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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1940-07-25, Page 6PAGE SIX THE SEAFORTH NEWS 1=1 From The . a r 11u'',r e,r e4''dt4 sa 8 Of, fi "The General, he smile and wave his hand. as if sorry to take so muck from M'sieu' Cadet and the Intend- ant. M'sieu Cadet sit dark and speak nothing at first, but at last he get up and turn on his heel and walk away, leaving what he lose on the table. M'sien' the General bow also, and go from the room. Then M'sieu' Doltaire and the Intendant play. One by one the other players stop, and conte and watch these, Something get into the two gentlemen, for both are pale, and the face of the Intendant all of spots, and his little round eyeslike specks of red fire; but M'sieu' Dole tair•e's face, it is still, and his brows bend over, and now and then he make a little laughing out of his lips. All at once I hear him say, 'Double the stakes, your Excellency'!' The In- tendant look up sharp and say, 'What! Two hunder' thousan' francs!' —as if M'sieu' Doltaire could not pay such a sum like that. M'sieu' Dol- taire smile ver' wicked, and answer, Make it three hunder' thousan' francs, your Excellency.' It is so still in the Chamber of the Joy that all you hear for a minute was the fat Monsieur Varin breathe like a bog. and the rattle of a spur as some one to pay, m'sieu', how to pay if you ha lost?' M'sieu' Doltaire lay his han on his sword sof'. 'From the King' coffers, as I say; he owes me mor than he has paid. But not like you Bigot. f have earned, this way an that, all that I might ever get fro the King's coffers—even this thre hander' thousan' francs, ten time told, But you, Bigot—tush! wh should we make bubbles of words? The Intendant get white in the face but there are spots on it like on late apple of an old tree. 'You go to far, Doltaire,' he say. 'You have hin before my officers and my friends that I make free with the King's coffers. M'sieu' answer, 'You should see no such hints, if your palms are not musty.' 'How know you,' ask the Intendant, 'that my hands are musty from the King's coffers?' M'sieu' ar- range his laces, and say light, 'As easy from the must as I tell how time passes in your nights by the ticking of this trinket here.' He raise his sword and touch the lntendant's watch on the table, "I never hear such silence as there is for a minute, and then the Intend- ant say, "You have gone one step too far. The must on my hands, seen d s e a m e s a 0 t elide a foot on the floor. through your eyes, is no matter, but The nten an y mus e name o a lady he nod his head for answer, and each there is but one end. You understate', write on a piece of paper. As they begin. M'sieu Doltaire take out his watch and lay it on the table, and the No. no, I will not fight with you. I am Intendant do the - same. and they . not here to rid the King of so excel, loth look at the time. The watch of lent an odicier, however large fee he tine lntendant is all jewels. 'Will you! forces for his services.' 'And I tell z:rt add the watches to the stake?' you,' say the Intendant. 'that I will say M'sieu' Doltaire. The Intendant not have you cast a slight upon a ;neat. and shrug 0 shoulder. and lardy.' Madame beside. me start 0p. . o .,aite his -head for n. and 11'sten' ;del whisper to the. 'I1 you betray 'aN. c ' ,-r' ender and low. 'it--if—if"..... ,onaire smile in a sic way. so that me. you shall dir. It yon 1,,. stall. I like tit:.!. Bat just th»u he ser, the little longer, even were' it my will. So Hui,. hatch among ow moles, in the. :« Intendant's teeth short at his lips r"„ will say nothing.' Hut then ci 1' ' , watch t n. -h, flour. and he to do. Pur myself, the•„treat In pr-nsnnts' Elute, the spirit of France a1: 1 his yes almost ("lose. he is s0 thing happen. Another' noir- ..=stud - *r00P. With r ;ant=h..:n 1 plc•k nit rite girds at hie for being no poor an never changes --it fs always the from below, and there. , ..ring ..=,:n p1 <. "hen he ear 8 c110u1'• and agent. -Yost. monsieur"—he smiled some it is 101' all time, You English, -.lust this mine', 1 ]tear a low behind a great screen 4,1 oak tt.,,,,i. i1. ti,.or overywhere tor the whimsically—"will agree that I have then 50me ane , is S 's rt' Chis 1ti ..1 anti he that all candle you can not blow not t ease behind m,•, and i i r uu•nal. face all .'-d pick ,:',-nn up. and been persistent --and intelligent." tial c•autlle which is the spirit of "So much so," rejoined I, "as to be France. I remember the Abbe Bolton 1111rusive•" preaching once upon the words, 'The, He smiled again. "If La Palllpa• spirit of man is the candle of tate dour could hear you, she would und- Loral'; well, the spirit of France is erstand why I prefer the live amus- the candle of Europe, and you Eng- ing lion to the dead dog. 'When you !lab will be its screen against the are gone, I shall he inconsolable. I. blowing out, though in spasms of stu- an1 a born inquisitor." pidity you flaunt the extinguisher. "You were born for better things You --:you have no imagination, no m'sieu', there is but one end,' M'sieu' laugh. The sword, you mean? Eh? you at the top of the great staircase, if you will be so good as to take me to the ballroom.' The Intendant and M'sieu' Doltab'e bow, and turn to the door, and M'sieu' Cournal scowl, and make as if to follow; but madame speak down at him, 'M'sieu'—Argand' —like that! and he turn back, and it down. I think she forget me, I keep so still, The others bow and scrape, and leave the room, and the two are alone—alone, for what am I? What if a dog hear greet people speak? No, it is no matter! "There is all still for a little while, and I watcb her face as she lean over the rail and look down at him; itis like stone that aches. and her Dyes stare and stare at hint, He loop up at her and scowl; then he laugh, with tt 1088 of 111e finger, and sit down, All at once he put his hand on his sword, and gnash his teeth; "Theo she speak down to him, her voice ver' quiet. 'Arganl.' site say, 'you are more a man drunk than trott- er. Argand,' she go on, 'Years ago, they said you were a brave man; you fight well, you do good work for the King, your name goes with a sweet sound to Versailles. You had only your sword and my poor fortune and me then—that is all; but you were a man, You had ambition, so had I. What can a woman do? You had your sword, your country, the king's ser- vice. 1 had beauty; I wanted power— ah yes, power, that was the thing! But I was young and a fool; you were older. You talked fine things then, but you had a base heart, so much baser than nine....1 might have been a good woman. I was a fool, and weak, and vain, but you were base --so base—coward- and be- trayer, you!' "At that m'sieu' start up and snatch at his sword, and speak out between his teeth, 'By God, I will kill you to -night!' She smile cold and hard, and say, 'No, no, you will not; it is too late for killing; that should have been done before. You sold your right to kill long ago, Argand Courn- al. You have been close friends with the man who gave me power, and you gold.' Theu she get fierce. 'Who gave you gold before he gave me power, traitor?' Like that she speak, 'Do you never think of what you have lost?' Then she break out in a laugh. 'Pah! Listen: If there must be kill- ing, Why not be the great snail -- drunk!' "Theu she laugh so hard a laugh, and turn away, and go quick by me and not see hie. She step into the dark, and he sit down in a chair, and look straight in front of him. I do 11,11 stir, and after a Minute she come back sof'. and peep dou•rr, her race all ,lifier,•n.' 'Argand: Arganal3' she 'THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1940 a where, all ver' thin and shy, and walk across the floor; it makes the room look so much alone, At last it come and move against m'sieu's legs, and he lift his head and look down at it, and nod, and say something which I not hear. After that he get up, and poll himself together with a shake, and walk down the room. Then he see the little gold picture on the Boor which some drunk young officer drop, and he pick it up and look at it, and walk again. 'Poor fool!' he say, and look at the picture again. 'Poor fool! Will he curse her some day—a child with a face like that? Ah!' And he throw the picture down. Theu he walk away to doors, unlock them, and go out, Soon I steal away Through the panels, and out of the palace ver' quiet, and go bonze. But I c•an see that room in sky mind." Again the jailer hurried Voltam There was no excuse for loin to re. main longer; so 1 gave hini a mess- age to Alixe, and slipped into his hand a transcript from my journal. Then he left me, and 1 salt and thought upon the strange events of the evening which he had described to Inc. That he was bent on mischef 1 felt sure, but !tow it would come, what were his plans, I could not guess. Then suddenly there flashed into my mind my words to hint, "blow us all to pieces,'" and his consterna- tion and strange eagerness, It came to me suddenly: lie meant to blow up the Intendance. When? And how? it seemed absurd to think of it. Yet— yet— The grim humour of the thing possessed me, and I sat back and laughed heartily. In the midst of my mirth the cell door opened and let in Doltaire, I started from my seat; we bowed, and, stretching out a haul to the fire, Doltaire said, "Ah, my captain, we meet too seldom. Let me see: live months—ah yes, nearly five months. Believe me, I have not break- fasted so heartily since. You nue looking older—older. Solitude to the active mind is not to be endured alone—no." musthe no thought of the detail of miser,y, else what should be done in the world! He who is the strongest shall survive, and he alone, It is all conflict—all. For when conflict ceases and those who could and should be great spend their time chasing but- terflies among the fountains, there comes miasma and their doom. Mer- cy? Mercy? No, no: for 110110 .but the poor and sick and over-ridden, in time of peace; in time of war, mercy for none, pity nowhere, till the joybeiis ring the great man home." "But mercy to women always," said 'I, "in war or peace." He withdraw his eyes as if from a distant prospect, and they dropped to the stove, where I had corn parch- ing. He nodded, as if amused, but did not answer at once, and taking from my !rand the feather with which I stirred the corn, softly whisked sante off for himself, and smiled at the remaining kernels as they danc- ed upon the hot iron. After a little while he said, "Woman? Women should have all that men can give thein. Bountiful things should adorn them; no man should set his hand in cruelty on a woman—after she is his, Before—before? Woman is wilful, and sometimes we wring her heart .that we may afterwards comfort it." "Your views have somewhat changed," I answered. "I mind when you talked less sweetly." He shrugged a shoulder. "That man is lost who keeps one mind concern- ing woman. I will trust the chastity of no woman, yet I will trust her vir- tue—if I have her heart. They are a foolish tribe, and all are vulnerable in their vanity. They are of consequ- ence to man, but of n0 consequence in state matters. When they meddle there we have La Pompadour and war with England, and Captain Mor- ay in the Bastile of New France." "You comp from a court, mon- sieur, which believes in nothing, not even in itself." "I come from a court," he rejoined, "which has made a gospel of artifice, of frivolity a creed; buying the toys of folly with the savings of the poor. "Monsieur Doltaire is the surgeon His most Christian majesty has set to my solitude," said L the fashion of continual sillness and "Wm!" he answered, "a jail Burg- universal love. He begets children in eon merely. And that brings me to a the peaant's oven and in the Cham - point, monsieur. 1 have had letters ber of Charlemagne alike. And we from France. The Grande Marquise are all good subjects of the king. We —I mai' as well be frank with you— are brilliant, exquisite, brave, and womanlike, yearns violently for those naughty; and for us there is no te- stily letter's which you hold. She morrow." would sell our France for them. "Nor for France," I suggested. There is a chance for you (0110 WO 1111 He laughed, as he rolled a kernel serve 3'our cor11111y so. Serve it, and of parched cote on This tongue. "Tut, yourself—and me. We have no news tut! that le another tiling. We are yet as to your doom, but be sure It is the fashion of an hour, but France is eertltin.. La Pompadour knows 011, a fact as stubborn 118 the nature o1 and if you are stubborn. twenty you English; for beyond stubborn- doirths wore 10o few. I can nave you tress and your Shakespeare volt have . rare a, 1ittIe cry. I turn quick and with wine, his haul on his se':. ,Madame Cournal. She stretch her Tail!' he say, corning forward—'bah; hand. and touch my lips. and mo- I will speak for madame. I will speak. limn me not to stir. I look down I have been silent long enough. He again. and I see that M'sieu' Doltaire come between the two, and. raising look up to the place where I am, for his sword, he strike the time -piece he hear that sound, I think—I not and smash it. 'Ha! ha!' be say, wild know sure. But he say 001e more, with drink, '1 have you both here 'The watch, the watch, your Excel- alone.' He snap his finger under the iency! I have a fancy for yours!' I feel madame breathe hard beside me, but I not like to look at her. I am not afraid of men, but a woman that way —ah, it make me shiver! She will be- tray me. I think. All at once I feel her hand at my belt, then at my pocket, to see if I have a weapon; for the thought come to her that I am there to 1111 Bigot, But I raise my hands and say 'No.' ver' quiet, and s11e nod ber head all right. "The Intendant wave bis hands at n1'eteu' Doltaire to say he would not stake the watch, for I know it is one madame gave him; and then they 'begin :o play. No one stir. The cards go out, flip, flip, on the table. and - with a litre soft scrape in the hands, nd I hear Bigot's hound munch a Done. All at once ',Weikel' Doltaire throw down his cards. and say, 'Mine, - Bigot! Three hunder' thousan' francs. and the time is up!' The other get from his chair, and say, 'How would you have pay if you had lost, Doltaire?' And m'sieu' answer, 'From the coffers of the King, like you, Bigot.' Isis tone is odd. I feel madame's breath go hard. Bigot turn round and say to the others, Will you take your way to the great hall, messieurs, and M'sieu' Doltaire and I will follow. We have some pri' vate cenf'renee.' They all turn away, all but M'sieu' Cournal, and leave the room, whispering, 'I will join you soon, Cournal,' say his Excellency. M'sieu' Cournal not go, for he have been drinking, and something stub- born get into him. But the Intendant order him rough, and he go. I can hear madame gnash her teeth sof' beside ane. "When the door close, the Xntend' ant turn to IVI'sieu' Doltaire and say, 'What is the end for which you play?' M'sieu' Doltaire make a little mo- tion of -bis hand, and answer, 'For three hunder' thousand' francs,' 'And Intendant's nose. 'It is time I protect my wife's name from you, and, by God. I will do it!' At that M'sleu' Doltaire laugh, and Cournal turn to put then: a ,ry ,11c try- our in his ;mese like a teleer. He keep nn look - lee, end re. -• th- lire ,-: the candle 101111 1110 ht,T, at.1 h_ sweat', and she stare :. n -i stare at hin:. He sit down at the table. and look at the jewels and laugh t', himeelf. Then she draw herself up, and shake. and put her hands to her eyes, and. "C'est flni! c'est flni!she whisper, and that is than this;' I answered. all passion, no temperament, no poetry. He took a seat and mused for a Yet I am wrong, The one thing you "When she is gone. after a little he moment. "For larger things, you have—" change --ab. he change much. He go mean." was his reply. "Perhaps— He broke off, nodding his head in him and say, 'Batard!' The Intendant to a table and pour out a great bowl perhaps. 1 have one gift of the amusement, "Yes, you have, but It is have out his sword, and he roar in a of wing:, and then another. and he strong man—I am inexorable when I a secret. You English are 'the true hoarse voice, 'Dog, you shall die!' drink them both, and he begin to make for my end. As a general, I lovers, we French the true poets; But NX'sieu' Doltaire strike up his walk up and down the floor. He sway would pour men into the maw of and I will tell you why. You are a sword, and face the drunken man. now and then. but be keep on for a death as corn into the hopper, if race of coun•ades, the French, of 'No. leave that to rhe. The King's time. Once a servant come. but he that would build a bridge to my gentlemen; you cleave to a thing, we cause goes shipwreck; we can't wave him away, and he scowl and end. Yon call to mind how thole to an idea; you love a woman best change helmsman now. Think—scan- talk to himself, and shut the doors dal and your disgrace!' Then he and lock them. Then he walk on and make a pass at M'sien' Cournal, who on. At last he sit down, and he face parry quick. Another, and Ire prick rue. In front of him are candles, and his shoulder. Another, and then ma• he stare between them, and state dame beside me. as 1 spring back, and stare. I sit and watch, and I feel throw aside the curtains. and cry out, a pity. I hear hint tray. 'Antoinette! `No. tn'sieu'! no For shame!' Antoinette! My dear Antoinette! We "1 kneel in a corner behind the are lost forever, my Antoinette!' curtains. and wait and listen. There is Then he take the purse from his not a sound for a moment; then I pocket, and throw it up to the hal• hear a laugh from M'sleu' Cournal, ' cony where I am. Pretty sins,' he say, 'follow the sinner!' It lie there, and it have sprung open, and I can see the jewels shine, but I not touch and I knew not what had happened 1 said I ironically. it—no. Well, he sit there long—long, in all these months. and his faceget gray and his cheeksHe waved his you r approval. "If you were a great man, you "By the Lord, but you are pungent all [willow, I should have all the best prerogatives now and then!" he answered; "Cab - "I hear the clack strike one! two of greatness," I remarked quietly. Iroad here you are less material. By three! four! Once some one come ""And what is that? Some excellentthe time you are chastened unto I and try the door, but go away again, moral, I doubt not," was the re - and he never stir; he is like a deadwake up, he still sit there, but joinder. man_ At last 3Ja11 asleep, When - 1 Mercy," I replied. "Tush!" he retorted, "mercy is for such a laugh as make me sick—loud, and full of what you call not care and the devil. Madame speak down at them, 'Ah,' she say, 'it is so fine a sport to drag a women's name in the mire!' Her voice is full of spirit, and she look beautiful --beautiful. I never guess how a woman like that look; so full of pride, and to speak like you could think knives sing es they strike steel—sharp and cold. 'I come to see how gentlemen look at play, and they end in brawling over a lady!' "M'sieu' Doltaire speak to her, and they all put up their swords, and Spaniards conquered the Mexique when she is near, we when she is city which was all canals like Ven- away; you make a romance of mar - ice?? They filled the waterways with riage, we or intrigue; you feed Your - shattered houses and the bodies of selves, we upon the world; you have their enemies, as they fought their fever in your blood, we in our way to Montezunia's palace. So I brains; you believe the world was would slot know pity if I had a great macre in seven days, we have no God; cause. 111 anything vital I would have you would fight for the seven days, success at all 0081, and to get, de- we would fight for the lanseuse on a stray as 1 went—if I were a great bonbon box. The world will say 'fie!' man." at us and love us; it will respect and I thought with Horror of his Put' hate you. That is the law and the suit of my dear Alixe. "I am your gospel," he added, smiling. hunter," had been his words to her, I "Perfect respect casteth out love," head lie in his arms. I look round. the fireside, not for the throne. In Ah, it is not a fine sight—no, The great causes, what is a screw of tyr- candles burn so low, and there is a army here, a bolt of oppression there, ora few thousand lives!" He sudden smell of wick, and the grease Puns here and tiara down the great can -feet, and g lookin into heaven yon will be too companionable to lose." ""When is that hour of completed chastening?" I asked, PROFESSIONAL CARDS MEDICAL SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. E. A, McMaster, M.B,, Graduate. of University of Toronto. J. D. Colquhoun, M.D., C.M., Grad. uate of Dalhousie University, Halifax.. The Clinic is fully equipped with complete and modern x-ray and other up-to-date diagnostic and thereuptic equipment. Dr. Margaret K. Campbell, M.D., L.A.B,P., Specialist in Diseases in. Infants and Children, will be at the Clinic last Thursday in every mouth from 3 to 6 p.m. Dr. F. J. It Forster, Specialist in Diseases of the Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat, will be at the Clinic the first Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 p.m. Free well -baby clinic will be held on the second and last Thursday in every month from 1 to 2 p.m. JOHN A. GORWILL, B.A.,M.D. Physician and Surgeon In Dr. 11, H. Ross' office. Phone 5J DR. F, J. R. FORSTER Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto. Late Assistant New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute,. Meorefleld's Eye, and Golden Square, throat hospitals, London, Eng. At. Commercial Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 2 to, 4 p.m. Also at Seaforth Clinic first Tuesday in each month. -63 Waterloo St., Stratford, Telephone 267. MARGARET K. CAMPBELL, M.D, London, Ontario Graduate Toronto University Licentiate of American Board of Perla atrics, Diseases of Children At Seaforth Clinic, last Thursday at ternoon, each month, AUCTIONEER GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth Nowa. Chargea moderate and satisfaction guaranteed F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction, eer for Perth and Iiuron Counties Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farts Stock, chattels and real estate property. 11, R. No. 4, Mitchell. Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. HAROLD JACKSON Iacenscd in Huronand P,•rth Coun- ties, Prices reasonable; satisfaction guaranteed. For information, write or phone Darold Jackson, 668r12, Sete forth central; Brucelleld Watson & Reid REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. A11 kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. The McKillop Mutual Fire Insurance Co. HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Wm. Knox, Londesboro; Vice President, W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Secretary' Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. McKercher, R.R.1, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; E. R. G. Jarmouth, Brodhagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; Wm. Yeo, Holmesville, DIRECTORS Alex Broadfoot, Seaforth; William Knox, Londesboro; Claris Leonhardt, Dublin; James Connolly, Goderich; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth; W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Alex McEwing, Blyth; Frank McGregor, Clinton; Hugh Alexander, Walton. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective poet - "Never," he said, "if you will ob- offices. lige me with those letters," "For a man of genius you discern but slowly," retorted I. M'sieu.' Cournal sit dawn at a table, ]y got to his "Discern your amazing stubborn - an he stare and stare up at the hal- dlesticks. Upon the floor, this place the distance, made a swift motion of ness?" he asked. "Why should you cony, and make a motion now and and that, is a card, and pieces of his hand, his eyes half closed, his play at martyr, when your talent fe then with his hand. Ivl'sieu' Doltaire paper, and a scarf, and a broken brows brooding and firm. "1 should commercial? You have no gifts for say to her, 'Madame, you must ex- glass, and something that shine by a look beyond the moment, the year, martyrdom but wooden tenacity. case our entertainment; we did not small table. This is a picture in a or the generation. Why fret because Pshawl the leech has that. You nuts - know we had an audience so disting- uished.' She reply, 'As scene -shifter and prompter, M'sleu' Doltaire, you have a gift, 'Your Excellency,' she say to the Intendant, 'I will wait for ittle gold frame, On all the tables the hour of death comes sooner than stand glasses, some full and some we looked for? In the movement of empty, of wine. And just as the the ponderous car some honest font dawn Come in through the tall wind- must be crushed by the wicked ows, a cat crawl out from some- , wheels. No, no, in large affairs there take your calling," "And you yours," 3 answered. "This is a poor game you play, and losing it you lose all. La Pompadour Will pay according to the good you bring." He answered with an amusing can- dor: "Way, yes, you are partly right. But when La Pompadour and I come to our final reckoning, when it is a question who can topple ruins round the king quickest, his mistress or his 'cousin,' there will be tales to. tell." (To be continued) Want and For Sale Ads., 1 geek 25c.