Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-03-19
An Affair of Honor.

uG Nllo lINCu III u fShNiS'
BILE mansion in the Faubourg st. Ger
main, near the ancient abbey church.
| found her to be an aged lady Of a
very old family, very devout church
goer, and a bigoted Legitimist, bel1eV-
ing in divine right" and the Count
de Chambord, and fully expecting that
he and his white flag would rule the
destinies of France when Orleanists,
Bonapartists and Republicans would
be forgotten. Apart from dogma and
politics she was, however, very
charming and interesting person. She
had evidently been very handsome in
her youth, and even in her old age
retained a little coquetry and much
spirit. At the recital Of some deed
of daring and heroism her black eyes
would flash and sparkle and her lips
tremble with emotion. 1t was like
going back to the past century to sit
in her dim drawing room, with its
quaint old furniture, rich and relig-
iously preserved, hung with portraits
of her ancestors, and hear her talk OF
warriors, priests and mobiles, whose
mitres and swords had decayed, and
whose moldy and moth-eaten banners,
waving in church and chapel, are but
tattered rags with the blazonry illegi-
BILE.
One day I was looking at the por-
trait of lady so lovely, with sweet
and melancholy beauty, that even the
disiguring costume of the last CEN
tury, especially the abominable high
head dress, could not mar It's effect,
for you looked only on the face and
forgot the accessories. 1t was from
the pencil of Nine. Lebrun, the ia
vorite artist of Marie Antoinette, who
has left us such touching souvenirs
Of the unhappy queen.
"That lady, am sure, had story"
said. 81 need not ask if the original
was a relative of yours Madame, for
see a family likeness in the head"
you are right" she said. THAT
portrait might pass for my own like
ness as I looked so years ago. have
| q miniature taken at the same age
which looks like a reduced copy OF
| NINE. ICDTuu
"And the lady was-?'
Pardon me-" said the old countess;
"I will tell you her story at full length.
| lt is an old family history, but it
| is thought to have some of the ele-
ments of romance. Perhaps it may be
of some future use to you as a story
teller in your own country. So arm
yourself with patience, cousin, and
hear with an old woman's garrulity."
The old lady called me cousin be-
cause at some far away period there
was a matrimonial alliance between
our families, long before my grand
| father emigrated to America.
| will not attempt to relate the mar
rative in the language of my hostess,
but condense it and tell it in my own
way.
The original of Nine. Lebrun's pic
ture, then, was Victorine de Grantier,
wife of Hector de Grantier, a gentle
man of wealth and family. The mar
riage was an exception to the general
rule of French marriages, being love
match. The parents of the lady had
permitted her to choose husband for
herself; and though among her many
suitOrs were some more eligible in
point of fortune and opportunities for
rising in the world than Hector, she
gave him her hand because she could
bestcw her heart with it.
De Grantier was handsome, gentle
and warm hearted. He had no vices,
and but little ambition. He was a poet
and painter, though not profession
al one, and he was in easy circum-
stances, although not reckoned a man
! of wealth.
Never was there happier couple,
and when the brides father and moth
er, who died within few days of each
other left the world almost hand in
hand, the certainty of leaving their
daughter the partner of a man devoted
to her, heart and soul, soothed their
last moments.
There was a shade of melancholy in
Vlctorines nature, and she often
thought to herself that her married
life was too happy-that it was like a
still, bright, summer day, so perfect
so full of sunshine, so heavenly, that
weather seers pronounce it too lovely
to last and regard it, with shaking
heads, as the precursor of devastat-
ing storm.
And the storm that wrecked the
happiness of Victorine was near at
hand. Among her rejected suitors was
wild, bod man, named Raoul NAL
travers, an ensign in the royal navy
Of a very distinguished family high
In power at court, who might well
look forward to the prospect of seeing
the broad pennant of an admiral float
ever his own quarter deck. But. with
all the qualities of noble race, he was
stained with many vices. He was a
gamester, a duellist and libertine;
prodigal with his gold, cruel with his
sword and fatal in his hates.
Although his rejection was couched
in the most respectful terms, it reused
his worst passions, and he swore to
thn ~,