The herald., 1894-05-13
WALTZED HER AWAY.

All society was agreed upon one point
that for mo there were but two suit.
able fances-nay cousin Gontran, the
duke do Lannis, and the Duke de Cour-
tSlin.
I saw him--at tho bail Of the De
. Fresnes. He did me the honor to dance
three times with me, and went home
absolutely intoxicated with joy. But
the joy was. Of short duration, for the
next day he said to his brother, who
told his sister, who told me:
''It seems that ! am to marry my
cousin Marceline. Last evening | was
literally thrown into her arms. Out OF
pure goodness of soul took pity on the
poor little schoolgirl and danced with
her three times. But there must be no
more of it. / have not yet had enough
OF life. Besides know Of nothing more
ridiculous than marriage between cous-
ins. y
But that was not all. He also said to
Robert, 81 saw her in evening dress last
night for the first time, and she is so
thin. -
That night, after Gabrielle had told
me all this. I disrobed before the mirror
and studied my poor little shoulders
with their great hollows and had fit
of weeping. Mamma came in the middle
of it,
''My angel, what is it," sShe took me
in her arms.
But I could not speak. The tears
choked me. my treasure, you pain me.
Speak, dearest. ="
Then, to reassure her, ! managed to say
between my sobs lit is because am
thin, mammal Gontran, last evening,
thought was so thin!"
Thereupon mamma began to laugh.
She told me that at II she was much
thinner than l. and she assured me very
solennly that would certainly develop.
That winter of my first season mamma
took me to dozen great affairs, but
they were occasions of mourning and
sorrow, for Gontran was not there.
He did not want to marry. He even
told inc so. did not know then that
this was by order OF my mother.
One day about o'clock in the after
noon---it was the second day of June
mamma came into my room with look
on her face that was new to me. My
child" she said, 'my child. "
She had no need to say more I'M
derstood. All the evening before at the
Prince de Vearn's M. de Courtalin had
been with me, and the next morning his
mother had told mamma that her son
knew of nothing more beautiful than my
face.
Mamma tried to make me listen to
reason. If / refused him, threw away
a splendid chance. The Duke de Courta-
lin was the mark at which all the ma
ternal guns were pointed. Great name.
great position, great fortune
For me, had but one word to oppose
to all these just and proper remarks
Gontran Gontranl Gontran or the con-
vent, and the most severe convent at
that--Carlnel.
M. de Courtalin was perfection. 1
listened to his praise all the afternoon
and hated him. The more he was eulo-
gized the more turned from him. With
Gontran | could be quite at my ease, for
he never impressed ono with his superb
GRITTY / knew but little, but. my igno-
rance compared with his, was erudi-
tion.
Nine. de Courtalin had called to ask
my hand for her faultless son. do not
know what mamma said to her after my
refusal. / only know that l was left for
awhile in peace.
And where was Gontran through the
long summer? Making tour of the
world very quietly and quite at his ease.
I learned afterward that this also was
mammals doing; that when he was in
Japan he had brought me number of
lovely little things, placed in a tiny case
that bore my name. The case had been
sent to mamma, but had never seen it.
All that year one name was sounded in
my ears-Courtalin, Courtalin, always
Courtalin. He had all the virtues under
heaven. My determination began to
weaken, I say it to my shame
After all, what advantage there was
In being married woman Absolute
freedom would be accorded me. Then the
thought of being duchess was not dis
pleasing.
All winter mamma displayed perfect
taste and exquisite sweetness. She never
urged, never tormented me. | know,
however, that she said to her friend,
Mime de Nelly: my dear, she will
yield before the Goth of June 1t must
be-
On that date we left Paris for AK
les Bains.
And did not continue to say no with
che savage energy Of last year. only
awaited Gontran's return. | knew that
he would reach Paris on the I'd or Sd of
April The following day he would GER
tainly come to see us.
And so it happened. He called about
2o'clock, before mamma had quite COM
pleted her toilet was alone. ran to
him.
"Ah, Gontran, how happy am to
see you'll
And / kissed him without ceremony.
He kissed me in return, was very much
affected and began to speak such gentle,
kind words that my heart melted He
found me new creature. i was no
longer thin. I had grown taller. and
fuller,
But just then mamma came in, then
papa and then my brother George. An
odious conversation Regarding the merits
Of English and French boats followed
hOM the French hs,ats wade lsette1. time