Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-30


long in want of home of her OWN said my
father, looking from her to me. He was much
given to jokes on the subject OF marriage, but
something in his face seemed to say this time
that the joke might be earnest. Marie Darcy
blushed and l fancied she sighed again. l felt
so sorry for her that I longed to comfort her
You will think, perhaps, that had made up my
mind beforehand to fall in love with her. 1t
sounds like it. anyhow, and after that first
evening had every opportunity. She was
often with my mother, who took to her very
kindly, and |, too, often had reasons for going
to the burgomaster's Moreover, every one
and everything seemed to encourage me and to
make IL easy for me to see her continually, and
every day my father or the burgomaster used
to drop the plainest Of hints as to their wishes
in the matter. As to Marie herself, she
always pleased to see me and had plenty to say
to me, yet when we talked and laughed together
for pleasant hour, when she had chartered
li:tle Of the ways of the big city she had left
behind and had told her the small events Of
the quiet village to which she had come, | never
felt as II i was any nearer to her than i
was that first evening when she passed me
In her uacles char-a-banc. But remembered
the difference she must see between me and
! the young mon she had been used to talk to,
and schooled myself to think that with pa
| tience and perseverance on my part she would
| some day hear gladly that she was the one
woman in the world had been waiting for till
/ was past thirty years of age
among her other charms Marie had a won
derfully beautiful voice, and her father had
spent heap Of money in giving her fine sing
ing lessons Now and again she would seat her
self at the harmonium Eugene had bought for
himself and try to accompany herself in some
Of the songs she had learned. but it didn't go,
and she always gave up in vexation.
when Eugene comes back he will accom-
pany you.' my mother used to say.
HE must play very well il he is to accom-
pany me in this she would answer, turning
over her music, 'or this-or this. I can't play
them bit, and I've had lessons at the Con-
servatoire.'
:" Blu. Eugene does play very WE'LL I said.
"'Does heS' she would say doubtfuIly. and
used to long for Eugene to come back, that she
might see what n clever brother had. and that
he might tell me what he thought Of the beauti-
full girl was trying to win for my wife. All,
monsieur, if could only tell You how full my
heart was then and yet so light
$50 ut last it came to the day of Eugene's re-
turn, and went on foot to meet him at Bouil-
Ion, where he would leave the diligence. He
had q great deal to tell me. Us We walked up
hill and down through the beautiful woodland
on our homeward way-of Antwerp and the
great festival; OF our relations at Gembloux
and the Improvements in farming on that rich
soil: Of the day he had spent at Brussels, and
30 on from one thing to another, and as he a
mnch better talker than was didn't inter-
rupt him until At last he began TO speak of
certain beautiful soprano voice which had taken
the solos In one particular mass he had heard in
the cathedral at Antwerp.
"'Oh, Jean Baptiste, he cried that mass
haunts me so. II we could only have it in our
church. II only some one could sing those
solos
Perhaps we could have it, Eugene said,
thinking Of Marie.
'.He shook his head
My dear brother, he replied, IL you only
knew! Why, even if we had such a voice at
our command, how about the training? /
know how the thing ought to sound, but
haven't the knowledge to teach, and the voice
isn't to be found among these hills
But, Eugene 1 said, remember you've
been away long enough to find more IN the
village than you are familiar with. l told you
in my letter that NJ Bersier's niece has come
to I've with him. Well. she has a voice Just
such az you describe, and she has had lessons at
the Brussels Conservative, and If you have
heard anything more beautiful than her sing
ing IN Antwerp you must have heard something
equal to choirs of angels
jean Baptiste, he cried. lis it possible?
And do you think she would give her voice and
her time to the service of the church Tor
awhile? / have dreamed of hearing it all once
again. and We must persuade Monsieur
lie Cure to let woman sing for once in the
church And he went on, pleased at what
he had learned that he asked no more about
her. while kind Of sbyness came over me- SO
II Il a
first meant to do
Over our supper that evening there were
great many questions to be asked and answered
and before nearly all had been said in walked
the burgomaster and Marie.
".We have come to see the traveller said
Bersier, and the child will like to hear news
of the world she is cut off from
II watched Eugene as he looked at Marie
Darcy for the first time. 1t meant much to
me that my brother should approve Of the girl
had set my heart on.
You, monsieur who know Eugene now in
his old age can hardly imagine how eloquent
his face WAS thirty years ago. l saw that her
beauty charmed his eye, but that the chief
thought in his mind in connection with her
Was her voice. and that he was longing to get
so far in his acquaintance with her as
to be able to breach the great subject But as
soon as he began to relate his experience of
Antwerp to the burgoma 5ter. dwelling on the
glorious music he had heard, Marie herself
made the subject easy for him
Il know the mass you mean.' she said; Il
have studied it. Madame Louvet, have tried
TO sing you some of it. only. you know, |
couldn't play well sing. and every time |
failed. Monsieur Eugene. they used to tell me
Won would accompany me when you came
back
Then every one laughed to see the animation
with which Eugene sprang up and went to his
g Shall fetch the notes?' said Marie. I've
been longing to sing-only are you sure you
can play it2'
LII try said Eugene modestly.
az will come with you and carry the book
What a lad 1t is for musicr cried nv
father. After his long journey, too; but Jean
Baptlste You might go and carry the book
Don't trouble, jean said Eugene lust as
II it was he who had known Marie for weeks
and who was the stranger.
AS said. we had all thought Marie's voice
wonderful from the frat; but il was only when
heard 1t with a good accompaniment that
realized how perfect her singing was. As the
last note died away Eugene turned round and
looked up at her in silence. Her face was
turned so that / could not see it, but what
read on his gaze ne the key to tina. strange
fear which the first men ton of Marie's history
had brought me- 4 might have guessed
said to myself, that he would love her. too
and what girl would listen to my wooing when
Eugene ID there TO charm away her hearth
u got up. made an excuse about the cattle,
and went out was very thankful that had
not spoken OF my feelings for her on our home
ward walk. He would have loved her all the
same, and she would have loved him in return
but perhaps he would have feared to win her
and do me wrong; now he should have his fair
chance. In all the bitterness Of tina. moment
had fierce joy in feeling that could make
this sacrifice willingly for nv brother-yes. and
for her.
Il thought. when NEXT he and were alone
together, that he would talk q grca. deal of