New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-08

| for her imprudCnce.
Madelanc drew herself up with pretty air 4. Of
dignity that delighted the Observant guest on the
opposite side of the table.
DAYS passed away, and yet no summons came
70 Madelaine from ROuen She was enjoying her
self far too much TO take count Of the days as
! they slipped pleasantly by; she simply Nved IN
| the present; and even when she remembered the
object Of hcc Wit, she shrant from the unpleasant
subject and tried 10 forget il.
! On that ilIst mOrAing she had begun 70 lecture
! her aunt as soon as Monsieur Henri went away
| and thea MadcmOiselle Chaumelle had stopped
| her and had made It most touching confess on.
| She told M1deiane. in simple pathetic w0rcs. the
| love-story of her youtA-a story when; lil now
! her niece had never suspected. Madehiuc mad
! indeed tWiugCS OF TcmOrsc 40 she listened u ih'
! tender little narrative: til! now dear Oh Aunl
! Vircnt had seemed TOO unattractivr 10 be ID"
/ heroine ut eUch romance. The rlrl listened
| with frti sympathy; she had never felt So muci'
inte:cSiN II pain II her that Aunt \irglnic ;
| hcuothcG had been hero; it was very very SAD
! that death had stepped III To part sucA PAIR oil
! lovers
Tie girl wondered, while she listened, whether
| sDecia! Qualities belonged to special features.
! and Whethe" Monsieur Henri. who, according o.
! Mldemoisclle Chaumcc, was the living portrait
! Of her dead Maurice. possessed his heroic nature
| Since that first day it had been diiicdlt for
| either aunt or nice" - think o! any one but
| Monsieur Henri. he had taken such complete
! possession Of them both He came 10 sec them
every evening and before ne left them he planned
some delightful cNpCdit on for the next day.
One morning he persuaded them 10 drive To
! Iumiegcs, and they had diucd ~ the little inn
there. and driven home IN The dns@ BESIDE the
river. Another DAY they went in tie Seine
steamer 10 Ilavr', and visited Trouville. To-day
! they were embarked Oh much longer Journey.
They had driven over early = lilcbonne: and
| after seeing its lions they were now bound for
lie beside the Seine Monsieur lidnri had assured
them they could lodge al Tancarvillc, as the days
were now too short for them 10 return - Candchcc
! the same evening. Aiadrlainc Thought the plan
delightful. In seemed to her ike some happy fairy
/ tale.
When they were leaving Lillebonnc MaGcmoeclc
! Chaumellc had greatly surprised Monsieur Henri
Do you mind exchanging places TIth me.
| monsieur? ! will sit beside tie driver" said the
| Old lady; Il shall get better view OF the
| country
Aladclaine felt pleased: She had grown tired of
her role of liStcrc: Sine. that first day Monsieur
! Henri haG talked exclusively - Ter aunt, answer
/ ing any remark of Ter own ~ briefly q, possible.
! Madcainc thought he was unioreiviHg. but then
she felt sure she had lcen rude she was clad Of
/ this chaacc 0i showing that She knew how -
/ behave. Monsieur Henri looked rs if ne also
! liked tic ch0l-c a. nc seated himself beside
her and the girl smiled hoc, an lin. She
was 50 happy to-day that everything pleased her.
"I Is il long drive 90 IancaTylilc| She asked.
About the sane distance We came THIS morn
ing; but you viii lind il pcasn'er, | think
| the country is 50 much prctticr
1t will be about the last drive W" shall have, -
! She said. d" ! must soon 90 back u Rouen.'
! lie looked at her very earnestly.
Il suppose You will he glad 10 20 home, will
you not
AIadeloinc thought lie said this little sadly.
"Glad?-oh dear, 10. am 50 fond Of being
! at Caudcbcc with my aunt. beside" She
! hcStatcd, ana there came pause OF silence.
Do YOU mcan.' he said presently, that You
/ are happier here than you would he at Roucn
Alodciaine gave an impusivc sign. She loneed
| to tell her trouble 10 Monsieur Henri. IN these
four days spent together She had seen as much q
/ him as she would have seer in much l0lQcr
series Of occasional visits She liked him very
81. laf. did Il 10 Itf,
| her and She sure that Ec might lie trusted
lie looked at her inquirinely, but, cNccp; by her
sigh. she did not answer MN
! That was q heavy sigh, he said nj last; II
! sounded as il some trouble were waiting for you
/ at ROucn.'
Madclainc dartcd swift glance at him, and
| she saw that ne was smiin~.
You say that as a joke she said. Suppose
it happens TO he real earnest? suppose there IS Il
troul,lc-somclhing horrible waiting for mc when
/ go back to Roucn?'
There was such pathetic rcproach in her dark
eyes that Monsieur Henri looked grave at once.
d" am 50 sorry, hc said; and Madc!aine thought
how full Of sympathy his voice was. wish |
| knew tie nature Of this 'horTid thing; because |
might perhaps be able 10 help you
Thank you ever SO much"
| She gave him a grateful glance, ard Monsieur
| Henri thought lie had never seen her l00E 50
sweet; till today he had had 50 little talk with
| her and il was when she 'alkt. mat MadcidIrc :
| face became expressive and sweet. Every moment
he grew more fascinated with his compnnl0n
| viii YOU not tell me he SAID -,
81 should like 70 tell you she looked frankly
at him. then her voice iatcrcd, and her eyes fell
under his bat ! am afraid must not, because
! it is not quite my own troublc-it belongs also
Il wonder how old yon are" he said "You
| look very Young TO be so discreet
/ Made.ainc laughed ,
Il am nineteen but monsieur; think that n
girl much Younger than ! am knows when u
speak and when 10 hold her tongue"
You must pardon my indiscreet remark he
WHY did Monsieur Henri laugh" Madeloinc
asked herself She was not VcXed with HIM, but
she could not help wondering what he could find
to laugh at in her words.
lie was silent after this. and slc too, had LOST
her wish to talk: itwas new and delightful feel
ING 10 have him there beside her. She did not
care how long the Journey might prove She was
not in a hurry to reach Tancarylc; this drive
was pleasant enough 70 20 on forever
Meantime Aunt Nirginic had become very tired
OF the boX-scat. The driver Was 50 deaf that
she soon gave mp any attempt at conversation
with him; and. though The country was pretty lhc
succession of green fields ana trees, win an oc-
casiou9l biz Of blue distance had become mOnoto-
nous Al at once She broke into the delicious
silence Of her feow-travellers.
Il saw five marked on tie last stone, she
said " DO you think, monsieur: we are sun
five kilometres from TdncarylIlc?
About that / should say: then he called 70
The driver 80 stop Your aunt must be cyl OF
sitting up there, he said to Madelainc. Il had
better take her place.
Mademoiscllr Chaumellc protested little. but
she allowed herself 10 hr helped down. and placed
by the side OF her niece: il really n great
relief to her 10 find herself once more in her
proper place. IL had seemed 10 her only kind aud
natural ~ give Monsieur Henri the chance Of
talking to the bright young girl. instead Of always
being perched M on the box seat: but while she
sat there in silence. it had occurred " Made