The Princeton union., 1902-03-13
the words, but they knew the air, and
!. theY knew what the song was


And the first one was a rowing blade,
And the second came from cloister' q
4 shade
And the third from the gallows tree.
Cest ca! Ho, no! C'est ca!
Try as Camille would, the second
verse of the song kept beating in his
ears. 1t did not leave him all that
night, and it followed him for many
a day with kind of savage irony.
Three men knelt down with a lovers
Ho, no, for such maid!
| And she chose not him Of the gallows tree,
And the rowing blade had an eye too free,
But sweet is the tongue from the clois-
| ters shade!
Cest ca! Ho, no! C'est ca!
The song died away, but the bells
kept on ringing and there came to
them distantly laughing voices. There
was strange look in Camille's eyes
and swimming in his face He stood
still and did not offer to touch the girl,
though he stood very near and her
hand rested so near his, she leaning
against the bureau as though to steady
herself, but standing as he spoke.
perhaps you will never understand, -
he said, chow it all was. No one can
ever quite know. was younger. They
told me it was better for you, better
for me, better for the church, that we
should part l thought you would for
get. L thought that perhaps I should
never see you again. used to pray
for us both. 1 never heard from you
or about you, but I could not forget.
This week it all came back to me
Ito shut myself out from you always,
forever, by the sacred Office! I sat up
in my bed, choking. could have
shrieked. 1 could not rest till had
seen you again. I thought perhaps she
is married, perhaps she no longer
cares, perhaps she-is dead. So came
here. Somehow I seemed to break
loose when put off my student clothes,
and you see me as am tonight. You
think I am wicked, that I am untrue
to the church and to you Ah, Marie,
you no longer care as you once did,
and 1, God help mel cannot go back
now to the other. And l cannot live
without you. I am punished, punish
ed!' He dropped his head, and a sob
| caught him in the throat. He was so
| boyish, so honest. There was a ST.
lence.
"Camille.''
The voice was low and sweet and
very near. It drew his head up like a
call. Their eyes swan in one burning
| hungry look; then there was little CRY
| from her, and in an instant he was
| kissing away two tears that slowly
gathered and as slowly fell down her
hot cheek. The woman had conquered
at last, in spite Of the~"great men of
the kingdomv For the man there was
no going back, now. He had cast the
die forever. But she was a woman,
and, having conquered, having justi-
fed herself, she was ready for sacri-
| fee. Now, when the man had wiped
out all his past to begin life with her,
she was ready to immediate herself.
She loved him so well that she thought
only of his good.
Camille" she said, gently disengag-
ing herself, II am paid for those three
years. But now-now it must go no
further. The others parted us before
and made you appear unmanly-'twas
that Which hurt me so. Now it is that
part us, dear. You must go back. You
mustn't ruin your life. Think of it all
what would be against you. Go back.
Be priest, and r.
He was very pale and quiet. "And
you-what would you do?'' he said.
"There is always the nunnery left,''
she answered wearily, yet bravely.
'You think that I ought to go?' he
questioned. "You wish me to go,
Marie?'
"For your own good. Think of the
trouble that would come unless. You
will go, Camille?''
His reply came with low force:
'Never, never! Remember how your
brother blamed himself, and she was
an actress, you said. To leave YOU
now, how I would hate myself! Nev-
er!' His voice was strong and de-
cisive; there was no wavering. There
are a hundred men, better men, to
take my place there, Marie, but is
there any to take my place here?' He
ran his arm around her waist. taThere
is no one," he added.
mo one, Camille" she said family.
The man had in a vague yet direct
way, too, realized that to save a bruis-
ed life at your feet is better than to
60 a-hunting for souls with the kings
men. He had wandered out to the
crossroads and had been motioned
back to his own door. The woman had
been willing to save the man, but her
heart beat for joy that he did not 20.
'Come what will. Marie" he said
fervently, clasping her hands and gath
ering her eyes to his. 1--WE must not
part again."
"You do not fear the church," she
asked.
81 am man!' he cried, drawing him
self up proudly.
'Perhaps they will not''- She
paused in sweet confusion.
perhaps they will not-marry us?"
| he said Diecing ont tho sontonoo u;.