Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-29


from the room where she was and faced
her brother, sitting still in his boots
and drinking wine, and she said
IN. de Merosailles has taken his
leave them"
Even so, madam" rejoined Rudolf
Then she broke into fierce attack on
the marquis, and on her brother also,
for man, said she, is known by his
friends, and what a man must Rudolf
be to have friend like the Marquis de
Merosaillesl
"Most brothers." she said in fiery
temper, would make him answer for
what he has done with his life, but
you laugh. Nay, dare say you had a
hand in it. -"
AS to this last charge the prince had
the discretion to say nothing. He chose
rather to answer the first part of what
she said, and, Struggling his shoulders
again rejoined, 1.-THE fool saves me the
trouble, for he has gone off to kill him
self"
"To kill himself?' she said, half in
credulous, but also half believing, be-
cause of the marquis gloomy looks and
| black clothes.
"To kill HIMSELF repeated Rudolf
"For in the first place you are angry,
and he cannot live, and in the second
he has behaved like a rogue, so he can
not live, and in the third place you are
so lovely, sister, that he cannot live,
and in the first, second and third places
he is a fool, so he cannot live. And
the prince finished his fiagon of wine
with every sign of i'll humor in his
manner.
''He is we'll dead! !" she cried.
ooh, as you please" said he. "Ht
is not the first brave man who has died
on your account" And he rose and
strobe out of the room very surlily fol
he had a great friendship for NJ. dc
Merosailles and had no patience with
men who let love make dead bones OF
them.
The Princess Osra, being thus left
alone, sat for little while in deeI
thought. There rose before her mint
the picture of NJ. de Merosailles riding
mournfully through the gloom of tn,
forest to his death, and, although hi
conduct had been all and more than al
that she had called it, yet it seemed
hard that he should die for it. More
over, if he now in truth felt what h,
had before feigned the present trutl
was an atonement for the past treach
cry, and she said to herself that sht
could not sleep quietly that night if tn,
marquis killed himself in the forest
Presently sha wandered slowly up I,
her chamber and looked in the miro
and murmured low, Poor fellowr
And then with sudden speed she attiret
herself for riding and commanded he
horse to be saddled and darted down tn
stairs and across the bridge and mount
ed and, forbidding any one to accom-
pany her, rode away into the forest, fol
lowing the tracks of the hoofs of NJ. d
Merosailles horse. 1t was then lat
afternoon, and the slanting rays of tn
sun, striking through the tree trunks
Redeemed her face as she rode along
squirting her horse and following hart
on the track of the forlorn gentleman
But what she intended to do if she cam
up with him she did not think.
|
more she saw his horse tethered to
trunk, and there was a ring of tree
and bushes near, encircling an opel
grassy spot Herself dismounting an
fastening her horse by the marquis
horse, she stole up and saw NJ. de Nero
sailles sitting on the ground, his draw
sword lying beside him, and his bac
was toward her. She held her breat
and waited for few moments. The
he took up the sword and felt the poin
and also the edge of it and sighed deeI
ly, and the princess thought that thi
sorrowful mood became him better tina
any she had seen him in before.
Then he rose to his feet and took hi
sword by the blade beneath the hilt an
turned the point of it toward his heart
And Osra, fearing that the deed woul
be done Immediately, called out eager
ly: "My lord! My lordw And NJ
Merosailles turned round with a grea
start. When he saw her, he stood in a.
constituent, his hand still holding tn
blade of the sword. And, standing jus
on the other side of the trees, she said
SIS your offense against me to b
cursed by adding an offense agains
heaven and the church," And she lool
ed ON him with great severity, yet he
cheek was flushed, and after awhile sh
did not meet his glance.
"How came you here, madam" h
asked in wonder.
"I heard" she said, that you met
itated this great sin, and rode aftt
you to forbid it. ="
"Can you forbid what you cause?
he asked.
81 am not the cause of it," she sale
"but your own trickery."
''It is true. am not worthy to live !!
cried the marquis, shifting the hilt {
III: