The Progress., 1894-10-27

~ ID AllC uHD'Vioht ihO'ioiS"'1
said WHEN 81 had coupled it with
another ambition, but that one is sat
isfed-satisfed forev5 You did not
see me? No, got away -cludcd the
police and" she broke into such
strange. wild laugh that thought of
what Jadet had told me about her
mind.
This was the nearest she had come
to referring to her alteration with
the officer, and did not press her to
tell me more.
The thrill of the opening night OF
1.-THE Countess Claire" remains with
me still.
recall tho crowded house, the
critics come to write the new drama
down and the throbbing Of my brain
as Vivien appeared before the foot
lights.
But it was success.
The moment she spoke I knew
what would happen. Her grace, her
tewitching face and figure, her
beauty, fragile but passionately
strong-all these united to insure me
q triumph such as the little theater
had not scored in years.
l found Vivien, brilliant eyed, In
one Of the wings after the fall Of the
curtain.
She seemed to be waiting for no
one, and when | came forward to con-
grntulate her she did not seem to see
me at all.
spoke, bat she did not look up.
l touched her arm and spoke again,
and then she seemed to recall that
she owed me answer.
ut was a success, Monsieur NJ
she said. "You are satisfied with
your 'countess?
How could l tell her how proud
was of her? How tell her that sht
had not only made her fortune, bu
my own, as we'll?
"You shall 20 home with me to
night" said the girl. ~ believe The
time has come, but you will let III
precede you little"
told her that would be delighted
to see her at home, and below W
called a cab.
ut will be going home with me
we 70 in separate cabs, monsieur,
spoke Vivien at the door. "You ca
follow. will direct the driver"
She called another cab and directe
the driver to take her to the Rue Boz
laise, mentioning the number in tn
same breath. The man fell back an
looked at her.
Vivien was In the vehicle and th
, door was shut, and in another minut
we were rafting over the streets
Paris, but In different cabs
Eager to see Vivien at home and
note the route taken by my cab,
leaned against the glass and toe
note Of the streets. l was not II
behind her, and / soon sa
that We were entering the poore
quarter Of Paris, the quarter whe
the petroleuses and commune hi
u gaspod and died before tho bullets
. the soldiery.
Her cab halted and mine soon cal
up, but vivien was already out OF sigl
Ientered the tall house and ran
the steps, for the girl ad told me tn
= would find her. on the third flo
back, in a little room ten by lively
heard the noise Of closing dc
as l started down the grimy corridt
l was there in moment.
In another instant had opened t
door and stood on the threshold.
Alright was burning on table, a
near it in chair lay the form OF
old woman.
=. yivien was there, too, standing
y" the chair, with her face as white
r, death and her eyes riveted upon
w wrinkled face In the chair.
~ I advanced, but the girl threw
a her hand. s. a 4,yg
"a "she is dead, monsieur" she sa
~ .she promised TO live till came b
W successful and she kept her VIC
M This is my mother-the little won
=. who followed me from Haute L
~ raine, and whose son, my brothe
Ia avenged by cutting to pieces the Il
~ Of the officer who had him shot tn
T., awful days have lived to achi
sm the only triumph ever painted
s Oh, the long nights over the Ora
. oh, the patching it took and the
-. -" we burned, and the bread we trie
'ne save till 1t was ready for YOU"
,.- Iseemed thunderstruck.
~, "What, was it your work.
~, drama?-'The Countess Claire?
"a Viyien smoothed the white
"a that struggled over the cold tenn
49, of the dead and smiled.
1T was my work, but it took
49,, blood. Mother always seid find
10y, 'a. first and found him. Monsi
ta,r you have lost your countess; you
, .a find another, but she will not be
' tha len; no, not the little butterfly OF
,;on Hsute Lorraine"
sprang forward TO prevent
=. , from falling to tho floor in a +
w., but she was down already, and
" DERBY laid her upon the poorly DR.
bed in one corner of the room.