Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-04-01

them. Mute. immovable, his heart op-
pressed. he listened to Gemma's words
as she described 1t to him. How could
he tell her. how could he ever tell her,
that he had not the 10000 francs! 1t
was terrible To another woman who
should have had that caprice one might
have proposed to have her own dia-
| monds reset after that model or per-
| haas even to have an imitation diadem
| made. No one would have suspected
| it. But he felt that the danger lay In
| confessipg his powerlessness. Yet it
must be done. And he made an effort
ut courage.
Gemma had seated herself beside
him. throwing back and bending lit
| tie to one side her blond head with that
Irresistible feminine movement which
displays the white throat. the pure
line descending from the slender neck
to the full blooned bust, down to the
round and flexible waist.
81 wculd like to have 1t. II seems to
Inc that | Should look we'll Don't you
think so? have great wish to be
beautiful. If you knew why?"
She laughed now deliciously. with
the air Of her roguish hours. He was
silent for moment Then. fixing q
vague look upon the delicate designs
Of the oriental carpet. paling as If from
al inward wound. he murmured:
"The fact j. that do lot Know do
not really know whether |
shall be able to buy 1t for YOU
"Why:"
She had quickly raised her head,
much surprised. uneasy. looking at
him. Such thing had never happened
to her.
Marchis wiped his forehead and re-
sumed his discourse.
"The fact is-you see. in bank like
ours there are moments that-certan
moments in which one cannot-n
which 1t is impossible"
What was impossible for him in that
moment was to finish the phrase. lie
stopped and lifted his eyes tlmidly to
her. desolatcly. as II to beg her to help
him. She was very pale. with a sid
den hardness IN Mi lie. features, in her
comnrpssed mOuth. in her knit br0ws.
In her sparkling eyes.
"Have you no, ten thousand francs?
Is 1t possible"
And her voice was as lard as her
look. u profound hardness that star
tied him. But all ut once .icr face
changed expression. she recovered her
fresh. tuneful laugh. and the sweet
and lmpid ray was rekindlcd in her
blue vyes.
Come. you want to tell me stories,
so us not to buy me anything. De-
ceive;.. that wished to he beautiful
In order to drive vico Molisc lit.le
crazy. He has declared to me that he
is tired of my pertidy. See. you de-
servc-do you know that am becom-
ing angry with yOu:"
She really believed that she had hit
the truth with her words. Indeed he
had so well kept up the illusion with
her. he bad hidden SO jealousiy his en-
barrassment, that she did not know
how to explain this sudden restriction.
But meanwhile every word CT l., rs was
q blow 10 the heart of Marchis. He
saw her already al the ball. passing
from arm to arm. with her sep like
a flying angel; listening to the nsid-
ious compliments of Vico Molise and
his kind and keeping meantime in her
heart that leavcn Of rancor against
him because of his refusal. And he
saw himself again. as he had seen
himself little while before in the
mirror old. weary. worn. beside her.
SO fresh, young with eyes sparkling
from the cruel scorn of one who has
made IN unequal bargain.
Suddenly he rose like one who has
taken Il decision. passed his hand
across his brow and. without replying.
went away to go out of the house. She
believed that she had conquered and
let him go without moving herself
onlr with a fash Of cunning in her
eyes. But when he was OH the stairs
the door opened. and blond head
appeared between the folding doors;
1--WE are agreed. them?
He did not reply. and she heard his
step down the stairway. slow. heavy.
weary.
The evening of the ball Marchis
knocked at the door of his wife's dress
ing room.
"Come In" And he entered.
In the little dressing room so illumin-
ri as to seem OH fire. with the air filled
with fragrance from the little unStop-
pered bottle Of perfume. all cleaning
white with the disorder Of feminine ap-
parel scattered about. Gemma stood
erect before the mirror between two
kneeling maids. ready dressed for the
ball. She was truly radiant in her
Gown of white satin with almond bios
SONS. with fresh sprays of almond
flowers around the neck Of the dress. at
the waist. among the waving folds OF
the train. Issuing from that covering OF
delicate. pale. dawn tinted flowers. she.
too. was fresh as they. with her faint
ly rosy complexion. as If she were one
of those flowers become a person. But
under her lasies CLEANED anon the
fash of cold and cruel rancor.
Her husband had rot given her the
diadem.
But hearing him enter, she turned,
and, seeing that he held casket in his
hands. she compreEended everything.