The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-11
The WAGER OF THE MARQUIS De
MER0SAILLES.

BY ANTHONY HOPE.
Author of 'The Prisoner of Zenda, "The
Dolly Dialogues" Elc.

lSopyflght, 1875, by A. Ill. HAWKES.
In the year 1884, as spring came,
.nere arrived at Strelsau a French no
oieman, of high rank and great posses
sions and endowed with many accom-
plishments. He came to visit Prince
rudolf, whose acquaintance he had made
while the Prince was at Paris IN the
course of his travels. King Henry re-
ceived M. de Merosailles-for such was
his name-most graciously and sent a
guard of honor to conduct him to the
castle of Zanda where the Prince was
then staying in company with his sister
Osra. There the Marquis on his arrival
was greeted with much joy by Prince
Rudolf who found his sojourn in the
country somewhat irksome and was glad
OF the society of friend with whom he
could talk and sport and play at cards.
All these things he did with NJ. de Nero
sailles and great friendship arose be-
tween the young men, so that they spoke
very freely to one another at all times,
and most of all when they had drunk
their wine and sat together in the
evening in Prince Rudolf's chamber
that looked across the moat towards
the gardens; for the new chateau that
now stands on the site of these gardens
was not then built. and one night NJ.
de Merosailles made bold to ask the
Prince how it fell out that his sister the
Princess, a lady of such great beauty,
seemed sad and showed no pleasure in
the society of any gentleman, but treated
all alike with coldness and disdain.
Prince Rudolf, laughing, answered that
girls were strange creatures and that he
had ceased to trouble his head about
them-of his heart he said nothing-a
ne finished by exclaiming, "On my
honor, doubt if she so much as knows
you are here, for she has not looked at
you once since your arrival !" And he
smiled maliciously for he knew that the
Marquis was not accustomed to be neg
Iected by ladies and would take it i'll that
even Princess should be unconscious
of his presence. In this he calculated
rightly, for M. de Merosailles was greatly
vexed, and, twisting his glass in his fin
gers, he said
IF she were not a Princess and your
sister, sir, / would engage to make her
look at me-
Il am not hurt by her looking at you,"
req oined the Prince; for that evening he
was very merry. ga look is no great
thing"
And the Marquis, being also very
merry and knowing that Rudolf had less
regard for his dignity than Prince
should have, threw out carelessly
"a kiss is more, sir"
1T is a great deal more" laughed the
fr1o hi aho
Are you ready for wager, sir 2"
asked NJ. de Merosailles, leaning across
the table towards him.
'sI'll lay you thousand crowns to a
hundred that you do not gain kiss,
using what means you will save force"
''I'll take the wager, sir" cried the
Marquis, 'sbut 1t shall be three, not
one.n
Have a care" said the Prince.
aDon't go too near the fame, my lord
There are some wings in Strelsau singed
at that candid
Indeed the light is very bright" as
sented the Marquis courteously. THAT
risk must runt though, if am to win
my wager. It's to be three then, and
by what meaHs will, save force e.
even so. ! said Rudolf. and he laugh
ed again. Ehe thought the wager
harmless, since by no means could NJ. de
Merosailles win SO much as one kiss from
the Princess 0sra, and the wager stood
at three. But he did not think how he
wronged his sister by using her name
lightly, being in all such matters man
of careless mind.
But the Marquis, having made his
wager, set himself steadily to win it; for
he brought forth the choicest clothes
from his wardrobe, and ornaments, and
perfumes; and he laid fine presents at
the Princess feet; and he waylaid her
wherever she went, and was profuse of
glances, signs and hints; and he wrote
sonnets as fine gentlemen used in those
DAYS, and lyrics and pastorals, wherein
she figured under charming names.
These he bribed the Princess waiting
women to leave in their mistress cham
Der. Moreover, helooked now sorrowful,
now passionate, and he ate nothing at
dinner, but drank his wine in the wild
gulps as though he sought to Danish sad
ness. So that, in word, there was no
device Ia Cupid's armory that the Mar
0uis de Merosailles did not practice in
the endeavor to win look from the
Princess Osra. But no look came aud
he got nothing from her but cold civil
fy. Yet she had looked at him when he
looked not-for Princesses are much like
other maidens- and thought him very
urettv gentleman, and was highly anus
"a by his extravaganza. Yet she did not
believe il to witness any true devotion to
her. but thought it mere gallantry.
Then one day NJ. de MerOsailles, hav
ing tried all else that he could think of,
fook TO his bed. He sent for physician
and uaid him a high fee TO find the seeds
If rapid and fatal disease in him; and
he made his body-seryant whitel bis
face and darken the room; and he groan
ed very pitifully, saying that he was sick
and that be was glad of it: for death
xnould be better far than the continued
S;sdain of the Princess Osra And al
this. being told by the Marquis servants
- the Princess waiting woman, reached
Osra's ears and caused her much pertur
bation. For she now perceived that the
rassion of the Marquis was real and deep.
ind she became very sorry for him; and
/, sha longer the face of the rascally phys
Ian grew. the more sad the Princess be-
10 ne. and she walked up and down, be
waillng the terrible effects OF her beauty,
wishing that she were not so fair ard
mourning very tenderly for the sad plight
~ the unhappy Marquis. Through all
prince Rudolf looked on, but vas bound
hv his wager not TO undeceiye her; more
yar he found much entertainment in the