Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-12-05


my Lord!"- Certainly was my lady
taken unawares; a moment looked at
the Marquis as If a little startled; then
at the Black Seigneur:
"a pleasant surprise for you, my
Lady!" said the latter. But you owe
chief of the Admiralty, properly signed
and countersigned, directing me to
transport the Marquis de Beauvillers
hither, was not to be disregarded!"
"a somewhat singular dispensation
of Providence, nevertheless" observed
the nobleman dryly. after our-what
shall We call it?-little passage Of
arms? You must acknowledge, how
ever, that in truth the Lady Elise and
myself had some reason to discredit
your assurances that night"
Far be it from me TO dispute it, my
Lord" and the Black Seigneur turned,
while the Marquis, slightly Struggling
his shoulders, addressed my lady.
Half blithely, then half bitterly, re-
lapsing occasionally from the old,
debonair manner he had assumed, he
spoke of his escape from the Mount;
months of hiding in foul places, amid
fields and forest, with no word of her;
his success, at last, in reaching Paris,
and, through rumor, learning where
she was, and fastening to her
A bluff voice interrupted further eX-
plantations and avowals; the steaming
fiesh-pots, it informed the company,
awaited not soft words and honeyed
phrases; monarch in his own dining
room, ostentatiously conscious, per-
haps, of his own unwonted prodigality,
Pierre Laroche waved them to their
places-where they would!-so that
they waited not!
Quizzically my lord lifted his brow;
truly here was a Republican fellow
who appreciated not an honor when
it was bestowed upon him, nor saw
anything unusual in a Marquis pres
ence beneath that humble roof. Some
thing of this he murmured to my
lady, in tone others might have
heard; but she answered not; took her
place, with red lips the firmer, as If
to conceal some weakness to which
they sought to give way.
Not without constraint the meal
passed; the host, desirous to learn
the latest political news, looked at the
Marquis and curbed natural curios-
ity, until more favorable moment
when he and the Black Seigneur should
be alone. My lady, although generally
made to feel welcome and at home
there, seemed now, perhaps, to herself,
little out of place, like person that
has wandered from world of her own
and strayed into anotber's. Cross-cur-
rents, long at strife III her breast,
surged and flowed fast; the while she
seemed to listen to my lord, who ap-
peared now in lighter, more airy hu-
NOR. And as she sat thus, with fair
head bent little, she could but hear,
at times, above the medley Of tones
| and the sound of servants footsteps
! in Gathering wooden shoes, the voice
Of the Black Seigneur-now pledging
a toast to old Pierre; anon discussing
winds, tides, or ships! A free reck-
less voice, that seemed to vibrate
from the past-to stir anew brighl,
terrible flames.
| Daylight slowly waned lights were
brought in, and, the meal over, old
Pierre pushed back in his chair. My
lady rose quickly; looked little con-
strainedly at the company, at the Mar
quis, then toward the door. Anticipat-
ing her desire, attributing to it, per-
haps, significance fiattering to his
vanity, the young nobleman expressed
wish for stroll; sight of the gar
den. At once she assented; slight
tint now on. her cheeks, she moved
to the door, and my lord followed; as
they disappeared, the Black Seigneur
laughed-at one of Pierre's jokes!
Have / not told it before?" said
the host.
"Have you?" murmured the Black