The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-04-24

cyntcism. But De LusSac did not make
q statement; he enunciated q fact, he
spoke with all the fervor Of a man
who knows; with the conviction Of
surety. 1t was Observation-Disclosures
as waking up on q December morning,
opening ones window and finding May
day. Madame Linden was not, how
ever, a woman to temporize with pleas
al ,tctions. With the pleasure one
feels in destroying a fair thing, once
ours but taken from, US by fraud, she
turned to her defender, y
Monsieur" said she. II have already
a four lovers" .r.t TIN
c,n nAnd what, madame" replied the dis:
lovers to do with me? Do you for a
moment think that I belong TO that
order OF men whose philosophy debars
the needs OF life and the consideration
OF the human heart? When I ask you
to give yourself to me, / ask for your
future, not for your past o IL the
water OF life. God sent you into the
world with a full pitcher to n me;
that you have on the way given drink
to four thirsty men, Is that a reason
for my finding the water less sweet?
But this / will swear. you have never
given Of that gift but for generous
reasons" IT, %& H '#
"Monsieur."' replied she, confused by
this extraordinary speech. almost on
the verge of tears, your philosophy
confounds me-" '
"Oh, madame, I am only the mouth
piece of a philosopher, the priest Of a
religion. the imitator Of a man divine
because OF his humanity. What love
/ nave for my fellow men and whatever
broadness OF view, was first taught
and given to me by him-Jean Jacques
Rousseau" "
the baroness, "a confession is useless
that is a alf-confession. . What I have
said to you. monsieur, is but the begin
ming. Well, then, listen. The woman
you would marry despite the fact J.
have told o Is a woman weak in
things OF the world-of dress, of gaiety,
Of pleasure-she is spiteful very often
to other women, and she has a passion
for matching what brains she has
against the brains Of men, often in very
petty ways; she is a wonan who does
marrtes her mus be content with her
love; her mind she retains as her own
property, settled upon her before mar
riage. Well, monsieur, what do you
say of such a woman"
only this,' said De Lussac, sinking
on his knees beside her n taking her
hand. "Only this: / love her"
He raised the white tapering fingers
to his lips and kissed them; then pass
ing his arm round her waist n draw
Ing her toward him, their lips met,
chung together; they breAthed each
other. In q moment and at that magic
touch. the passion for him that had
been slowly gathering in her heart be-
came yiyidly alive; his youth, the dawn
Of his life, the s~pringtime Of his man
hood, became part OF her. He had read
her aright--the heart that no man had
touched fully till now had awakened.
The woman of the world was no longer
| khA HNhn manila kknnlH rwan Hn~D1kkAn
for a moment "
Listen to me-" she said, holding him
away from her as though she wished to
gaze at him and touch him at the
same time. You have made me love
you; you bave spoken to me Of love
as q priest might speak OF religion;
let us pause for a moment, even as We
are-would that we could always re-
main even as we are, like people or a
height gazing at a fair country! Tell
me, have you ever cared for another? ?"
For a moment De Lussac vas silent.
You do not answer met"
II do not answer you, because / am
thking how strange It Is that before l
met you / care for another woman, and
that your image entering my mind
shattered her image. destroyed it as a
sunbeam destroys a shadow"
who was it?"
You have seen her today" ~
"Ah! Madame d~'Harlancourt? You do
not care for her still?"
For me, she is not in the world"
He sprang to his feet and Madame
Linden, turning with q little cry, found
that Placide had entered the room.
why did you not knock?" cried the
baroness angrily. rs that the man
ner for a ervan to enter a room?"
Madame" replied Placide, Il did
knock, but you were so preoccupied-'
Hold your tongue!"
Yes, Madame"
&c But stay-why did you come?
I did not ring"
II came, madame, to ask you at what
time you required the carriage to take
you to Compiegne."
AT 2 o'clock. Have everything
ready. You know you are to accom-
pany me?"
He went out and the baroness turned
to her lover.
Fortunately, it was only Placide. One
never minds him. And now, my
friend, sit down beside me here on the
fauteuil, for I have something serious
to say-no, do not take my han until
1 have finished speaking; then take it,
and keep 1t forever, or forever leave it.
Listen: you say you love me-"
Il love you"
You would give up everything for
me?"
"OuiO give up my SOUL.
II ask you for a gift Of far less value.
I ask you to give up your ambition"
Never, for my only ambition is to
possess you"
Now you are talking like a lover,
that is, a person more and yet less than
a man. BY your ambition. ! mean the
intrigues against. the state in which
you are engaged and which will bring
you to ruin. You wish for me, and !
am yours but only ON h condition. that
you leave Paris when ! leave It, Join
me in Vienna, AND forever
these plots M conspiracies which will
end In the ruin Of France and will in
clude your own inevitable ruin"
What you ask from me now is my
SOUL replied the young man., rising and
pacing the floor.
Have II so. / ask for you soul, but
| for no bad purpose. / know you in
timately, as only a woman can know
1.-THE man she loves. I know your am
bition, and ! honor you for 1t. l came
here from Vienna to study the state Of
France; / see all the elements Of dis
aster and ruin; / see a house about to
fall. and l would pluck you from the
ruins" .r# IT..
II, whose whole ambition f. to be n
Of the architects Of that ruin!"
s0Thara are others 10 I'LL YOUR place.