The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-10-31
As AFFAIR OF rosoR.

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ieni sbbsy ehnteh Fouad her 10 be On
sssd lsay Of a very OLD tsEiiy, very de
scui church goar, su5 tiscted Lssisim
1T. believing 10 "6iSiae right snd The
cour, Dc Cbsmbor5, sud 'uliy expecting
thst BE- aud biz ~ths O "a would ruls The
oestiaies oi France wbtn 0lesaisis, Boa
s2sriitis sna Btpablissrs woEld be fcrsoi
tea. Apart from dogma snd politics sle
vss boserer, very ehanins sud inter
estiog person. She hsd evidently been
.ery hspdsone 10 her youth, ard even 10
her old age rttsinfd litlle ooqneiry snd
~ muoh spirit Al the recital Of some deed
OF dsfioe aud heroi q her black eyes
you'd Hash snd sparkle sni her lips tfen
ble vish emotion. II vss like eoios back
10 the psst eebiufy TO sil 10 her din draw
ins room. With iis 9usint old iurnisure.
rich and reiisioualy preserved, hune
With portraits OF Ter ancestors. snd hear
her talk Of warriofs, priests and mobiles,
whose ullrss aod swords bad decsyed.
snd whose moldy and moib-ssten banners,
waving 10 church snd chapel, are bnt tat
tered fass With the bi, zoory ilIegible.
Oae dsy l was looking at the portrait OF
q lady 80 lovely, With sweet and melan
choly beauty, ibst even the dish8uring
costume OF the last century. especially the
.bouainsble high bead dress could no, mar
its effect, for you looked only on the face
end forgot The accessories. IL wss from
the pencil OF Nine. Lebrnn. the favoriie
artist OF Marie Antoinette, Who has left as
such touching souvenirs Of the uuhsppy
queen.
That lady. am sure, had . story,
said. mead cot ssk II the original was Q
relative OF you're. Madame, for see fam
lily likeness 10 the head.
You are right, she said. Tnst portrait
N isht pAss for ny own likeness as look
ed fifty yesrs ago. l hsye . OiDisture tax
en- at the same sge which locks like are
duced copy OF Mme Lsbrun's charming
picture.
Add the lady vas
Pardon me, said the old c1untess; will
tell you her story at iull leosih. 1t is an
old family history, bul II is thought to
have some OF the clements OF romance.
Perhaps it may be OF some iuture use to
you IS . story teller 10 your own country.
80 arm yourself with patience, cousin, and
bear With 40 old womsns garrulty.
The old lady called me cousin because
9. some far away period there was 9 matri
monial alllsuce between our families, long I
before my grandfather emigrsted to Amer .
ica. q
will not attempt to relate the narrative
10 the language OF my hostess, bat con q
dense IL and tell IL 10 my own way. g
The originsi OF Nine, Lsbrua's picture.
then, was yiotorine de drsntier, vile Of
Hector de Gfsntier, 3 gentleman OF wealth .
and family. The marriage was 40 excsp ?
tiou 10 the general rule Of French mar ,
riages, beings love match. The parents
Of the lady bad permitted her to choose
husband for herself: and though among 9
her many sui,ors we're some moro eligible
in point Of fortune and opportunities for
rising 10 the world than Hector. she gave u
him her hand because she could bes.ow v
her heart With it.
De Grsntisr was handsome, gentle and
warm hearted. He had no vices, and but v
little ambition. He was poet end
painter, though not professional one, 0
and be was in easy circumstances. sl
though not reckoned man Of wealth.
Never was there q happier couple, aud :
when the brides father and mother, who o
died within few days OF each other. left ?
the world almost hand 10 hand, the Ger o
tsinty OF leaving their daughter the part
ner OF . man devoted to Der, heart and u
soul, soolhed their last moments. u
There vas Q shade OF melancholy 10 Vic y
torine's mature, and che often thought TO y
herself tbst her msrried lie wss too happy o
that i. was like still, bright. summer q
Day, 90 perfectly full OF sunshine. so '
that weather seers pronounce il 0
too lovely TO last. and regsri il, With shsk
ing heads, Is the precursor OF 9 devsstst 0
lag storm, .
And the storm that wrecked the bsppi .
ness OF victorine Was near II hand. q
Among her rejected suffers wss . wild,
bold man. named Raoul Msllravers. % en-
sign 10 the ioysl navy OF . very distin v
4 saished fsmily high 10 power at court, u
Who might we'll look forward to the pros 0
pect OF seeing the bfosd pennsnt OF 90 I'd VI
mirsl host over bis own qusrter deck.
Bat. With oil the qualities Of q noble race. 1
be was stained With many vices He Was u
! gsmester, = duelli.t and liberine; prod 9
Issl With bis gold, cruel With bis sword
atd fatal 10 his hates.
Although bis relaction was couched 10 u
the most respectful terms. 1t reused his u
worst passions, aud he svoro TO vreak . O
deaiIy vensesnce on the rival who pros
pesed wherebe hsd isiled. The band be o.
could not win binseli sbouid never be p
clssped 10 wediock BY smother. 10 this 81
temper Of miud be vent 10 see. q
Ii uusi be borne 10 mind that this pfcJ o
ect Of vengeance wss = secret locked 10 u
ti, o1n heart. to be divnlsed 10 scliop, ~
90. in words. Therefore. vhen some 0
% outts sfier the marriage tie ensisn re U
turned ir. On bis cruise, the incident did u
not cresle any slsrn 10 The breast VI Mne. q
vistarine de 0rsrtief. q
oae morning when abe ssoke she miss y
"a her husband from hsf side, bat tbis is
csussd her DO surprise, Tor be vas IN the Q