The Washington times., 1894-04-17

you like, mademoiselle. Probe my private
life 10 the bottom. can refuse you nothing"
"Indeed?" said Miss Clitheroe.
Indeed and indeed. My habits, my polit-
zeal views, my private affairs" he cried.
spreading out his hands; ..they are at your
disposal. Pick out what you want for your
article"
We'll, then" said the lady, quietly, ''tell
me the story about your wife,
The deputy started in his chair and flushed
up to the roots of his hair. 1t was some time
before he could find words. At last he stam-
mered out: ''You say? You say?''
Il asked you to teal me about your WIFE,"
MY wife?' cried Mr.. yerneuil. "Quelle
plague. 1 have no wife!'
Il thought otherwise" said his interviewer
"a story has been printed in another New
York paper that some years ago you married
in England, and deserted your wife after
few months because you discovered that she
had not the fortune that you had expected to
gain with her. 1t was to get some explana-
tion on this subject that l was directed to call
on you. 1 confess that hardly liked to ap-
proach so very delicate question, and, per-
haps, should not have mustered up the cour-
age to do so but for the very kind encourage
ment you have just given me-"
. La bonne blague," laughed the deputy
uneasily; "that wretched old affair So it has
got into the papers, has it? 1 am glad to
hear it, and l am extremely obliged to you,
mademoisele, for giving me the opportunity
to publish the truth on the matter. All, il
that is all that my enemies can find to crush
me with have little cause to fear them. My
wife? Yes, let US talk about her?'
A pause ensued. during which the deputy
fldgeted nervously on his chair opening and
shutting his hands. struggling his shoulders,
and shaking his head. Meanwhile the lady
sat quite still. watching him quietly and play
ing with lace handkerchief, which was deli
cately perfumed with New Mown Hay"
Verneuil broke the silence at last, speaking
volubly. 81 was never legally married at all.
That is to say, not legally according to the
French law, which is the only law that rec
ognize and that can affect me. In the first
place, was married in England; and in the
second, at the time of my marriage was
only "a, and no Frenchman can marry legally
before the age of 25 unless he has the consent
OF his parents to the marriage. Neither my
father nor my mother knew anything about
my marriage, and on that account alone it is
void" Then checking himself, he asked:
"What perfume is that you wear, mademoi-
selle-an English scent, is it not?''
.My wife?'' he cried, "what a story! A
wretched miss who took advantage of my
youth to ensnare me. must tell you that at
that time was living in London, correspond
ing for one or two French papers, giving les
sons-in short, doing the best I could for my
self; boy, you know. Well. there I fell in
with girl. 1 never knew much what she
was, but thought her pretty and all that,
and-well. you know what boys are-I fell in
love with her. She was cunning mink, and
her old mother was worse. had thought OF
a filtration, the two had made up their minds
for marriage. All. they saw what was In
me. They foresaw that sooner or later Rich
ard Ventnor would make his way"