The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-09-09
" S;STANlEY sJ.WEWhAAH

Caylus, CaJherine's father and our
guardian, was one of the governors ap-
pointed to see the peace enforced; the
respect in which he was held by both
parties-he was a Catholic, but no
bigot God rest his soul ul!-recommend-
ing him for this employment. He had
therefore gone week or two before to
Bayonne, his province. Most of our
heighbors in Quercy were likewise from
home, having gone to Paris to be wit
nesses on one side or the other of the
royal wedding. And consequently we
young people, not greatly checked BY
the presence of good-natured, sleepy
Mime. Claude, GATHERINGS duenna, were
disposed to make the most of our lib
erty and to celebrate the peace in our
own fashion.
We were country folk. Not one of us
had been to. Pau, much less to Paris.
The vicomte held stricter views than
were common then upon young peoples
education; and, though we had learned
TO ride and shoot, to use our swords and
toss hawk, and to read and write, we
knew little more than Catherine herself
of the world; little more of the pleas
ures and sins of court life, and not one
! tenth as much as she did of it's graces.
Still, she had taught us to dance and
make bow. Her presence had softened
our manners; and of late we had gainel
! something from the frank companion
ships of Louis de Pavannes, a Huguenot
whom the vicomte had taken prisoner
at Moncontour and held to ransom. We
were not, think, mere clownish yokels,
But we were shy. We disliked and
Stunned strangers. And when old Gil
appeared suddenly, while we were still
chewing the melancholy cud of Kits
announcement, and cried sepulchrally:
IN. lie Vidame de Beers to pay his re-
spects to mademoiselle! !"-Well, there
was something like panic, / confess!
We scrambled to our feet, muttering:
"The Wolff" The entrance at Caylus
is by ramp rising from the gateway to
the level Of the terrace. This snnken
way is fenced by low walls so that one
may not-when walking ON the terrace
fall into it. Gil had spoken before his
head had well risen to view, and this
gave us moment, just a moment.
Croisette made rush for the doorway
into the house; but failed to gain it,
and drew himself up behind buttress
OF the tower, his finger on his lip. am
slow sometimes, and Marie waited for
me, so that we had barely got to our
legs-looking, I dare say, awkward and
ungainly enough-before the Vidamc's
shadow fell darkly on the ground at
GATHERINGS feet.
"Mademoiselle!" he said, advancing
to her through the sunshine, and bend
ing over her slender hand with mag
niiicent grace that was born of his size
and manner combined, II rode in late
last night from Toulouse; and l go
tomorrow to Paris. have but rested
and washed off the stains of travel that
may lay my--ah!"
He seemed to see us for the first time,
and negligently broke off in his compli-
ment; raising himself and saluting us.
"Ah," he continued, indolently, "two Of
the maidens of Caylus, 1 see. With an
odd pair of hands apiece, unless l am
mistaken. Why do you not set them
spinning, mademoiselle? and he re-
garded us with that smile which-with
other things as evil-had made him
famous.
Croisette pulled horrible faces behind
his back. We looked hotly at him; but
could find nothing to say.
"You grow red!" he went on, pleas
antly-the wretch!-playing with us
rs u cat does with mice. 1T offends
your dignity, perhaps, that l bid
mademoiselle set you spinning? Inow
would spin at mademoiselle's bidding,
and think 1t happiness!"
1--WE are not girls!" blurted out,
with the flush and tremor of boys
passion. "You had not called my god
father, Anne de Montmorenci, q girl,
NJ. lie Vidame!" For though we counted
it joke among ourselves that we all
bore girls names, we were young
enough to be sensitive about it.
He shrugged his shoulders. And
how he dwarfed US all as he stood there
dominating our terrace! IN. de Mont
morenci was a man." he said, scornful'
ly. IN. Anne dc Caylus is"
And the villain deliberately turned
his great back upon us, taking his seat
on the low wall near GATHERINGS chair
1t was clear even to our vanity that he
did not think us worth another word
that we had passed absolutely from his
mind. Nine. Claude came wnddling ou'
at the same moment, Gil carrying u chail
behind her. And we-well, we slunh
away and sat on the other side of the
terrace, whence we could still glover
at the offender.
Yet who were we to glover ut him
To this day shake at the thought o.
, him. 1t was not SO much his height
and bulk, though he was SO big thai
the clipped, pointed fashion of hi
, beard-a fashion then new at court
seemed on him incongruous and effemi
nate; nor so much the sinister glance
of his gray eyes-he had slight cas-
, in them; nor the grimy suavity of hi
manner, and the harsh, threatening
] voice that permitted of no disguise
) 1t was the sum of these things, th'
: great, brutal presence Of the man
, that was overpowering-that made tn