New-York tribune., 1902-12-27
AFTER THE MASQCE.

AFTER THE MASQCE.
The next night the Marquis D'Avrancourt stood
his hearth in front of the blazing fire OF logs
and sea coal and looked around all his guests
and said quiet courtIy word to woman, and
smiled he addressed another, and bent in grace
full homage before elderly one. and listened to
all talk and chatter and badinage that was go
ing on would go until the great bell changed
for supper. Near him there sat Lucille Vanstone,
her eyes some etfmes resting her host, and some
times gazing into the of spaniel whose head
rested on knee; smiling. too sometimes at some
remark made to her by Lord Doramount. hand
some man of five-and thirty, and the only one
present who a mustache, long brown mus
tache Sometimes too she looked up with a glance
that seemed almost of worship at a remark
ably plain young man. of about twenty one WIN
was simply clad in faded leaf colored satin
There were no other here young as this
one-there was no room for them, since the men
cared not for their company in their dicing ana
gaming. and the women of those days generally
despised boys-yet all kind and gentle and
sweet this youth who i'll favored, so snub
nosed and plain featured Yet still these women OF
the world and intrigue favored this young man be
cause, but Il few years ago. Wneh ne was pHI 9, d
helm "a and had seen Marlborough- h-ba1eheaded. since
his hat and a portion of his wig had been shot
away eariier@draw his sword in the sunset and
put himself at the head OF the VINO MIolt t E.SI .,,1
pets sound the advance of that whole English ls
army and had followed him closely los & over 1ea a
and England supreme For this rntbe ana og
had lost his right hand on that great day-opPed
off by a dying French cuirassier-these women zen
cheek with their fans. and call him pretty pretty
which he was no.and yoUngt gtbelr saIIants to
be with him. n.,,r.,oo,rt
seated in high backed chair olling gracefully
in it, too, Lady Alderbury, her face. ni when n
ronSJ 4ashS wh Tf5 that Of Luoe S
whs as oten f9e e9m9a M soft Gft hue Ny
dress also her rich covered with golden frls @
aad oo bgd@ t6 show 0Ps her oweTed petco
strongly s With her While wig as
with the girls natural hair done as hheier
the hair of the be fdfS sboEd EL rng
the an rsdy geRefa for the s
My lady looking down at Caroline bIa7q., do you
knw by 99T 6he "fbe dhe oher Il
herself yo bend stea9g act sWe the MARQUIS continued
You will be beautiful queen-%n9 Shfr EoS
protest can ever have nas v6F yG ayshp
"A passion of revenge such as this Queen 4ellsSa HISS
&c sIlnnosed to have. this queen whose Iole ptsis
| XVI very We'll Very well. Let me see for IT. She
has been thrown over by btT the ends Who is the
maiden is happy instead on yes She 1epS
| sure 1 can play my part And-and-i nave d
The great bell outside changed at this moment
the men gave their arms to the adieS 'ne nsnk T to
qus taking in the elderly woman While Lady Al.
Serbnry Tbli W vent in on Lord Doramounts arm and
h"fndI fia mrbt Mi1 We'll have comprehended what you
meant. what underlay your Speech sPGfif-he recaiis
! 80 best. if he does l recall; why shouid N''
Meanwhile. the old worldling on the marquis marcy os :
| arm who, a girl had been or Ihe ~, EoG5r LII u
nrha@ and f Henry Jermyn and who almost
old when Charles II's 81 beaTties non4 were at 'iiei
The devil is in that womans eyes aerne5t an6 out Is
rased 4 those sensihties of which you dsGoursed
like zany? If so. let him beware henry 1driigt m
/ damne. if had not fed to my fathers house
There is no in this house. your g19ee:r I7 a.
host op = h. wbom hn has Who ea oves
.Dorsmonnt! o Pah, A musk-scented beau he'll, i
| hands and faces looks she Will not look at MIN
raking cavaliers soma fellow only fitted to give
s6s thsps end hngs %h Weh to wash
such as he Herbert @ 90 DsGTe eftes rhap Wo
| der-drove you forth you did trihe with my
rive were good friends. your grace,
& friends! @ Fends and aga n {ns eed 0d
Ian DAYS and lntr$ue loVe%GeS gnu Av fTeDds
boudors and g heoTe or lovers had all
drunk themselves to death. and We their sweet sweet
hearts had not lived to be such wrinkled old harri-
Not so. your grace" the marquis said, calmly.
anne TSa FTlsnds IS Sour grace Only friends
put s2 not RuEy s3 old shou ahf psg o
be dead
The supper was over. The masque had begun:
nay. IL drawing to its conclusion Already
Lucinda the maiden. was tied to the tree In the
wood from which Doramount the Crusading
Knight was about rescue her; already Lady
stormed and raved against her rival and had hidden
her menials expose her to death. Now. the latter
rested in a boudoir the back of the hastily I'M
provised stage in the great hall. and before her
stood the marquis. talking with her. What their
conversation had been may be gathered by what
followed:
-'have saved YOU Ayt I would the countess
was saving now, ''an you would have had II so.
Once you loved me. you told me so or-worse! ay,
worse, led to believe so.
Proud as might be, my lady, who should
win your love I-I-did never aspire so far. so
high You know. you knew then, where my heart
for to make the of my life. Twas for
that I would not let you save me from beggary
and rags in Paris. though, God knows, twas kind
of you TO proffer help:-twas for that could not
accept what you sent over"
Yet she whose love you sought did not love you
While she whose love you despised worshipped
you ~
Nay nay the marquis said very gently; 1T
was not so, Caroline She loved me, yet would
have nought of me, because-beCause she deemed
me wild and dissoIute; because-ahl forgive the
word-she thought that. while craving her love,
loved you. That. alas, loved each other.
''Once | thought so too" her 1adyship said. her
voice now soft and low the murmur of a stream
summer nights
Then suddenly. her mood changed-she a