Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-06-02
CHAPTER XVI.

Find out mems wants and will,
And meet them there. All worldly
joys go less
To the one joy of doing kindnesses.
G. Herbert.
While Esperance was passing
through hard experiences at Riches
! ter, Gaspard was being tried, though
in a different way, in London. They
were each strangely altered, but while,
/ with Esperance, trouble seemed work
ing so much harm, with Gaspard it
was very different. He had been too
thoroughly reused by the events of
the past year ever to fall back again
to the selfishness which had been mis-
chief fault, and for which his present
enforced loneliness seemed to him
but a just retribution. His patience
was being sorely tried by the long and
| apparently fruitless waiting time; but
as, week by week, his longing for
work and action increased, and his
| poverty grew more and more irksome
an inner strength and power of en-
durance grew too, and his restlessness
and self-seeking were gradually sub
dued
He had, however, suffered greatly,
and in outward appearance was as
much changed as Esperance, for his
| poverty WIS not comparative, but ac-
tual hunger and want. Then, too,
the state of France, and the fearful
accounts of the Commune and its
suppression made him miserable
enough; while his anxiety for Esper-
ance, and the pain of knowing that
she was unhappy and changed, with
out the possibility of helping her, was
perhaps the worst trouble of all.
Although work was not to be had,
he would not give up all hope of OBJ
tanning it il time, and employed him
self in thoroughly mastering the
English language, knowing that it
would be of great use to him.
| One afternoon late in October he
was hard at work at a difficult piece
Of translation, when the landlady,
with quite a beaming face, announced
a visitor. Gaspard glanced at the
card, which was, as he had expected,
that Of Mr.. Magnay, for Esperance
had mentioned his intended visit in
her last letter.
He fastened to greet him, with the
! heartiness of real pleasure, fer, like
poor Esperance, he was greatly in
need of some on to talk to, and though
the landlady was both kind-hearted
and conversational, he was beginning
to weary of her stock of PROXY anec-
dotes, and of trying to communicate
his thoughts to the sleek, purring
! Bismarck
Even if Claude had been the most
uninteresting of mortals he would
have been welcomed; and WIN Gas
| pard found that he was a thorough
gentleman, good talker, and, unlike
the proverbial Englishman, neither
proud, suspicious, nor reserved, he
threw all possible warmth and
friendliness into his manner, and be-
| fore long the two were talking as in
! timately as if they had known each
other for years.
| They were a strange contrast.
Claude, fair-haired and fresh COM
pleXioned, the picture Of health, with
| bright, genial manners and almost
superfuous energy. Gaspard, palIid
and emaciated, his clearly-cut fea-
! lures bespeaking delicacy Of constitu-
ton, and his animated conversation
and ready smile rather belied by the
suffering look which his face wore
when in repOse.
They had talked long about the
Franco-Prussian war, and Gaspard
had related his experience as a Ma
tional Guard before Claude delivered
Esperance's message, and then natu-
rally the conversation turned upon
Rilchester.
1T must be very dull indeed, &C
cording to my sisters account" said
Gaspard. 4 hear that cathedral
towns have rather that reputation in
England"
1T is small, decayed town, GER
tainly,' replied Claude; but though
perhaps it is narrower, doubt if it is
more dull than most provincial
places. This is not the first time /
have stayed there, and 1 assure you
there is really very good society there,
if YOU can pick and choose. There
are cliques, of course, but one can
keep out of them, or perhaps get into
them ALL
You can, of course said Gaspard,
ismiling,, but that is only because you
are a privileged being-a celebrity
imagine that the deanery would not
care to follow your example"
} ITO tell you the truth, the deanery