Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-29


her and ran off in an agony of embarrsss'
ment, followed by his friends
''Perhnps they had been married and then
divorced" said the lady. Il have it on
she best of authority that people in America
marry there in one province Cet as say
Fenezuela) this year and are divorced with
perfec. ease the next year in some other
province 0et US say California;.
Really? 1 am not surprised. Ameri'
cans are such curious creatures But she
wonderfully handsome, that girl, don't you
think so?"
''oh, of fcourse," granted the lady, saying
no more and saying even thus much rs
though it was forced from her. But l
don't like the affected simplicity with
which she has gowned herself, do you?'
'T hadn't thought bit about her attire, y
ssid the gentleman. "Where is she now?
Do you know??''
Talking to q score or so of our best
men" returned the lady, little harshly,
lover Wonder near the door that leads to
the picture galleries. Take me in that di-
rection. will you? 1 want to have better
look at her. 1 may be wrong, but it struck
me there was sort of crookedness IN one
Of her eyebrows"
Meanwhile, as the Princess Of Brindisi,
subdued into humility that she had never
before dreamed of as possible to her proud
spirit, wss saying suave if rather void
things 10 Alenne, the King slipped his
arm within that of Eric Thaxter and muir
INJURED to him:
''Corne with me. my friend, into the con-
servatory i have something that must
say to you at once"
Clarimono, his companion, were present
" in the sweet-smelling dusk of spacious
glass pavilion, where you heard the sounds
Of falling water and caught its flashes, now
Eno then, through coyerts Of shadowing
leaves and blooms. They found the place
quite vacant; as Vet no flushed and fatigued
dancers had sought it. Their feet struck
with little hollow clangs on the marble
pavements OF the odorous avenues, and thus
accentuated as il were, the exceeding still
ness. 1t was a stiffness that Eric waited
for his master to break, and at length be
did SO, in these words:
81 suppose that Lispenard told you Just
what passed between him and myself"
'Nes, monsieur, he told me"
'Weh," said the King musinely, ''then
you, Eric, who knew so WE'LL must have
seen that I-betrsyed myself"
Betrayed yourself, monsieur; how 2"
"Oh, that 1 showed him 1 love the woman
he loves. Did he not tell you that? No,
do not reply; will not permit you to tell
me, even if SO inclined. 1t would be unfair,
almost dishonorable, for me TO insist On any
such disclosure. -
"An injustice from YOU, monsieur, would
be as impossible as darkness from the sun
The King suddenly paused His face was
touched with a vague yet revealing light,
and Eric perceived on it a pallor, 4 serious
ness, which he had before noted, but which
now seemed intensified" q"
IF / wanted a counsellor" he broke
forth. and then lie laid hand on Eric's
shoulder, 'EBut in this case I ought not to
want one. I should be sufficient unto my
self Only, my friend, you would be the
visest and best of counsellors, that is all
mean, and he withdrew his hand, giving
long and deep sigh.
From what 1 know of you, monsieur"
said Eric, you have always been sufficient
unto yourself
Not always, not slwsys-but you are
very kind.
i am simply sincere monsieur You
we're born to be a great ruler of men L
have felt it for months past The more that
see of you, the more strongly you appeal
TO me as q power for good. The world
would have had no need for republics if all
kings had been as perfect as yourself"
Thanks, my Eric, thanks"
To the surprise of his Eearer these words
were very brokenlv uttered Clarimond re-
mained i:nmoyable, so that the revealing
light still clothed his face. And now Eric
saw that his vivid eyes were shining as
though with half depressed tears. Only
AliChI silence elapsed before he spoke again.
Then, if l am indeed worthy to be a great
ruler. as you say 1 should know, Eric, how
70 rule myself"
Pardon me, monsieur, but I do no. un-
derstand."
The Kings glance turned from right 70
lett. as though IN the dimness he suspected
either some newcomer or some ambUsaed
listener. With great abruptness he soon
csught E-ics hands in either of his own and
held them strainirgly, while his moist
beaming eyes plunged their look into the
obscured face Of his watcher.
Eric. I have never loved living woman
until nov. and l could have her for my
wife II l choose
For vour-eueen?" faltered Eric,
scarcely knowing Wig he spoke the words.
Queen" Queen." Clarimond flung back
irnparientlv. you are like everybody else
How otherwise could / have her for nv |
wife, man! Have I not told you that those |
morCanatic marriages are loathsome to me! |
but there it is! Instantly that ''royalty'' |
idea occurs to youi Well, you are not to |
blame. II occurs to everybody no doubt, |
the moment my marriage is thought of. 1t |
occurred to her. She accepted me. Are |
you smiling because she accepted me? Are |
Won saving to yourself that size merely did |
what thousands of women would in like cir |
cumsJaEceS DO But YOU are wrong if Won |
reason Sc. for she was sublimely frank. She |
made it clear to NE, that she still loved Lis
penard, and that If she brought me virgin |
hoiy she could not bring Ele virgin |
beart.''
"She said this. monsieur"
I'm substance yes, Eric, if not in actual |
phrase. And ], knowing how this man and |
woman love one another-how The cruel |
worldliness Of q single hard-grained being |
has kept them apart whom YOU have |
called great, pause, positively pause, before
thr fulhlment of my duty.
'N our duty, monsieur?
The Kings ewes Garted fire, for a second, |
there in the dusk where he and Eric stood. |
II can unite them, if i choose, almost bv |
we'd Kathleen. Which course is nv dutv? |
She will marry me, half from ambition,
half because of her mother-that vicious, |
Tnsnnish, Unsuitable mother! Which course |
say, is my duty? People talk of Quixo-
tism, Bah! AS if did not know, There |
vss never q meaner werd created than that |
'Qui1otism" 1t has been the cloak for |
countless acts of cowar6ice, and Cervantes, /
we're he alive today, would regret that his |
genius ever aided in its coming"
Eric drooped his head, and felt his eyes /
I'll with tears. He knew just what great |
throbs of a noble nature underlay this |
splendid biuster, this incompatible We
hemence.
Monsieur" he replied. when able to
school his voice so that ne could speak with |
self-Covernance, you have been very right |
iD saving that You require no counsellor |