The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-07-06
III.

It was some five OF six days after our
visit to the Hermitage that Margaret left us
to 60 to ST. Germain-en-Laye where she was
to visit an old aunt of Philippe's-his only
living relative-who, being an invalid had
been unable to accept la Marquises pressing
invitation to Touraine. Mother, who was
obliged to 90 to Paris to superintend the
completion of the trousseau, was to take my
cousin that far on her journey, leaving her
for the short distance that remained In
Philippe's care; and at the end of a fort
night they were all to return together to
F'lavelles, where, in the early part of No
yember, the wedding was to take place.
1t was almost a relief to me when they
had gone, SO greatly did my mind misgive
me about Eugene, and 80 fearful was l of
his playing Philippe some unhandsome trick.
What it was / apprehended his doing can
not say, but his manner at that time had
changed so abruptly from a tone of strained
politeness to one of sullen brusquerie that
any man less deeply in love than was Saint
Armand could not but have noticed it.
Some few days after their departure, de
Flavelles suddenly disappeared from the
chateau, and Fduring the two days his alb
sence lasted / grew so pale from nervous
excitement that la Marquise, thinking was
going TO be ill, insisted upon my taking to
my bed, where ! remained in a fever of
anxiety until knew Eugene to be again in
the house. His trip had certainly not i'm
proved his temper, for ] found he had re-
turned more churlish and bitter in his
speeches than ever.
Long afterwards / heard that he had called
at Philippes apartment in Paris during that
time, and failing to find him there, had
probably lacked moral courage to present
himself at st. Germain.
The life at the chateau was much quieter
after our wanderers had left. Many of the
guests had changed, and with the exception
of Madame de VIlleneuye and Mr. de Trevor
all the old set were gone. Amongst the
new arrivals was one whom la Marquise
seemed especially to desire to honor, and in
truth he had not been "a hours at Flavelles
before he had won all our hearts. This was
Monseigneur Lessert, native of Tours,
who, having taken priestly orders only late
in life, had been called as Vicar and then
Cure to the church of Saint Philippe du
Roule in Paris; which living he had resigned
some 10 or IL years before, to the great grief
of his many parishioners, amongst whom
was Madame de Flavelles, in order to carry
out a long-cberished plan of devoting him
he had been lately obliged, through ill
health, to abandon; and when upon his re-
turn to France he had received call to the
Bishopric of Tours he had accepted with a
grateful sense of rest and home coming
Nothing pleased me more than to listen TO
the strange tales of the many trying ordeals
through which he bad passed while pursu-
ing his work in the wilds of Africa, unless,
indeed, it were to set by during one of his
frequent discussions with Mr. de Trevor, and
to note the calm and gentle yet firmly de-
cisive manner in which he would refute his
adversary's skepticism. Those parleys could
be compared to nothing but to the clashing
of finest steel, and when once one had been
entered upon all minor converse ceased,
while about the two controversialists an
eagerly-interested circle would Immediately
gather. ss3.
To be confinued1