Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-04

I 50 It seems they had met, as Jane and suspected, but how Mary manag- ed 1t am sure cannot tell. She beat | the very deuce for having her own way, by hook or by crook. Then came the bulky letter, which Brandon pounc- l ed upon and eagerly devoured. leave out most of the sentimental passages, which, like effervescent wine, lose fla vor quickly. She said, in part:
 l To Master Brandon:
 Sir and Dear Friend Greeting-After 1 leaving thee long time had that mighty 1 grief and dole within my heart that it 1 was like to break for my separation from 1 thee was so much harder to bear even 1 than I had taken thought of, and I also doubted me that l could live in Paris, as i I did wish. Sleep rested not upon my l weary eyes, and of very deed could l neither eat nor drink, since food distasted | me like nausea and wine did strangle | in my throat. This lasted through my 1 journey hither, which did prolong upon many pretexts nearly two months, but when did at last rest mine eyes for the l first time upon this King Louis face I I well knew that could rule him, and 1 when I did arrive and had adjusted my 1 self in this Paris I found it so easy that 1 my heart leaped for very joy. Beauty goeth so far with this infiammable people l that easily do rule them all, and truly doth servile subject make a sharp, capri cious tyrant. Thereby the misfortune which hath come upon us is of much less evil and is so like to be of such short duration that I am almost happy, but for lack of thee, and sometimes think that after all 1t may verify be blessing unseen.
 This new, unexpected face upon our trouble hath so driven the old gnaw1ng ache out of my heart that love to be alone and dream, open eyed, of the time, of a surety not far off, when I shall be with thee. ""s It Is ofttimes sore hard for me, who have never waited, to have to wait like patient Griselda, which of a truth I am not, for this which l do so want, but I try to make myself content with the thought that full sure 1t will not be for long, and that when this tedious time hath spent itself we shall look back upon it as very soul school, and shall rather joy that we did not purchase our heaven too cheaply.
 said I find 1t easy to live here as wish, and did begin to tell thee how 1t was when I ran off into telling of how long for thee, Sso l will try again. This Louis, to begin with, is but the veriest shadow of man, of whom thou needst have not one jealous thought. He is on bed of sickness most of the time, of his own ac- cord, and if, perchance, he be but fairly we'll day or so I do straightway make him i'll again in one way or another, and, please God, hope to wear him out entirely ere long time. Of deed, Brother Henry was right Better had it been for Louis to
 
 it meketh a very one out of me if mine eyes but rest upon him, and thou know est full well what kind of a devil make. Brother Henry knoweth, at any rate. For all this do grieve. but have no remedy nor want one. sometimes do almost compassionate the old king, but cannot forbear, for he turneth my very blood to biting gall, and must cen take the conse- quences of his own folly. Truly is he wild for love of me- this poor old man, and the more I hold him at a. distance the more he fondly dotes. I do verify believe he would try to stand upon his foolish old head dia I but insist. sometimes have a thought to make -.t-n try it. He doeth enough that is seriseless and ab- surd In all conscience, as 1t is. At all of this do the courtiers smile and laugh and put me forward to other pranks-that Is, all but a few of the elders, who shake their heads, but dare do nothing else for fear of the dauphin, who will soon be king and who stands first in urging and abetting me. So 1t is easy for me to do what I wish, and above all to leave un- done that which wish not, for do easily rule them all, as good Sir Edwin and dear Jane will testify I have a ball every night wherein do make deal of anuge- ment for every one by dancing La Volta with his majesty until his heels, and his poor old head, too, are like to fall off. Others importune me for those dances, especially the dauphin, but I laugh and shake my head and say that will dance with no one but the king, because he dances so well. This pleases his majesty, nightly and maketh an opening for me to avoid the touch of other men, for am Jealous of myself for thy sake, and save and garner every little touch for thee. *** Sir Edwin will tell you dance with no one else and surely never will.
 You remember well, doubt not, when thou first didst teach me this new dance.f An, how delightful it was, and yet how at first ik did frighten and anger me. Thou canst not know how my heart beat during all the time of that first dance. I thought, of a surety, it would burst, and then the wild thrill of frightened ecstasy that made my blood run like f1rel knew 1t must be wrong, for 1t was, in truth, too sweet thing to be right. And then I grew angry at thee as the cause of my wrongdoing and scolded thee, and repented it, as usual. Truly didst thou conquer, not win, me- Then afterward,- withal 1t so frightened me, how longed to dance again, and could in no way stay myself from asking. At times could hardly wait till evening fell, and when upon oc- casion thou didst not come was so angry I said hated thee. What must thou have thought of me, so forward and bold! And that afternoon! An, I think of it every hour, and see and hear it all and live It Der and oer, as it sweeter grows with menory's ripening touch. Some moments there are that send their glad ripple down through lifes stream to the verge of the grave. and truly blest is one who can smile upon and kiss these memory waves and draw from thence bliss that never fails; but thou knowest full well my heart, and I need not tease thee with it's out pourings.
 There is yet another matter of which I wish to write in very earnestness. Sir Edwin spoke to me thereof, and what he said hath given me serious thought. I thank him for his words, of which he will tell thee in full if thou but inportune him thereto. It is this: The dauphin, Francis d'Angouleme, hath fallen des- perately fond of me and is quite as i'm portunate and almost as foolish as the elder lover. This people in this strange land of France have, in sooth, some curi- ous notions, For an example thereto, no one thinks to find anything unseeming in the dauphin's conduct by reason of his having already a wife, and more, that wife the Princess Claude, daughter to the king. laugh at him and let him say what he will, for in truth I am powerless to prevent 1t. Words cannot scar even a rose leaf and will not harAa me. Then, by his help and example. am justified in the eyes of the court in that I so treat the