Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-01-09
Continued.


seemed TO feel the need. For, after |
having feared for the part Of that |
lover so cruelty cast down from his |
almost too enthusiastic transports,
she found him of tranquility, Of a
GOODNESS which half chilled and halt |
alarmed her If that Indifference man
ifested by Pierrepont was sincere, she |
was the witness to a hghtness Ia |
affairs of the heart, such as women
never would permit. But from her &C
duaintance with the proud and re-
served character Of the Marquis, sne
was very much afraid that that appar-
ent coIdness could not conceal one OF
the wounds which were the more
painful and disquieting that they bled
within.
Ten minutes later, Pierrepclt en-
tered the house of Fabrice, and being
directed by a servant he assembled to
the atelier of the painter with his
old-time familiarity He knocked |
lightly, and, raising a portiere he
found himself face to face with Beat
rice. whose lips half opened as though
about to cry out, but she remained
mute She was seated q few steps
away from the easel, holding a book
in one hand, and with the other cares,
sing the long flowing locks OF Mar
Celle, who was lmeeling at her feet
In the midst of that large room, hung
with tapestries and decorated soberly |
with some Bullets of a rigid style, 1t
was one Of those interior scenes such |
as one sees in the old Flemish pic
lures, in which the noble pleasures OF
work seem to be mixed with the
sweetest ideas Of happiness and do
nestle peace.
Fabrice made joyous exclamation
and ran to Pierrepont, to whom the |
Openness of that welcome left no ques |
ton of the discretion Of Beatrice. tie |
had that freedom of mind that per |
mitted him to compliment the young |
family upon its installation. He again |
excused himself for not having been |
able to return in time for the mar
riage, having been detained at Malta |
by a grave indispOsitiOn Of his friend, |
Lord S.. BeatTiCe's hand which |
rested upon Narcotics head, opened |
duu ClOScu SOlllt LGbI IOAA ' lA4S9A ~hJ , |
causing the settings in her rings to |
scintiIlate. That was the only sign OF |
emotion chat the young wife eyinced. |
She thanked Pierrepont for the I
bracelet that he sent her from Lon |
don, the good taste of which she |
praised; then she questioned interest |
edIy about the health of Nine. de
Montauron. Pierrepont answered that
her health was improving every day,
and that it was a pleasure to see her.
Nobody having said the contrary
though all thought 1.-THE Marquis
praised warmly the sketched portraits
which were strongly taking the form
of masterpieces, and not wishing to
longer interrupt the sitting he retired.
He went away carrying distinctly
in his imagination the picture OF that
happy interior-hOnest and graceful
which has often enough an attraction
for the blasts of his age, and of which
ne himself had dreamed with such a
sincere ardOr.
Alas! that these scenes Of happiness
should ever be deceptive! How many
times in the evening one enters into
the intimacy of family parlor! How
many times passing before the gate
way of some laughing villa, full Of
sunlight and flowers, with children
laughing among them, and one say
to ones self. that's happiness! And
how many times one is deceived!
As Fabr.ce saw her, heard and all
mired her for the first time in the
salon blanc of Nine. de MOntauron,
with her beauty of a muse and her
grave and melodiCus voice, so Beat
rice now was before him, and now his
wife. He was there at once under his
eyes, under his hand and near his
heart, his daughter, his art; all that
he loved in the woodland he is not
happy. The venOmOus insinuatiOns OF
Nine. de MontaurOn often required to
his mind. He believed he saw in the
bearing of Beatrice toward him a sort
of sad resignation; a lack Of abandon;
a slightly disdainful coldness. which
seemed to justify the perfdiOus pro
pheCies of the Baroness. Though that
beautiful statue was his, he still felt
that she did not entirely belong to
him. Something in her which refused
itself to him. A depth of passionate
tenderness which she did not bear to
wards him. and that she kept in re-
serve. But it was impossible for him
to suspect that there was a rival in
her heart, and so he came to lay it to
himself and to his surroundings. He
felt disputed He watched himself
with distressing persistency; he fear
ed there was something in his lang
uage, in his bearing, in his personal
habits, some involuntary awkwardness
which offended the delicate instincts,
the refined tastes, the superior culture
of the young woman. He suspected
also the chill which she might feel at
the somewhat vulgar relations which
his business and society imposed up,
on the artist.
Unhappily, the apprehenSiOnS that
beset Fabrice were not far from the
truth Though Beatrice had married
him in 4 fit of despair, she entered
his home as an honest woman, with
the most sincere resolution of smoth
er.ng all sentiment contrary TO her
new duties. and OF attaching herself
10 her husband. But though she eS-
teemed his talent. there was in the
art of the painter something manual
OF commercial, which shocked III"
patrician. She also noticed. with ennUi
almost W tn pain, in the little affairs
of daily common life slight sole