Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-24

too. And, POUNDS, why shouldn't l
marry him? Thirty-five years of age,
but much younger in spirit, Of proved
courage and unquestioned honor-in
fact, how shall say it-he pleased me
very much. Only one thing kept me
from saying Yes at once. Novels were
already being written at that time. l
had read some-far too maryland they
had put lot Of absurd ideas into my
head. If l were to give myself to man
forever, l must know his. intimate
thoughts, his past, above all
Zone fine evening, then, between two
cups of tea, said bravely to M. de
LiOnne:
"'Well, yes, love you. But come,
tell me frankly, looking me straight in
the eye-it is not very disagreeable to
do SO, is it?-have you nothing, abso-
lutely nothing, to reproach yourself
with-if not as regards men, as regards
women?'
Nothing he replied, with an in
genuous earnestness that made me wish
to throw myself into his arms.
"Then he suddenly blushed. I had
forgotten one incident, he said. I con-
fess that I have committed, or almost
committed, bad, very bad, action.
"Blushing at first, he had now turned
pale. I almost regretted having asked
him. But it was too late to curb my
curiosity.
"'Tell me everything.
"'I obey. Twelve years ago was in
garrison at T. There was talk Of
war in the air at the time, and this,
added to our youth, gave us an auda-
cious, almost ferocious, gayety. One
evening when we were all tipsy-for we
got tipsy in those days, which hope
you will pardon-a sublieutenant, more
tipsy than the others, proposed that we
scale the walls Of convent in the neigh
borhood and brighten the nuns and pu-
pills in their sleep. 1t was a stupid, an
infamous ideal Wine is a bad counselor:
not a man there, brave and honorable
though they were, slapped the face OF
the man who had made the wretched
proposition. We rushed out of the tav-
ern, found ladders 1 don't know where,
scaled the wall, and ran across the gar
den like looters in captured city.
"'Ohp cried.
"'You despise me, do you not? You
will never be my wife?'
Il have not said that yet. I sim
cerely hope you did not carry out your
horrible project?'
Chance saved us. As we reached
the convent door we heard deep voices
in the garden, swearing the strangest
oaths. There could be no doubt that
rough fellows Of some sort-gardeners
or peasants come to pay their rent
were near at hand in considerable mum.
bers Yes, they were countrymen, for
under the trees we could see garments
that looked like skirts-they must have
been long blouses. We began to be less
courageous, remorse seized us, and we
fled to the ladders; and no one ever
knew that we had entered the convent
garden. But have always had bitter
recollection of that nights escapade.
"The dear fellow I assured him that
I thought none the worse Of him for it,
and, a month later, was the Marquise
de Lionne."
When we had finished laughing-for,
it must be confessed, the adventure was
amusing-we demanded Of the mar
quise:
"And did your husband never know
the truth? Did he never learn that il
was you and your schoolmates'-
Perhaps he guessed it. The night
we were married, just as he was about
to take me in his arms and kiss me,
suddenly sprang away, crying: 'Damme,
sir! Ten thousand devils! By thunder!
"But he didn't run away that time. y
From the French in San Francisco
Argonaut.