The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-04-22
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SOpy61Rne 1883 W
well met, my dear captain; we go
to the park, and would have you bear
us company. Where is NJ. de Greville?.
explained as best 1 might his alb
sence, and followed them in lieu of bet
ter employment, forgetting for q time
the threatened fete. Before 1 could eX.
tricate myself, these new friends had
led NE into brilliant circle, and duly
presented me to madame. who sat on
a sort OF raised platform in the center.
She showed no traces of her recent
anger n spite, vented upon that pa
tient girl who now claimed all my
thought. Her ladies, some langu1shing
literary notables of the day, and 9th
GERS, stood about discussing the news.
and talked of naught but some fetch
ing style or popular play, through all
of which struggled as bravely as my
dazed condition would permit. 1t
seemed I would never grow accustomed
to the like, though it is said many men
ind great delight in such gatherings
But thing l searched for most Gag
.erly.
Behind madanc's chair, after a little.
appeared the sweet shy face of my
weeping Niobe of the park. I felt Ii
saw n recognized me, and my face
% al - u lew
bold to ask one of the gentlemen stand
ing near me who the lady might be.
n not desiring to point at her. simply
described her as well as possible. and
as being in attendance upon madame.
That. monsieur, is Madame Agnes.
wife of the Chevaller de Ia Mora: the
swittiest and most beautiful woman at
'Sccaux, and the chiIliest."
Noting the change Of countenance
which l sought in vain to control, he
went on banteringly.
Beware NJ. lie C%apitaine, half the
men at SceauX are in owe with her,
hut she has the execrable taste to pre-
Ger her own husband. Such women de-
.btroy half the zest Of living. Beside,
.lhe Cheyalier' has a marvellous sword
and q most unpleasant temper. Bah!
how ludicrous it is for men to anger at
.trifles."
But / faltered, she seems a mere
child,
Yes. but none the les charming"
and he turned away to continue his
interrupted conversation with the da--
ting young Arouet, the same who was
to acquire. universal fame under the
name Voltaire.
Thus rudely We're my new awakened
hopes of love cast down. A wife, and
h wife of a friend! She had spoken
to me Of Charles" and Of going with
him to the colonies. A wife. yet for
hi llldl, ! h1leW ! lOVeQ uer.
They say the road to hell is paved
with good Intentions. My intentions
Were the best that ever made excellent
cobblestones toward the Internal gate.
Only a few days and I would be gone;
surely those could be passed through
In peace. She was a wife-I would
never let her know that all my heart
was hers. This I determined. But
man Is weak, and the very atmosphere
Of France dried up the springs of every
honest impulse. Everywhere vas
soothing, raillery and disbelief. Honor.
friendship and virtue were regarded as
the vain chimeras OF q fool. Why
should not 1 enjoy life while I might7
Directly Madame Chatrain entered
without intrudtng, and composedly
took her place among the ladies who
made room for her near Madame.
Nothing in her manner bore evidence
OF her recent conflict. 1t was really
marvellous how the life these. women
led schooled them to stoicism any
Choctaw brave daring the stake might
envy. She nodded to me gaily, and I
stopped to touch her hand.
Where Is NJ. de Greville? Is he not
TO be with us this afternoon?"
/ looked her in the face. wondering,
for could she not answer her own Ques-
.uon far better than i? She read my
meaning, but her glance never waver-
ed.
"Ah! There he Is. among the gen
tlemen. I feared he found Sceaux too
dull after Paris. and he had promised
US a bit Of his work. You know he
composes famous verses to some fair
n distant inamorta-"
Indeed, Madame, I suspected not his
talents" I replied. Our conversation
Jagged, for the programme had all
ready Commenced. and we gave our at
tention to the reading OF some curious
aetters, said to have been written by
two Persians of distinction hen trav-
.eling in Europe, which were being pub
lished anonymously in Paris. AT first.
I could not bring myself to listen to
under the guise of light, small talk.
struck, atIthe foundations Of govern
ment, religiuos beliefs. and all which I
mac before held sacred. Listening only
to contradict, / grew interested in
spite of myself. and only at some allu-
as 1t seemed to me. among 80 many
ladies, did take my eyes from the
readers countenance, and suffer them
TO roam about the company.
Feeling again the subtle influence Of
Agnes gaze fixed full upon me, 1t
caused my cheeks to flush, my knees
to quake, and verify. my legs were as
4 to carry me away as to sustain me
where / eaned against a tree. The
girl was looking straight at me: l
dared not return her stare which had
something more than mere curiosity
In IL, md disturbed me greatly.
The reading was finished without my
knowledge, a piece Of b~uffoonery, or
play acting gone through with, which
I did not see, when my own name,
called by Madame. brought me to my
roper good sense again.
l found myself, before I was quite
aware bending before Madame alld re-
C0iVinp her nina that I should do
something for the amusement Of the
company.
M. Jerome has favored us, you
iknow-we have no drones here she
Went on pleasantly, land it is the rule
at SceauS hat all must join u merrl-
Inent."
'..Jerome?".I answered in a bewilder-
ed fashion. for l had no recollection Of