Chapter V.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 576, 29 January 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

Chapter Y.

Aptke two or three months, spent nt Fresnes, in the enjoyment of their mutual lore, M. and Mme. de Rias removed to Paris where they established themselves in a little house belonging to Lionel, in the Rue Vanneau. Mmc Fitzgerald returned at the same timo to her rooms in the Bue de la Chaussee d'Autin. Tbs was some distance Irom the residence of lier daughter, but it was a qniet part of the city, and Mme. Fitzgerald had become accustomed to it by long residence. The truth was that the Faubourg St. Germain, T>y its comparative solitude brought to^ forcibly to her mind the peacofnl quiet of the country, a quiet which Mme. Fitzgerald had always held in extreme horror It was in the first days of February in the following Winter, and the honeymoon had not yet began to wane with the young couple, when one morning Mmc de Rias ■ent furtively for her mother in a delicate little note Mme. Fitzgerald hastened to the Rue Vannean. After a mysterious conference with her daughter, she sought M, de Rias, who was working in his library. Her eyes were moist, but her face was Tadiant. ' Marie,' she said to him in a voice strong with emotion, 'is pot very ttell this mornine, but the trouble i» not serious — not at all serious. With the natural timidity of a young girl she did not dare to tell you herself, Go, mv friend; go and embrace the mother of your unborn child ' M. de Rias looked troubled. 'Is she ■uffering?' he asked anxiously. • She is in perfect health. She is not affected in the least. Go and embrace her, T tell you. Go and embrace her.' Xiionel hastened to perform this agreeable duty, while Mrne. Fitzgerald walked llowly across the library, fanning herself gently with a handkerchief which scented all the air around with a delicious perfume. A few minutes hter a happy family party assembled at the breakfast table. There j was Mme. Fitzgerald, proud of her daugb- | ter and gazing on her with a look of tender triumph. Mine, de Rais, secretly proud of herself, exhibited a combinat'on of gayety and confusion quite charming Lionel watched bis wife admiringly, and read in her face for the first time the beaming consciousness of motherhood. The interesting event which had just beea officially announced was the source of more than one kind of satisfaction to M. de Rias. Not only was his natural family pride flattered, but at the same time emotions of a generom sensibility were awakened in his soul. It seemed also to pu an end to that first period of his marriage ■which Lionel had accepted with a good grace, but which he now began ardently to wish was closed. That period had been naturally devoted to the amusement of his young wife, and particularly to those worldly pleasure* which possess for a wife the attractions of the forbidd -n fruit. He had taken her to the minor theatres with her cousin De Moses ; he had taken her to balls and to hunting parties. He hai erra. escorted her in hor wedding visits although the circle of Ik r friends seemed to him unnecessarily ex'ended. Among these various amusements which engaged the attention of Madame de R>as there were many for winch Lionel, like many other men, had long since lost all taste. Ho very seldom paid visits on his own account. He had once been an irdeai admirer of dancing; but now he wondered that he could ever have spent hit valuable time in c iltivating such follies ; find society reunions, especially those where dancing wis indulged in, were pimply insupportable to him He still went to the theatre occasionally, but usually as a blase dilletunte — that is behind .the scenes- Inspired by his love for his young wife he hid since the marnage, Returned in a measure to the amusements <bf his youthful days. This phase of hjfs life had been accepted like everything else in the programme laid down 'for his wedding. But he never intended to continue these distasteful pursuits, and he had been long thinking and dreaming of the proper way in which to settle down into true domestic happiness. This fortunate indisposition of Mme. de Biai had now come providentially to solve this problem for him. Some fears still tormented him. He was afraid that his wife, stopped suddenly in her youthful career of p'easure, in the very midst of the gay Paris senson, might pine and even rebel against the proceeding. In this he was mistakan. If he had his programme, his wife also had hers, and tne event which had just happened was a part of it. She bad always seen a cradle in tho midst of her wedding gifts. Far from endeavouring to conceal her condition she imparted her maternal hopes to all her friends, and watched for all symptoms of their realization with an innocent prid* which was very touching to witness. She gave up without he>itation her evening parties. She received all her visitors attired in a flowing wrapper and reclining languidly in a largo easy chair. Theie things were of course very pleasing to Lionel. Such a complete, and amiable resignation to the severe rules which he had intended to ordain left him scarcely a chance to doubt that in M'lle Fitzgerald he had found that ideal which had ever been his dream— which is the dream of all true men — a perfect woman Well satisfied with the present, he cast a mo«t hopeful eye on the future. Indeed, what cause could possibly arise to weaken that union which every day in the past had but served to strengthen. On the part of his wife there was nothing to fear. Hp had studied her well. She wits noble and true to him. Her instincts were all those of an honourable womtn •trengthened by a careful education and the example of an unusually scrupulous mother. She loved hr>r husband, and nothing was wanting in her which could aid in securing his attachment. Beautiful in face and figure, she whs not lesT so in conversation. Ht only defect wni the evident insufficiency of Ler intellectual education. From many circumstances Lionel had discovered that the knowledge of his wife on matter* of h mtory and literature was extremely v u But eveu in this ignorance there was something Eiquant, and M. de Rias often amused imself at the queer fancies of his wife. As for himself, he had looked into his heart thoroughly, and he belinved himself

neither guilty nor capable of committing those errors generally attributed to husband* whose own f.m'ts have b^en the cause of their misfortune. He was worthy of the affection of any woman, and he had conquered, without doubt, M>c heart of his wife. By whaL possible means could that heart ever become alienated from him? Ho was not avaricious, and had allowed a liberal sura for his wife's spending money and the care of the house. He was not blind, and no could keep from his saloa those dangerous friends for whom so many husbands seemed to SPfk. He loved his wife and had no temptation to wrong; and trouble her by setting up rivals to her i affection. In short, on his own «ide as as well as on that of Madame de Rias, he only saw, after a patient examination, guarantees of a peaceable union aud lasting happiness. Though a man of elegant habits, Monsieur do Rias was also a man of study. He had at one time made a sucep«sful debut in the field of diplomacy; but he had suddenly left that profession to go and live with his mother when she became a widow. After this season of idleness, which bore heavily on his mind, he undertook the preparation of a mysterious book, which it was understood would never leave his own hands until it was ready for publication. It was a history of French diplomacy in the eighteenth century. To this somber work, often retarded, and often interrupted by the cares of a life in the world of fashion, Lionel hid always promised himself to give his entire attention, whenever by marriage his life became more regular and his fireside more attractive. That day having come, he kept his word and passed much of his time among the dusty archives of foreign diplomatic aff.iirs gathering materials, which ho classified and transferred to his greaf? work m the library. As a diversion from this hard labor, M. de Rias returned to some of those habits which had at one time seemed to him almost indispensable, and which can be honorably practiced by a married man. A conuoisseur in matters of art and a lover of manly sports, he loved to follow the movements of Parisian life in its varied and never ceasing manifestations. He loved to watch it day by day — sometimes in the salons of his friends, sometimes at the race track ; now in the boxes, and again on the stage of the theatre. Meantime his young wife, reclining in h*r easy chair, awaited his return home with affectionate impatience. He always met her with a face of supreme content, for this was the kind of life which realized his most ambitious hopes — a imiling face to greet him as he entered the housp, an attentive woman to take all the burden ot household cares from his ■houlders, a brightly burning fire, flowers always fresh, an a ylum always ready in his hours ot fatigue and ennui — in brief, the charm of a beautiful home in which peace and contentment reigns. That ia what M. de ltias wished to get by marrying, and he is not alone in his desires. Aside from some natural apprehensions, the time passed by the young Madame de Rias in the easy chair was a delicious season for her, as well as for her husband. Visitors were always calling — she was almost continually suViounded by thetn. HIT sparkling cousins — Mines de Launs, cL 1 Moges and d'E-«treny — conveyed o her erery d«y the news from the outiide >vorld Her mother never lefl her Mile, except to purchase articles for the baby men, which were afterwards submitted to the approbation of Mine, de Rais. The easy chair, and often the floor, wVs constantly inundated with the finest of linens, laces, ribbons and strange little hoodi. Mmes de Lauiis, de Moges, and d'Estreny examined all these articles, an a freely gave their advice and experience. Towards evening M de Hias fell into the circle of agreeable matrons, and doubled its animation. He usually camo with his hands and pockets full of little boxes, big bags, and mysterious packages. The woman opened them all, They admired th« bijoux, divided the flowers and cracked the bonbons. In short, it was a fete The arrival of the Countess Ju!«<, toward the middla of August, imprinted upon the facts a serious nature. A few days later she could be seen in St. ' Clotilde's Church, holding at the bapns- ' mil font young Louis Henri Patrick de Rias. Next day she departed with her knitting for her manor in the suburbs of Cherbourg.