The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-03-29
THE THREE SONS.

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The house was to all appearances I'M
tenanted. There was not sign Of life
visible from without, but in one Of che
magnificent rooms overlooking the Rue
de Vaennes sat three men anxiously
awaiting the result Of the consultation
which was then taking place to know If
there was the slightest hope not for the
recovery, but for the prolongation Of the
sufferings Of Gabrielle Anne Sophie,
dowager Marquis de Guebrianges, their
mother.
The Oldest gentleman, the marquis,
was tall and thin. He might have been
80 years old, but his age was difficult to
guess, his face being SO utterly devoid Of
expression. His few remaining hairs
did their best to disguise their scarcity,
but in spite of their well meant efforts
1t was distinctly visible that this "glass
of fashion, was bald. The marquis was
q cold, heartless man, in whom none
could. feel the slightest confidence; he
was egotistical to the last degree, with
no superior intelligence to palliate his
overwhelming selfshness.
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different. Full Of life, with frank blue
eyes that looked a man full In the face
and smile as winning and a nature as
expansive rs the marquis was reserved
and repellent, he seemed to be of DIFF
ferent race, and his restless energy and
keen intelligence had shocked the old
marchioness and driven the late Marquis
Hercule de Guerbrianges to the verge of
distraction. Rene Ia quite unlike the
) rest of the family he often said, with
sigh. Il wonder from whom he inherits
! his disposition. Perhaps from your side
of the house, marchioness; certainly not
from mine"
The youngest son, the vicomte, was
Just 90, but his wrinkled face and bent
figure made him look much older. He
was one of those old young men who are
so frequently met nowadays and so
painful to see. who appear to be a
growth peculiar to this end of the CEN
fury.
At last the door opened, and the men
Of science stepped softly across the
threshold. The famous specialists who
had been summoned at the last moment
began o long account of the case couched
! in terms which, though doubtless intel
ligible to his colleagues, conveyed NO
meaning at all to the young men. AT
, last he came to the point, and with
. trembling voice and fearful eyes told
9 them to prepare for the worst. The old
Z lady was sinking rapidly. Then the ply
8 sicians withdrew, and the brothers heard
I the old doctor invite his comrades to the
( theater in voice which did not tremble,
and, to Judge by his cheerful tones, the
: tears were very far from his eyes in
deed.
"Old hypocriteI' thought Count Rene
Q The others thought nothing at all.
: The three sons entered the darlsened
: room and stood around the bedside Of the
dying woman.
J The marquis asked her il she was suf-
fering She shook her head. There she
lay, just alive, and nothing more. She
> seemed TO realize what slender hold she
had upon life and to try and economize
l her little remaining breath, for she did
not utter word, and the blue eyes, so
like her second sons, gazed wistfully
upon her children, and two tears---the
last she would ever shed-rolled slowly
. down her withered cheeks.
What life hers had beenl Full of
: tho pomps and vanities of this world.
. brilliant and enviable without, but In re-
: atty one long martyrdom. She thought
J of all sho had, endured for her boys sake,
| Of the insults, of the neglect, even bru-
: tality of the husband Of her youth, and
she wondered as she lay there gasping
: her life away il half her punishment for
her sins had not been meted out to her
on earth. Instinctively, in this supreme
moment, she turned to Rene, for he was
7 the only one OF her sons who had ever
3 shown her any real affection, and now
t she remembered how she had always
8 curbed his exuberant nature and received
his caresses coldly enough and sent him
away many time with something very
like tears in those bright blue eyes. She
r tried to extend her hand to him, but her
a strength failed her, and the hand fell
( YEARLY to her side.
: "Do you know us, mother?" asked the
3 marquis.
t A low kissing sound issued from her
a lips, and the men leaned over her TO
o catch, If possible, the words she was try
0 ing hard to frame.
n The vicomte stifed cough with his
i handkerchief. The marquis listened at.
3 tentively, but ON these two faces there
d was no sign of emotion. They might
n have been at the bedside Of the merest
: acquaintance, while Rene, poor fellow,
felt lump rise in his throat and the
tears stream down his cheeks. This WON.
an was his mother, and she was dying.
my sons" gasped the woman. 81
= know that am dying, and before l go to
= = my last account have confession tc
y make. Don't weep, Rene; keep your tears
" for better woman. God knows what
= you will think of me when you know
all. have been an unfaithful wife, and
: one of you has no right to the name hs
3 bears. 1t is--it is'-- Here the voice
= died away, and she sank back among her
I pillows.
It was over, and one more soul had
9 gone into the presence Of It's Maker. The
9 brothers retired softly, and once in the
: adjoining room looked at each other
apart. (Which could It bew AT last
3 the marquis spoke with more emotion
!, than he had ever shown in the whole
= course Of his self absorbed life.
: death has cut short the painful reve'
lation which has startled us all 80 terri
bly,, and am sure You will both agre,
with me in what am about to say. TX
n the dead we win pledge ourselves, and
8 no human being will suspect that in thu
/ veins Of one Of us flows blood perhaps
q less proud than that Of our mothers hus
!. band. Before the world we will continu'
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the dead we win pledge ourselves neyel