Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-01-23
The Box at the Franchise.

1ll5 WIFE, accompanied ~ ~ e@AAN 49,
d'Aymaret, went to pass an evening
at the Theater Franchise. They oc-
cupied that great baignoire Of the
front scene, which is known to many
Parisians, and which the management
of the theater, for whose use it is re-
served, from time to time put at the
disposal Of the friends Of the house.
The box is moreover more recherchee
because it communicates with little
furnished parlor upon the other side
Of the entrance.
It was half past nine and the cur
tain was just rising upon the second
act Of Mademoiselle de la Seigliere,
when the attention of Beatrice and
Nine. d'Aymaret, intent upon the
piece, was suddenly troubled by the
brilliant installation of three or four
people in the corresponding box upon
the opposite side. They immed.ately
recognized the Baroness Grebe nee
de La FTeillade, escorted by her
trusty instrUctress, her husband and
the Marquis de Pierrepont That COM
pany had the manner of being in the
best Of spirits, and the exuberance of
their entrain raised some reprobatory
noises in the hall
Everybody in Paris, for sometime,
had been talking of the intimacy of
Pierrepont with the young Baroness
GTebe, and as for the Baron, entirely
subject to, fascinated and hypnotized
by his wife, he had taken rank among
those husbands whom the world has
to swallow, and does not know
whether to complain of their blind
ness or admire their compIiassance.
Even for those who did not know the
worst details, that public liason of
PierrepOnt with a young newly mar
ried woman had a false air of minor
deviation that greatly displeased. One
could believe that she was a new sad
ness for her friends of older days who
watched her lower herself under their
eyes, from scandal to scandal, falling
from that noble, delicate and chival-
Tous figure which had charmed them.
For a long time Beatrice and her
friend had not pronounced between
them the name Of the Marquis, ana
now they had the distressing surprise
Of finding themselves face to face with
i'm and with Marianne in the avant-
scene or the Theater Francois. They
saw that they were Immediately recog-
nized and from the expression of
features and the play of opera glasses
they could not but remark that they
were not strangers to the converse.
tion Of their vis-a-yis. Marianne was
talking with animation, and seemed to
insistently direct the attention of
PieTepont to the box in which Fa-
brice was.
Between the acts, Fabrice, who was
called away by urgent work, retired,
followed by NJ d'Aymaret who was 60
ing to play a game Of besique at the
club. His wife remained with Beat.
rice.
At the same time, the MARQUIS de
Pierrepont, seeming to obey somewhat
reluctantly to the request of Mari
anne, arose and went out of his, avant.
scene. Beatrice who behind her
screen, did not cease to look at him.
felt her heart leap and placed her
hand upon her breast.
What is the matter?" said Nine,
d Aymaret to her
1 am sure he is coming here!,
You are foolish-impossible
You shall see"
TWO or three minutes later some one
Knocked lightly upon the door of the
box. Nine. d'Aymaret opened it and
Pierrepont entered. He saluted with a
stiff politeness, cast his eyes around
as though astonished to see the two
women alone.
"Fabrice has gomez" he asked.
Yes" said Nine. d'Aymaret, "he
just went out"
ooh, that is bad, very bad" said
Pierrepont, as with a strange awk.
wardness he took his seat upon a
sofa to which they motioned him. It
happened that in seating himself. that
he twice let fall his opera glasses.
which he picked up laughing more
than usual at his maladresse. 81
was charged he began again, with
a commission for him-for Fabrice-
bat certainly, Madame Fabrice will
serve as intermediary do not doubt
and naturally-she will obtain
everything, as she is worthy"
The address Of this language. his
hesitating and uncertain accent. the
sort Of laugh that accompanied his
distressing speech. could not escape
the two young women, who immedi-
ately thought sadly'of the Incorporate
haOits ascribed to him.
This is the fact" he continued, as
they, stupefed, listened to MINI
Everybody IS speaking of the por
trait Of Miss Nicholson, that Fabrfce
has just finished-a perfect master
piece, they say. The Baroness sGrebe
has been captured by it-she wishes
TO have her portrait painted also-by
the hand OF the great artist-but it
seems that he is overIoaded-that he
had to refuse patrons-that there
must be turns-turns of favor. I
would dare-I would dare to ask for
the wife of my friendly the inter
mediary-I repeat it-by Madame Fa
briee-"
Neither the object of the request
nor The tone ii which he addressed
her pleased Beatrice.
''My husband" she answered, with
a cold disda'n, docs not consult me
ia regard to the choice of his models"
'sAh, Madame Fabrice, then. if l