Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-10

patriotic. THE climate reminds her of her
own land We Bretons came from England
Centuries ago. And when we came we
brought the weather with us. Is 1T not sou
And with these words she smiled herself
out of the room, and went down stairs to
discuss the event with her cronies
She is going to pay me four Napoleons
a week. Think of that, now! 1t is more
than the count ever gave. All, ciel! but
if had been wearing my best Sunday cap
with it's point lace and gold embroidery
could have asked double But how could
one ask more with only plain white cap
on and a necklace of blue beads?'
AS may be guessed, the coming of a
stranger into the little world of Quilaix
set the tongues Of all the gossips wagging.
The men were as much interested as the
women, and various were the surmises of
the nightly frequenters Of the Auberge des
Pecheurs as to her previous history. But
of this they could learn nothing. Mrs.
Breakspear let fall no word as to her past,
and even Madame Marais keen eyes failed
to penetrate the veil of mystery that I'M
doubtedly hung around the English lady"
Mrs. Breakspear had not seen more than
twenty-one summers; she was. in truth, so
girlish in appearance that the people of
Quilaix could scarcely bring their lips to
use the matronly madame" but more fire.
quently addressed her ''mademoiselle."
1t was clear that some secret sorrow was
casting its shadow over her young life.
Her pale face and subdued air, the sad ex-
preston in her eyes, We're the visible
pressed or forgotten.
AS she was always dressed in black, the
gossips concluded that she was in mourn
ing the general opinion being that she had
recently lost her husband, though~a few
ill-na tured persons sneered at the word
husband" in spite of her gold wedding
ring.
Mrs. Breakspear made no attempt to
form friendships. Firmly, yet without
hauteur, she repealed all advances, from
whatever quarter they came. She seemed
TO desire no other companionship than
that of her child, Idris. He was evidently
the one being that reconciled her to life.
Thus passed five years: and Mrs. Break
spear, though still as great mystery as
ever to the people of Quilaix, ceased to
, occupy the chief place in their gossip.
Idris was now seven years old, a hand
| some little fellow, endowed with an intelli-
gence beyond his years.
His education was undertaken solely by
| his mother, concerning whom the opinion
| went, that, in the matter of learning, she
was equal, If not superior, to Monsieur lie
Cure the only other person in the place
with any pretensions to scholarship.
At the back of Quilaix rises the moor
| land. an extensive wind-swept region, bios
soming in early summer with the beautiful
| broom that furnished our first Plantagenet
with his crest and surname Over this
brown, purple dotted expanse run two
] white lines intersecting each other in the
shape of the letter X, These lines indi-
| cate the only two roads over the moor;
| and, just at the point of intersection, there
| stands irregular block of gray stone
! buildings.
| The part of the moorland Immediately
| above the town the usual place of
| study, that is. whenever the day was warm
| and sunny. Then mother and son would
| climb to some high point, and seat them
selves on the grass and while the boy,
| with the breeze of heaven lifting the curls
| from his temples, would endeaVor to fix
| his eyes on his books. Mrs. Breakspear
would fix hers on the gray sto~ building
| Nothing else on land or sea seemed to have
any interest for her. The distant and
| beautiful hills would often change their
color from gray to violet beneath the alter
| nation of sunshine and cloud; ships with
their fair sails set would glide daily from
the haven of Quilaix; bands of Catholic
pilgrims, bound for some local shrine
| would Gsionally cross the moorland
! carrying banners ana singing hymns
sea gulls would wheel their scream
ing flight aloft; trout leap and
CLEAN in the brook at her feet. But Mrs.
| Breakspear had eyes for none of these
things Her attention. when not given to
Idris and his book. was set upon the lone.
dun edifice.
On certain days human figures, dwarted
| by the distance would issue from the build
ing, spreading themselves in little groups
| over the landscape; and, after remaining
out some hours, would return upon the fir-
ing of gun. At such times Mrs. Break
spear would clasp her hands and gaze
| wistfully on the distant moving figures
| One day her emotion was too great to
| escape the boys notice, and. following the
direction of her eyes, he said, speaking In
English, the language used by them when
alone:
Mother. what are those men doing?'
They are quarrying stone"
| What for?"
] We'll, to make churches with. for one