The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-08-02
Revaliere's Sacrifice
by GUY DE MAUPASsANT.

ihio hhBpVht' w ii' ii
1882. I had just taken my seat in n
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 / heard n
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
round hat, and two hands, grnsping
the leather straps suspended at each
side of the door, slowly hoisted large
body, whose feet made noise on the
car steps like that of cane striking
the ground. When the man had
drawn his body into the car, / noticed
tho painted ends of two wooden legs.
A head appeared behind this travel
Ter, and heard its owner ask:
care you comfortable, sir?"
eyes, my boy"
"Then here are your bundles and
your crutches."
And servant who had the air of
an old soldier, got into the car, bear
ing in his arms lot of packages done
mp in black and yellow paper, care
fully tied, and placed them one after
the other in the network rack above
his masters head. Then he said:
"There, sir, that is all. There are
five bundles: the sweetmeats, the doll,
the drum, the gun and the patcs dc
foio gras.'
"That's all right, my boy"
ga pleasant journey, sir"
"Thank you, Lawrence.
The servant stepped down from the
car, closed the door and went away,
while 1 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
obliges to remain inactive. He wiped
his brow, putfed, and, looking me
squarely in the face, said:
"Does smoking incommode you,
monsieur?"
"Not at all, replied.
knew that eye, voice and face but
where and when had seen them? I
had certainly met this man, spoken to
him and shaken his hand. It was
long, long ago, lost in that haze where
the mind seems to obscurely seek and
pursue its souvenirs, like heeting phan-
toms, without being able to grasp
them.
My fellow-trayeller now began to
examine me with the tenacity and fixity
of a man who recollects slightly but
not entirely. Annoyed by this steady
contact, our eyes turned away; then,
after few seconds, attracted by the
obscure but persistent action of men,
ory, they again met and l remarked:
"Really, monsieur, instead of look
ing stealthily ut each other for an
hour, would it not be better to try and
recall together where We have metz"
"You arc quite right" replied my
neighbor with good grace.
"My name is Henry Bonclair, mag
istrate, I added.
He hesitated few seconds; then,
with that vagueness of eye and voice
which generally accompanies great ten
sion of mind, he said:
"Ah, yes! Imet you at tho Poncels,
before the war, n dozen years ago"
Exactly. All! Ali you are Lieut.
enant Revaiierc?"
"Yes, l was even Captain Revaliere
until the day when / lost my feet-both
Of them Mt single stroke from pas
sing she'll"
We looked at ench other anew, now
that we were acquainted.
l remembered perfectly we'll having
seen this man when he was fine look
ing slender fellow, who led the cotil-
lions with nimble and graceful fren-
sy. But behind this figure there still
foated something I could not grasp, -
some story that l had known and for