The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-05-20
THE BLIND
EYES OF LOVE
By ~. Ro q ; : = =
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TOR half an hour Jacques Lassale and
| had been sitting on the terrace ct
the Hotel Beau-Riyage, in Geneva. Di-
rectly before as, isolated in his radiant
| whiteness and outlined against the hori-
zon like a gigantic iceberg, Mont Blanc
| rose from the midst Of the Alpine foot
hills, a proudly brilliant snow noun
tain, glittering like Jewel in the rain
| bow lights of the setting sun.
Fascinated BY the majesty of the spec
taele and the mysterious attraction OF
great distance. | was dreaming fantas-
tic day-dreams, miles away from this
world when | was suddenly recalled to
life by the sound of Jacques voice.
Why, that is certainly the De Latre-
viIIesi" he cried
DO you know them?" inquired. alb
sently, in the tone of a man who has just
walked up and who does not want to adj
nit that he has been asleep.
why, of course, and SO do you! You
know Latreville Of our class, who was
So frightfully wounded in the Soudan. 7
"Oh, yes, 7 remember him, but never
heard that he was married or that he
was wounded
We'll, both things have happened to
him" And Jacques ran to greet the
newcomers
Above the terrace, at the door Of the
hotel, a carriage laden with trunks had
just stopped. A correct looking valet
descended from the box seat, and from
the inside appeared a young man, tall
and slender, who bore himself with mill
tary precision, and yet with an air Of
uncertainty
| Immediately recognized him as my
old mess comrade, De Latreyille, but it
seemed to me thts. his wayering glance
did not meet mine. He took his serv-
ants arm and walked toward the steps
hesitatingly, holding his hand before
him as If to feel his way.
A second after a remarkably beautiful
woman got out of the carriage, jumping
lightly to the ground with the ease of a
bird. She was tall with fnedly modelled
in low knot, large, dark eyes and deli
cate crimson lips.
Indifferent to the stir which the ar
rival of such distinguished guests had
aroused, her glance followed her huts-
band as he made his way up the steps,
watching him with the solicitude of a
mother or an elder sister. When De
Latrevil1e had reached the top she ran
to join him and held out her hand to
Jacques.
You here? What good fortune!''
Jacques bowed deeply, and, leaving
the terrace, l fastened to join the group
and welcome my old comrade whom
had not seen since our schoo1days. AS
4 approached, | saw that he glanced III
my direction without appearing to recog-
nize me.
How do you do, Latreville? Do you
not remember me, Maynan, Corp. May
nan. of the Sixth %
All, is it you, my old friend? What
good luck to meet with you here. am
provoked rlat did not recognize your
footsteps, but as for sesing you, it is.
impossible. ! am blind. %
Heavens, poor ehap!" lnurmured
much distressed.
Yes, I left my eyes in the soudan.
and must ad7ellt that=it makes it trife
troublesome to get around But don't
mild the rest" he added, smiling. Be
sides, have an Antigone, who makes
me forget that / am not complete. Is
not my wife here? / want you to meet
her,
Here / am, said Nine. al LatreviIIe,
In low. gentle voice:
NY dear Jeanne, let he present Capt.
Maynan-colonel now. perhaps - and
one of my comrades at Saint Cyr. like
this good Jacques. How lucky we
chose this place to come to! We will
live over some Of our old memories
and talk the bahut together, viii re
not?''
was surprised and saddened at his
easy tone, which seemed to be forced,
could not imagine that a man, stricE-
en- with such a terrible affection, con-
demned to uselessness before he was
40, could be anything but buried be-
meath the weight Of an ineurable despair.
When we arrived at the terrace, after
arranging with the De Latrevilles to