Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-08-26
S. LEvETT YEATS
SopYR1aHr 100. By s. LEvETT YEATS.

with the pale of the Medici-Cather-
ines private signet. But ! could not
read it. My mind became a chaos.
"Oh. what shall do? What shall
do?" l exclaimed aloud in my despair.
Denise" he said. there Is one way
of escape and only one. for De Lorgnac
has already made his claim at Peri.
gueux, and you go straight into the
lions jaws"
What is It? Pell me-"
He laid his hand on my rein. DE
Mise. put your trust in me and come
My dear. l love you-l love you. This
marriage is an infamy. Vows such as
they made you swear are not binding.
Come with me. my dear. and under the
banner of the emperor, with you BY my
side to help me. will work out new
life, and the name of Clermont- Ferrand
| is already known. Denise. last night
saw the love light in your eyes. Let 1t
burn there again for me. Come
He made as If to turn my horses
head. and It was only with an effort
that | restrained him. God knows
was sorry for the man. l know, too,
,, that it was in my heart to take the
great love thought he was giving me
and. forgetting everything. to follow
him to the worlds end. In the few
seconds that passed l went through a
frichtful struggle. and then the strength
of last night came back to me.
DE Clermont, it is impossible. and
now go-go! If you say you love me-
go in pity"
Denise. you know not what you say!
Think. dear! In two hours we will be
safe. In two hours the world itself
could not part US. l will not let you
sacrifice yourself. You love me. dear,
and you know 1t, and when love like
ours exists there is no right and no
wrong-only our love"
"It cannot be; 1t cannot be. De Cler'
mont, you are tempting the woman you
say you love to dishonor Let me tell
YOU plainly, do not love you. For one
moment | thought did. but l am sure
of myself now, and even did love you
as l feel sure you deserve to be loved
| would never consent toto what you
propose"
"Mordieu," he exclaimed hoarsely,
"you are not yourself! Come. Denise.
hear Lalande riding back. and In a
.~.o.,o.< {% xrill ha fnn lofpo
LET 20 my reins. monsieur, else
shall call out. l hear Lalande too. Go.
monsieur, while can still think OF
you as always have. GO and forget
me-"
His hand dropped to his side, and.
taking the occasion. struck my horse
smartly with the whip, and he sprang
forward. De Clermont made no at
tempt to follow. but at the bend of the
road. as | glanced across my shoulder,
I saw him turn his horses head and
plunge into the forest. and moment
later | met Lalande.
| could only realize that I had es.
capped a great danger. Beyond that
my mind could not go. but | was con-
scious that. despite the terrible ear
nestness of his words. there was some
thing that was not convincing in DE
Clermont. The narrow escape that
had drove all other things out Of my
mind, and 1t was only when came In
sight Of our party again that | recol'
lected De Clermonts warning that by
going to Perigueux was going straight
into the lions mouth, and an absolute
despair fell upon me.
When | rode up to madame's side.
she glanced at me narrowly and asked
for De Clermont
I answered truly enough that l did
not know, and she looked at me again
with her clear, searching eyes. ut Is
odd, Denise, but do you know that his
lackeys have gone too? They left us
an hour ago, and now 1t seems Ire has
gone, too, without q word Of goodby."
Monsieur made too sure Of the sue
cess Of his plans" l said bitterly, and
madame's answer was sharp and swift.
"Denise, there is something wrong.
What is it?"
And as we rode close together, side
by side, l told her every word. hiding
nothing. My voice sounded hard and
dry to my own ears. my eyes were
burning, and when had finished she
said: Denise, I cannot believe NJ. de
Clermont's story. l feel it is untrue.
Even if it were true De Termes would
never carry out the order about you.
He is incapable Of such baseness."
"There is always one way of escape,
madame, and am my fathers daugh-
ter"
"AAd there is q God above, girl.
Your fathers daughter should never
talk like that"
Then why does he not hear my
prayers?' l said in impious forgetful-
ness. "Is heaven so far that our voices
cannot reach there?"
And my dear old friend sighed deep.
ly in answer.
We were to halt at Chalusset for the
night, and here confirmation was re-
ceived Of the truth Of De Clermont's
story. for an eQuerry Of the vicomte's
met us here with letter to his wife
in his own hand in which he said that
our message. the one we had sent from
the Gartempe. had reacLed him and
that he was Fastening forward himself
to meet us. Then he went on to other
matters, and his letter concluded with
postscript:
an. Norreys is here with an order
from the king, or, rather, from the
queen mother. 1t is very unfortunate,
but must be obeyed."
She first read the letter herself-we
were sitting together in her apartment
in the one inn at Chalusset-and then
she handed it to me with request to
read 1t aloud to her. l did SO. but on
coming to the postscript my voice fall
tered In spite Of myself, and then she
bent forward and kissed me.
"Denise, It will never be. Are you
strong enough to do brave thing?"
81 will try"
ut is clear to me that De Termes'
postscript is a warning for you not to
20 to Perigueux. knew that he would
be incapable of carrying out such or
ders as he has received, and can read
his meaning between the lines of his