Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-11-14

|
| with mother of pearl, rosewood tables,
looking glasses, bronzes and all sorts Of
expensive furniture. A japanese vase
| held a great green plant, which waved its
leaves over her head to protect her from
the sur, and amid this confusion, with
her calm face, she looked like "a princess
in C.i.zare palace.
A mar III a blouse was leading thu
horses by the bride He was covered with
dirt from the Shells and his pallor con-
trasted with the placidity of the woman
he was escorting.
When she reached us, sho gave the order
to stop and then bowed very prettily to the
captain.
Good morning, captain. I'm very glad
to be among Christians at last. I'm like
the snail, you sec l travel with my house
on my back-through the bombs"
And she burst out laughing.
She was really charming, and / should
never have guessed that so much pluck
could be hidden under such delicate ex'
terror.
The captain instinctively drew together
the divorced portions Of his trousers ana
| forced them to live together for the time
teing; then, treasured as to his prestige,
| he put on his most formidable voice and
with the pose Of n gendarme examining q
| legal document asked: Where do you
come from? Where are you going:'
why. come from Paris. 1t is no fun
there any more. If you could see the
boulevards! It's really sad All my friends
are gone, and the theaters are all closed.
The communist staff officers are the swclls
| just now, and they are so dirty! Such
- ~
lous. If had had to stay among that lot,
should have died have little box of
6 house at Longjumcau, a regular little
nest, not very big, you know, but very
pretty, and am going there to wait for
| better days. :"
There is only one obstacle to this plan.
| madame, which is that l shall not allow
you to pass.
She looked at the captain in astcnish-
mcnt. Probably 10 man had ever dared
to speak to her in such tone before, and,
not understanding such rough injunc-
ton, she looked about to see whether help
was possibly to be found among the rest
cf us.
Tho lieutenant looked rather indiffer-
Vltly, enthusiastically, as one whose
mind and thoughts were elsewhere. He
was no ally.
Behind him was the second lieutenant.
He was smoking with his usual impas-
sivcness. Neither did his large, round
eyes give promise of help.
l was in the background, and l admit
that l was looking mt her with all my
! eyes. l don't know whether she noticed
this, but she raised her voice:
"What, you won't let me pass? Do you
know that you are extremely impertinent,
sir? Are you going to be as rude as the
! communist commanding La Porte d Italie
a person whom / would not let into my
stable for fear of soiling it, and who forced
me to parley with him for half an hour?
was obliged to &c polite and make the
gentleman's conquest, and finally tanned
him so thoroughly that he insisted on
treating me to a glass of horrible currant
brandy"
"Huw disgusting"
Conc! l am sure you are going to let
me off cheaper"
And she gave him glance which would
have suftcned tiger.
The captain never flinchod, but replied:
Madame, when orders are that no one Is
to pass, no one passes. If Nine. Theirs
herself was to appear, l should turn her
back"
l am convinced that he was thinking of
the advertising woodcut in the shops of La
Rctingote Grisc, which represents q con-
script stopping Napoleon and telling him
he couldn't pass if he were the little cor
poral himself. ..-..
She looked at me again. This time l
made n heroic resolve and burned my
bridges bohind me- Time was precious,
! and had to force the situation. came
foryvs-d and r,rpteDTpI IN suddpnly repOO-
! niZe her.
What, is that you? You here?" And
climbing into the truck fell into her arms
and kissed her vigorously. How willingly
l acted my comedy, and how natural !
must lave been il the part! She scream
cd, but whispered, SILENCE, and you'll
get through"
You may imagine that n brave little
woman who was not afraid of bursting
shells WIS not going to faint because an
officer Of dragons, whom she had never
| laid eyes on before, kissed her without
warning SO she threw herself bravely
into the cart, and l felt two soft arms
about my neck, while her lips touched my
forehead.
! turned to the captain, slightly upset.
81 have known this lady for years, and
l can answer for her as for myself. !
trust, captain, that you will now allow
her to pass and will even give her an es-
cort Of ten dragons. This will allow her
to reach Lonejumeau without further
trouble and will afford you, in addition, a
means OF verifying her Identity"
The captain, after much persuasion,
agreed, and l feared for moment that
for greater security he intended to accom-
pany the ten dragons himself. Luckily
/ reminded him in time that his trousers
had been with the army of the Loire. The
lieutenant would have been unwilling to
compromise himself by appearing in COM
pany with such good looking person; the
second lieutenant would have been obliged
to step smoking, which would have vexed
him greatly-in short, the command OF
the escort was left to me.
I placed FIVE dragons in front of the
truck and five behind and I set forth in
triumph with my prisoner.
She is snatching away my pen and de-
claring that the rest Of the story does not
concern the public. And, after all, she IL
perhaps right, for 1t is already ancient his
tory. Translated From the French For
Short Stories
T1o Lop x-t1