Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-06-16

an very happy, Madame. Let MI
tell you about it,
Rest assured, Monsieur. that heartily
rejoice In this happiness, whatever it NAV
| be-"
For man who feels his worth, it is tn,
keenest misery to remain in lowlv place
unnouced IN the crowd. | have experi
enced all the bitterness of that feeling bn
at last the tide has turned, and forum,
smiles"
That is to Say-that ribbon-vou ar,
decorated" faltered Madame de Flavignv
That is not all, Madame. Pardon the
pride OF one so long unappreciated-the
King has appointed me to an eminent
post"
And you are going to accept it."
" 1t would be an irreparable mistake tc
refuse it. | have been sufficiently ignored
by those more favored than myself, and nv
revenge is now at hand"
Hence, when | believed YOU were salts
fed with your lot, Indifferent to fame, and
ABOVE the pangs of ambition, you nour.
lshed IN secret, without ever confidinc
them to ME, longings for greatness and
power?"
1t was only with the laudable desire OF
creating for myself an independence
Moreover, what greater satisfaction can
there be than to elevate oneself and, there.
by, the one whom he loves? How high he
carries his head, when the object of his af-
fection is encompassed by pomp and luxury
What is comparable to the felicity of the
man who can lay grandeur power and in
| tluence at the feet of the woman he adores
saying to her, These are my subiects-I
am thy slave -"
During this impassioned speech Madame
de Flavigny kept her eyes fixed upon him
with sad reproach.
Ihls, then, Is the explanation of your
! absence. You have already begun tc
neglect your friends-that is not we'll"
Spare my happiness" said NJ. de Blain.
villlers, distressedly. "Another word like
that would destroy it completely"
Madame de Flavigny insisted no further
but her dreamy and distracted manne,
offered such striking contrast to the radi,
ant humor of her guest, that he was forced
to repress, as much rs possible, the exuber,
ance of his joy. He endeavored to dispeI
the gloomy pre-occupation which resisted
all of his efforts at conversation, but with,
out avail.
could | not, more Justly than you, ac.
cuse you of Indifference to the happiness
| of your friends? Any other explanation
Of your coolness would be preferable to me
however"
"And would be more sensible" replied
she, with ill-concealed constraint.
Farewell, then, Madame" said he, ex,
tending his hand.
Farewell - replied she.
Until tomorrow" he continued, as he
| crossed the threshold.
The door closed, and Madame de Fla.
vigny, throwing herself on the sofa, in q
paroXysm of tears, murmured: Forever p
The following day NJ. de BlainviIliers
received the following note:
A single day has sufficed to DESTROY NV most
cherished illusions After such constant com.
paniOnship as ours. | thought understood the
very depths of your nature. That suppositiOu
gave me the keenest pleasure in a friendship
which might, in time, have become stronger
| bond. At any rate, it caused me to regard the
| future without anxiety. To-day, | feel obliged
to protect myself from the possibility of closer
relationship, for l have wrongly Judged Won
and have been blind to your real nature While
listening TO you yesterday | experienced an
emotion which l could not overcome 1t was
the reawakenlng of great sorrow. l was
happy and cOnfding at the time of nv first
marriage, but the world and ambition DESTROYED
my felicity, Notwithstanding my husbands ten
dernesS and his most solemn promises Your
words recalled to me the very protestatious
with which he endeavored to quiet my alarmed
heart, but which were, alas the very precur-
SorS of my sorrows. At that time, | took a firm
resolutlon-one incompatible with the ambition
which you possess. Let us, therefore, forget
the past. Tomorrow. at the moment nv letter
reaches you, shall be far from Paris, Receive
my adieuX, at the bottom of which are more pa-
grets than wish to express.
lEONTTSE Er .vrrrN-
NJ. de Blainvilliers read and re-read this
letter to assure himself that he was not
mistaken. He did not wait to reply, but
hastended breathlessly to Narennes street,
where he found that she had indeed gone,
and without proclaiming her destination.
He then wrote to her, hoping to induce
her to alter the opinion she had formed of
him; the next day and the next he reit-
Grated his appeal. All of his letters were
returned to him, however, unopened. $50"
unused he, Madame de Flavigny, like
wise, did net love me truly; what she
seemed to love was my obscurity."
This new disenchantment had seized NJ.
de Blainvilliers unawares. He was COM
pletely overcome by the suddenness of his
loss. His two sources of poetic inspiration
had both disappointed his hopes. He keenlv
missed the charm of those contrasting
natures, each of which harmonic ed in turn
with his dual character, until one day he
rose above his detection and asked himself
whether they were worth regretting so
sincerely. Both, reasoned he, sought their
happiness with me in the satisfaction of
their peculiar notions-in an abstract idea,
rather than a true sentiment. They are
hOtD HIttprapt ,g Il,
egotism.
The arduous duties of his position and
the excitement of the restless world in
which he lived, in time softened the keen
nesS76 his grief. He gave himself up to the
Jealous and laborious career of a man who
centers his whole mind on the ACQUISITION
of a fortune.
" understand your regrets, my dear
fellow" said his confidential friend to him
one day; "but be of good cheer. The
issue Of that affair was the Just punish
ment of the somewhat irregular position
which you held-paying court to two fair
ones at the same time. But you have not
been abandoned by the gods, and, still less,
by men. Here you are in new path !:
profit thereby, and have done forever with
that romantic past, which contrasts ridicu-
lously with the positive present. You
must console yourself for all past heart
aches and youthful follies, as other people
do, by Il sensible marriage. The oppor-
tunity will not be lacking"
After this the subject of marriage de
conrendnce was frequently discussed be-
tween NJ. de Blainvilliers and his friend.
Well, mon cher" said the former, some
time after, | am about to try the means
which you suggest to put an end to un-
pleasant memories"
Six months after this NJ. de Blainvilliers
received a leave of absence from his official
duties, and returned to Paris. He had
assumed graver manner than heretofore /;
his carriage was more stately, his costume
less youthful, and his placid expression
betokened more dignity, perhaps; but he
had lost something of his fascinating brill
fancy. Six months had sufficed to pro-
duce this transformation. He was neither
better nor worse than before-he was sim
ply different. But the notifications in
his exterior were undoubtedly due to the
important changes which had taken place
in his position-to the new interests and
new duties which belonged to broader
field of action. But in his inmost soul he
remained the same. There are certain
impressions which cling to us throughout
our lives.
You may break, you may shatter the vase, if
you WILL
But the scent of the roses will hang round it