CHAPTER IX.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2051, 29 August 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER IX.

Need I oay that I passed a sleepless night? The morning found me with my pen in my hand, confronting the serious responsibility of writing to the Princess, and not knowing what to cay. I had already torn up two letters, when Unole David presented himself with a message from his niece. Jeanne waa in trouble, and wanted to aik my advice. My state of mind, on hearing this, became simply inexplicable. Here was an interruption which ought to have annoyed me. It did nothing of the kind — it inspired me with a feeling of relief ! I natu'nlly expected that tbe old Frenchman would return with me to bis niece, and tell me wb«t had happened. To my surprise, he begged that I would excuse him, and left mo without a word of explanation. 1 found Jeannio walking up aud djvrn her little sitting-room, flushed and angry. Fragment of torn paper and heaps of flowera littered tho floor ; and throe unopened jewel-cases appeared to hr.ye been thrown into tho empty nreplaco. She caught mo excitedly by the hand the moment I entered tho room. " You are my true friend," she said ; "you wero present the other night when I sang. Was thero anything in my behaviour on the stage, which could justify men who oall themselves gentlemen in insulting me ? " "My dear, how can you ask the question ? " " 1 must ask it. Some of them send flowern, and some of them send jewels ; and every ono of them write letters — infamous abominable letters— saying they are in lore with me, and. aekmg for appointments as if I was 1 " She could say no more. Poor dear Jeanne — her head dropped on my ihoulder : she burst out crying. Who could see htr co cruelly humiliated — the faithful loving daughter, whoso one motive for appearing on tho stage had been to preserve her father's good name— and not feel for her as I did ? I forgot all considerationii ot prudence ; I thought of nothing but consoling hor ; I took her in my arms ; I driod her tears ; 1 kissed her ; I said, " Tell me the name of any one ot the wretches who has written to you, and I will make him an example to tho rest ! " She shook hor head, and pointed to tho morsels of paper on the floor. " Oh, Ernest, do you think [ asked you to ocrme here for any such purpose as that ? Those jewels, those hateful jewels, tell me how 1 can send them back 1 spare me the sight of them 1 " So far, it was easy to oonsole her. 7 sent the jewels at once to the manager of the theatre — with a written notice to be posted at tbe stage door, stating that they were waiting to be returned to the persons who could describe them. " Try, my dear, to forget what has happened," 1 said. " Try to find consolation and encouragement in your art." " I have lost all interest in my sueeess on the stage," she answered, " now I know the penalty f must pay for it. When my father's memory is clear of reproaob, 1 ■hall leave tbe theatre never to return to it again." " Take time to consider, Jeannie." " I will do anything you aak of me." For a while we were silent. Without any influence to lead to it that I could trace, I found myself recalling tbe languige that tho Princess had used in alluding to Jeanne. When I thought of them now, the words and the tone in which they had been spoken jarred on me. There is surely something moan in an assertion of superiority which depends on nothing better than the accident of birth. I don't know why I took Jeanne's hand ; I don't know why I said, " What a good girl you are 1 how glad I am to have been of some little use to you 1" Is my friend the secretary right, whon he reproaches me with acting on impulse liko a woman ? I don't like to think so; and yet, this I must own— it was well for me that I was obliged to leave her, before I had perhaps said other words whioh might have been alike unworthy of Jeanne, of ehe Princess, and ot myself. I was called away to speak to my servant. He brought with him the secretary's card, having a line written on it— "l am waiting at your rooms, on business which permits of no delay." As wo shook hands, Jeanne arkod me if I knew whore her undo was. I could only tell her that he. had left me at my own door. She made no remark; but she seemed to be uncany on receiving that reply.