Evening star., 1895-08-03

SSASASA
felt her eyelashes. that were wet with her
tears, brush the skin. of his foreheld; and
then she sobbed and covered her face with
her hands. Indeed, HIS state seemed to her
Thus NJ. de Merosaules had won one of
his three kisses; yet. strange to tell there
vas no triumph in him, but he now per-
ceived the baseness Of his device; and the
gether with the great beauty OF her soft
ened manner. so affected him that ne
thought no more Of his wager and could
rot,sn rot endure to carry his deception; t and
fess to the princess what he had DONE and
humble himself in ths dust before her and
entreat her to pardon him and let him find
forgiveness: Therefore, impelied by these
feelings. after he HAD lain still few mo-
ments listening to- the princess weeping,
he leaped suddenly out of bed showing
himself fully clothed under the bed gown
which he now eagerly tore on, and ne
cheeks; and then he fell on his knees be-
fore the princess. crying to her that he had
played the meanest trick on her, and he
was scoundrel and no gentleman, and
in very truth die. Nay, he would not con-
sent to Hive unless he could win her pardon
for his deceit. And In all this he was now
most absolutely in earnest, wondering only
amored of her from the first as he had
feigned himself to be- For man In love
can never conceive himself out of 1t, nor he
that Is out of 1t in it; for If he can, he IS
half way to the one or the other, however
little he may know it.
AT first the princess sat as though sne
We're turned to stone; but when ne mao
finished his confession and she understood
the trick that had been played upon her,
and how not only her kiss but also her
tears had been won from her by fraud, ana
when she thought, as she did, that the
marquis was playing another trick upon
her. and that there was no more truth nor
honesty in his present protestations than
In those which went before, she Tell INTO
great shame and into great rage; and her
eyes flashed like the eyes OF her father
himSelfS as she rose to her feet ana looked
down on NJ. de Merosailles as he knelt i'm
ploring her. Now her face turned pale
from red, and she set her lips and she
drew her gown close round her, lest his
touch should defile it $50 the unhappy gen
tleman understood the gesture) and she
daintily picked her steps round him lest by
chance she should happen to come In con-
tact with so foul a thing: thus she walked
she turned and said to him: Your death
may blot out the insult-nothing less," and
with her head held high and her whole air
fufi OF Scorn, she swept out or the room
started up to follow her. but dared not;
and he flung himself on the bed In par
oxysm of shame and vexation, and now OF
love. and he cried out a1oudt
"Then my death shall blot it out, since
nothing else will server
For he was in a very desperate mood.
For long while he lay there, and then,
having risen, dressed himself in somber
suit Of black, and buckled his sword by his
side, and put on his riding boots. and,
summoning his servant, bade him saddle
his horse. For" said he to himself, Il
will ride into the forest and there kill my
princess will forgive and will believe in
my love and grieve little for me-"
Now, as he went from his chamber to
cross the moat by the drawbridge, he en-
countered Prince Rudolf returning from
hawking; they met full in the center of
the bridge, and the prince, seeing NJ. de
Merosailles dressed sM In black from the
feather In his capsto his boots. called out
mockingly. 'Who iis to be buried today,
my lord. and WHITTIER tdo you ride to the
funeral? 1t cannot bes yourself, for see
that you are mafvekeusty recovered of
your sickness pa.- u
ouis. coming nearhand speaking low that
the servants and The falconers might not
overhead "And r. rtae. sir. to my own
1.-THE Jest is stilp afJSt them" asked the
price. yet 1 do not see my sister at
the window to watch you go and I war
rant you have made no way with your
"A thousand curSesSo on my wager" cried
the marquis. "Yes, have made way with
the accursed thing! and that is why 1 now
go to my death" - .r.'' =
'.What. has she kissed your cried the
prince, with merry y+Astonished laugh.
"Yes, sir, she has kissed me once and
I go to die"
Il have heard many a better reason
then," answered the prince.
By now the prince had dismounted and
he stood by NJ. de Merosalles in the middle
of the bridge, and heard from him how
the trick had prospered. At this he was
much tickled, and, alas! he was even more
diverted when the penitence of the mar
qnis was revealed to him, and was most
OF all n owed to merriment when it appear
ed that the marquis, having gone too near
the candle. had been caught by its flame
and was so terribly singed and scorched
that he could not bear to live. And while
they talked on the bridge, the princess
looked out on them from a lofty narrow
but neither of them saw her Now
when the prince had done laughing, he put
his arm through his friends and bade him
not to be fool but ccme in and toast the
princess kiss in a draught of wine. For"
ha said. though you will nover get the
other two. yet it is brave exploit to have
got one
But the marquis shook his head, and
his air was resolute and SO full of
sorrow that not only was Rudolf alarmed
Tor this reason, but Princess Osra also
at the window, wondered what allied him
and why be wore such long face, and
she now noticed that he was dressed all
IN black and that his horse waited for him |
across the bridge.
Mot" said she, that care what be- |
,omes Of the impudent roguew Yet she did |
not leave the window, but watched very
ntently to see what NJ de MerosaiIlss |
would do. -
For long while he talked with Rudolf |
,n the bridge. Rudolf seeming more serious |
han he was wont to be, and at last the |
marquis bent to kiss the princes hand,
ind the prince raised him and kissed him
IN either cheek, and then the marquis went |
and mounted his horse and rode off slowly |
md unattended into the glades of the for |
est cf Zenda; but the prince with a shrug |
IF his shoulders and a frown on his brow, |
entered under the portcullis and disappear |
I'd from mis- sisters view.
Upon this the princess, assuming an air |
If great carelessness, walked down from |
he room where she was and faced her |
brother, sitting still in his boots and drink |
ng wine, and she said:
IN. de Merosailfes has taken his leave |
hen?"
Even so, madame" rejoined Rudolf.
Then she broke into a fierce attack ON |
he marquis, and on her brother also, for |
man, said she, is known by his friends, |
and what man must Rudolf be to have !
riend like the Marquis de Merosailles!
Most brothers, she said in fiery tenn
Der, would make him answer for what he |
has done with his life. But you laugh,
lay. I daresay You had a hand in it."
AS to this last charge the prince had the |