Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-10-18
THE LIAR.

never loved but one woman. ] pass
ed five years with her in perfect happi-
ness. can truly say that to her ! owe
my success, because of my freedom from
care and because she imbued me with
some of her great ambition. From the
first moment we met it seemed TO me
that had always loved her. Her beauty
and character answered all my dreams.
That woman never left me. She died in
my house, in my arms and still loving
me- But when think of her it drives
me mad. If attempt to describe her as
she was during the five years, in all the
glory of her love, with her tall, svelte
figure, her clear cut features, like an
oriental Jews, her luminous, pale face,
her cheerful talk, her voice soft and
sweet as her glance; if / try to bring
again to my mind that vision OF delight,
it is only TO say hate her
Her name was Clotilde. In the house
in which / first met her she was known
as Nine. Deloche, the widow of cap
tain long since dead. She appeared to
have travelled extensively. In her con-
versation she would sometimes say,
"When was at Tampico, or, perhaps,
"Once during raid in Valparaiso. !"
Aside from these remarks nothing IN
her manner, in her language, suggested
anomadic life--nothing Of that disorder
and hurry incident to quick departures
or untimely arrivals. She was a Paris
ian, dressed always with exquisite taste,
without burnoose or those eccentric
serapes by which one recognizes the
wives Of officers and marines who are
perpetually on the move.
When l found that / loved her, my
only idea was to ask her hand in mar
riage. A friend spoke to her for me.
She replied simply that she should never
marry. Thenceforth avoided places
where would see her, and as was too
unhappy to work / resolved to go away.
l was making preparations for depar-
ture, when, one morning. in the midst
of the confusion of packing, Mime. De-
loche entered my apartment.
"Why do you go away?' she asked
Because You love mef also love you,
only''-here her voice trembled little
-"only l am married" And she told
me her history.
1t was story of love and desertion
Her husband was dissipated. He had
beaten her They separated at the end
of three years. Her family, of whom
she seemed very proud, occupied high
positions in Paris, but since her mar
riage they had disowned her. She was
a niece of the grand rabbi. Her sister,
widow of an officer of high rank, had
married for a second husband the gem
eral of the guard at st. German. As
for herself, financially ruined by her
husband, she had fortunately been high
ly educated and possessed several ac-
complishments, of which she now made
use. She gave lessons in music in the
wealthy families Of the Chausee d Antin
and the Faubourg st. German.
Her story was touching, but quite
long, full of the pretty repetitions and
interminable incidents which crowd the
talk of women. / hired pretty little
house in the Avenue de llmperatrice. l
passed the first year listening to her,
looking at her, without thinking of
work. 1t was she who first urged me to
enter my studio and fired me with am
bition to become great artist. could
not induce her to give up her pupils.
This independence touched me deeply.
admired the proud soul which made
me feel little Inundated before the
expressed wish to owe nothing except
to her own exertions. We were thus
separated every day.
With what happiness Ireturned home,
SO impatient when she was late, so
happy when found her there before
me From her pupils in Paris she
brought me rare flowers. often forced
her to accept some present, but she
laughingly said that she was richer than
|, and the lessons must have been very
profitable, for she always dressed with
great elegance and always in black,
which she wore through coquetry ON ac-
count of her complexion.
Her beauty was enhanced by heavy
velvets, shining Jets, lustrous satins and
masses of silky laces All her pupils,
daughters Of bankers and financiers,
adored and respected her, and more than
once she showed me a bracelet, q bangle
or a piece Of lace which one of them had
given her.
Except when at work, we were never
separated. Only ON Sunday she went to
ST. Germain to see her sister, the wife
of the general, with whom. long ago.
she had made her peace. ! accompanied
her to the station. She returned the
same evening, and often, when the days
were long. we would make rendezvous
and go to row on the water or for a
walk in the woods. She would tell me
about her visit, how pretty the children
were and how happy they all were to-
gether. 1t seemed to make her so I'M
happy that Iredoubled my tenderness IN