Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-11-14
CHAPTER l.
Pierre De Pierrepont.

ID
Pierreyont, was borne, and well borne
too, about 1875, by the Marquis Pierre
Armand. the last male descendant OF
the family, who was then thirty years
of age. He was man whose charming
and sincere character, Vtr1le grace,
tranquil and correct elegance natural
" evoked that formula Of baDaI ad-
Hairation: HE has the air OF q
prince" indeed, it was difficult TO
Imagine him seated in an office, meas
uring silk behind a counter, or FOL
lowing any trade or profession what
ever, unless it be that of a diplomat
or g soldier, which are the two prince
ly professions. For the rest, they had
seen the Marquis de PierrepOnt wear
ing the uniform during the war or
1870. He had shown the most brilliant
courage; then he entered upon his
Partisan and dilettante life, partly be-
cause OF taste and by lack Of ambition,
partly also by complaisance for an
aunt who disliked the republic.
That aunt, the Baroness de Mon
tauron, nee Odon de Pierrepont, and
more than proud Of her lineage, was a
widow: she had no children, and she
was not offended by them; the fact
would have permitted her to dispose
IN favor Of her nephew the consider
able property of which she came into
possession upon the death of her hus-
band. She could thus raise the fortune
and the standing, which was slightly
fallen Of her house. The Pierreponts,
without being exactly ruined, had
truly fallen, during two generations,
into position that might be called
mediocre, in the actual value of life.
The young man received from his sue
cession to his fathers estate only
fifteen francs of income; it was
enough to assure him Of independence
but even that with the trihing sup
plement that his aunt added in the
guise Of holiday gifts was little
enough for q man of his name, repre-
senting q line Of grand seigneurs.
Madame de Montauron, who herself
had an income Of nearly four hundred
thousand francs, might have, no
doubt, not awaited the hour Of her
death to regild the blazon Of her
nephew; but II she had a passion
stronger than family pride, 1t was
that Of seIfshness. Much distressed as
she was in her pride becaue Of the
slightly narrowed life that the young
Marquis lived, she could not find the
heart to retrench her own personal
ease TO ameliOrate his circumstances
She was f1fty-five years Of age. Calcu-
fating from the mortuary statistics Of
her family she calculated upon the
probability Of living at least thirty
years longer. The humiliation Of see
ing the last male descendant Of her
name reduced to a kind Of distress
during such long period was to her
extremely painful but the thought Of
selling her mansion on the Rue de
Varenne or her Chateau des Genets,
or no matter what in order to aid
him, was still insunportabIe.
To COnciliate these contradictory
sentiments. and to enrich her nephew
without desnoiIing herself. the only
possible exDedient was that he should
marry a nrettv fortune. And such was
the end for which Nine. de Montouron
was striving at the time this story
opens.
Sne had feared that her grand
nephew, Us she called him, who was
very much appreciated in society, and
particularly by the ladies, had not
shown himself in the least disposed to
leave lie OF liberty and gentiIity 20
submit to the COnstraints of marriage.
But II Is often remarked that the men
naturally called, by their personal at
fractions, to good worldly fortunes
and to feminine conquests are not
those WAo the most often accept them.
success, they have, generally,
neither the faulty nor the
Very indifferent to their too easy
eagernesS of gallantry Of those who
have to conquer natural obstacles IN
pleasing the women. From his face
they ascrtbod to the Marquis many al
ventures; and since from discretion
he would admit none, there were in all
probability many that were authentic
But, in truth, he was not a libertine
there was in him a depth of serious in.
tention and OF dignity that almost dis.
gusted him with the life he led.
He explained it one evening to one
Of his friends Jacques Fabrice, the
painter, to whose house he sometimes
went when going outside his circle;
TO take a cup Of tea and to smoke q
cigarette.
My dear" said he to him, sadly
do you know what has happened tc
me, Today I enter upon my thirty
first year"
That is a fine age said the paint
er, who was drawing under a large
lamp shade.
1T is fine age, evidently" said NJ
de Pierrepont; 1T is the age at whicf
man is in the high tide of his facuI
ties, but at the same time it is
critical hour Ia ones life, and above
all in the life of an idle and simpI.
dilettante like me. Behold me upol
the top Of the ridge which separates
youth from maturity. If l slide int
maturity. carrying with me nv pas
sions and habits of youth, unable f
blind myself to the future that awai-
me- believe I have some notions q
honor nd Of T