CHAPTER II.,

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 169, 11 September 1886, Page 6

CHAPTER 11.,

DeMillefleure subsided into the armchair, and remained some time in deep reflection "Is shn going mad," he pondered, "or where is she going? Perhaps she ' contemplates planting a genealogical tree, 1 and fancies that 'it will blossom and bear fruit by the eveninjf." Again he sank into abstraction, from whioh,- after* a time, 1 ' he woke up abraptlyi He rose from the chair, ," I'll pay one more visit jrad then return. I am aa curious as a' woman to' know what her plan 1 can be~." • < I 1I 1 < \ <j \ He moved -'tdwards the door with the intention ofgding, bat stopped apon hearing voices outside' *«; ' 1 •.< * -„ \< 1 " No; one' at home, you say ?" inquired a voice. ' 4 -i! ' ;."> ': " ■.! ■ ■ ' •'_ " No; sir," returned another, evidently that of » a- servant, 1 who", thfe next' instant, ushered a visjtor in. "In 'case a' gentleman called,^' explaine'd^the'iserYant, : f • a" gentlesxnah'whoihad re'c©ive(i?o' letter, I wastobeg him to wait until th^returh'of 'the writer". " S*o saying, theservant went out. ,'f „«, •', i "Jfc's very extraordinary," said, the newcomor, turning over a' letter in his handsj and.not noticing !Milleflfeur&. LookiDgup, he- encountered the' 'gaze ' of ' the • Viscount, and both gentlemen bow'ed' formally. "I beg»»your pardon^' isaidithe'Visitbrj with a* gay. air ;i f 'tuiunderstood. there was no one a't>home. master o! thehouaej . I presumed y . '.i/.'t w ," >\"> <ni:'n~, ; 1 > •;-> .'MSfo. 'eir,";returned Millefleurs",* shaking his head tslowly, (^ „.<-,,*;, *u ,u !•■ , ', ?' Some delation ithon''?". inquired the 1 gentleman again. '»i« ,' " "'' ' / \ '.^ [ :*> "None whatever, ih said the 1 Viscount,^,' l » n The other, looked'at him for a;m'oment with a little '..polite Surprise,- 'and <then^ with .a' <x emilQ of amusement^ said, "Possibly,at all, events*, iyou, 6 cans itell : <mB'"Why"iE< oame !hither.>" «■ '< j, U.'< - „,t v,' i- .<• ' .• \i\ur • '♦•Really, sir, ifiyou don't know your own affairs,, it's .not ' very likely tKat J, {should," rtnd the grandmaster drew up hiia shoulders slightly,- rubbed his hands together slowly,' •smiled-elightly and bowed again.. ■ *«1(« 1( »« \ Vlamquite aware thatiweare ßtran^ersi'," resumed' the visitor^'', U,■> 7 >ys,t >M ?M . ">i]prfwh[ich Veaao.n il^ihavQ^he/hdnbur to jwishiyou aivery'KOodi'mqrning.^s.'ansWered 'MUlqfleurs. -' J Both f gentlemen' bowed;<and, ; ,v ,. i?,-1 <w*}pi?\ iif;i<Th«.-riew' atrriyijij ,whjenvths ,Viscbuhtiiiad, I- gone#) lbokeddohoe^mokeiat ntherdett'er! v andj yj'^i^l'i^ •f^.fii.JU'.i' A^^*^j^ ( ;,f

VVnat-jdoea -air^his *meanr* he said,. m o one at home, .a,«. gentleman Wno is no re> fej*?! 0 ' and a S? r tapK^MjJP 0W8 nothing. ■*12fc5. ?** man whp is thoroughly ruined, caa Is^'lmiSo^ eXpla&ib)i AtJfifc" Boole. 1 " '•'»"•■ iUl'SMV.'jjqft * «m*w u£nx: 'bat wßich'he^laced'on tKe' "flWheVtK© *enteitnbfe > r ilria^HVid, f forg6tW-to'%ake wh'eh ;he had left'tp' r g6 In 'search "of *t^ Sfeward 'HWas^busily engaged' iri^counWtfg'bveSr•ybme mbnQf tba'tfHe did not- perceive the door-post against whlcfcT'ne ran-hi's, he'atf, 'nor' his h.£ft''updn S#hi6h he 1 unmercifully trod, '-•'•;,' '• >; '♦•*•» . «n« >!l / ' ' "Thiais"tbe house 1 f,6£ ready nt'on'e r y,"k'e criea/indusbriously rubbitfg'his'head'wtfere. he 1 had str'uekit. '+ " ■ »-' '- '> ■'-ri> * « Ha j I'm glad to hoar that;" * siif d the • newcomer, dropping hie book. - "Stop, my tiaan' j 1 wfio is^ the of this houee^" iri'quired v he' pleasantly ; ' ' ! .' • > ' > ' .«-?;<; -ti n X The /cobbler looked up; nothaivirigrlobke'd for anyone the/e. "Encouraged" by 1 : tEe ' gentlerria'h's 'manner? he ventured' t'o^retilvv "TheWistress, shf." " ' ' • q■ " ""That's very often the case," iau^tfed 'the gentleman. - f!1 f • ' ." >■,;"'■■<^ f • V Good, 'sir, very good indeed -"but 'In this case f th'erei3 no ma3ter. iy - J «"' ' c^-'n '• VM Oho !". said the other Hinder hisbreatH, ," a lady ! This grows interesting." <> - - "What a ' nice-looking ''gentleman 1" thought Crepm,|"and, what remarkably neat. >8hoe8'!"' ; - :';: ' ; •■' "/»• >.'.v ,'j 1 "Is the lady handsomer' inquired tKa gentleman: ' <• > ■' j- i - . ~ " Uglier people have' been thought so,'" ' was the cobbler's' polite answer!. • .' f "You are a merry ddg," said th'e -Visitor, 3truck with the cobbler's reply: '" I' like this fellow,'' said he quietly. J> ; " He's very familiar, "thought the'inender of soles j " I'll try for his'custom." '* la this lady rich ?" questioned theother. ■ r ■ „ "Rich?" cried Crepin :- "wonderful!* bless you, sir, she's all over money. She's the celebrated Madame Jtfortenee Bertrand, the widow of one of the richest merchants in France. ' " * - , , 1 "It's her house, is it?" said the! visitor. "I know all about her. And what are you ?" ' . > ■ '•'..» "A< cobbler," meekly said Crepin, -'at your service." " A cobbler ?" inquired the other, ■ ; " Yes, sir* I was going to take the very great liberty of asking for your custom." 1 ' " You shall not' have it," said^the gentleman Btnilingi ■ > , > . The artisan looked a little daehed at this. He made bold to inquire after a pause, " Might I venture to ask your reaebn ?" " Because I like it," aaid the visitor. - " Would you consider me very bold if L said that's very odd." "Not at all bold," said the gentlemen, smiling, "but it isn't odd." •• >> i The cobbler looked ha if he could not make it out: He heaitatad, 1 shuffled with hia feet, and then said : "* You'll thinkme very .impudent, but if I die 'for it I must ask — why not?" " Because," said 'the visitor, rising and with a loss of gaiety and more of earnestnessin hia tone than before, ''because I think you an honest tfellow, and I know I should never pay you. I was rich — I am— ruined. "' "Not you, sir. Tradesmen are ruined sometim9s, gentlemen never. I'll venture to say, now, the shoes you have on are paid for." ." ■ • ' * The gentleman laughed! "Indeed they are not," he said, "and I've' nearly worn them out." " But," suggested Crepin, " you can get help from your friends." "No, 5 said the other meaningly "'IV©; quite worn them out." " Come what will," persisted the cobbler, "I shall be proud to tako your order." " Then you shall," he was answered, "but mind, 1 warn you, you're mad." The gentleman pulled out his card- case. [ " There's my card,"; 9aid he, giving ,it. Crepin, upon his pare, had produced ft section of cardboard, rather dusky and somewhat redolent of cobbler n wax. " What' 3 this?" ejaculated the gentleman,, looking hard at the artisan's pasteboard. "Oh 1" cried the cobbler in alarm andstaring at the gentleman.. "Crepin— cobbler," pursued the gentleman in amaze. 11 Frontignac— Marquig," gasped the* cobbler. They faced one another with mutual aetonishment. - "My creditor ?" blandly inquired the Marquis, w.alkiog up to the cobbler. "My property !" eaid Crepin, mopping his brow with a red something which passed for a handkerchief. '* I've had a narrow escape." „, > , "Hem," said Frpntignac, reflectively,, with hia hands behind his back and looking down upon his owner. "I don't know that — you only offered to^find me in shoes, but, as the law v makeB me your property, you'rebound to find me in everything;" " Don't talk nonsense, sir," implored Crepin, drawing back in deprecation. "I humbly beg yourpardbri," he added louting,low; " I mean, don't say so, my lord Marquis. I wanted my money, I didn't want you, and why the law gave you to me I don't know. I haven't the slightest idea what to do with you now I've got youV 1 " Of, course I'm proved to be the owner of" a nobleman, but as tp keeping you it's the most 'infernal *I be,g your lordship's pardon, I can't do it." And the little manalmost cried r *''", , ' "', ' "And ybu'sh'ariti" said the Mar'ojurs," reassuringly and slapping the cobbler on the shoulder. "You're' -a worthy/ honest fellow, and I'm truly sorry I can't pay you> every farthing I owe you." ' '••'*' ' " (Jan you pay any of it ?" said Crepin with a shadow of hope. : „y, •• " Noi" pi-omptly said the Marquis } " butI would if I could, and that's something. ",So it,' is,'! assented Crepin pensively and shaking his head to one side : "it ehowa a. kind foeling."' v ' * , "You've suffered enough from my extravagance," vvent oh thenbtildm'an' j " don't be fool" enough' to suffer any moreV 3 Send trie to prison. 1 " " V( " * '' ! ' s "• '/"I'll be damned " — '-^ stoutly , began 'Crepjh; "I humbly beg; pafr'dbn-^l'll >do nothing of the sort. T Betfd 1 a n'obfeman' to. prison, and above all a nobleman who would p>y r me if hecould ? Basidesj dan' I 1I 1 forget that when I 'offend youcredit Just now, you. nobly "refused'"'ifcV'b'ecause jfou knew you couldn't 1 pay 'me? "Idall'that the act of an 'honest moD} and l catoh 'me,', cobbler aat[ ara- ■ seeding' «n * honest man ' to' gaol/ and he paused; panting with eloquence and con'tfpimjrvirtue: •-" • lHi "•» « -'« 1- ' '"Crepifa," 1 said ( Frontignac ! 'smiling at the'cobbler's dutburst, 1 but touched with -it f6r v 'all that: "you ' are' (J the prince of there^ 1 nothing o ' man^ may do whiohl W6h'6;dd x t 6 get the' f means of" paying you. l^^" '-v*.; 1 ' ■ •' '> '<'■{/«' i '•• YbuYe a'glorious'fellpw," aaid' the'db.Weftitocl Crepin? >nd K©' V«a : goiW^ td-stlate -the Matig[uid/lt>y>tho hand, 'bU^he'cWcl?ed 'himself %rfd^cbh*tiiiued'a^'olbget;ically/ "I beg l^6uir^'paraonlW*^ 4 ■?'''' "■« ' ; f^ 1 N&y^' aaid Fi'ontignaq] "iU6an'hurtno. , imanito shake an; honest' hand^' took Ofepin^h^d'Qrsfc .pi^offe/rea ftndHHehfcwithclrkwn.' V i'^ftth^vrftxVj? 1 ' !h* mutttredrruhriing His ; perf umedevhandkir-

™ I hear » nrmge," he raid aloud ; 7se|fe r 4* The JgfKJßUL call* mpj fMltf that* one tu6 <lOOr» ,' * {*>, ' » • ' '. l "./"*rsß«tl*Be^Kfolfget fh'owitotich I pwe ( J "ThatV inpttjqr|">i^ Cresn,>nd he out, taking his b^tterej Hat with him. Scarcely ;had he leftrwhen [Madame Bert'rand retvy^qd/ and entered' the room 'where T %e Marquis wm \- , *{'.' i ■ J.j .. .'^ ! .t. t '•JRo^r i ,fpr thejinyaiier^," eaid FrontlgnW sotto oocc.; as he bowed. , „ , „\ / ". Hojtonie smiled, curtsied, and said: f **The,Mwgiw $c F(pntignac, v I ; believe.'*,' „ he, aud^ 'ackWw,ledged' to himself jthat the mistress of the "mansion waj.a /very, pretty^ woman.',, J prejßume I aSdreasthe.writerofifiis letter^'! and, h© .offered the document he had re- ' ceived. ,, • ] ' ' , n " . ~ •* Yet," said Hbrten&e, taking $rid placing -,it jon the table,; "it astonishes you. ho ;>bH",V ;•;.-,•: * « „,~ '* \ r . ''vThote, are npt;tim6B to be' astonished, at anything, e«pecialiy •in TParis,'' gaily re'•narked JTfontignae j "bu£~l w*j^» your pleasure for an. explaDatidn." „':,., * . / ' "Yqu^M 1 yery.'kiqd," t sb'e rejoined j ."••Bhall we"*ripfe"sit ,ddwn?".'The Marquis tookf,a neat at the table opposite to the widow, who placed in* front of Her a legallooking paper. , „ , r ** Have, you studied our sex much ?" she inqaired. "* * % [ ' lt Enough to know perfection when I see it, ■' and he bowed his application of the remtirli with impressiveneßS. < Madame, Bertrand, dropping her .glance .without, smiling, eaid, with a slights cough, ** !No I bee. I sent for you on ..business. You have perhaps observed that our minds, once made up, are , not easily turned." ' "* l4 It is an 1 observation that has 'long since passed into a proverb," said' Frohtignac. ' ■'■ ..... •'•'** Men usually either live within their incomes or having once exceeded, pet ' ho -bounds to their extravagance/' 7 said the a 'widdw.\ The Marquis looked steadfastly ' ■at V-HortefteeV -Horteftee ; she was a pretty woman, Mcertainly, but her remarks were bocomingpersonal in their application and the situation, ;"was' becomibg a trifle strained '* '^Itwpulfl seem' that you have studied «B, ' he replied. ' ""I have studied you. You are a rained .-main',"- ' --k . A red 'flush overspread the features af* the nobleman. " Emuse me, I have too much pride, ; 'he commenced, but the lady stopped him. i ,' ■' - i *' Say, rather, too little. It issomewbat ■ late- for a nobleman to talk of pride, who has been adjudged in servitude to a cobbldr.' This was said witnout the urbanity 'which takes' from, or the emphasis which ■adds to the meaning of words alone. The Marquia was moved by them, and he rose., '* If, mad ame, your only- object is to insult my * misfortuoee^-" ' but the lady stopped him orioe more. . \ • t ■ i t " Pray" sit down,Tny lord, such is not my object.' • ■ • , • • . "You must feel unhappy," eaid Hortense. • * * Ido," he returned, briefly. " Degraded," she added. . ' • i - 11 1 feat' so," said he, > shrugging ' his €houlders)< • n 14,1 4, • " No doubt/ said Hortense,' as if it were an everyday affair. ■ 'I am rich, and I would -give you the means of paying jf our debts, and of living with credit' for' the .:!'.••■.' ... The nobleman looked at her keenly and asked, "Why this great interest in my welfare ?" and he drew his chain closer.- \ ' • **I am about to tell you," Bhe said without a particle of the romantic interest which Frontigoac might have expected. "Perhaps before' we go any further I ought to mention that my debts 'are large,", eaid he. " Their amount is of no consequence." Frontignac was puzzled. "The cobbler waß right." be thought ; " she must be ' all' over money." Hortense took as little account of his hesitation as she had done of his passion. ** You noble, but poor," she resumed. *' Few more noble, "said the nobleman with gloomy pride ; "none more' poor." ' *• lam wealthy, but a commoner. I propose an interchange" of advantages.." The ilarquie, sniiled., ** I dojt't exactly ace hp'w'thisis to be accomplisheti." looked quietly, across the table at him^ and said coolly : " And yet the way is simple -- marriage " Frontigaac jumped up with every mark of astonishment. ", Madame !" he almost ' shbuied, and , then ' murmured to himself xrith what breath remained to him, "Mercy on us she frightens me." ' ! , " You seem alarmed," said the widow. ' ..Somewhat recovered, the nobleman confeesed that the proposition was ' somewhat startling. "" **!Ana yet," pointed out the lady, " you look*' greater dangers in the face without flinching." Frontignac leaned hie head on one hand. *f That's very true," he acknowledged to himself, "poverty, persecution, a prison perhapgjjfcr all, my creditors, won't be;liKe that fine old cobbler. Where the deuc9 can she have seen me to fall ' so desperately in love with *m« ?" and Tie stole, a 9ide glance. 1 " She's even better-lookind: "than I thought!",/ ' '"'.-;, fio we ver desperately in love with him the widow might have been, it was wfih'a very inercsintife air that fhe aeked "Well, Mar* gui«, what say you ?" fi If, I were 1 as' much in love with Tier, I cou'dn't be so composed as ehe is/ he went ou in thought. ' ! "I wait your answer/ said' Hortense pointedly. . .-6 . "I mußt own," replied Frontignac, " that your proposal is at once tempting 'and flattering. My^poverty, yonr beauty." "I 'reckon more upon the first than the second/' i Broke in Horteneo with 1 polite decieion, "Which proves your modesty/, and Frontigriac'bowed and, rose, u an aditional claim to my admiration." • ' '' *^ Don't let us run the risk^ of talking about, love when the question ia J &imply marriage," said Hortenee, alsd rising. The nobleman looked surprised. "'Mdrriftgo— not love !" he said to' himself. ' ."Do you," said; the 'widow with the manner of' one expects a positive answer, "do yon entertain my-proposi-tion?". „ \ '? I do !" he said, "and in one week from this time ~" : * " ' f • l- •* Excuse' s,ine/'s ,ine/' interrupted Hortense, "but I 'm'ait 'Have- 'ah 'with'ouit c^lf&y.,^ . , '„"' "*' •'"'.' "' TW' Marqufeiielt as if his* breath had been taken , away." '*' She's* ndadl^ in love with ,n»e?'. he ,mi|^eT§d. "'*? By" tblstyery evening then/ he ad'aSd aloud;, 1 ' "J" J ! ' .The: lady^av^e;., h ! lm, %nitilk '■ smiir of superiority; "^Y^ti* drin^Wde'r4tand^me yet;, my words were .' without delayA'V?'* '}&& o^l^ldWt^h.el%i?in|fiofm&e' fcry; u Xb it yea orna ♦" - : -* b * f *w»* ? tr % f.i?»n© t Inßh.e^ypaHon'theM^quls^rnod toXitbe; ipdy>H*»^y4r^ifimi|lyf revett" the; wretch cond«a3hed tdexecutidn isallowedfive* Miautct to??--; lUTpraywe/^ I aek; buV'a"

J the Marqu^^ith^himaelf;" either; way' 1 [ipM'piy ;ttb«sj£,6$ i marriage !q be^than a prison, 'one can get" out 'sometimes. B|esides, I have n.o s other engagement^, and any woman will bet^ye well, if she's. treated well." lfor a' moment or Two he 'cogitated fujther^arid 'theji * said, aloud/ ' .'flortense/J^n'o kad , meanw hile* occupied herself with "a book, 'rose, and, said,herself with exultation, /'I go to bh'e ffide. to-night * k Marquie," ahe saidraddroßaing* the noble >iari, ** there" is my hand.!' ' He took' It 'and klssed.lt with fervour., ',"<>., "«• You are of cburiV,'4w t are," he suggested, V jbKat a contract ( oi marriage will be neces* ; Vt^u-^ ll .tfnd"'it; on '^at J&bie " she said, pointing !V^ c legal-looking dpoument she, had brought in. 'i"" J " Sfee.b^ggaVa me, > I '^ftid*Frontlgnac. * „ " llfopi t wiB^yq|ir lawyer^ tb.perriwA&" forty lawyers, wjtiawu^be anxiou^ pp-see.it go f; lovg, i^blinCtnd ;1,l ( indfy ril'.sigP." H^ g4t a,ovf n\ at tlxe table, .'opened the co,njbract, and looked for "the place to' Sign.' And/noWj" just when everything she had planned' for had come out as eh 6 wished , with woman's perversity, Ilotten.se felt her courage falter. She looked at him nadre kindly than befqre. ''His generbtfe'^onfidence almost drives me from my purpose, Could, I but have known h)s nature, the contract should have been in other terms jit is not too late yet." Thus reflecting with herstlf, she went 'up to the Marquis and , gently laid her hand upon his arm. " Hold, Marquis, you, must not, sliall not sign," she eaidl „" Oh 1 you are thinking of your wealth, and repent already that anyone should share it with you t*' he' said half in aseertion, half in^nterrpj^ation. , •' You areunjusfc, said the lady aggrieved at the ijarquis'i? tone. ""' "No one can more readily part with it. '* Provided, 1 suppose, you receive a sufficient conaide'ration. lam vain enough to think that in this oase you 'will, kememberi I am abput to make' the merchant's widow a MarchioneßsJ' - .*'Sign, then," she said' at once, u and rievor forget yourself recalled it to my recollection." The took up the pen and signed. "There!" he exclaimed with \an air of relief ; "we must now fix a day for the marriage.^' '•I have already fixed this 'day." said Hortepse. , * Good graoioiis. I, must at once send for my friends. " " My* friends," urged the future'marchioness, " wMI be our witnesses. Anticipating your conseni'l have arranged all " "I shull be a married man before I know where 1 am, ' thought Fronti^ina. ''Excuse 'mSj 7 mv lord," ?aid t the widow ; "I must make some Blight alteration in my drees." t The Marquis ' seemed recalled to himself by theee words. " Talking 'of 1 dress, this: 'coat won't do; it's deuced awkward to ask 1 her, but I wish she Would 'fend me a little of my own moAey to get another," he said in an aside. '""''',' . He paused. ; The couragetof ihe Marquis was beyond question, and he would have met a challenger with- far more eqanimity -than he did^this difficulty * With a prelimnary cough he began /' My "flerir— ?l when a x eiern 'look 'from his prospective" epouso pulled htm lip. •♦ MAdetne,"' he resumed, " soade change in myattire Will berequisite, "' and he regarded her with the 'air of one 1 who ! prbpoud ds a problem; Not a trace of hesitation was visible on ( the widow'B part. , ( *"I have thought' of that also. Your 1 tailor will 1 be here immediately. You ccc, Marquis,' j^ou'h'ave a very provident ' wife." More surprised than' eOer, the' Marquis could only murmur, •* She's • a' 1 wonderful woman !"'an'd then a^eure the lady that he would be 1 all impatience' until they met again.' In return he was 'assured that the -interval would not be long, salutations stately and of the old school wereexbbanged, and the nobleman was left to Ms reflections. (To be' Continued.)