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

II ought 10 De d SClSI'LitS AdSI, pO"
siDly a suggestive fact, that of the
remarkable and constant preCllectlnn
Of husbands for him who is loved by
their wives, Door Fabrice could not
escape that fatality. Since the 70
turn of Pierrepont he had shown for
him a redoubled friendship, which
might be, in part, explained by his
desire 10 assure his wife OF the com
pany of a man of rs own social
standing. PierrepOnt having i natural
reserve to often renewing his vislCs
II, the young household, the painter
reDroached him for it, and pressed
the subject to the point of emharrass-
ment. Of all the involuntary blunderS
which Fabrice was capable III the
eyes of his wife it was not this one
that shocked he" the least. Forgetting
that Fabrice was absolutely ignorant
Of her and Pierrepont's secret, she
could only see in his insistance that
the Marquis call oftcner, a lack OF
tact, q provoking unkindness, and
more, a true cruelty toward her. what
When she exhausted her efforts OF
will and courage to chase him from
her thoughts whom she had loved so
much. it was her husband who took
him by the hand and imposed his
troubling presence upon hert
It was a new grief that she came to
join 10 those that she already held
against him, and which had usually
no lust foundation. But when wife
has the misfortune not to love he1
husband, she always finds reasons
with which to palliate, in her own
eyes, a wrong which her conscience
reproves; and this, too, in almost
good faith, for to her eXasperated soul
all is coIdness, and to her sick heart
all is wounding.
Beatrice was at all times too high
minded to give way to the common
temptation to abuse the blindness OF
her husband. She persisted thus in
her line of conduct that she had pre-
scribed in perversion of the return
pierrepont. and it was thus easier for
himself to seem to shun her with so
much care and pride, preferring o
rather incur the TeprOaches of the
husband than the disapproyal of the
wife.
However, Fabrice, though feeling
with bitterness the sad GOODNESS which
Reatrice never overcame With him,
was not hopeless of conquering in the
long run, by force of generous and
delicate attentions. After having
pampered to the tastes and done Ill
possible to please his ungrateful idol.
during the whole winter, he rented
for the summer, between MendOn ami
bellevue, a pretty villa, which had
among attractions that of neing near
her friend Nine. d'Aymaret, who her
self was passing that season at Yer
aaiIlc5. The habitation, often Jccu-
ped by painters because of some es'
leCial dispositions, was simple
enough. but it looked over the radi-
ant valley of the Seine and to the
rear one could see the grandiose MI
rage OF Paris. The rez-de-chauSs@4
opened upon the sward of large
garden that descended with slight IN
clination almost to the bank of the
Seine. through the scented woods,
across lawns and neglected, almost
wild. underground. Midway one would
find a sort of shed, closed and with
windows which served as the atelier
of Fabrice. At the foot of the garden
was a straight alley-way, bordered by
| trellised yoke-elms. and which by IFS
| grand style seemed to be the remains
Of the old park of the chateau. The
public road. completely hidden. passed
below It. IT was bounded at the tive
| extremities by very high walls
against one of which they had placed
2 target. In front az the ether end was
a rustic seat. That alice, notWlta
standing all the choice country scenes
| was in a place particularly retired an;
| solitary. such as highly pleased thu
! wife Of the PAINTER. She was walking
ir revere one afternoon in July when
around a herd in footpath, she sa"
the vicomtesse d'Aymaret, who said
| to her, gaily: Il was sure l shouf
find you here in the alice des soapir:
pathway of sighs).
! Then after having embraced her.
Il have come to bring you some News
unexpected enough. The poor B2r
+, Cness who fiattered herself OF stl.
! having thirty years of life
What" said Beatrice, Selling hel
elm violeLtly.
She died last night Of rheumatism