The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-11-06
and" here a sob caught her voice and

me, you say2 Oil Do you love me-
and will you be my wife2"
" No." she answered, with break in
her accent. "You forget that you are
only peasant"
81 forget nothingl" he flashed,
fiercely. 81 care nothing of what you
and your kind may think of me and my
class. We feel that we are your equals.
and in many things your superiors."
Pirate none of that detestable doc.
trine to mel " replied Madeline, her
proud face flushing red.
"I-I-oh, pardon, Madelinei / was
mad-mad. But you love me?"
"No."
But you will learn to love mep"
Leave me, and never let me see
your face again"
"Madeline.'
"Leave me, say" and turning her
back she looked out over the sea that
throbbed and tinkled on the sand
Pierre became a monk. None know
the revelations that came to him in his
monastic years-years mighty and mar
velous, fraught with events both terri
BILE and triumphant. Through mental
processes, which one may never know,
he determined to leave his cell and ded-
icate himself to the betterment of hui
manity--to become a unit in the vast
army that was even then beginning to
press forward to the glad, white glory
of liberty. One day he found himself
in Paris and standing under tree in
its pleasant PARKS. He was tired, for
he had been down in the slums since
daybreak, visiting the sick, the poor,
the wretched and bearing out of their
presence a still heavier sorrow than
even he had felt before.
81 cannot understand it," he NUT
tered to himself. 81 cannot under
stand why just, loving, merciful
Maker can permit the misery have
seen to-day. Ali the misery that l
feel here" clutching convulsively at
his heart.
Just then rattle of wheels was
heard on the drive, and a carriage,
brave with armorial bearings, came in
sight.
Pierre looked up and, looking, saw
Madeline. He staggered back against
the tree, white to his quiveripg lips.
Should he speak? He looked down at
ITO udl n lODCS9 anu lut WAOlG WOllu
seemed to resolve itself into mockery.
" Pierrel"
The carriage had stopped, and Made
line had spoken. The old love of the
old life was in her voice. But Pierre
was silent-gazing at her like a mad.
man and beating his breast with both
hands clnched.
"Pierre, speak to mel" She had
alighted on the soft, sweet turf and had
caught him by the arm.
leave mel" he Kissed. "Leave
me, woman-devill Do not tempt me
back to the world or II will kill you'll"
ooh, Pierre, Pierrel You know not
what you say II love you, and will
be your wife"
"My wifel" replied Pierre, with
tense, harsh laugh. my wifel Look
at my robes. Cannot you understand
that have taken the oath of celibacy?
You dismissed me from your presence
once. 1t is my turn to dismiss you
from my presence now"
81 But, Pierre, did not know my heart
in that old day. How joyfully would
l give all my gold and become ragged
beggar in the street to recall the cruel
| WOluH L bpOhC WACn baW yOu idots
Oh, Pierre! 1 have never seen a
happy hour since then. Forget and
forgive. 1t is your Madeline who cries
to you'll Will you break my heart for
ever? Pierre tell me that you love
me-that-"
Woman, gol" clinching the trees
for support.
81 can give you houses, valleys,
hills, forests, towns-a fortune as great
as any in France. l can"
"Your fortune is no temptation. 1t
is yourself that tempts me. Oh, God!
Why was it given me of all men to I'M
dergo this ordeal?"
"Oh, Pierre, if you bore for me the
love that bear for you, and shall bear
until the endless end shall have told,
you would not hesitate for an atom of
an instant"
you know my VOW"
" Break it,"
called you devil, and you are.
Would you have me plunge my soul
into perdition for the sake of your
love?"
"Pierre, if you did, if you did, with a
song of rejoicing I would follow you to
your deathless DOOM"
She had put her arms around him
and leaned her cheek caressingly against
his own. Then began conflict in the
heart of the monk that tested his moral
fiber to the full. Had he yielded the
religious record of the Northwest would
never have opened an immortal leaf to
his memory.
Let me think" he said, finally
" You see "-he hesitated. 1t was the
crucial test of his conscience. 1t could
never be tested more than it was at
that moment, no matter what might
happen to him in all his after life.
Madeline, you call me-" he sobbed,
"but God calls me, too, and must go
the way that he has pointed out. One
kiss, Madeline, and then farewell for
ever"
"Oh, say not, say not foreverl' cried
Madeline. ct cannot be that God
wants this sacrifice. 1t is too great a
sorrow for my soul to bear"
| eft must he hornaD renlied Pierre