El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-06
A Fine Marriage

The morning after his arrival, upon
opening the morning paper, his eyes fell
upon an announcement which caused the
color to fade from his face and his hands
to tremble- 1t short graph
stating that the marriage of Mile. Ger
maine Ardelle and Nj. Olivier Larraud
was soon to Me celebrated.
"She has forgotten me! Well, it has
been a long time, and l left her just as
felt sure she was beginning to love me,
believing a woman could wait for a man
without spoken vows to bind her. L could
not marry her then because L was pennl-
less, and a duty demanded that our init
macy cease or become closer still. How
1 suffered when left her! And she-she
has been gay and happy, forgetting my
love, while L worked for her, and now,
IS months afterward, she is to be mar
ried!'
He reflected bitterly upon the ways of
women, their Hghtness amid the heavy
responsibilities of life, their happiness
in a world of sorrow, their carelessnesS of
pain inflicted upon the nobly striving sex.
He shook himself free of his despond-
ency, saying:
How foolish to regret the loss of
creature who loves as lightly as butter
fly, from flower to flower, forgetting each
last for each new sensation!
The day of the wedding arrived and
found Orvelin still holding strenuously
to the decision that he no longer cared
for Germaine. He had received card
and determined to be present at the GER
emory, just to prove to himself that he
could look on unmoved at the plighting
of her VOWS to another.
As he drew near the house he met an
old friend, Frederic Deschamps, who
said to him in hooking tone:
congratulations, old man.
Orvelin's forehead contracted with
pain, and he said quickly:
81 would not have thought you could
say that to me today
Frederic laid his hand upon Orvelin's
shoulder and said in a changed tone:
''Forgive me. L had no idea you cared.
Your conduct has utterly misled me; has
misled all of u.s."
And then his friend, Germaine's cous-
in, began to speak of her, and Orvelin
understood for the first time the inner
life of the young girl, the drama that
had been acted without words ges
lures in her heart. AT the words of this
man, and helped by his own intuition, ne
saw everything as she had seen it and
shrank back in horror at the result of
his blind stupidity and selfishness-H
When he had first seen her, he admired
her fresh, sweet prettiness, her frank,
happy manners, her whole charming per-
sopality. They met often, and his adj
miration grew and ripened into love- He
tried to please her, to win something
from her more than the friendlinesS she
gave to all about him. He knew that he
interested her and finally thought that
her expressive features betrayed more
satisfaction at his approach, more regret
at his departure, than was shown for her
other admirers.
They were seen SO often together that
people began to talk. This he cared little
for at first.
One night, however, he overheard a
conversation between two men. Ger
maine was spoken lightly of, accused Of
being a coquette, without heart, who
loved admiration, but had no serious
thoughts. This he felt he had subjected
her to by his attentions.
He did not know what to do. He had
no right to pursue the intimacy which
was so dear to him without asking her
father for her hand in marriage. If he
declared himself, it would end every
thing, for NJ. Ardelle was ambitious
man and would refuse his consent to a
man without money or position. Better
win his right to demand her hand hon
orably.
In one long night he tasted to the full
the bitterness of sacrifice. He determin-
ed to accept a position offered to him in
one of the provinces-to leave Paris, eff
face himself.
That night he saw Germaine at a large
reception and had no opportunity of
speaking with her alone. No need, he
thought, for, when he said good night to
her, the pressure of his hand was lightly
returned, and, looking into her eyes with
love in his own, he read there what he
longed to see.
That was all. The next day he disap-
peared, and for IS months nothing was
heard of him.
The young girl, the days passed and
brought no news of him, became de-
pressed and then fell into a sort of lassi-
tude from which nothing could arouse
her.
Her parents wished her to marry, and
she refused theoretically for long
time, saying always, He will come"
But he did not come. Poor Germaine!
In the end she listened to her father and
yielded indifferently to the arrangements
for her wedding with Olivier Larraud.
As Frederic ceased speaking they ar
rived at the door of the Ardelle home.
Should he go in? What could he do
now? At least he could see her once
more, touch her hand. perhaps. His
whole soul was bowed in admiration and
love for the woman he had so cruelty
wronged.
He entered and stood among the
guests, seeing no one, himself unnoticed.
The bridal party was entering.
She was the same, a little paler, and
her mouth had a sad little droop at the
corner which he knew had not been there
before.
The interminable ceremony at last
over, he passed in his turn before the
bride. AS their eyes met the color swept
across her face, then receded, leaving it
q deathly white. They did not speak. He
held her passive hand an instant, betray-
ing in his intense look all his desire to
speak, to explain, and reading in her eyes
the command for silence, the knowledge
that the time for explanations between
them had paSSed