The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1894-12-21
THE MONA.

NitNtu olltt the "coulte
and he smiled us he stretched out his
arms.
My poor friend" sighed the doctor.
The sick man stared aghast.
Pull yourself together" he continued
You are Il man who can stand the truth"
What do you meau?"
Your symptoms are those of the NoMa."
ZOE what:'
"A curious plague When the. state of
lethargy is over the patient has three lucid
hours, ut the end of which he lies sud-
denly"
'"Whewr'
Nov. look here: keep your spirits up,
like the plucky fellow that you are! After
for. bye-goodbye. my poor friend
yoou-bye" ~''-'''7
Ten minutes later the comte had risen.
Clad in his smoking Jacket he was put
ting the last touches to his toilet. The
dCrtor had withdrawn that his friend
might have time to settle his worldly af-
fairs.
When he had done brushing his NOUS
tache and smoothing his finger nails. Ray
mon,l chose one of his driest cigars and lit
it, while casting Il sorrowful look ut the
Others, those which he was not to smoke.
Then he threw himself on his divan and
began to reflect.
However brave he might be. however
fearless of death. Comte de Nillelnere soon
came to the conclusion that his case was a
peculiarly aggravating one.
The day before, so soon rs he was taken
with fever-he had made up his mind to
prepare for the worst-he had sent for
I'LL his letters. Then he had laid down
his giddy headaand fallen asleep with the
conviction that he would not wake again
before doomstay.
But now he was like Il condemned man
who, after having made sure Of the re-
prieve. found himself suddenly on the way
to the scs,ffold.
Outside. the CHEEKY atmosphere of
bright June day, the Champs Elysees
We're alive with continuing stream of
smart carriages: everything spoke of hap
piness and health: he himself had never
felt so fit. and he was asked to believe
that tomorrow there would be nothing
left Of all this--so far as he was con-
cCrned- but 4 mournful crowd of friends,
lnumbling of priest before an open
grave.
Tomorrow the joys and friendly ties of
his whole life, would be gone forever!
While he was finishing his cigar, reclin-
ing listlessly on the cushions of his diyan.
Raymond saw all his life fit past him
as in dream. Nearly forgotten episodes
quite recent: then, in rapid succession, his
mind dwelt on the many times he had
fallen i'll love between 10 and p; until
he came to the first month of his married
life.
How full of unnlitigated joy those days
had been! Raymond remembered the min
utest events Of his honeymoon or moons,
spent in fun and frolic. with pleasant ex-
cursions, syerging on bachelCC. sadissipation,
and freaks which made lively gossip for
fashionable folk. Delighted beyond meas
ure by the admiration which his wife eX-
cited wherever he took her, he was more
ma,lly in love after his marriage than be-
mere possibility Of such a thing could have
been seriously entertained by either. of
them And all this passionate love had
been brought to an end by scandalous
separation; owing to blunder on his part
and Il rash eseapltle- Of the little centesse.
nv mutual consent they. had separated.
Yet, strange to say, their love for each 9TH
er had continued. So far as the world was
concerned, their relations were restricted
to icy bows whenever they met on the
boulevarls but their protested indifference
for each other scarcely deceived their COM
mon friends. -
The idea of dying without having seen
oItce more the woman he loved above all
others appeared prepOsterous to the comte:
StudietkObstinacy and stern resolve seemed
10 be altogether out Of place when brought
face to face with everlasting separation.
What risk did he run now i'll attempting
a reconciliation, even if it were not to sue
coed?
Raymond sprang to his feet, and, seat
ing himself before his writing desk, scrib-
bled hurredly a short telegram and sent 1t
off by his valet.
He looked at his watch-he had two
hours more to live-the comtesse would
Would she come? Would she be touched
by a note containing Il dying mans fare
we'll? Or. in the relentless dignity of Of
Tended woman. would she refuse to for
give, even under these solemn circuln-
stances!
The anguish of uncertainty, added to the
moral torture made Raymond vince de
spite all his nerve and resolution to take
bis inevitable fate coolly. With something
very like terror he eyed the sfeetlng min
utes which separated him from eternity.
Another hour flew away while he was
getting ready to die, stopping now and
then to muse with melancholy on his past
letter, full Of "reminiscences OF his early
life, and, as he did 50, Gears came to his
Suddenly Raymond started at the.
sound of the electric bell. After Il few
seconds of wild expectation the door was
opened and the servant uS ;1:a1 ln:
Nine la Comtesse de Villemere!
He rose from his seat, very pale.
"Odette! he exclaimed.
But the young woman remained stand
ing on the threshold, her features con-
tracted with anger.
This is most shameless trick, sir"
"A trick! What do you mean?'
"YOu wrote me word that You are dy-
ing, and I find you up and well, writing
vour letters GOOdbye SIR
"Odette! Do let me explain; one word
Onlyv' And as she was leaving, the cOmte
snatched up from his desk the letter he
was writing to his mother, and held it
out to her. "Read this, before leaving"
he gasped.
She took the letter, glanced at the first
few lines, and then fell on Raymond's
neck sobbing.
For few minutes they remained
clasped in each others arms, full of pas
sion and pain, giving mute expression to
had spent together, and to remorse for the
year of happiness they had lost by their
separation.
They sat down close to one another,
hand in hand, completely overcome by
their feelings.
At last the comte,r bethought himself
of his forefathers, one of whom had
CliiADVl lLC SlSpS VI tAC SCVAUlI III Oo
| whistling q tune from the ''Indes
galantes."
"Well, never mind" said he, with a
smile. Suppose I ought not to complain;
I am dying of a complaint which will be
fashionable tomorrow
But Odette looked at him reproachfully
and he did not continue Women have
no taste for irony.
They cbatted about old times; at first
almost in Whisper as if they were in
room where death had stricken down Il
fellow creature; then, by degrees. the re-
membrance Of better days brought to mind
a little incident which made their lips
smile, while their eyes caught sight on
the wall of some object recalling particu-
| lars of the life they had led formerly,
| such as the picture of a chase, which
evoked the sound of the huntsman's horn
| as it rent i'll glowing gladness the Noyeln-
| Der mist, and they dwelt with pleasure on
| the day when they had cantered side by
| SIDE r,,stling the brown leaves which coy
cred the forest path.
Miniature fans, dusty accessories Of