Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-05-10

with what / nave uDue thieliS ~ ~
serve your honor Do you not feel
that my sufferings have been as great
as yours Perhaps they have been
greater. for I have not had the cour-
age any longer 10 support them. lis
ten to me, Candles; for my Yori>
come from the heart | repeat that 4
have suffered more for | have had a
fear that you could not have; for you
kuow that | love you alone ia re
manning here. have you any regret Tor
another? and in your dreams Of fut-
IRE. have you any hope which Is I'M
connected with me-"
Madam" answered Candles, you
appeal to my frankness. and l will
answer truly Yes; when YOU abandon
NE to painful reflections TAg4 you
leave me alone with the past-when
YOU avoid me, or make me purchase 50
dearly a word or a smile, Of which,
perhaps. l may be unworthy-then !
sigh that | did not fall in battle; 1
reproach myself with having surrend-
cred. I have regrets and remorse.
"Remorsen'
Yes, madam, remorse For, as sure
as there is a God in heaven, there is
ut this hour a woman who weeps-who
groans-who would give her life for
me, and who says to herself, notwith-
standing that am either a coward or
a traitor"
"Oh, monsieur"
yes, madam Had she not made
me what | was: Did | not swear TO
save herr
And you did 50"
Eyes, from enemies who might have
taken her life, but not from despair
which will lacerate her heart if she
/ learns that it was to YOU that / sur
rendered"
Claire bent her head and sighed.
"Ah, you do not love me-" she said.
II will not tempt more, sir, or make
| you lose a friend whom l cannot re
/ place Still you know that | also love
/ you, and l came to ask for your love
/ in return-your exclusive, devoted love;
\ to say, ! am free-hel'e is my hand"
/ "Ah, madam cried Candles, you
transport me-you make me the hap
/ pest Of men
"Ah, monsieur; but you do not love
me"
81 loye-I adore you; only what |
have suffered from your silence and
/ reserve | cannot express"
Mon Dieu, you guess nothing, you
men, Do you not see that l did not
wish you to play a ridiculous part, or
that any one should say that the TAX
! ing Of St George was arranged be-
tween us? | wished to wait till you
/ had been exchanged and were free"
"Ah, madam, now | will wait One
hour like tbs, the assurance in your
own sweet voice that you love me,
will enable me to endure it,"
But you still love Madlle. de Lar
tigues:"
Madam. if I told you that had not
a grateful friendship for her | should
lie. Believe me, and take me with this
sentiment | give you all | have Of
love and it is much.
"Alas!" said Claire, 81 do not know
If l ought to trust to this"
Listen" said Candles. | would die
to save you a tear, and make her
weep constantly. Judge, then, of the
difference of my sentiments Of which
the one is commanded by my con
science, and the other by my heart. -
Thanks, my friend; but, perhaps,
you only yield to the influence of my
presence, and may afterward repent
Think it over; l will give you till to-
morrow If you wish to rejoin Madlle
de Lartigues you are free; I will con
duet you, myself, out of Bordeaux. "
Madam, it is useless to wait till
tomorrow l speak with an ardent
heart, but a cool mind when tell you
that l love and shall love none but
you"
Thanks, thanks" cried Claire, pass
ing her hand through the opening
Here is my hand and my heart
with it"
| Candles seized her hand and covered
it with kisses.
"Pompey makes signs to me that it
is time to go, said Claire doubtless
they are ABOUT to close the church
AdieU. or rather, au revoir Tomorrow
You shall know what intend to do for
You. Tomorrow we shall be happy
and she vanished, leaving Candles in
raptureS.
CCo be COntinuedl
~