The true northerner., 1898-01-19
A NOVELIST'S BRIDE.

The betrothal and marriage of Nine.
Octave Feuillet is told by herself, with
charming naivete and wit, i'll "Quelques
Annes de Ma Vie. "
was nearly 10 years old. My moth
er insisted that | must marry. Every
week she presented a new aspirant, but
when, after each interview, she asked,
Does this one suit you?" / replied,
mo, not this one.
Ny father urged me also 1t was gen.
orally during our horseback rides i'll the
country, while we let our horses walk
along the pretty routes, that he under
took my conversion.
II know some one, he said one day,
who loves you. and who this morning
has asked for your hand.
Another? Good heavens!"
"Yes, another, but | hope you will
not rebel when you hear the name of
this one
Tell me, my father, who il is. +"
lit is your cousin, Octave Feuillet. "
What, my cousin Is it possible that
he loves me. He hardly knows me, liv-
ing so far away. ! have perhaps danced
three times with him, and that is all. "
Every we'll, that is sufficient. He de-
sires you to become his wife He de-
sires it ardently Your mother and /
would be in despair should you disap-
point him with a refusal. p"
my father, let me have little time
for reflection -
mot too long" answered my fa-
ther, land may God inspire you. F"
God inspired me that same night tC
think my cousin charming. Again i'll
imagination, l saw him at those three
balls where | had danced with him and
recalled his handsome figure and bear
ing, his distinguished looking features
and his slightly naughty air.
| remembered the grace with which
he bowed to woman, particularly tc
my mother. l recalled the words he had
spoken to the music Of the orchestra
during the uadrilles-words which did
not resemble i'll any way the trivial
phrases | was accustomed to hear. He
talked as we'll as he wrote. He had al
ready great reputation among literary
persons, and his novels and poems were
making a sensation III the world.
And was it / who was destined to be
come the wife of this poet, of this gen.
tleman? could not believe in such good
fortune. In accepting it felt uneasy.
1t seemed to me impossible not to dis
appoint the accomplished being who
had deigned to choose me. When /
thought of his worth, felt my own in
feriority. found myself provincial and
ignorant. Nevertheless my father had
said that he loved me-
He loved me in spite of all my de-
fciencies. 1t remained for me TO recon-
pense him by working for self improve
ment. After having devoted my thoughts
exclusively to him turned in imagina-
tion to the existence we would lead.
We should doubtless live in Paris,
this beautiful Paris which l had not
seen since the journey with the ladies
of -. No more visits to the tombs of
st. Denis, but presentations to the
friends Of my husband and drives in
tacres from museums to churches and
from churches TO museums.
And then the installation of our
apartment and the purchasing of ele-
CANT furniture, which would make it
charming-how beautiful did all these
dreams appear when | compared them
with the monotony of the PRESENT.
--- The effect of all this was that ana
bt sleep till morning
shall never forget that evening when
my cousin came the first time as "a
tiance. We awaited him in my mother s
room. My father walked up and down,
giving me his arm. My brothers were
on the. staircase ready to fall on the
neck of the visitor
When | heard the bell ring, which
caused commotion throughout the house,
| was SO agitated, SO troubled, so nerv-
Gus over the new role assigned me,
that, losing all thought of propriety,
all desire to please my fiance, ran to-
ward the window and enveloped myself
in the curtains.
There | should have remained in
trenched behind these curtains, posi-
tion which would have given me conf
dence, had not my father Indignantly
arms of my cousin, who appeared lit
tie surprised at this welcome.
1t is timidity, said my mother in
low voice, at the same time smooth
ing my ruffled hair "She loves you,
am sure. "
This undignihed reception did not
discourage my fiance. He made me
pretty speeches all the evening and
happy promises, to which / listened
with downcast eyes. The next day came
some charming verses from him, ad :
dressed to my mother, but which had
inspired.
On the 25th of March, 1857, awak-
ened at an early hour, being unable to
sleep on account Of my emotion. It was