Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-01

| vorite haunt, the Cafe du Grand Turc, to
be discussed between generous draughts Of
cider. He tugged his gray mustache in
| divided feelings, and at last came to de-
cision with the aid of his terrible boom.
He would deliver the little Marquis into
the hands of the concierge of the tower,
and after a look in upon his cronies at the
| Grand Turc and glass OF cider, hasten to
Saint-Laurent in search of proper author
ity.
! Herve was a decorous sight-seer, who
left others much in the dark as to his pri-
vate impressions of what he saw. The
| tower, he admitted was very big and cold.
He did not think it would give him much
satisfaction to have been born in the chill
cavernous chamber wherein William had
| first seen the light, while the bombastic
lines upon the conquest of the Saxons,
read to him in a strong Norman accent,
gave him the reverse of desire to explore
that benighted land With his hands in
his pockets he stood and peeped through
| the slit in the stone wall, nearly as high
| to have detected the charming visage Of
! Arletta, washing linen below, with a keen
ness of sight nothing less diabolical than
his name.
81 couldn't see anybody down so far,
could you ?" he asked; aud then his atten-
tion was caught by the big rain-drops that
were beginning to fall in black circles
upon the unroofed stone stairs. The con-
cierge watched the sky moment, then
lifted Herve into his arms and hurried
down the innumerable steps to the shelter
of his own coy parlor Excitement and
fatigue were telling upon the child, who
looked nervous ami scared. The rain
drops had gathered the force and noise of
several waterfalls pouring from the
heavens with diluvian promise. Already
the landscape was drenched and blotted
out of view. An affrighted peasant, in
sabots large enough to shelter the woman
and her family of nursery rhyme, darted
down the road, holding colored UNI
brella as big as tent. The roar of thun-
der came from afar, and flash of light
ming broke through the vapory veil, max
ing Herve blink like a distracted owl
caught by the dawn. Oh, if he were only
back safely at Saint Laurent. or could hold
the hand of his dear Countess No, he
would not explore any more until he was
grown-up man. A howl of thunder and
Meanwhile confusion reigned in the cas-
tie. Men and women flew hither and
thither, screaming blame upon each other.
In an agony of apprehension, the butler
ordered the family coach and was driven
into town, wondering how NJ. lie Vervain-
vile would take the news if anything
were to happen to remove the source of
his wealth and local Importance. Parbieui
he would not be the man to tell him.
Crossing the Place de la Trinite, he caught
sight of Mere Lescaut gazing out upon the
deluged square. In happy inspiration
he determined to consult her, and while
he was endeavoring to make his knock
heard above the tempest and to shield his
eyes from the glare of the lightning
flashes, Mere Lescaut thrust her white
cap out through the upper half of the
shop door, and screamed: "You are look
ing for NJ. lie Marquis &c Saint-Laurent,
and | saw him cross the square with Col
onel Larousse this afternoon"
"Diable! Diable pr roared the distracted
butler. 81 passed the Colonel on the road
an hour ago."
The endless moments lost in adiuring
the gods, in voluble faith in calamity. in
imprecations at the storm and shivering
assertions of discomfort which never mend
matters, and at last the dripping Colonel
and swearing butler meet. NJ. lie Marquis
de Saint Laurent and Baron de Vervain-
vile was found asleep amid the historic
memories of Robert and Arletta.
This escapade brought NJ. de Vervain-
vile down from Paris with new tutor.
The tutor was very young, very modern,
Il L.
least interested in Herve, though rather
amused when, on the second day of their
acquaintance, the boy asked: Monsieur,
are you engaged to be married ?" The
tutor was happy to say that he had not
that misfortune.
as it then misfortune? l am very
glad that / am engaged, though l have
heard my nurse say that married people
are not often happy"
The tutor thought it not improbable
such an important parsonage as the Mar
quis de SaInt-Laurent had been officially
betrothed to some desirable part of in
FAINT years, and asked her age and name.
"The Countess de Fresney. She is not
little girl, and at present her husband
is alive, but | dare say he will be dead
soon. You know, Monsieur, she is great
deal older than l am, but l shall like
that much better 1t will not be neces-
sary for me to learn much, for she will
know everything for me, and | can
amuse myself | will take you to see her
tomorrow She is very beautiful-but
not so beautiful as my mamma-and /
love her very dearly"
1t occurred to the cynical tutor that the
Countess might be bored enough in this
uncheerful place to take an interest in so
captivating a person as himself. But
when they arrived at Fresney they learned
| that the Countess was seriously i'll. Herve
began to cry when he was refused permits
sion to see his friend and at that moment
NJ. lie Comte, an erratic, middle-aged ty-
rant, held in mortal terror by his depend
ants, burst upon him with vigorous
"Hol hol the little Marquis, my rival.
Come hlther, sirrah, and let me run the
sword of vengeance through your body"
| And the merry old rascal began to roll
his eyes, and mutter strange gutteral
sounds for his own amusement and Nerves
fright.
81 do not care if you do kill me, NJ. lie
Comte," the boy sob5ed. "You are
wicked man, and it is because you make
dear madame unhappy that she is so i'll.
You are as wicked and ugly as the ogre in
the story she gave me last Christmas But
she will get well, and you will die, and
then viii marry her and she will never
be unhappy any more"
"Take him away before l kill him-the
insolent little jackanapesl In love with a
married woman, and telling it to her
husband Ho, hol so 1 am an ogre .
Very well, let me make a meal of YOU"
With that he produced an orange and
offered it to Herve, who turned on his
heel, and stumbled out of the room, blind
ed with tears.
But the Countess did not get well. She
sent for Herye one day, and kissed him
tenderly.
1My little boy, my little Herve, you