Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-15
CHAPTER XVI.
RECOGNITION.

" great bed in the upper
II chamber, although 1t was
the evening after the day
of the battle and the visit to the cha
teau. He had been promptly put
there again by the faithful Jean-Re-
maud when his bearers had reached
the house, and after quiet night and
a long day of perfect rest he felt
much better. DR.. Arnoux, who mad
called to see him in the morning, had
reprehended him severely for his ex-
cursion Of the day before. Although
the surgeon had been filled with gen.
erous admiration at the devotion and
courage Grafton had exhibited In be-
half of de Vitre In the chateau, he
had strictly forbidden him to rise
again from the bed for some time at
least. With the remembrance OF his
unfortunate collapse in the chateau
at the trial of de Vitre, the English
man was inclined to heed his advice.
Indeed, he could do no less, since his
uniform, as q further preventive, had
been taken away by Jean-Renaud un-
der the orders of Mademoiselle de Ro-
han.
The tedium Of the day had been re-
lieved by two short visits from the
mistress Of the household. Had she
consulted her inclination only, she
would not have left him for a mo-
ment, but she did not dare trust her
self long in his presence. Yet bare
hospitality, the consideration due a
sick man whom fate had thrown upon
her hands, constrained her at least to
INQUIRE as to his health and to super
wise in person the meager arrange
ments which the straitened circum-
stances necessitated by the rigorous
siege Of Quebec permitted her to make
for his comfort.
Her visits had been brief, however,
and while they lasted she had delib-
erately stood in the shadow OF the
bed-curtains, so that no opportunity
for fair look upon her face had been
youchsafed him-a thing he was
thirsting for and yet which he felt ut
terly unable to bring about. Indeed,
his thoughts had been so busy with
her personality and her image, that
the time, which might have dragged
as only time can linger, leaden-footed
in the sick chamber, had passed be-
fore he noticed 1t.
Yet he was very dissatisfied with
the situation. There was something
about the young demoiselle which
moved him powerfully, something he
could not explain. The thought Of her
betrothal to de Vitre filed him with
a certain jealous dismay-he could not
exactly tell why. 1t was hardly pos
sible he could be in love with her him
self, girl he had seen but day
since! He seemed to have known, or
to have met her before, though. How
was it? De Couedic! And yet
But what could he do? Nothing.
He was master Of himself now-in the
full possession Of his faculties, with
no excuse of weakness, wounds, or
fever, that is-and there could be no
possible reason for so personal an ap-
peal to her as he had made when in
fevered confusion he had asked her
If she loved de Vitre.
During the day he was attended
by a strange servant, and saw neither
Jean-Renaud nor Josette, either OF
whom might have enlightened him
had not both been kept from him by
the orders Of their mistress. The con-
versation between the two, therefore,
on the occasion of these two visits was
necessarily brief; confined on her part
to inquiries as to his well-being, his
needs, and desires, and upon his part
to expressions of gratitude for her
kindness, and earnest deprecations OF
the trouble he was giving her and her
household.
AS for her, every time she ap-
preached him she longed to declare
herself. With the passionate aban-
don of a French woman who loved lit
orally for the first time, who found
herself in the actual presence Of q
long-cherished ideal. before realiza-
ton OF her girlish and maidenly
dreams, she would fain have thrown
herself upon his breast-into his
arms. She longed to gather him tc
her heart and lavish upon him those
treasures of affection which all the
gallantry, courage and devotion or dc
Vitre could not evoke. And all this
in the face Of the keen jealousy she
suffered over the locket he wore, ant
the resentment she felt, in despite Of
the precautions she took to prevent 1t
that he had not recognized her-whicf
was unreasonable but essentially fem
mime.
But she had controlled herself like
an American. The marquis himself
could not have been more coolly ant
coldly polite than she. AS for Graf
ton, he had not yet, to use his OWL
expression, "got his bearings" Never
in his life had he been so moved by
the presence Of a woman as during
the last two days. He could hardly
reason about 1t clearly in his presen
condition. But at last he though
that the explanation Of this infatuatoir
must lie in his weakness and hel
beauty, for with singular faulty h
had not succeeded in discovering an!
other reason for his interest.
In the first place, owing to the pre-
cautions she had taken, he had not We
mad that clear, full sight Of the cir
for which he -longed. She had Away