Wichita eagle., 1888-11-27
THE ACE OF SPADES.

1t was whirl Of black coats and white
shoulders, and those of the men who did
not dance still remained in the salon to
admire the beautiful walters.
M. dArcueil, in his quality of master
Of the house, was doing his duty turn by
turn with all those women that without
his example no one would have thought
of inviting. The card room, however,
was empty, and at the same moment that
Nine. d'Arcueil, across whose charming
head twenty-five springs had come and
gone, perceived the incumberment of her
salon young officer of 80, perhaps, So
icited the honor and happiness of waltz
with her.
Upon one condition." she responded,
that we have game of cards first; but
! warn you that know only ecarte."
The young officer did not stir. and
Mime. d'Arcueil, with that freedom of tone
that Distinguishes the Parisienne, added
smilingly, "Who loves me follows mel"
Immediately not less than twenty Of
those solemn men who believed it dero-
gated from their dignity to dance, and
who had been invited solely on account of
their wives, trooped after her to the card
room and placed themselves at table.
Every one will thank me for this, 3"
said she, "and the ladies viii be able to
move without tearing their trains. Mes
sieurs, give you the right to play"
'Lucienne," demanded in a low tone
the young officer, tell me quickly the
true meaning of thisl"
Simply that we may have a pretext
for talking together without disturbance.
Besides, | should have died in the midst
Of those dancers. But play, Louis, play!"
He obeyed and mechanically distributed
the cards, turning up the ace of spades.
And they played, but in the handling of
the cards, in pronouncing insignificant
phrases. in giving change to the players,
or chatting graciously with the guests
was deeply in love, and was experiencing
how cruel the torture could be, was forced
to bring the same upon her lover.
Her husband, ex-ambassador from
France to Spain, had been charged with
secret mission that required prompt de-
parture. Well, NJ dArcueil had decided
that his wife during his absence, the pre-
else duration Of which he was unable to
tell, should remain at Andelys, where her
family were then residing. And he, Louis
de Fremont, captain in the til, would
have no right to leave Paris, since his
regiment was on duty there.
AS he made this reflection he distributed
the cards for the third time, and for the
third time the ace of spades was the
turn up.
Again." cried Louis; clearly it is sig
nifcant Of something"
Significant? yes" murmured Nine.
d'Arcueil, ''of the manner perhaps, in
which we have trifed with our hearts as
we now trifie with these cards."
.tRuf Tnciaupa rubu do vnrr fro9 Wbxy
do you not resist? Why do you not refuse
to leave Paris? Why do you permit this
man, whom you do not love, to command
your life in this way? Why do you leave
me, and my love SO ardent, so faithful? l
say my love, you see, for know well that
yours
MY love, Louis, so beautiful and
sweet beg of you not to alter it by I'M
Just reproaches. / have committed sin
enough in loving you-recognize this in
place of torturing me by suspicious. l
Shall be punished sufficiently when to-
morrow find myself alone-an alone
with him!''
Alone with him" repeated NJ. de Bre-
mont, despair, anger, jealousy, disgust,
tearing at his heart, while the indifferents
that surrounded him took ices, played,
danced, arranged intrigues-obeyed, In
short, that odious law of antithesis that
since the world began has encompassed in
clouds of joy, in rays of sunlight, the sad
dest sorrow.
play, Louis, play" cried Lucienne sud
denly; "some one comes"
But Is it ended2" he murmured again;
have we met, have we loved, and do we
now part forever? For year you have
been to me the universe-you who tell
me with so calm a tone adieul And IL
must respond to you, adieu! And after
it, Lucienne. after | have said adieu when
this night is over, is it to be nothing
1nore-am to see you no more? Is it
and l ask it for the last time-is 1t endedf"
YES" she answered, for / must go
cannot do otherwise; and | beseech you
not to speak to me in that way-not to
incite me to commit imprudencel If have
refused my love to NJ. d'Arcueil l have
still known how to respect his names But,
see. they regard us curiously" And
Lucienne d'Arcueil gave the cards new
turn.
Ace of spadesw announced the captain.
Always thatP she answered aloud and
holding it UP with smile that showed
two rows Of teeth as small and white as
those of child. Decidedly, shall have
TO go and consult fortune teller. Doesn't
it alarm you," she added, that it is
always the ace of spades that is turnedf"
Not particularly; a mere matter Of
chance. ! have seen st Spa a series of
even more surprising occurrences than
this Still, the persistency Of this ace of
spades may have meaning that we can
not read At all events, l will make you
proposition. mad. unrealizable, perhaps
without possible result, but you feel the
turning of this card portentous of some
thing. and they say there is genie Of
play-eh bienl call upon it to serve me!
If turn 1t again, this ace Of spades, you
viii give me the right to send for you, to
call you TO me, no matter where, no mat
ter how, no matter at what hour, day or
address-and We viii find ourselves to-
gether once more. Do you agree to it? All,
/ know what you would say-that my
hope Is wild, insensate; that must give up;
SO much the worse for mel But you-you
risk nothing; it is | who viii struggle with
the cards, and IL give YOU NV word
upon twill do nothing to trick you.
You refuse? So be it; YOU shall not 60.
or, rather, if you do, 1 follow you at every
sacrifice, despite your husband, despite
yourself even
And you would do thiss You would
compromise me thus if l decline to sub.
ject myself to this mad propositions"
II swear it.
She hesitated.
Decided" he added; decide quickly.
Ny mood is not one to be trifed with! DO
YOU accept,
voice; shuttle the cards and begin."
Louis shufied them feverishly, then
,,oaol .lo,, he vic VII