The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-11-01


al her with kindly and yet searching
eye
4 have indeed, your grace, Al las
uleht | spent In prayer that this tria
may pass away from us
And yet YOU have no need for fear
madame none. assure you Other
may think that your influence ha,
ceased, but we, who know the king;
heart, think otherwise A few days
may pass. few weeks al the most
aud once more II win be upon youl
rising fortunes that every eye Ia
France will turn"
The lady's brow clouded. aud she
glanced ut the prelate MS though his
speech were not altogether TO her taste
Il trust that pride does not lead mc
astray," she said but IL ! can read
my own soul Alright there Is no thought
OF myself In the grief which now tears
my heart. II is for the king grieve.
for the noble heart. the kindly soul.
which might rise so high and which Is
dragged so low"
For all that. my daughter, you are
ambitious. Would you not love to
turn the king toward goodf"
Il would give my life for IT,"
"And there is your ambition. All.
can not read your noble soulY Would
you not love TO see the church reign
pure and serene over all this realm. 10
see the poor housed. the needy helped,
the wicked turned from their ways and
the king ever the leader In all that Is
noble and goodf"
Her checks had flushed and her eyes
shone us she looked at the gray face
Of the Jesuit and saw the picture
which his words had conjured up be.
fore her.
"My daughter" said Bossuet solemn.
ly. ut is time for plain speaking. II
Is In the interests OF the church that
we do IT, None hear and none shall
ever hear what passes between us now.
Regard us, II you will, az two confess.
ors, with whom your secret is lnvlola.
bic, ! call II secret, and yet II Is
none to us. for II is our mission to read
the human heart. You love the king"
your grace-father" She turned In
confusion from one TO the other.
"There is no shame In loving. my
daughter. Tho shame lies only IN
yielding TO love. | say again that you
love the king"
AT least have never told him So"
she faltered.
"And will you neverT
MAY heaven wither my tongue firstW
"But consider, my daughter. Such
love In soul like yours is heavens
gift and sent for some wise purpose.
We speak for the interests of the holy
church, and those interests demand
that you should marry the king"
MARRY the kingw The little room
swan round her. Marry the kingw
"There lies the best hope for the fu.
ture. We see In you a second Jeanne
dare who will save both France and
Frances king"
Madame sat silent for n few mo
ments. Her face had regained Its com
posure. and her eyes were bent VA
cantly upon her tapestry frame as she
turned over In her mind all that was
involved in the suggestion.
"But surely surely this could never
be-" she said at last. What king Of
France has married subjecti See
how every princess Of Europe stretches
out her hand to him. The queen Of
France must be of queenly blood, even
as the last was"
"All this may be overcome"
"And then there are the reasons OF |
state. II the king marry. 1t should be
to form a powerful alliance, to ce-
ment friendship with neighbor ma
lion or to gain some province which
may be the brides dowry. What Is
my dowryl A Widows pension and
workbox."
"Your dowry, my daughter. would
be those gifts OF body and Of mind
With which heaven has endowed you
The king has money enough and the
ding has provinces enough. AS to the
state, how can the state be better
Iervcd than by the assurance that the
ding will be saved In future from such
lights as are to be seen In this palace
odayW
"Oh. IL II could be so, But think,
a, ~ al Inn m |
lauphin. monsieur his brother. his
minister's You know how little this
would please them and how easy II Is
or them 10 sway bis mind"
The faces OF the two ccclesiastics
Who had dismissed her other objections
With smile and wave clouded over
t this.
my daughter" said the Jesuit grave
Y. that Is a matter which you may
cave to the church. II may be that
ye too. haze some power over the
ing's mind and that we may lead him
n the rlgh. path. even though those
Z his own blood would faIn have II
therwise. The future only can show
nth whom the power lies. Bnt your
owe aud duty both draw you one way
ow, and the church may count upon
Ou and you upon the church. II will
erye you II you IN turn viii but serve
4"
what higher wish could hayew
"You will be our daughter. our queen.
ur champion, aud you win heal the
rounds OF the suffering church, The
Iugnenots must go. They must be
rlyen forth. The goats must be di.
lded from the sheep. The king Is al.
eady IN two minds. Louyols IL our
riend now II you are with us, then
u viii be we'll"
But. father. think how many there
re. And think. too. OF their sufferlpgs
iould they be driven forth"
Their cure lies Ia their own hands"
THAT is true. And yet my heart
)ftcns for them"
pere Ia Chaise and the bishop shook
ielr heads
"You would befricnl Gods enemies.
lenT'
mo. no; not II they are indeed so"
"Can you doubt M Il II possible
nat your heart stllI turns toward the
,rcsy OF your youiiir
"No. father; but Il Is not IN nature 10
,rset that my father antbmy grand
Iibcr'--