more to do with them
Do you think then she is still attached 10
her Enelisbman?7
Her Epgishman? Oh, de grace, madame
do not speak OF him thus. Anna cannot bear
him; will not even permit me TO hint at this
episode in her lie. Judge then my dismay and
grief on bearing this morning that ne Is here,
actually here, and that we may meet him at any
time. You know an, in the very middle of my
cure; il would not bc possible to leave now With
out grave injury to my health
Actually herc-.Iiontc Divine," calculated
Madame dc Revers What COMPLICATION /
Anna herself say?'
"Anna!" lin a little scrcaml. 4 took good
care not to tell her. 1t would quite, spoil her
pleasure for the rest of our sojourn here and
here as told you, it is absolutely necessary for
me TO remain. 1t is possible that this young
man may, on discovering our vicinity, have the
would be forward enough to wish to intrudc him
self on our notice. 1t is again possible that
surrounded as Anna invariably is, she may not
be aware of his being here; they tell me he does
not go much into society. In any case l shall
leave it to chance-and Providence" she added,
piously, Il must try not TO worry My doctor
assures me-" and Madame Paritof whose
health was just sufficiently delicate TO be of
all-absOrbing interest to her aud not so much
as TO prevent her going about as much as she
liked. launched forth into a dissertation on her
favorlte topic.
Little did she know that at the very same
moment Anna was walking up and down their
drawing-roOm, in a frenzy of excitement on dis
covering the name OF Basil Twiclenham in the
list of visitors to Spa. Once again she reviewed
her brief love tale, her blind faith in the man who
had forsaken her, her girlish dreams and then the
rude awakening, the shame. the bitter indignation.
She had lived il all down at last; She had hoped
that the very memory Of 1t would in time fade
out OF her life; and now this nan must needs
insult her afreSh by his close proximity. How
ever, she would know how TO conceal her annoy
ance; no one not even her mother, should guess
Of the emotion she felt; as for Basil, she would
prove by her airy and serene demeanor how
easily she had got over the past.
The neAt morning when Madame Paritof was
quaffng her matutinal glass of water. with the
aid Of Sirop de Groseilcs and sundry grimaccs
et the PoUhon, she surprised TO see her
daughter bcstow a gracious bow on a young
man who was approaching, and who, unlike the
generality Of their acquaintance had not first
uncovered Down wen, Madame Paritoff's glass
and up went her gold pince-nez, Just in time to
see Basil Twckenham color up to the roots Of
his brown hair, and return the salute with grave
dignity
Do you Sec mamma? 1t is Mr. Twickenham.'
said Anna, in her most matter-of-fact tones.
How funny TO meet him here again. is it not?'
Madame Partof gasped, and clutched her
daughters arm for support, while the latter
blush was balm TO her feelings, the sight of her
evidently made him uncom fortable-so much the
better; she would try and make him more
The momentary confusion had however, died
away as completely as the blush when Basil
stood by her side, greeting her as calmly as though
he, ordinary acquaintance, had parted from
her yesterday.
His prevailing sentiments were those of
constituent and admiration; astonishment that
the timid half-developed damsel of five years
ago should have grown into this beautiful,
queenly girl; admiration not only of her person
but of her manner her self possession the easy
grace with which she conducted herself under
found embarrassing. Madame Paritoh, however,
could not diSsemblc so well, and almost
extensively rude; after a few moments putting
an end 10 the conversation by drawing her daugh-
ter's arm through hers, and walking away,
The ice was broken, nevrruic.vr-. ~~., ,.lrer
few days Basil again found himself on intimate
terms with the Paritofis; Anna having made her
mother understand the advisabilitv of proving
that they were in no wise heart-brolen, or even
piQued. by bis behavior in the past, and. further
announcing much to the latter's SURPRISE that it
amused her TO see him again TO Basil the
renewal Of mountaineering under such altered
circumstances was not altogether delightful; he
was more hurt and annoyed at Annals airy uncon-
Germ than he would have cared 10 own, and his
sense of shame for the past second only TO
the interest which she now excited in him. They
met frequently, and he invariably found her
charming, affable, and amusing. but, apparent
" hopeIcssly Indifferent 20 himself. The conse-
Guences which ensued were those which he had
least anticipated at seven-and- twenty, after five
years knocking about the world, he fell in love
over again with the girl who had captivatcd him
when lust escaped from college. Real love this
time and all the more intense because, humble
and devote himself as he might, her cool reserve
was impcnetrable.
Matters came to crisis one day when he
sitting beside her "a little apart from the laxative
circle. where Madame Paritoh reigDed supreme.
The band was playing an air which had been
a favoritc Of the Partolf's in old times, and 10
which friend Of theirs had set some words:
"On DIT mon ange. ie lie sails bien
Que ramour change-Oh men crois rien!"
Co 4 heran finishing with the assertion