The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-11-18
CHAPTER XVI.

|
Z " u when I told him what in
tended to do. 'It is long
expensive post journey. and part OF
the way you may not be,able to post
Riga, Oh the gulf beyond sMittau, is a
fine old town Of pointed gables and
high stone houses. But when was in
Mittau I found it q mere winter camp
Of Russian mobiles. The; houses are
low. one story structures. There is bat
enc castle, and in that hissroyal high
ness the Count Of Provencesholds MINI
ic court"
We were riding to Versailles, and
our horses almost touched; sides aslny
friend put his hand on ny shoulder.
"Don't 50, Lazarre You''-ill not be
welcome there
81 must so whether Tam we--cone OF
not.'
! "But I may not lastSuntl sou come
back
"You will last two months. Can't
post to Mittau and back III two
months?'
"God knows"
1 looked at him drooping} }fcrward in
the saddle, and said:
IF you need me I will sstay, and
think no more about seeingt those OF
my own blood"
81 do need you, but you shall not
stay. You shall goi to Mittau in my
own post carriage. It will bring you
back sooner"
But his post carriage Iscould not ac-
cept The venture to MiGau, its wear
and tear and waste, were my own, and
I promised to return with: all speed. !
could have undertaken the road afoot,
driven by the necessity!I felt.
tThe Duchess Of Angouleme IS q
good girl" said the marquis, following
the line Of my thoughts "She has de-
voted herself to her uncle'and her bus
band. When the late czar withdrew
his pension and turned ,thelwhole MINI
ic court out Of Mittau. sheNwent with
her uncle, and even waded &the snow
with him when they fell into straits.
Diamonds given to her by her: grand
mother, the Empress Maria Theresa,
she sold for his support. But the new
car reinstated them, and.tthough they
live less pretentiously at Mittau in
these days, they still have their. priest
and almoner, the Duke Of Guiche, and
other courters hanging upon them. My
boy, can you make a court bow and
walk backward? You must practice
before going into Russia"
wouldn't it be better" l said, "for
those who know how, to practice the
accomplishment before me:"
Imagine the Count Of Provence
stepping down from playing royalty to
do thatr nny friend laughed.
ct don't know why he shouldn't, since
he knows am alive. He has sent
money every year for my support"
"An established custom. Lazarre,
gains strength every day it is coatn-
ued. You see how hard it is to over
turn an existing system. because men
have to undo the work they have been
doing perhaps for thousand years.
Tine gives enormous stability. Mon
sieur the Count Of Provence has been
practicing royalty since word went out
that his nephew had died in the Tenn
pie. It will be no easy matter to con-
vince him you are fit to play king in
his stead"
This did not disturb me, however. l
thought more Of my sister, and !
thought Of vast stretches across tie
center Of Europe. The Indian stirred
in me, as it always did stir when the
woman I wanted was withdrawn from
me.
We walked through meadow and
park to the little palaces called Grand
and Petit Trianon, where the intimate
life Of the last royal family had been
lived. l looked we'll at their outer
guise, but could not explore them.
The groom held our horses in the
street that leads up to the Place
d'Armes, and as we sauntered back I
kicked old leaves which had fallen
autumn after autumn and banked the
path.
1t rushed over me again.
felt my arms go above my head as
they did when sank into the depths
Of recollection.
"Lazarre! Are you in ft?" The
| Marquis du Plessy seized me.
Il remember! I remember! I was
kicking the leaves. was walking
| with my father and mother-some-
where = somewhere. and something
threatened usv'
"It was in the garden Of the Tuile-
ries," said the Marquis du Plessy
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