Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-12-26

'NOulu uOt uSGSIF0 yOd' LAoy PLodA
ise you my hand, but / fear that my
heart crushed, worn out, withered by
misfortune, can not return to you all
that yours would bear me. | fear that
my sincere sentiments of esteem and
sympathy for you would but imper-
fectly respond to those that you would
have for me- fear that | should make
you unhappy.
'MademoiselIe, I do not hope to
find in you at present the infinite
tenderness that you have inspired in
me- can not hope, and | know it, fol
q like sentiment, except in time and
from my affectionate core, and my
passionate devotion to your happiness.
Monsieur Fabrice, one is sure only
of the present, and | should tell you
the truth. AS to the future. all that l
can assure you of is, that l would do
all [ possibly could to be a good and
true wife and a good mother to your
child
"Fabrice, his eyes dampened from
emotion, took the white hand that she
offered him, as though to eearb it to
hi slips, but she withdrew it softly.
BE careful" said she. eff you think
you should thank me, you may do so
later; we are too easily seen here :;
and I ask you not to betray our sec
ret, at least not until I have informed
my benefactress of it,
Nile. de Sardonne smiled with a
strange bitterness upon pronounc1ng
that name
"But, Mademoiselle," said the paint
er, have I no step to take with re
gard to her, whom you call your bene-
factress?"
eyes, surely that would be proper
and even necessary. But I think l
should speak to her first 1 have my
reasons"
Gracious, MademoiseIIe, we both
know, do we not, that you will meet
with a somewhat hostile disposition
that may make your conversation
somewhat distressing Allow me to
save you from it; or, at least" he
added, smiling, cor at least be ex-
posed to the first fire. respect Ma
Dame de Montauron greatly; but I
have no fear of her"
But, no more have l." said Mile. de
Sardonne. Though you have seen me
submit patiently to the humiliations
of a true domesticite, whatever may
have been the cause Of my resigna-
lion, be assured that cowardice had no
part in it, You should but i'll know
me, Monsieur Fabrice, if you should
think" she stopped short. The clock
Of the chateau struck twice, CALLED
the Ietrice to the Baroness.
Il must 60" she said, rising, as a
determined look spread over her lace
She again held her hand to FARCE
and then went away.
Upon the day when Nine de Mon.
tauron deprived Beatrice Of the defn
tive sacrifice of the love Of Pierre
pont, she deprived her in reality Of
the only motive that the poor orphan
could have for supporting the miser-
able existence that she led by her
From that moment the very compre-
hensible feeling of dull irritation
that the young girl nourished in re,
gard to her protectress, was changed
passionate, into a veritable horror
Even the sight of the Baroness had
become Odious 10 her. Her resolution
TO quit her was absolutely made and
from that hour there remained but
one thing TO do, and that was to make
a choice of means. The first thought
that came to her upon thinking Of it
was to relieve herself by a sort OF
suicide in a community of the most
austere order. She had again spoken
to her friend, Nine. d'Aymaret, of hel
future entry into Carmel, and it was
with sincerity that she prepared her
self for it, forcing herself to bear TO
ward Heaven a love which could have
10 future upon earth. But it is not SO
difficult to make a sacrifice as it is tC
hear it. By degrees, as she thought OF
It more collectedly, the poor girl
found in her natural attraction for
the life of society, in her energetic
and blooming youth, such resistance3
as rendered such an eternal renuncia,
ton very sad indeed. But what else
could she do? Where else go?
The letter and the declaration OF
Fabrice surprised her in the midst OF
her cruel indecisions. At first, very
much astonshed, and even hurt, she
she wished to take several hours to
think over it. She had to conquer
more than one secret revolt. But at
last, in the extremity to which she
was reduced, why should she not take
advantage of the really honorable
refuge offered, which opened to her
an affectionate and devoted hand
For one wrecked as she was, it was
life at least, if not happiness. 1t was.
above all, a certain escape from her
present slavery, and besides, she was
not unconscious that the news Of her
departure would be horribly disagree
able to Madame de MOntauron, and
the pleasure of announcing it to her
satisfied in Mademoiselle de Sardo1ne
that most violent feeling III the world
the hatred of one woman for an
other.
Madame de Montauron, however,
having just peaceably finished her
sios+, IN . hOuFOir xyaited In her mar