Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-04-26

cloak then lovely fair locks fell down
and Candles saw before Lm me Vi
| comtesse
Candles, overwhelmed, sank into a
chair You! your cried he. "Oh,
mon Dieul what do you want here"
81 came to ask you, sir. If you had
/ forgotten me.
Candles groaned and put his hands
| before his eyes. as though TO shut out
this charming. but fatal vision All
was now explained to him; the fear,
| paleness and anxiety of Nanon, who,
with the quick eyes Of jealousy, had
recognized a woman in the messenger.
Il come to ask You, continued
/ Claire, III YOU are ready to fulfill the
engagements YOU entered into. in that
! little room at Jaulnay to send your
resignation to the king, and to enter
I the service Of the princess
"Oh. silence! silence. madam" cried
! Candles In voice Of so much ter
ror that Claire said
Are we not, then, aloneF"
/ "Oh. yes madam; but some one
might hear through the walls
/ ~ thought the walls of St George
were more solid said Claire, smil-
+ ing. However ] came to ask how it
/ was. that for ten days / have heard
nothing Of you, so that I should still
have been ignorant as to who com
mauded here, bgt that public rumor
/ told me that it was the man who
. swore to me not n fortnight ago that
4 his disgrace was a blessing, as it per
/ mitted him to consecrate his courage
/ his life and his sword, to the party
/ to which | belonged"
I At this, Nanon could no longer re-
press a movement which made Ca
nolles tremble, and Claire turn around
i what is that?' asked she.
Nothing: one Of the noises com
mon in this old house
'If it is anything else" said Claire
laying her hand upon his arm, "do
not hide it from me, baron; for you
| must understand, from my deciding to
come here, how important is what
have to say"
Candles wiped the drops Of anguish
from his brow. but trying to smile,
said, Speak, madam"
"Well firstly, are You ready to keep
your promiscT'
"Alas, madam, it has become I'm
possible"
"Why so?"
Because, since that time. many un-
/
ties that l thought broken are renew
ed: for the punishment that l thought
/ merited. the queen has substituted a
reward, for which | am unworthy, and
l am now tied to her party by graft
tude"
Say, by ambition NJ de Candles,
and | should understand. You are of
high birth; they have made you, at
twenty-eight, lieutenant-colonel and
/ governor 1t is grand l know; MT vi.
Mazarin is not the only person who
appreciates you"
Madam, not another word, | en-
treat"
Pardon, monsieur; but it is not now
the Nicomtesse de Cambes who speaks,
but the envoy of the princess and
she must accomplish her mission The
princess, knowing the sentiments you
expressed both at Chantilly and Jaul-
nay, wished to know to what party
YOU really belong; and / offered my
self as ambassador, thinking that l
knew best your secret heart"
Il thank you, madam said Candles
with emotion.
This. then is my proposition, You
shall give up this island on one of
thee conditions. The tirst-aud re
member this does not come from me
is sum of two hundred thousand
francs"
"Oh. madam, 90 70 further, I'll S
place has been entrusted to me by
the queen, and 1 will detald 1t TO
the uttermo>t'
Recall the past, sir" said Claire,
sadly; 'it is not thus that you spoke
to me before.
az was then free; today l am rot"
Not free, sirr said Claire, turning
pale. "what do You mean"
Il am bound by honor"
"Weu sir, listen at all events
"Of what use" said Candles, when
tell you that l am immoyable.
Pardon me, sir but l also must
fulfill my mission
"Oh, you are cruel murmured Ca
uolles.
"Send in your resignation, and enter
the service Of the princess, with the
rank Of brigadier'
"Oh, madam, do not ask me to do
what is impossible
lis it to me that you say that, sir:
/. who saw YOU with the pen in hand
prepared to write your resignation.
who listened with so much JOY when
You swore to me that it was freely,
and with all your heart that YOU were
going to 10 IT, And now l only ask
you TO do what you then proposed
Won. IT,"