The evening Republican., 1902-05-20
) | 4 | BRIDGE
OF BATTLES 81! /
BY HENRY BORDEAU.

'Will you cross the bridge to
daya"
mo, will not. Not any more
to-day than yesterday OF tomorrow
I'll never cross it-never!'
Don't boast now. I tell you will
cross it. Yes, lam sure of it,"
There never was a day that this
dialogue did not take place between
M. and Nine. deTarbagnac. The only
variation was in the tone. Some
times it was violent, sometimes
| playfully ironical, but always irri
tating Madame was especially
skillful in bringing up the subject
Of the bridge. She brought into
play all her vivacity, all her exquis'
ite grace and amiability to ask hea
question with a playful little air,
will you cross the bridge today
and each time she had the malicious
pleasure of seeing her husband
prick up his ears as if at the noise
of cannon, and accept the chal-
lenge with an excitability and an
energy peculiarly French.
The bridge was simply a ridIcul-
Gus construction that madame had
built in spite Of the opposition Of her
husband over an Insignificant little
rivulet that crossed the park, reflect
Ing prettiIy theoyerhanglng branches
Of the trees in It's tiny stream. You
certainly ddn' I have to be Colos-
us ef Rhodes to place one foot on
each Of its bankt. and the necessity
of the bridge was quite problematical
However, there it was, imposing and
pretentious, uniting the two banks
by u massive arch. 1t had also the
luxury OF a very expensive flooring
and an elaborate railing. So much
more import nt did 1t seem than The
little stream which flowed beneath
1T that IL almost looked as il the
brook had been made for the bridge.
The Baron de Tarbagnac had arg
ued in vain with his wife for several
stormy months TO make her give up
the idea. But madame stuck to her
wanted hel bridge thought
only of her bridge--untiI the poor
husband, fearing to have three bridges
instead oil one, was obliged togive in.
lie did not forgive his wife for this
obStinaCv. When the work was begun
he put all the difficulties he could
think Of in its way. He even bribed
the WOrkmen to go on strike. lie
tried to turn the course OF the brook
81 as to make the bridge impossible.
1t WAS all to no purpose. The Baron
ness redoublcd her astutcness and
energy, and one day the Baron saw
with concentrated worth the work Of
art completed, He sharpened his
sarcasms to their finest edge. He re.
fined even to cruelty the point of his
allusions in order to turn to dersion
the taste of his triumphant wife. She
avenged herself upon him in her own
way-she gave a grand dinner of in
auguration.
The guests accepted with eager
ness. They arrived, numerous,
ready with compliments, which
were cut short, however, by the
gloomy face of the Baron The first
to come was II benign old gentleman
intent on pleasing his hosts. As he
was acquainted with Roman history
he said complaisantly to NJ. dc Tar
bagnac: $50 you've built bridge
over your kubicon.'
Il. Not on your life" replied the
Baron quickly. DO you take he
for q fool9'
The old man ia establishment turn
cl toward the commanding smile of
Nine. de Ti,rbagnac. Then the
guests filed in one after another.
The Baron welcomed them with his
accustomed affability, but at the
least allusion to the bridge he bris
tied up like a porcupine. The praise
the guests had come prepared to law
ish on the bridge the cause of the
festivity--were cut short They
could not understand the hostility
of their host.
When they had been cordially
welcomed, Madame, unable to re-
strain her Impotence, led her guests
across the park, her husband fol
lowed, muttering sulkily to himself
The little old man walked with him.
anxious to conciIiate him and obtain
forgiveness for his former involun-
tary otfense.
The procession walked through
the shady, winding paths of the
park to the edge Of the brook with
it's pompous bridges. Madame did
the honors Of it with enchanting
grace. Every one passed except
the Rubicon with expressions of de-
light; only the husband remained on
the other bank, imperiously holding
the little old man who wanted to es-
cape in order to fiatter the Baroness.
"You shall notput one footon that
grotesIue arch, ho said to him in
a low, authoritative voice.
But my large reinforcement of
anniable words the Baroness called
the old man, and he furtively escap-
ed from the hands of the Baron,
crossing the bridge with small, min
cling steps.
For an instant the Baron was
tempted 10 rush across the bridge
and vent his wrath by disnissiog
the guests in his laundering voice,
but he had sworn never to do the
bridge the honor Of setting his dis
dainful feet upon It. SO, Ia spite Of
his age, he sprang across the
brook, and was unfostuuate enough