The record-union., 1898-09-19

Latins or the Germans knew, penetrat-
ing to the very source of tears, and at
once an infinite aspiration, a mystery,
an enigma, caress They discovered
glamour courtois.' Yesterday their
| descendant, Ernest Renan, would fain
have invented a new way of believing
The amour fine" Of Launce-
lot has passed from our books into our
hearts; we feel with a finer shade to-
day because those Celtic harpers lived
and sang. I dare not say that Renan
has done as much for F'aith-that he
has transported it far from the perish
able world of creeds and dogmas into
| the undying domain of pure feeling
| But, at least, the attempt was worthy
of Celt and an idealist
| We have spoken Of fairies The true
fairy-the guardian angel, 4rather--of
4 Ernest Remains youth s.wak his only sis
| ter, Henriette. Henriette had already
one brother, Alains an excellent lad of
! IA, sober, just and silent She was II
4, years old when Ernest was born, lit
| tie woman already, troubled about
many things dimly aware Of the strug-
| gle for life and able to understand her
mothers tears, as She watched her
rock the baby on her knees, weeping
l
| passionately over this second son, so
| long desired, and now born, as it SEEM
| ed, into a world of sordid misfortune.
| Already the head of the family, in his
| dreamy but obstinate unworldliness,
had half ruined the little household.
Henriette, who inherited her fathers
silent and tenacious character, bore
him a child's resoIute1 devotion. She
adored him and understood his moody
reserve, as ruin gathered closer. She
loved the vivicious mother whom she
so little resembled, and who showed
the plain child but scanty tenderness.
Above all, she hugged to her inmost
heart this newborn brother, as
though she felt that for him, through
him, and in him, she should attain to
completer existence than any she had
| dreamed of heretofore.
| Henriette was neither quick nor bril-
liant. She was not at ala pretty, in the
usual sense of fresh-country pretti-
ness. We might say Of her, as it was
| said of the Maid of Siera, "speciositas
naturaliter in ca non inerat excessive"
| Her delicate features were marred by q
| birthmark. But she had eyes of the
lsweetest, long, white, beautiful hands,
| and even in childhood bearing of
modest distinction. A sort of innocent
| dignity was hers-a dove-like dignity
of mildness and quiet and reserve.
| Nothing Of the poetic charm of her
| birthplace was lost upon the pensive
child. The shadow of the convent walls,
the stiffness, broken at intervals by the
clash of church bells, the distant moan
of the sea, the half-understood Latin
sentences which the good sisters
| taught her in the psalter, all were
| things to be pondered in her heart
subtle influences to mold her tender
! nature. Her education, if 4limited,was
| exquisite. As she grew out of chill
hood, the noble families of Treguier,
banished by the revolution, crept back,
one by one, fatigued and penniless, to
| wither in their ruined homesteads
Many single ladies of the most authen-
| tic nobility, were glad to earn their
| bread by giving lessons a praise
worthy habit they had contracted dur
! ing the emigration. One Of these i'm
poverished damsels completed the
training of Henriette Renan, and add
er to her natural sweetness that touch
of good breeding which enhances every
| grace Henriette, sensitive to every
refinement, quickly caught the trick of
unspoken and apparently deterrent au-
thority. While she was still mere
/ child she was in great request as a
tanner of wild spirits, and the young
1 madcaps of the place yielded to her
/ tranquil charm. She was born to
guide, to soothe, and to educate. And
when she was II years old she began
the education Of Ernest Renan.
"She attached herself to me with the
whole strength Of her tender and timid
heart, athirst for love. 1 still remem-
Der my baby tyrannies; she never chat
ed at them Dressed to go out to some
girlish party she would come to kiss
me goodby, and I would cling to her
Il frock. beseech her to turn back, not to
leave me, And she would turn round,
take off her best gown and sit at home
with me. One day, half in fun, half as
a penalty for some childish offense, she
threatened to die if I would not be
good. and thereupon she leaned back
In her armchair, closed her eyes, and
4 made believe to be dead have never
felt anything so vivid as the pang OF
terror with which i saw my dear one,
! Eimmovable, absent-for our destiny did
not permit that should watchther last
J, moments. Wild with grief sprang at