The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-02-01
LOVES THUNDERB0LT.
Or, The Man with an Ideal. Written for
This Paper.
BY FRANCOIS COPPEE.
Written for

to your marriage to her until You hav,
answered frankly and honestly, on YOU
honor, the question which ] am abou'
to ask you: DO you love Claire:'
The directness of this question, tn.
solemn emphasis with which the words
had been spoken, broke the spell which
| Adele presence had set upon Mariu:
and brought him rudely back to the
world OF reality. Appealed to on hi:
honor. he rccOiled with adherence
from the common practice of placatins
fate with falsehOod.
| after what | have heard from you,
lips, madame" said Mari,s. reverent
~. now that | know how fruitful OF
| misfortune a marriage without love
may be, and after intcrrOgating my
conscience. must speak the truth.
do not love Claire"
At these words Adele Daveluy sprang
up. walked quickly to the window,
| opened it, and remained standing there
leaning against the railing, as if be-
wildcred and overcome by her feelings.
The window opened on a garden. and
the perfume of the flowers came float
ing in on that glorious atmosphere,
while the soft, golden light enveloped
that biack-rObed Diana like a mystic.
riOu, aura.
pardon me, ;" she murmured. Il am
not feeling quite we'll. The room
seemed 30 close
Marius walked toward her. She was
labOring under great excitement, for
the fingers Of her right hand We're CON
vulsively wrapped around the iron bar:
Il deeper red burned in her checks, and
the rocking of the white lilies pinned
at her throat told of the inward storm.
If you don't love Claire" she began
in voice deep. sympathetic and
strangely sad. If she is not your
hearts choice, then in Gods name give
her up, renounce this project of mar
Rage, and don't permit yourself t, b.
Influenced in this matter by any world
ly interest. Oh. believe me, the
unian Of two beings who do not love
each other with the same ardor can
have but one result, namely, shame
and despair"
If Clalrcs image had not already
faded from Marills' mind, these words
would have blotted it from the tablet
Of his memory. AS it was her name
now sounded in his ears as any
strangers might have done.
You shall be obeyed," said Capt.
Dulac, with IL deep inclination of his
body. Bat madamc-lct me at least
take my leave of yOl with the assur-
ancc that | have your respect-that you
do not deem me Il frivolous and mercc-
nary lcrson-that my frankneSs will
not be without effect upon you.
She raised her eyes and fixed them
on Alarius for an instant. He felt their
strange power, their mysterious charm
SO deeply tat not until it had almost
touched him was he aware that she
had stretched her hand out to him.
With an involuntary. but scarcely
audible breath OF joy, Marius clasred
that hand between his and then-to
his speeches. biiss-he felt, he saw,
that she abandoned it to him. Yes,
there could be no mistake, the same
storm that ragged in his breast had
struck her heart in all its violence!
Mysterious thunderbOlt of love, those
two beings, strangers till that moment,
stood with clasped hands, scarcely dar-
ing to breathe lest the spell which they
had set upon each other might be
broken. Meeting and separation
seemed born OF the same moment. The
life and death of their happiness had
been almost simultaneous. for they
must now go apart forever, although
he felt that he had found her at last,
and she that she might have loved