THE TWO STRANGERS. A STORY OF MARSEILLES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2045, 15 August 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE TWO STRANGERS. A STORY OF MARSEILLES.

I. — THI TOUNCJ gOLDHIB, It was a rough winter's night. A slight sou'wester had been blowing all day long ; but einoo the sun had gone down, ani it had grown dark, heavy gists fled boisterously up and down the narrow old streets of Marseilles, as though they had lost their way. Many of the principal thoroughfares appeared comparatively deserted, as it the storm had diiyen most people home. Those who yet remained out of doors ieemtd to be bent upon reaching their domioiles with all possible speed. There was one solitary exception — a tall, powerfully burit man ; and upon him a gust of wind had little more effeat than upon a solid rock. Enveloped in a thick black oloak, with a military oap drawn down tightly over his forehead, lie walked along at a slow, measured step. 113 never once turned his head, even when the wind oast a stinging splash of rain full in his faoe. - He was so ereot, and strode forward in such a steady tnanuer, that one would have supposed the weather absent froin«his thoughts. When he reached the quay, he Grossed the road and stepped along the gangway, so olose to the edge of the basin that by stretohing out his hand he oould have touched the liggiag of large veneela aa ho passed. The danger, even in broad daylight, when walking no close to the eJgo, wordd have been «rrat; but upon thiri pitch dark, windy ni<.;ht, a fates step meant certain death in tha dook below. Presently, a small boat, dimly visible by the light from a lantern attaohed to the bow, came Blowly towards a lauding-plaee several yards ahead. Whan the boat touobed the wall of the basin, the man quickened his paoe, and on reaohing tho spot, looked down, and demanded : "Who goes there?" " Prosper Oornillon," replied a voice. The voice appeared to come from a figure in the boat which resembled a black shadow in the darkness. "Is your boat te hire ? " 11 Yes, monsieur." Tiieie was a short pause. Then the stranger, with a xoupgon of command in his tone, said : " I shall want yon to-night, but not yet." The boatman, having meanwhile made fast his boat, took the Jan tern out of the bow and climbed slowly up the Bteep wooden^ steps. " Does the Cafti Gornillpn, on this" quay, belong to you?" " It is mine and my sister's," P*oapes~ replied. $" That is lucky," said tha stranger, in a more oheerful voice. •' I will cup at your cafe" before we start." Prosper Coraillon led the way, holding the lantern so that the light was t&owxi directly in their path. ~ * The Caf6 Cornillon stood in the centre of a row of houses facing tha quay. Tho frontage was one large window with small panes of glass, like a conservatory. Through the clean, white muslin a light was shining, which illuminated a limited spate* of the roadway. Stepping forward, Prosper held open the door of the cafe" for the stranger to enter. It was a snug, unpretending little cafd ; long, narrow, and low-pitohed, lfke a cabin on board ship, with small wooden tables and chairs arranged against the walls. Some half-dozen perrons, who looked like fishermen, were seated near the window, drinking coffee and oognao, and playingtat dominoes. They glanaed up for a moment, and returned the stranger's salute, and then^oontinued their game. At the further end of the oai<S was an open hearth, with a fire burning brightly in the centre; near this hearth, engaged in some culinary operations, stood a young girl. She turned when the door opened ; and an expression of surprise, mixed with curiosity, gathered in her face as the stranger advanced and politely raised his oap. " Nina," said Prosper CorniHon, looking from the girl towards the customer, " this gentleman nas hired the boat ; but he wishes for c. little supper before starting." The stranger nodded approvingly. "Before sunrise, I must be on board." " The name of the ship, monsieur ?" asked Prosper, stroking his dark beard and lookinging with kaeu eyes into the stranger's face. " The Livadia." The girl looked up with a distant, dreamy expression in nor eyes. " That chip," naid she, as though speaking her thoughts] aloud, rather than addressing herself to any one — " that ship is bound for some Greek port." " For Syria," said the stranger promptly, while at the eaine time he removed his cloak and sat down at a table near the hearth. Prosper Cornillon turned away and joined the fisherman at the other end of the oafe. Liko a true cafetier, he wan soon laughing with the customers, taking a hand at dominoes, and calling to bis sister Nina to serve him, as though he were a customer too. Meanwhile, the stranger sat in silence, waiting for his supper, with his baok leaning

against tbo wall and his legs Ftr9tolied out towards the fire. He was dreased in the uniform of a French colonel, though only a man of twenty-eight or thirty at the utmost. He had a handsome sxprosiiTe face, hia eyes frequently brightening with some passing thought. But when he turned hia glance upon Nina, his look grew serious and sympathetic Few could hare resist«d studying the face of Nina Oornillon, not msraly on account of its beauty, but beoause some trouble, sustained with brare resolution, was portrayed in every feature. That dreamineis in fcha eye*, already referred to, which Beamed to indicate that her thoughts ware wandering far beyond the port of Marseilles, was seldom suppressed exaept whan the was spoken to ; ana 1 when the conversation ceased, her look appeared to sink away again into the^ distance, while a smile would break pensivoly upon hat lips, and tears glisten upon her long blaok lashes. Scarcely a word passed between the stranger and Nina Cornillon until the supper was cleared away, when " monsieur " lit his oigar and drew his ohair closer towards the hearth. But wfaen the girl had served the customary cup of coffee, and was pouring out the petit ver)v, the gentleman remarked, " Shall I tell you, mademoiselle, where your thoughts are travelling ? " The girl looked with a puzzled exprepsion into the stranger's face. "You would, indeed, be a magician,' 1 said she, "if you could." " Tour thoughts," said ha, " are travelling along the shores of Greece." Nina Btarted and changed oolor. For a while Che seemed too troubled to speak. Seating herielf in front of the hearth, che looked thoughtfully into the fire. 11 If mademoiselle will trust me," the stranger presently remarked in a soft tone, " even though she might wish a meqef.^a taken to a lover, I will promise to execute an errand faithfully." The girl glanced up with a touch of indignation in her face. But suddenly dropping her eyes, she said, with a deep blu«h on her cheeks : " I have no lover." The stranger looked grave ; and as though conscious of having made a blunder, he hastened to change the Bubjeot. " I will not try any further to read your thoughts ; but tell me," he added, " why doo« your brother keep a boat for hue in the harbor, when he has such an excellent little cafe to attend to ? It seems ta mo that the work is too severe for you all by yourself." " Ah, monsieur, you would not say that," eiolaimed Nina, "if you only knew ho w anxieus we both are to make money ! " The stranger could not conceal a look of surprise. Such sentiments, uttered in snob an avarioious tone by a homely ghl like Nina, appeared inconsistent. "You mean, perhaps," he hinted, " that you do Hot, find it congenial work to keep a ofifc, and that you will be glad when you can afford to retire from business ? " "Oh no, monsieur 1 That is nob what I meant. When we have accumulated ten thousaud francs, we shall part with the money ; and then " " Then, mademoiselle ? " " We shall begin again," oontinued Nina, " with light hearts ; for if we ever save that cum, we can purchase our father's liberty." "What," cried the stranger, greatly mov6d. " Is it possible that " 11 Hush 1 " Nina whispered, with her finger to her lip, as she glanced round at the table where her brother and his companions were seated over their game. " Whenever Prosper hears this subjeot mentioned, ha is like a madman. If it interests you, monsieur, thin terrible disaster whioh has befallen us, draw your ohair oloser, and I will tell you in a few words how it all happened." The stranger came nearer to N!na'« side, and loaned forward in a listening attitude. Hia face assumed an expression of intense concern as she proceeded. In a low voice, frequently choked by tears, the gkl confided to the sympathetic stranger her sad story. "Always anxious to assist Hs family," Nina began, " it one day ocourred to father to buy a vessel, for the purpose of tradi ing along the coast of the Adriatic So he collected together all that he was worth, made a oapital bargain, and set sa^ in his little ship, confident that his venture would be successful. He bad traded in the Adriatic for others for many years, and was well known as a brave and honest captain in these seas. But not many weeks passed before news reaohed us that all was loit." Her utterance became thick with sobs. But speedily overcoming her emotion, ihe continued : "A letter came from fattier ; it told us too plainly what misfortune had overtaken him. One morning, when least expecting such a mishap, he was attacked by'pirates. He made a desperate resistance, but was eventually overpowered and taken prisoner. They carried him to Tripoli. The sum which is demanded for his ransom is so exorbitant that it will be impossible for him ever to raise it. In his letter, he adds that we must therefore relinquish all hope of ever seeing him again." The girls eyes were blinded with tears, and for some moments she could not speak ; but by a painful effort she suooeeded at last. " We are striving by every honeat means in our power to xsollect the money. It is a hard fight. This is only a very modest little cafe\ and our profits are very small. Prosper gains a few extra francs every week with his boat in the harbor. But many more years must pass before we can hope to accomplish this trying task." "How long," the stranger asked, 'Vhas your father been a prisoner?" " Ten years." " Is it possible ? " "I was fifteen when he went sway. At parting, he kisserd me on both oheeks," continued Nina, smiling tkoughtfully. "Now, I am twenty-five." " Poor child ! " laid the itranger, with great tenderness. " During theie years, we have managed to save nearly three thousand franca. Perhaps, in ten more years, if we are vary fortunate, we shall be able to eomplcta the ram ; and father will be sitting in the old corner, where y6li are seated now, as I remember seeing bim when I was a ohild." While ahe was still speaking, that dieamy look whioh the stranger had observed already began to reappear in her dark eyes, and she seemed gradually to lose herself in thought. Ttoe stranger, who felt that his presence at her side was forgotten, rose from his seat with a suppressed sigh, and oroising to where Nina's brother and fne fishermen still played at dominoes, he placed hia hand upon the boatman's ihoulder. " Monsieur Prosper," said he, "it is almost time we started. But before wo go, let us drink a glass together. — If," he added, looking round — " if your friends will join us, so much the better." The fishermen expressed themselves agreeable. So Prosper filled glasses all round. Every one roao and " ofcnked " with the stranger, at the same time wishing him bon voyage. Then Prosper Cornillon assisted "monsieur " to envelop himself once more in his cloak; while Nina came timidly forward to cake his proffered hand and to bid him adieu. And then out they stepped into the wind and rain, followed by the fisherman, leaving Nina all alone in the cafe, with her hands olaspad, and a wistful look in her eyes. n. — THE OLD BAILOR.

It was still stormy at Marseille!. For some

wek J , 'rin; t> I 1I 1 ' '' ' h"i \] ''-\ the Me lit ir.MCjn, i < i> r ~'i h<-i been orowded with v^-"h, "ia i ■ ' by pire. ti of weather. Iv tin-i l' h -! I'- 1 ' <\ PiO-mrr C«rnillon rnapef 1 a h"»i\v f t ; /or hi boat '-as in demand from mornm'? t'll i igbt. It wss tirir<g work; but a gwe, ous impulse {rave him energy. He was toiling with the direct object of obtiiaiug hi 3 other's freedom. onB evon«'rg worn out wiih his unremitting labors, Prosper had thrown hiraaelf down, with his elbows on the table, in a corner of tho c«f6 near the b<n..rfch ; and soon his head had sunk upon hia arms, aod he had fallen asleep. In front of the fire w&g seated hia sister Nina, wikh a weary look too upon her face ; but her great dreamy eyca were wide open ; for although late in the evening, it wai ncn, yet the hour for closing the Caf6 Oornillion. At any moment, a customer might enter; and some customers, if Nina was not very wakeful and attentive, were apt to grow impatient ; indeed, the had eearoely less pesca and quietness during th 9 twenty four hours than her brother Pro°per. At ths moment when it becamg co lf.te that Nina was on the point of ribing to turn out the lamps and look up for the night, the door was slowly opened. An old Bailor in a rough coat, the colkr of which was turned up about his neck, mysteriously ■ entered the cafe". He touched hip slouching hat with his sunburnt, horny hand in a feeble, hesitating manner ; then choosing a table near the hearth, opposite to tha one upon which Prospers head was resting, he sat down and began to stroke his long white beard thoughtfully without raiting hia eyes. " With what, monsieur, can I lerve you ?" The old man answered in a low voioe, with his head still bent : " Cafe" noir." Nina hastened to plaeo a cup of coffee before him ; and when she had filled a little glass with, cognac, she resumed her seat before the hearth. The girl's chair was placed with tho back towards the door. Oa one side of her w&a the table at which the old man sat sipping his coffee ; and on the other side was Prosper, still fast asleep. Looking dreamily into the fire, Nina seemed to have forgotten the presence ef both these men, so deeply was she absorbed in her thoughts. "This is the Cafe" Cornillon— is it not?" asked tha old man. Nina started as though the voice had awakened her " Yes, momieur," answered the girl, recollecting herself and looking up quickly — " the Caf<s Gornillon." " Kept by Prosper Cornillion ?" '« Sleeping there," oontinued Nina, with a little jdrk of her head. " Ah," said the old sailor, " lam the btarer of a message." " To him ?" 11 Yes— to Prosper Gornillon." "Shall I rouse him?" " No. I will dfliver the message to you." "It is tha sama thing," said the girl, with a pretty sbrug of her nhouldera. "I am bis sister." 11 Nina Cornillon." " Ye 3: tfaaJ is my name." The old man leaned forward, but still without raising his eyes, and said in a hoarse, indistinot voioo : " You may remember, perhaps, a few weeka ago, entertaining a young soldier who passed through this port on his way to Greece. Your brother oonveyed him in his boat on board the Livadta, a Bhip bound for Syria." "I remember the gentleman well," said Nina, in a f altering voice. "He gave Prosper a piece of gold before parting, to sustain us in our efforts in oolleot the large sum of money which is demanded by a Greek phate aa a ransom for our father's liberty." "It is from this young soldier, Colonel Lafont,' continued the old sailor. " that I bring the message." Nina looked round quietly, ■vrit'h gparkling, eager eyes. " What is the nuosage, monsieur?" " Well," answered the old man, speaking slowly, "his words to you— l mean, to Prosper Cornillon were — words of encouragement. You mast never despair 1 That was how the youne; colonpl expressed it. Beoause^as he argued, the day might not be far distant when your father would be set free." With b,er ey«s bent thoughtfully upon tfee fire, Nina said : •' A very kind message. How good of him to think of ms 1 ' " The message was to Prospw Cornillion." "To think, 1 should cay, of my brother Prosper. But" " But," continued the old man, " I have not finished yet." "What more, monsieur?" The old sailor, lowering hia tone, and speaking as though he had difficulty in not betraying some agitation, continued: "It was the colonel's hope that neither of you would be despondent — that you would rather indulge the fancy that you had heard that the rausom demanded by this Greek pirate had been paid —that your father ha^ regained his liberty — that he had even started on hia voyage home, and was neariug the port of Marseilles" "\ Nina clasped her hands, and cried in a trembling voica : " That ia what I dream of, night and day 1 " "Imagine, then, wen imagine that the ship has itaclvd Mavseilto— that it has entered tho barhour. Nry Hi'-iira to yourself— though it may make your heart beat painlally — figure to yourself a weather-beaten Bailor entering your cafe late one evening— a man with a grey beard and a shaky voico" But at this peint the old sailor was interrupted. Looking round, Nina uttered a cry of joy, and spiang up with outthetehed arms, and with the word " Father I " upon her lips. It was Captain CorniHon who had come thus as a teriibly trying purpriee. Yet, he was so changed that even Nina had not recognised him. But the recognition was complete now. So, talcing his daughter in his embrace, the old sailor kissed her aa he had kissed her all their parting ten long yc-ars ago. Not many weeks elapsed before Colonel Lafont again made hip appeaiaace at^ Marseilles. Prosper, who happened to bo in tho harbor at tho moment of hi& arrival, accompanied him in triumph to the Cite flfomillon as soon as he landed. "»* Nothing could excead the gtatifcude whioh was whown by the oaptain atid ms twe children towards thin young soldier, who, on reaching Greece, had taken active stepa to obtain the old sailor's release. Y^u's passed before Nina learntd under what difficulties Colonel Lafont formed the resolution of restoring Captain Cornill*n to iiia family. For he was not a rich man ; he had pajaed promotion from the rantfs as & reward for bravery ; and when hu had paid the ransom, he had parted with nearly all tfie money he possessed in the world. But he loved Nina Cornillon, From the niorneut when, upon that stormy winter's night, Colonel Lafout entered tbj) cafe and Raw the girl Branding by the hearth, he had never oeafeed to think of the dreamy face, nor of the low passionate voice in which ,fihe^had (old to him the Bad episode in her life. These events happened many yenra ago; and Nina and her husband Ooloijel Alphonse Lafont— who became a general befor? he wta forty— atiould be old petfple now, if they are •till living. But on« thibg ia certain— on tho quay at Marseilles there still stands the little oaW, in appearance unchanged, except that it is called the Oafe Cornillon no longer.— I Chainlet $ Journal.