The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-06-13

He stood awhile in thought; then he
took his resolve. .5.
4 A half hour Of quick movement
brought him before the entrance gates
Of the Villa Aioussa. A native of Su.
dan in a rich dress who had the office
Of porter asked him politely his errand.
''Ask if Corporal Victor of the chas-
seurs can be permitted a moments in
terview with your mistress. l come
by permission" he added as the native
hesitated between his fear of soldier
and his sense Of the appalling unfit
tingness Of a corporal seeking audience
Of Spanish princess. The message
was passed about among several of the
household. At last a servant of higher
authority appeared. ~
MADAME permitted Corporal Victor
to be taken to her presence. Would he
follow"
He uncovered his head and entered.
passing through several passages and
chambers richly hung and furnished.
She moved forward as her servant an.
nounced him. She saw him pause there
like one spellbound and thought it the
hesitation of one who felt sensitively
his own low grade in life. She came
| toward him with the silent, sweepine
grace that gave her the carriage of an
empress. Her voice fell on his ear
with the accent of a woman immeasur-
ably proud, but too proud not to bend
softly and graciously to those who
were so far beneath her that without
such aid from her they could never
have addressed or have approached her
"You have come, trust, to withdraw
your prohibition? Nothing will give
me greater pleasure than to bring his
majestys notice to one Of the best SOL
diers his army holds.''
"Pardon me, madame; do not come
to- trespass so far upon your benigni
IT," he answered as he bent before her.
Il come to express rather my regret
that you should have made one single
error"
Error! A naughty surprise glanced
from her eyes as they swept over him.
Such a word had never been used to
Der in the whole course of her brilliant
and pampered life of sovereignty and
indulgence.
Zone common enough, madame, in
your order-the error to suppose that
under the rough cloth Of a private
troopers uniform there cannot possibly
be such aristocratic monopolies as
nerves to wound"
II do not comprehend you." She
spoke very coldly. She repented pro-
foundly her concession in admitting
a Chasseur d'Afrique to her presence.
POSSIBLY not. Mine was the follv
to dream that you would ever do SO.
l should not have intruded on you now
but for this reason: The humiliation
you were pleased to pass on me l
could neither refuse nor resent to the
dealer OF it. Had done so men who are
only too loyal to me would have resent
ed with me and been thrashed or been
shot as payment. I was compelled to
accept it and to wait until could re-
turn your gift to you. l have no right
to complain that you panied me with
it since one who occupies my position
Drance, even by an outrage, an honor
done to him by the Princess Corona :,
AS he said the last words he laid on
the table that stood near him the gold
OF Chateauroy's insult. She had lis
tened with bewildered wonder, held
in check by the laughter impulse of
offense that man in this grade should
venture thus to address, thus to ar
raign her. AS he laid the goldpieces
down upon her table an idea of the
truth came to her.
Il know nothing Of what you CON-
plain of. l sent you no money. What
is it you would imply?" she asked him,
looking up from where she leaned
back in the low couch into whose depth
she had sunk as he had spoken.
you did not send me these-not as
payment for the chess service?'
"Assuredly not After what you said
the other day I should have scarcely
been so i'll bred and so needless of in
f1icting pain. Who used my name
thusY'
His face lightened with pleasure
<Ahu ~ ACA1CA ludI IL WOuQor-
fully-that brighter look of gladness
that had been stranger to it for so
many years.
"You give me infinite happiness,
madame. You little dream how bitter
such Sights are when one has lost the
power to resent them! 1t was Colonel
Chateauroy who this morning.
~ 4on
! coins?"
The serenity Of a courtly woman Of
| the world was unbroken, but her blue
and brilliant eyes darkened and
cleaned beneath the sweep Of their
| lashes.
perhaps can scarcely say so much.
He gave them, and he implied that he
gave them from you. The words he
| spoke were these"
He told her them as they had been
uttered, adding no more. She saw the
construction thew had hoon ip+opdod