Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-11-16

prose of the romancer, but simply to be
undisturbed while thinking over this
discovery of his wife's untruthfulness.
Something is hidden from me here, "
he told himself. 81 haven't been in an
omnibus today; Toinette never goes out
except on Sunday; this transfer ticket
didn't come here alone, and no one but
my wife could have brought it. She has
been out, and she wouldn't admit it II
me because she had been somewhere that
she didn't want me to know. Yes, it's
plain as pipe stem-Jeannette deceives
me; that much, at least, know!'
And resuming his book PHILIPPE
sought to take up the interrupted thread
of his story. Pains thrown away. His
eyes were firmly fixed upon the printed
text, but his thoughts were flying else
where; he simply could not read; he
closed the covers brusquely and slammed
the book on the table.
Jeanette jumped with little scream
"Heavens!" she cried, shave you lost
your senses. PHILIPPE. to startle me like
that?'
"Tell me the truth, tho II, Jeanette
you did go out today, did you not?'
"Go-out-to-day? Look here, Phil
lipe," returned Jeanette angrily, "this
is little too much? Why, here for ten
minutes past I've been sending the needle
into my finger instead of my work, ab-
sorbed by the thought that you had
taken bus to-day and would not tell
mel"
eyes, yes; know; that may be, but
you say this now only to turn me from
the matter in hand. beg of you, jean
nette, to answer my question-you did
go out today, did you not?'
"No, did not; and as it was | that
asked you question first demand to be
answered first" And both of them cried
out at one and the same time:
"Did you, or did you not, take an ON
nibus today?"
With this there was an ominous pause.
Mime. Marjeval, desirous of ridding her.
self of an unnecessary witness to con-
jugal discussions, and whom the serv-
ants coming and going in the salle-
a-manger greatly annoyed, turned sharp
ly and touched the bell
"Toinette," said she, 'put the wood
and coal in the corner and then you are
free to go to see your sister,
The door had scarcely closed upon her
when PHILIPPE. who had restrained his
rage only by drumming upon the table,
burst out furiously:
"There is no use denying it longer.
Jeanette; you've told me story, and
told it to me because you were afraid to
tell me the truth! The fact is, and you
know it WE'LL all these comings and go
ings to the shops-the Louvre, Boz
Marche, etc.-are pretexts pure and sim
pie, just as the bath-every three days a
BATH sec it all now-is pretext like
all the rest! Fool that I've been to have
suspected nothing! To have seen how
strange these bathing excuses were! It
is always SO when one has confidence!'
"Eh? What's that you are saying"
cried Nine. Marjeval, whom very nat
urally, we must admit, this suspicion
deeply wounded. "lf either of us has
aught with which to reproach ones self.
that one is not L! These constant de-
lays, these flimsy excuses-so,netimes
one thing. sometimes another-a friend
at the c;t.e, overwork at the office-in
plain words are taloo oowod will. white
thread! 1t is not the first time either
that I've thought the same. Nine Adel-
berg, your sous-chef's wife,
There! knew it! | knew that name
would come up before you were DONE
Now look you. Jeanette, and mind
what | say. If ever you speak that
name to me again"-
,'Threats, monsieur, threats to me!
Well, this is perfect! I'll go, sir-go at
once back to my mother. poor soul!
She'll not be surprised"
go; go by all means, and if you stay
till come for you, you'll stay "a long
while!'
And one word brought on another in
this bitter sweet dialogue-which, from
the expressive pantomime that accom-
panied it, was rapidly approaching u
crisis-when suddenly a turbulent stir
on the staircase was heard, the passage
door flew back, and Toinette, red as an
overripe tomato, her eyes bloodshot, her
dress disordered. and followed by two
sergents-de-ville and much belnedaled
little old man, burst breathlessly into
the salle-a-manger.
"Ah, mon Dieul mon Dieu! What's
the matter, what's happened? Toinette,
Toinette," cried Nine. Marjeval alarmed.
quick, tell us what's happened?'
Toinette. the old gentleman and both
sergents-de-ville all responded, and kept
on responding in excited chorus; in the
avalanche of sound only the words
"tramway," prison. conductor"
''ticket" and .'honest girl" made them
selves heard. Marjeval threw up his
hands to heaven.
''lf you all talk at once, like this,'
cried he desperately, mo one can under
stand. Stop, be quiet; you speak, mon
sieur, please" addressing the bemedaled
old party.
mo, monsieur, no." -Toinette cried.
I'm the one that should tell it, since the
business concerns lGe!'
every WE'LL" said Marjeval; "but first
calm yourself"
s'Then, monsieur and madame, it was
just this way, you see. My sister lives,
as I've told you, in the Rue Poulet, just
off the Boulevard Ornano, and to reach
her house, as madam gave me perinis-
sion, took the $50 tramway that passes
below and demanded transfer. AT
the Care dc l'Est got out, ran for the
St. Ouen tramway, just that minute
about to start, got on and gave the trans
fer to the conductor. But the conductor
refused it. was no good, he said, and
I must pay over again.
"'What? said l. Why, it isn't three
minutes since they gave it to me! See,
wonders the car on which camel
eyes, yes, know said the colduc-
tor, it's no good, tell you; you must
pay, l say, OF foot it, my dear
"'But tell you,' | cried. Il tell you'
".A lie, young woman; pay up at once
or off you go!'
"'I tell you a lie, sir-I?
'sThis was too much! Bang! and such
thump as gave him! The conductor
was going to slap me in return, when the
gentleman here, who had seen it all, in
terposed. The car was all in commo-
ton. A policeman came and pulled me-