Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-06-22


receive a hundred pangs"
ais it disappointment, Mauprat?
Baradas is your fellow-countryman,
believe, tho other nodded me-
chanicallY,-''and his rise is a mar
vel! III weeds, do say, for attn
and Heaven forbid me ever being!
mo sharp-fanged satirist! But |
will wager my boots-and they are
new-that you are OF ten thousand
times better family"
40 rise-to remain oppressed
BAH under despotism like Rich
elieu's, let us be content who are
lowly. Despotism is a flame on the
altar; it will warn those who stay a
kneeling, but scoi CHI those who lift a
hand unto it. If / ever win eleva-
tion, Beringhen, it will be by daring
the pellets from the brazen warders
of fortalice, and not by lip-labor "
The shaft hit home, for even the
courtier's perfumed and powdered
epidermis shrank, and he hastily re-
marked with assumed kindness
"But you are neglecting your
cards, chevalier, and it is time you
should heed them"
Indeed, luck had deserted tho first
winner; but he bore the reverse as
uninterestedly as his good fortune.
He filled glass TO the brim, and
saying, "The Egyptian syren dis
solved her richest jewel in draught.
Would | could so melt time and all
its treasures, and drain it thus" he
drained it to the last bubble of
liquid ruby.
double the stakes" said Boring
hen.
Done" But again he lost
"Bravo. faith it shames me 20
bleed purse at the last gasp al
ready" said the courtier.
NAY, as you've had the patient TO
yourself so long. no other doctor
should dispatch it than you, the
royal valet"
They had replaced tho cards with
the spotted bones, but there was an
alteration in the result Lady Maui
giron. who had been leaning atfec-
tionately on the back of Mauprat's
chair, quietly left him. One or two
Of the by-standers exchanged eX-
pressive glances, the loss of the lady
preceded by only few moments that
of the knights last coin.
Zone throw more?" inquired the
kings valet.
mo, l am bankrupt. There goes
all-except my honor and this" he
touched his sword-hIlt, blade for
fighting, no parade. And neither
are valuables at court.
His antagonist was reckoning up
his winnings with the complacency
of victor for the mere words of the
defeated man.
I've do not want honor" retorted
a companion of the kings gentle
man, because we have sufficieucy;
and as for the sword. take it to
Cardinal Richelieu, who gives gold
for steel when worn by brave men. ."
"Richelieu! Clermont Richelieu,
you say?" repeated Mauprat, with a
darkening face.
"He seems no friend of you" OBJ
served Beringhen, looking at him in
some gravity, but the next moment
he rose with an effort, overburdened
with the gold in his pockets and the
wine in his head.
At the grand stairway Count Bar
adas stayed him, and learnt his vic
tory
Wrecked Mauprat, eh?" with an
expression not TO be Interpreted by
one out of the secret of the heart OF
the favorite OF the king "And you
leave him without IL word of COM
fort?n
Comfort" stammered De Boring
hen, when we gallant's have run
out a friend there's nothing left-ex-
cept to run him through there's the
last act of friendship" And pitch
ing forward, he had TO run to keep
from falling, and disappeared
through the hedge of servants lining
the corridor
Baradas went over the steps they
had traced and paused contemplate
! lively at the table where the defeated
gamester had been left alone. He
had stretched out his legs and rested
his feet on the spurrowels in that
aggressive mode which may be no.
ticed in the butchers dog basking
with elongated tail before the shop.
Gloomy, truculent, Tuning at the
jingle OF coin and at the merrimeni
surrounding him, his black curly
hal matted TO his forehead, his eyes
duly blazing, he seemed one of those
dragon s-teeth made men who sprang
up under the Cadmean charm.
Nevertheless, the experts eye
must have perceived that Adrian d.
Mauprat was not hardened by camp
life; if he chose to shed that winter
coat, 80 to call it, he could be a gal
liant cavalier. Young, well-favored
he seemed constituted with the for
tune which he had lost to dwell il
enviable happiness. He was not in
dolent, and so he chaffed at there be
ing no outlet for his energy. HI
was not vain, and so he was oblivi
Gus OF his figure! but still. he ough
to have been desirous TO live in tn,
daylight, not under the glimmer o
tapers, follow a flag and not a petit
cnat md bone for lone wars