Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-07-21
Revaliere's Sacrifice.

ny GUY DE MAUPAssANT.
This adventure happened to me in
1882 had just taken my seat in a
corner Of an empty compartment in
the car, and had closed the door, with
the hope Of remaining alone, when it
was suddenly reopened, and l heard a
voice say
BE careful. sir, the step is very
high.
Another voice replied Don't be
afraid, Lawrence. will take hold of
the handles
Then head appeared covered with
n round hat, and two hands, grasring
the leather straps suspended at each
aide of the door, slowly hoisted large
body, whose feet made a noise on the
car steps like that Of a cane striking
the ground When the man had
drawn his body into the car, ! noticed
the painted ends of two wooden legs.
A head appeared behind this travel
Ter and heard It's owner ask
care you comfortable, STRIP
Yes. my boy
Then here are your bundles and
your crutches.
AZ u servant, who had the cir Of
epL, Il soldier, got into the car, hear
Jig in his arms a lot of package, done
up in black and yellow paper, care
fully tied, and placed them one after
the other in the network rick above
his masters head Then he said
There, sir, that is all There are
five bundles the sweetmeat=. the doll,
the drum, the gun and the Pros dc
foje gras 4
That's all right, my boy
"a pleasant journey. sirs
Thank you. Lawrence.
The servant stepped down from the
car, closed the door and went away,
while [ observed my neighbor He
was, perhaps, thirty-fve years old, al
though his hair was nearly white He
was decorated, wore mustache, and
had that pursy obesity of strong and
vigorous men whom an imfrmity
ohliges to remain inactive. He wiped
his brow, pulled, and looking me
sluarelv in the face, said
Does smoking incommode You,
monsieur
"Not at all, " replied
l knew that eye, voice and face but
where and when had l seen them? |
had certainly met this man, spoken to
him and shaken his hand. 1t was
long long ago, lost in that haze where
the mind seems to obscurely seek and
pursue its souvenirs, like fleeting phan-
toms, without being able to grasp
them.
Ny fellow-traveller now began to
examine me with the tenacity and fixity
ola man who recolIects slightly but
not entirely. Annoyed by this steady
contact, our eyes turned away; then,
after a few seconds, attracted by the
obscure but persistent action of mem
ory, they again met and I remarked:
Really, monsieur, instead of look
ing stealthilv at each other for an
hour, would it not he better to II, and
recall together where We have metz"
You are quite right, replied my
neighbor with good grace.
My name is Henry Bonclair, mag
jstrnte, | added.
He hemtated few seconds; then,
with that yagueness Of eye and voice
which generally accompanies great ten
sion Of mind he said
All, YES met You at the Poncelp.
before the war, dozen wears ago.
Exactly Al All you are Lieut.
enant Reyahere9"
Yes | was even Captain Revaliere
until the day when | lost my feet both
Of them at single stroke from pas
eiue she'll
We looked at each other anew. now
thatwe were acquainted
remembered perfectly well having
seen this mon when he was fine look
ing sender fellow, who led the cotil-
hon with a uimhle and graceful fren-
~ But behind this figure there still
foated something l could not grasp.
some story that | had known and for
gotten, -one Of these stories 10 which
one lends kind and short attention
and which leave only an imperceptible
impression en- the mind. There was
no love IN it. Irecalled the particular
sensation from the depths of my mem
ory. but nothing more.
Little by little, however. the shad-
owns cleared away, and the face of a