The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-20

nothing less beautiful than the face OF
NJ. de Courtalin. I added that I had,
moreover, no inclination to marry him.
Mamma tried to make me listen to
reason. If l refused him l threw away
splendid chance. Duke dc Court
alin was the mark at which all the ma
ternal guns were pointed-great name,
great position, great fortune. l should
repent some day of having held all
these advantages in such contempt, and
SO on.
For me, had but one word to oppose
to all these just and proper remarks
Gontran! Gontran! Gontran or the con-
vent and the most severe convent at
that-Carmel.
1t was not because of his merit that
loved Gontran. 1t was rather because
of his lack OF merit. NJ. de Courtaiin
was perfection. listened to his praise
all afternoon, and hated him. What /
disllked above all was that he counted
himself superior. Mamma was not
likely to make me yield, when she said:
thoughtful, most Industrious, most dis
tinguished He is a model son; he
would make model husband" The
more he was eulogized the more /
turned from him For know of moth
ing more distaSteful than one of those
men who are always right, who display
under all circumstances unrufiled good
temper, who impress everyone with
their superiority. With Gontran l
could be quite at my ease, for he never
impressed one with his superiority. l
knew but little; but my ignorance,
compared with his, was erudition. He
had great difficulty in securing his
baccalaureate. He missed three times.
For 1 heard him say one day, at the
house: Failed again! 1t is the third
time!" But at last they sent him to a
little faculty at Douai. where the ex-
animation was easy, and he passed.
NJ. de Courtalin never failed; oh, no;
he wasia bachelor, q lawyer, a doctor and
all the rest-deep, correct and grave in
his speech and bearing; always dressed
in a black redingote with double row
of buttons, and every one Of them but
toned And what future before him!
Already member of the council, and
very eloquent; and perhaps, some day,
a minister or ambassador, who knows?
While my poor Gontran would never be
anything but very amusing and very
insignificant gentleman, very success
full in his way, very modern in his
beautiful gray suit Gontran has a
passion for clothes He confers for
hours and hours with his tailor, which
delights me. for l too love to spend
hours with my dressmalker.
Yes, Nine de Courtalin had called
to ask my hand for her fauItless son.
do not know what mamma said to her
after my refusal. l only know that l
was left for awhile in peace.
After the Grand Prix everything was
over; there was a general dispersion Of
society.
And where was Gontran through
the long summer? Making tour of
the world very quietly and quite at his
ease. learned afterward that this
also was mammals doing; that when
he was in japan he had bought me a
number of lovely little things. placed
in a tiny case that bore my name. The
case had been sent to mamma, but I
had never seen 1T.
All that year one name was sounded
in my ears-Courtalin, Courtalin, al
ways Courtalin. He had all the virtues
under Heaven. My determination be-.
gan to weaken, say it to my shame.
After all, what advantage there was
in being a married woman; absolute
freedom would be accorded me. Then
the thought of being duchess was not
displeasing. Mamma had prepared a
list of eligible husbands. and Courtalin
was the only duke among them. To be
sure, there was Count de Lemiers,
who would some day be a duke; but
when? His father was only forty-fve
and had constitution of iron. l was
obliged to admit that in order to be
duchess it was necessary to marry NJ.
de Courtalin.
All winter mamma displayed perfect
taste and exquisite sweetness. She
never urged, never tormented me.
know, however. that she said to her
II lSHi, 4hihC- NC Ncily. Wy uCdi, ohC
will yield before the goth of June 1t
must be-" On that date we left Paris
for AiX-les-Bains.
And / did not continue to say no
with the savage energy of last year. I
only awaited Gontrans return. 1t is
true that almost died with fear of the
understanding that 1 intended to have
with him; but had resolved to speak,
and speak 1 would. 1t seemed inn
possible to me that out there in China
and Japan he had not sometimes
thought of his cousin. We had always
loved each other until that unfortunate
day when had become manageable.
knew that he would reach Paris on
the I'd or Sd of April The following
day he would certainly come to see us
And SO it happened. He called
about two o'clock. before mamma had
quite completed her toilet. l was
alone. l ran to him. 'Ah, Gontran!
how happy l am to see you!" And 1
kissed him without ceremony. He
kissed me in return. was very much af-
fected and began to speak such gentle,
kind words that my heart melted
He looked At me with different OK.
\