Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-09-23


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!-recommend
ing him for this employment. He had
therefore gone week or two before to
Bayonne, his province. Most of our
neighbors 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
/
tenth as much as she did of its graces.
Still. she had taught us to dance and
make bow. Her presence had softened
our manners; and of late we had gained
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 sepulchraIly:
IN. lie Vidame de Beers to pay his re-
spects TO mademoiselle!"-W there
was something like panic, I confessI
/ We scrambled to our feet, mutter1ng:
1.-THE Wolff" The entrance at Caylus
is by ramp rising from the gateway TO
the level of the terrace. This eunken
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 a 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. dare say, awkward and
ungainly enough-before the Vidame'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 a mag
ni1icent grace that was born of his size
and manner combined, "I rode in late
last night from Toulouse; and I go
tomorrow to Paris. have but rested
and washed off the stains of travel that
1 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
All" he continued. indolently, two of
the maidens of Caylus, see. With an
odd pair of hands apiece, unless 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
as a cat does with mice. 1T offends
your dignity, perhaps, that 1 bid
mademOiselle set you spinning? Inow
/ i,
and think 1t happiness!"
/ 1--WE are not girls!" / blurted out,
with the flush and tremor of a boys
! passion. You had not called my god
father, Anne de Montmorenci. a girl,
N. lie Vidame!" For though we counted
/ it a joke among ourselves that we all
| bore girls names, we were young
enough to be sensitive about IL.
He shrugged his shoulders. And
how he dwarfed us all as he stood there
dominating our terracel M de Mont
morenci was man." he said, scornful-
| ly. M. Anne de Caylus is"
And the villain deliberately turned
! his great back upon US, taking his seat
on the low wall near GATHERINGS chair.
It 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 waddling out
at the same moment, Gil carrying chair
behind her. And we-well, we skunk
away and sat on the other side of the
terrace, whence we could still glover
at the offender.
Yet who were we to glover at him2
/ To this day shake at the thought OF
him. It was not so much his height
and bulk, though he was so big that
the clipped, pointed fashion of his
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 cast
in them; nor the grimy suavity of his
manner, and the harsh, threatening
voice that permitted Of no disguise
It was the sum of these things, the
] II Il