The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-05-31

seated on IL, Watcnlng the sunset, and
by consequence turning their backs on
Monsieur Justin. Near them stood two
gentlemen, also looking toward the
river and the distant view. These
five figures attracted the Wallets atten-
ton, to the exclusion of every other
object around him.
There they are still" he said to HIM
self discontentedly. Madame Dam
vile in the same place on the seat; my
master, the bridegroom, dutifully next
to her; Mademoiselle Rose, the bride.
bashfully next to him; Monsieur Tru-
dame, the amateur apothecary brother,
affectionately next to her; and Monsieur
Lomaque. our queer land-steward, Of
ficially in waiting on the whole party.
There they all are indeed, incompre-
hensibly wasting their time still in
looking at nothing! Yes" continued
Monsieur Justin, lifting his eyes wea-
rily, and staring hard, first up the river
at Rouen, then down the river at the
setting sun; Eyes, plague them, looking
at nothing, absolutely and positively
at nothing, all this while.'
Here Monsieur Justin yawned again,
and returning to the garden, sat himself
in an arbor and resignedly went to
sleep.
If the valet had ventured near the five
persons whom he had been apostrophiz-
ing from distance, and if he had been
possessed of some little refinement of
observation, he could hardly have
failed to remark that the bride and
bridegroom of the morrow, and their
companions on either side, were all, in
greater or less degree, under the in
fluence of some secret restraint, which
affected their conversation, their ges-
lures, and even the expression of their
faces. Madame Danville-a handsome,
richly dressed old lady, with bright
eyes and quick, suspicious manner
looked composedly and happily enough,
as long as her attention was fixed on
her son. But when she turned from
him towards the bride, hardly-per-
ceptible uneasiness passed over her
face-an uneasiness which only deep
ened to positive distrust and dissat-
isfaction whenever she looked towards
Mademoiselle Trudaine's brother. In
the same way her son, who was all
smiles and happiness while he was
speaking with his future wife, altered
visibly in manner and look, exactly as
his mother altered whenever the pres
ence Of Monsieur Trudaine specially
impressed itself on his attention. Then,
again, Lomaque, the land-steward-
quiet, sharp, skinny Lomaque, with the
submissive manner, and the red-rim-
med eyes-never looked up at his mas
ter's future brother-in-law without
looking away again rather uneasily,
and thoughtfully drilling holes in the
grass with his long sharp-pointed
cane. Even the bride herself, the pref
ty, innocent girl, with her childish shy
ness of manner, seemed to be affected
like the others. Doubt, if not distress,
overshadowed her face from time to
time, and the hand which her lover
held trembled little, and grew rest
less, when she accidentally caught her
brothers eye.
Strangely enough there was nothing
to repel, but, on the contrary, every
thing to attract in the look and man
ner of the person whose mere presence
seemed to exercise such curiously con-
straining influence over the wedding
party. Louis Trudaine was a remark
ably handsome man. His expression
was singularly kind and gentle; his
manner irresistibly winning in it's
frank, manly firmness and composure
His words, when he occasionally spoke,
seemed as unlikely to give offense as
his looks; for he only opened his lips
in courteous reply to questions direct
ly addressed to him. Judging by a la
tent mournfulness in the tones of his
voice, and by the sorrowful tenderness
which clouded his kind earnest eyes
whenever they rested on his sister, his
thoughts were certainly not of the
happy or the hopeful kind. But he
gave them no direct expression; he in
truded his secret sadness, whatever it
might be, on no one of his compan-
ions. Nevertheless, modest and self
restrained as he was, there was evident
ly some reproving or saddening influ-
ence in his presence which affected the
spirits of every one near him, and
darkened the eve of the wedding to
bride and bridegroom alike.