The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-08-30
He bOCed profoundly three times.

nc DOUCu pfOJouHOtU uTte tHHCS.
What use is it to have all pleasure be-
fore me when it turns to wOrmwood
when it is tasted?'
True pleasure sire, lies rather In the
inward life, the serene mind. the easy
conscience And, then. as we grow
| older is it not natural that our minds
should take q gravcr bent? We might
well reproach ourselves if it were not
so, for it would show that we had not
learned the lesson Of life
1T may be so. and yet it is sad and
weary when nothing amuSes. Who Is
that knockiIg?' asked the king
1T is my companion said madame.
What is it, made,noiselle?'
M COrneille. to read to the king"
said the young lady. opening the door.
"Ah. yes. sire; | know how foolish is
wOman's tongue. and 50 l have
brought a wiser one than mine here to
charm you NJ Racine was to have
come, but | hear that he has had fall
from his horse. and he sends his friend
in his place. Shall admit him.
'Oh. as you like. madame. as you
like said the king listlessly. At a
| sign from Mile. Nanon a little peaky
man with a shrewd. petulant face and
long gray hair falling back over his
shoulders entered the room. He bowed
profoundly three times and then seat
ed himself nervousiy ON the very edge
of the stool, from which the lady had
removed her work basket
Shall it be a comedy, or a tragedy.
or burleSque pastoral:" Corneille
asked timidly. There is my Pre-
tended Astrologer.'"
Eyes, that will do
COrneille commenced to read his
comedy, while Nine. de MaintenonS
white and delicate fingers picked
among the many cOlored silks which
she was weaving into her tapestry.
From the to time she glanced across,
first 1T the clock and then at the king.
! who WIS leaning back, with his lace
handkerchief thrown over his face. 1t
was twenty minutes to now. but she
knew that she had put it back half an
hour and that the true time was ten
minutes past.
Tut. tut" cried the king suddenly.
There is something amiss there. The
second last line has limp in it sure
w." 1t was one of his foibles to pose
az critic, and the wise poet would
fall In with his corrections, however
unreasonable they might be.
Your majesty is perfectly right"
said Corneiile unblushingly. Il shall
mark the passage and see that it is
corrected" He picked up his book
again and was about to resume his
reading when the king said:
M Cornell e. | am obliged to you
for what you have read, and | regret
that | must now interrupt your COM
edy Some other day perhaps may
have the pleasure Of hearing the rest
Of it," He smiled i'll the gracious fash
ion which maze all Who came within
his personal influence forget his faults
and remember him only as the imper-
sonation of dignity and of courtesy.
The poet. with his book under his
arm, slipped out, while his majesty
SAID 10 nlaudIHe.
81 see by your clock that it is 4
O'Clock l must go"
my clock. sire, is half an hour
slow
"Haif an hour The king looked
lismayed for an instant and then be-
gan to laugh. NAY. in that case"
said he, Il had best remain where I
am, for 1t Is too late to 90. and can
say with clear conscience that it was
the clocks fault rather than mine
Il trust that 1t was nothing Of very
great importance. SIRE" said the lady,
with a look OF demure triumph in her
eyes.
"By no means
mo state affair.""
'No, no; it was only that it was the
hour at which had intended to rebuke
the conduct OF Il presumptuous person
But perhaps 1t is better as it Is. My
absence will In itself convey my mes
sage and in such sort that | trust I
may never see that persons face more
at my court But. ah, what Is this?"
The door had been flung open. and
Nine. de Montespan, beautiful and furi-
GUS, was standing before them.