CHAPTER III. A DELICATE NEGOTIATION.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 131, 5 December 1885, Page 5

CHAPTER 111. A DELICATE NEGOTIATION.

Within another quarter of an hour the secretary of embassy stopped before the ancient steps of an old fashioned house. A tiny page appeared at the head of them ; Malissof sert in his name, and was shown into a drawingroom as old fashioned as the external architecture. Mademoiselle Pelagic Simeanot was a large, fair-haired woman, very much freckled. Her maid had consoled her under this annoyance by a reiterated assurance that only the most delicate complexions were liable to freckles, in fact, they were a sort of guarantee of the fineness of the skin. Pelagic had at length come to believe and even to repeat this— to the great delight of all the mischievous tongues in her part of the country. On a couch, blocked in, according to ancient precedent, by a heavy immovable table, sat a lady in black, very simple both in dress and manner. Half concealed behind her was a modest young girl, whose face, partly turned towards the door, became suffused with blushes as the handsome stranger entered ; she cast down her oyes immediately and never raise.! them till ehe took her leave. Malissof, struck by tho grace of this youth tul face, was forgetting to announce his name and standing, but Pelagic, accustomed to the ways of the world, awaited the announcement with such a look of interrogation as to remind her visitor at once of tho part ho had to play. IS Anton Petrovitch Maliesof, your neighbour and humblo servant, mademoiselle," said he. "I am delighted to see you in this part of the country," returned Pelagic promptly; " Monsieur Malissof, my neighbourMadame Berlaguine, and her daughter Eugenic." Introductions having thus taken plapo, conversation began. Madame Berlaguine was as simple as hor style of dress; she spoke just enough not to seem taciturn, and little onough not to prevent her hostess from going through the never onding chaplet of her domestic adventures. Mademoiselle Eugenie did not say one word. At the end of ten minutes, Madame Berlaguine rose. "What, you aro never thinking of | going !" oxclairaed Pelagic. "Do you not intend dining with us ?" "I am sorry to be obliged to decline;! my old friond Madamo Pajarof is expecting us. Will you come too ?" "We are not on good terms," roturned Mademoiselle Pelagio in a tart manner, which formed a droll contrast to her large round cheeks, framed expressly for good humour. "Ah!" rejoined Madame Berlaguine, remembering possibly that Mademoiselle Simeonof was often not on terms with someone or other, " That is a pifcy." The ladies oxchanged a few compliments, and then Mademoiselle Pelagic accompanied her visitors to the top of the steps. While they were getting into their carnage, Malissof had time to examine tho drawingroom. Some sentimental songs were displayed on the piano, as well as that inevitable " Priere dune Vierge," which no mortal, be he handsome as Apollo and more valiant than Achilles, can hopo to evade. Lamartine's "Harmonies," lying open at the most pathetic page, ale* indicated as sentimental turn of mind. Waliasof saw no more, for Pelagic re entered the room. "You were just speaking of Madame Pajarof," said he. Pelagie's smile 3 vanished from her sunburnt face to make way for an improssion of offended dignity. "Madame Pajarof has not behaved well to vie," said she, with a tart air which sat so drolly on her. "Ihavo come," replied Malissof, "like the dove in the ark, to bear the olive branch." The lady's yellow face reddened and softened " I shall have all the more pleasure in listening to you," said she, with the greatest urbanity. " Can you refuso to make a pair of true lovers happy? said Malissof, taking the bull by the horns, as we say. "It i* not 1 who refuse!" oxclaiinod Pelagic "It is Anna Karpovna who will not listen to reason. Why should I make her a present of Dounia ? She is a very good dairy-maid, and besides she embroiders towola to perfoction. I don't see why I should offer such a present to Madame Pajarof, who has never done anything to please me, and said such disagreeable things tho other day that—" " 1 have come on purpose to beg you to forget them," said Malissof gently. " Well, then," returned Pelagic, seizing: on her advantage, "let her give me hexwoodman !" " But her woodman has his value," urged the diplomatist. " And do you think that my dairy-maid is worth nothing?" rejoined tho irascible lady. "Really, sir, I am surprised that you can come here and talk in this way." Then it dawned on Malissof that the wrong might not be entirely on Madame Pajarof 's side, and he made mental apologies for haring judged rashly. "I am afraid, mademoiselle, said he, 11 that I must have expressed myself badly. Madame Pajarof never had the least intention of asking you to act against your own interests; she wishes to propose an exchange." • . " I don't waut any of her girls, "returned Pelagic. " They aro too much of fine ladiea for us, their extravagant habits don't suit me." Pelagic was miserly— just the opposite of her neighbour -and was severe on what she termed " wasteful habits. " "la there no way of arranging the matter?" suggested Maliesof quietly, reverting to the sacred customs of diplomacy. Pelagic gave a questioning glance, which suddenly became tender, cast down her eyes, and took her fan from off the table. " I don't quite know how I am to take your words," said she. An absurd idea flashed across Anton Petrovitoh'a mind. No one Is perfect I He put on his most fascinating manner, leaned over the left arm oi. his chair (the side next his heart), and murmured in a low voice* '* Can your tender heart be inaccessible to pity?"

Pelagte began to fan herself gently. " What do you mean ?" said she coquettishly. " These young people are io love with one another," pursued Malissof; "do you know what love is, mademoiselle?" Pelagic blushed, cast down her eyes again, nnd remained silent. Malissof went on, gliding by degrees into the moat romani tic language. "Do you know," said he, " that love penetrates into the humblest cot, that it spares shepherds no more than kings — that it can make a man a hero or convert him into a criminal?" Pelagic, whose face had lighted up with noble pride at the word "hero," Bhivered slightly at that of "criminal," and her hand, which was also much freckled, kept the fan in a constant flutter. "Think, mademoiselle, "resumedMalissof, still bending to the left, And with a slight tremor in his voice, " think how this poor woodman loves—." At this point it occurred to him that the word dairy-maid was quite unromantic, bo he set his brain to work, and hit on the word "shepherdess," as, poetical as the other was the reverse —"how he loves this ehepherdoss," he continued, " and how the ravages of this passion are as dangerous in their offect on the minds of these men of the — " woods, he was about to say, but fearing this word might suggest the orang-outang to Mademoiselle Pelagie's wandering fancies, he substituted, after some slight hesitation, the word "fields," — "on the minds of these men of the fields as in the hearts of the dwellers in cities." "Do you think so ?" murmured the lady. This question gave Malissof time to draw breath after his long sentence. "Do I think so ?" exclaimed he emphatically. " You, mademoiselle, who are secured from the storms of pa?sion by your pure life " — Pelagic sighed -"and by your charming virtues "—Pelagic" — Pelagic cast down her eyes and smiled — "even you must have read in the newspapers of a thousand instances of such fatal infatuations." "Then you believe in love?" returned Pelagic bravely, bringing two blue eyes with rather prominent whites to bear on the speaker. •' As firmly as in my own existence !" cried Malissof with the heroism of despair. "This couple," added he to himself, "will owe me more than they can ever repay !" Polagie went on fanning herself and heaved another sigh. "Come," resumed our hero, "can you be inexorable ?" " You invoke the noblest sentiments of our nature," replied Pelagic. " I am forced to lower my flag. You spoke, if lam not mistaken, of some arrangement. What does Madame Pajarof offer me in exchange for Macha ?" "Twenty roubles," rejoined Malissof, with imperturbable assurance. Pelagic went on for some seconds fanniug herself. "Plague take her," thought the visitor, " shall I be forced to go on the tack of the pathetic again 1 ' " Twenty ioubles in silver ?" said Pelagic, breaking in upon his perplexity with her shrill voice. " In paper !" cried the negotiator. "You must be jesting. Anton Petrovitcb, no one reckons in paper now ; at least, / have never beon accustomed to such calculations ' "What a fib !" thought Malissof, "how young are you trying to make yourself out? In your childhood, and maybe in your girlhood, you never heard of any other kind of calculation. Allow me," resumed he aloud. " 1 shall want ffty roubles in cash and three milch cow?," declared the lady in a determined tone. "I have no authority to treab on such conditions." said Anton Petrovitch, rising ; "lean only regret," added he, taking up his hat, " that I have disturbed you by my inopportune call " "He is going," thought Pelagic, " and he is such a handsome fellow ! And there are so few young bachelor.-* in this neighbourhood ! I will give in !" said the irascible lady to herself, probably for the first and last time in her life. " Anton Petrovitch," aaid she aloud, in a softened tone which gave her voice the peculiar flavour of pickles 3uddenly plunged into sweet cream, " listen bo me." Malissof stood still, but took care not to put his hat down ; this would have given liis fair antagonist an advantage. " Lob us say forty roubles in silver," proseeded Pelagic in a tone calculated to soften x stone. "I have no authority," repeated Malis?of. "Thirty-five," resumed the lady, "but Madame Pajarof must give me two milch :ows." "Impossible, mademoiselle. Forgive mo For having intruded." " Thirty roubles and two co\*s," sighed Pelagic in hey sweetest voice, "and the loss will be on my side. I assure you that [ shall be the loser, for Macha is a capital :lairy-maid, she understands her business thoroughly." "Madame Pajarof will not ratify my terms, 1 fear," resumed the ambassador, " but I will offer you thirty roubles in silver and one cow ; that is all I can promise." "Be it so," said the old maid with a gracious smile. "I am giving her away, but one is willing to sacrifice anything to retain such an agreeable acquaintance !" The triumphant tvtalissof bowed and reburned her smile with one equally or still more gracious. " Let us be friends," she continued, extending her hand with a theatrical air of dignity. Malissof left a diplomatic kiss on the wrinkled hand of his new friend, and a breaty of peace was thus ratified by the rival powers. Pelagic appeared so thoroughly at her Base and so much delighted with her visitor that he thought it prudent to make a speedy retreat. He had some difficulty in making his escape, for she wanted to keep him to dinner. " You will see my young sisters," said Mademoiselle Simeonof, "they are such nice girls." Malissof, however, was not to be detained even by this delightful prospect ; he was atill fresh from the fight, and longed to roport the success of his mission to Madame Pajaiof. Declining the invitation, he contrived to escape, but not without giving a promise to come again. '•Tell Madame Pajarof that I will come and take tea with her to-morrow," said Pelagic, accompanying her visitor to the head of the stops. '" I shall hope to meet you there, and we will arrange a day for the wedding." Malissof laughed more than once as he drove along, lees at the part he had played than at Ihe errand itself, and this sense of the ridiculous wag still on him as when he entered the courtyard. Madame Pajarof had b6en waving a handkerchief from her window evor since he entered the avenue ; he too hoisted the white flag, plucked a twig from a birch-tree, and entered the drawing-room bearing his pseudo olive branch. , " Thirty roubles and a cow ! announced he solemnly: "if I have exceeded my powers, august sovereign, I will pay tne difference without a murmur, for I have had a great deal of fun." . A timid hand touched the piano, playing the first few notes of the wedding-march in the "Midsummer Night's Dream,' and every one burst out laughing. Malissot turned round and recognised with pleasure the pretty, reserved face which he had met 1 an hour before at Pelagie's.

Madame Berlaguine began to reprove her (laughter for her unseemly interruption, but Madame Pajarof interposed. " Con&e," aaidahe, "is it the child's fault if she is witty to the very tip of her fingers ? She cannot help herself ! Come here, my pet j if your mother scolds you, hide behind my chair and pluck my sleeve, I will protect you 1" "iam sorry, neighbour, that you have no children," returned Madame Berlaguine. " I shall never be able to repay your kind offices !" The general's heavy step was heard, and aa he entered the room, he burst into a laugh at the sight of tho olive branch which Mfflissof still held in his hand. " You have been successful," said he ; "let us sit down to table, and you shall give us the whole history over dinner. It is sure to have been comical." {To he Continued.)