The Opelousas courier., 1901-12-14

I found her to be an aged lady of q
very old family, a very devout church
goer, and a bigoted Legitimist, believ'
ing in divine right and the Count
de Chambord, and fully expecting that
he and his white flag would rule the
destinies of France when O~rleanists,
Bonapartists and Republicans would
be forgotten. Apart from dogma and
politics she was, however, a very
charming and interesting person. She
had evidently been very handsome in
her youth, and even in her old age
retained a little coquetry and much
spirit. At the recital of some deed
of daring and heroism her black eyes
would flash and sparkle and her lips
tremble with emotion. It was like
going back to the past century to sit
in her dim drawing room, with it's
quaint old furniture, rich and relig-
iously preserved, hung with portraits
of her ancestors, and hear her talk OF
warriors, priests and mobiles, whose
mitres and swords had decayed, and
whose moldy and moth-eaten banners,
waving in church and chapel, are but
tattered rags with the blazonry illegi-
bic.
One day | was looking at the por-
trait Of a lady SO lovely, with a sweet
and melancholy beauty, that even the
disfiguring costume of the last cen
fury, especially the a~bominable high
hood 1rnce noy,JI p,~t ;4c pfeoo%
for you looked only on the face and
forgot the accessories. It was from
the pencil of Nine. Lebrun, the ia
vorite artist of Marie Antoinette, who
has left III such touching souvenirs
OF the unhappy queen.
THAT lady, l I'm sure, had a story"
! said. Il need not ask if the original
was a relative of yours, Madame, for
| see a family likeness in the head"
you are right" she said. THAT
portrait might pass for my own like
ness as I looked so years ago. have
a miniature taken at the same age
which looks like a reduced copy of
Nine. Lebrun's charming picture"
"And tho lady was-?"
/, Pardon me-" said the old countess:
Il will tell you her story at full length.
1t is In old family history, but 1t
is thought to have some of the e1e-
ments of romance. Perhaps it may be
of some future use to you as a story
teller in your W country. So arm
yourself with patience. cousin, and
hear with an old woman's garrulity."
The old lady called me cousin be-
cause at some far away period there
was a matrimonial alliance between
our families, long before my grand
father emigrated to America.
| will not attempt to relate the mar
in the language of my hostess,
but condense it and tell it in my own
way.
The original of Nine. Lebrun's pic |
ture, then, was Vietorine de Grantier,
wife of Hector de Grantier, a gentle |
man OF wealth and family. The a
was an exception to the general
OF French marriages, being q love
match. The parents of the lady had
permitted her to choose a husband for
herself; and though among her many
were some more eligible in
point of fortune and opportunities for
rising In the world than Hector, she
gave him her hand because she could
bestew her heart with II.
De Grantier was handsome, gentle
Ind warm hearted. He had no vices,
md but little ambition. He was a poet
Ind a painter, though not a profession
Il one, and he was In easy circum-
although not reckoned a man
II wealth.
Never was there a happier couple,
when the brides father and moth
II, who died within a few days Of each
,ther, left the world almost hand in
land, the certainty of leaving their
laughter the partner OF a man devoted
o her, heart and soul, sootaed their
asst moments.
There was a shade OF melancholy In
nature, and she often
bought to herself that her married
life vas too happy-that it was like a
till, bright, summer day, so perfect
o full OF sunshine, so heavenly, that
reather seers pronounce 1t, too lovely
o last, and regard it, with shaking
eads, a the precursor OF a devastat-
ag storm.
And the storm that wrecked the
.appiness OF Victorine was near at
and. Among her rejected suitors was
wild. bold man, named Raoul Mall
rayers, an ensign in the royal navy
I . very distinguished family high
D power at court, who might well
ook forward to the prospect of seeing
be broad pennant OF an admiral float
YER his own quarter deck. But, with
II the qualities Of a noble race, he was
tanned with many vices. He was a
.arnester. q duellist and q libertIne;
rodigal with his gold, cruel with his
word and fatal In his hates.
Although his rejection was couched
the most respectful terms, it reused
is worst passions. and he swore to
reak q deadly vengeance on the rival
:ho prospered where he had failed.
he hand he could not win himself
aould never be clasped In wedlock
Y another. In this temper OF mind !;
Q went to sea.
It must be borne In mind that this |
of vengeance was d secret |
'cked In his own heart, to be di- i
llged in action, not IN words. There /
re, when, some months after the j
arriage, the ensign returned from his {
'uise, the incident did not create any !,
IN the breast or Nine. Victorine !