Marie Of Villefranche

IfrOM MiiCIllillilliV CagMfilM. It was iv cold, snowy day when I wont tn bos Jimio : tho rillagen had their headatied up in brilliant-oolorod handkcnliiei's, ooutrasting pleasantly with tho white sihiw, and they shuffled quiekly "ver iheir erranda in their olanking sabots. Thero Was a good deal ol' tiilk and langhter among thora, but all tho faees lookej ])iiiL'ln'd :iml cold " Where did Marie la Veuve livo?"I aeked. All knew, and all were Willing to show lue tlit; wuy, for " Marie was the village favorito," as one of the gossipe explained to me : " she kopt a silent tongue inherhead; had been a good daughter, sister, and wife ; was helpful to t li in trouble, and ioyful with those who rojoiced ; but things weregoing badly with Marie, sinco the birth of her fatherioss child, and there was 110 hope of peace, and these eoouin de Prutsten were eating uj the land. When I entercd Mario's room, she was lying on her bed, white and still, with a little awaddled bundie bende her. " Tliis is my baby,'' she whispered, setting upright the little stifl' innige. The baby o]_cned its dark eyos, and lookcd at me with that utter wan1 of speculation in its gaze oonunon to its kind. Marie said no more, but her taco was as spcaking m interest as her ohild's was vaoaut ; she took my hand and held it in both of hors. There was not s.leuce in tho room, however, for bende the bed stood the voluble little iuothor-in-law, tolling me all the symptouis ; how there was no milk for tlie little one, how l'uverish the niother is, what nleeplosa nights, whatexbaustin'.1. 'biys. "Tho doctor says it íb beoanse there is trouble on tho niind. Of courso there is trouble, with the husband dead, shot down before his brothor's eyos, on the beighta above Sedan, on that fatal day of August 31st ; of course there is trouble, with nothiug to eat, and all the little savings going ; is it not all truc, tna " And the little old woinan turned for coiToboration to a bent tigure sitting at the farther ond ut' tho room, stretching tiit lean long fingen towards the glow f rum the little stovc. " Yes, yes," niuriiiur. il this other, ' it is the war, famiao, and tover that have dono it all. 1 h:tve jast this nd that, all gone ; and then the smell of powder and blood .' " " Never mmd her," said the other to me npologetically ; " hermind ia goae, but is Mario's mother, and in her day was the belle of the village : she married wull, and had a farm of her own, plenty of linen, and three great UU monté. Marie was not the only ohild ; thore was anothcr, a boy, husipbaoked, and of weak intellect, who showed no lovo for anyone but Marie, and her whole lift) was devoted to hiua until he died. My son did not laugh at him as the othet village lads did, but would gpend long houra in arnnsing him, and the boy was never stubboro or wilful with Jacques. And then rio married my son, and all the village said she might have done botter, but a man wlio is (jpnÜO with ehillreu is sur.: to bc gentle with women, and a son who is thoughtful for his mother is likely to make a good husband:"and so -f' told Mario: and to Jaefjues I said, ' Novcr leave off asking her until you get her ; ' and in tho end he did win her. And now he has died nghtiug for liis country, and 1 am proud md satisfied, though 1 am not happy." The brave little woman stopped here to lift the corner oi' her apron to the dim old eyes. All this tinif Marie lay back upon her piilow, tearless and still. She was uot a strikingly handsoiuo woman, but there was n sujjplicating sadness n lier large, dark eyes, Boftly reiled by black lashes, and there was a wealth of s setness and tenderncss abottt the full, slightly compressed liis, that lent to her whole face ii strangc fascinating interest. Had this sweet, silent woman, I wonder, drifted unknowinglvinto matrimony - was it "juxtoposition in firu'r " or was it that deep, sensitive gratitude that grows so near ukin to love in woman's heart ' Jacques had not ridiculed ihe idiot boy, and she, so loving to her brother, and too young to sound the deptha of such a sacrifico, hTid givén herself to Jacques for recompense. And uow trouble had come, and she had been near to death, and, as the woman said, all the little savings had gor.e. The case was bad, but Marie was not downcasi :is I txpected ; perhaps sho had at this moment forgotU'U muoh that she had sult'i red ; perhaps, nlso, sIil' was experiencing a great and unileiined relief. What if there should dawn a new lite tor lier, with liealth, and her child 'r - without dreads, Or suppressi'd weariness, or sinothered incompatibilities. " If only I could live : " said the sjieaking eyes. So, at least, I read her story. Otherwise it might aliiiosi scem strange that sho shoulu wish for life, with nothing to look forward to bnt widowed loaelinesa. She and I had haidly uttered a word together, but, as she held niy head in hers, I feit arising between us a sudden sympathy that springs up botwoen two poople, reoognizing a spontaneous trust that needs no ontward exptcssion. The door was now opened soitly to admit a Gemían soldier, one of those cojuiiu 'e Prusriens, oarrying au armful of small cut logs of wood. 1 had noticed him, as I cuinc in, chopping them up in tront oí the door. He gavo me a military salute as he passed on tiptoe to the littli.' stuw, whcre he bcgan to repleniah thi! dyiug lame, moving about silently and softly. There atocia alittle sauoepan of milk on the hearth, which the uoiiiin wurc negleeting; he moved it to a little distanoe Erom thoflre, and stirring it, Baved it trom beiiig burnt. Hu tliun opened a cupboard, and drew out a littlr packet of oorn-flour whioh 1 had sent to Marie the previous day. " Ah ! l bad forgotten," cried la !Ui: mire, iuiekLy dry ing her tyes : "she ourlit to have had that an hour ago. öo and get somo w.iU ■ trom the well, Hoinricli, while I mix gome in a cup." Heinrioh reaohed her a spnon and oup from a shelf, and paased out as quiokly :is he had oome in. Ho wiis a powerfully built man, witb a greai head, sel rathor clurasily on square, upright Bhouldere; there was a gentle dignity in liis manners. and ;i good resolute expression in lü deep, gtey eyes. One feit he waa the reposeful element in that littln household; the women had tuken the part of requisitioning the en - niv, and makins; full ase of bis kindly telpfulness, while he, the strong onc, was bcing Imllied, beoause of his strength, by the weak ones. " Do you think there is dangcr," whispored la belle mére, as she acoompanied me to the door, " having that greai Prussian in the house, with Marie soyoung?' "What do you meas : " 1 asked, astonished. " I say that he is not all that is convenable, and Marie is entiroly engrossed with her baby; maiêaprist How long is it to last 'i 1 ask myeelf. When aro these Uerinans to bc sent away ? Marie is a good nroman, and he is a good man notwithstandins that he is our eneniy He has, too, such a way of doing things forme bef ore I ask him, seeming to cuvine all we want. My Jacijuos was alwavs willing, but not forothoughtful as this One is. I have notliing to oomplain of in JMatic's oondoot ; shesoolda him, and I he aevei answen hex batdc, and she senda liim about end he always gofi. MaU aprèsf In niy day it was ivn impossible thing fot i vimiig man and woman to liv,' togetner without falling in love, but the youug are more reasonablo now - at least, Marie, f kmnv, isreasüiiablc ; she and JaocrtlOS werá very different from me and my man. Whocrer would liivvo thought that I should grow to bc an old woman, living on all alón i -" " I don'tthink you need anticípate anything." I said ; " M irie's baby is her great interest." "If only In; were like the rest of tlnni, oruol and cxacting, I should feel easier, and oould oompïain," she miittcrcd to i her elf, :is she ro-entered the cottage. C1IAPTER II. On the following day I journeyed to a leighboring town, to pay it visit to an imbulanco in which I hád nureed dwing ;he fcroublod timos that followcd the oaitulation of Sedan, and I almost forgot Slarie's little household, in the interest of eviowing old aequaintanees. As I ' iviil ut the door of the woü-known somjre-looking house, a young man hobbled . up to me, and, soi.ing my hand, shook it learüiy. " Don't you know mer"ho asked ; "I im the ono out of the flve amputatcd .hat survived in that crowded little room. Liook nero ; what a splendid support I . lave got." He went on displayiug a clean . wooden stump, strapped on to his shatred limb. " And this, too," poiating to i decoration on his breast - " yes, I can ïold up my head proudly among all these ■r'russian dogs, for I fought wildly for . franco, but to what use is it? AVhat has , Ome of it? We are betraycd first by our hjiupcror, then by our generáis ; and even our wonien oringo and snigger to these . oafing barbarians. Few Prenohmen can, ike me, hold up their heads, and teel satsfied they have dono their utmost for ;heir country." And off stuiuped ray quondam patiënt, followod by a littlo , iroop of iji i a aduiirers. "The win.l i tempered to the shorn .auib," thought I, as I watched the poor , naimed lad Emping about gaily. I found things in a progtvssivo state nside the w.ills ; tin: Frenen camo up to ne, voluble and hearty, recognizing in me a friend whose pocket, inight possibly 16 filled with tobáceo and cigars, if not ;ho bearor of important new.s from t'.ie outer world. T h Germans were silently lignifiod, and gloomily hopelees of their own reeovery. " Could I write a brief joem to ii distant lady love ? " " No." WV11, would I ask the do .-tor to prevail upon the cook to mako sodio stronger ioup?" " Yes, I would do that." "Had [ lij chaneca cold sausagein my pocket ?" 'No; could Ido anything eue?"Iin[uirod. "Yes, Madame might make JOIHÜ." Soine weeks after my return homo from ny visit, I went to se Marie ; I had leardshe had beon getting on well, and [ found hor ap, and much bettir. with a iew : l i ; 1 brighter expression on her faoe. Ser motber h.id jmt been discu3siug tho idvisability of retiring to bed; she had :ired of her coffee roasting, and knitting, und tho af ternoon was gloomy and cold. [ helpod the tottering old woman iuto an inner ro iin, vhei;e; in a sm-t of borth UtiLowcd int. the wal), sho l.iy down and gKn feil asleep. Whilo I was with her, tli ■ U.tüi in Btoinrioh came in, and went straight up to Marie. " Wliy don't you teil Ser? 5Tou Oan trust her, and sho might help us." I know h inoant me. "Spoak, Marie," he wont on, bonding n-er ter hú groat hoad, with the strorig, sliort-cropped hair. He was all-poweri'ul ; Mm-ie would have done anytliing for him, and he knew it, and she knew that he knew it ; and yot he waa pleadïng and tender and gentler than sha was. Hor oyes liad tallen ander his gaze, tnil her lips pressed thomselves togetner; -he had strook pettishly tho great big liand that enolosed hers. It is the strong nul the great who are gentío ; it is tho weak who strike out cruelly and reoklossly to s;ive themaelvea from falling. I canie out from the inner room, and sat lown in the old mothVr's chair, on tho other side of' the tire. Ileinrich canie and stood before me, ereot and resolute. "Madame," ho began, "I lovo tliis Frenoh woman, Marie, o1' Villofranoho, and 1 wish tn iiiMiry her ; but if we made our inten tions known in the village, either she ór I would bc torn in pieoei by the peoplo, for at this hoor there is no lovo lost between the dospoiled and the despoilers In loving Marie I do Hot forget iny country, nor does she renounce hors. I only find that love, when it comea, triuinphs over all other feelings and considerations. Could you not speak to tho curé for us, and get him to niarry na privatoly ? " " But," I interruptcd, " suroly it is too short a time sinco the death of Marie's busband."' " 1 have been in tho house for nionths, and have to day reoeivod maïehing orders," he put in. " And he has been everything to me, and done everything for me, and I canuot bear it any longer," added Marie, in herlow, passionati! voice. Then tho bi-L man knelt down, and kissed and stroked the pale hands that held with effort her baby's weight. On my way home that evening, I eulled at the nirrs house. I gavemy name, and lieeame shuflling along tlu; little garden walk, with Bflibots pulled over his ghoes, so as to open the gato to me himself. We bowed and seraped to one another, and remarked on the depth of the snow as we made our way to his sanetum. In the center of the room stood a writing-table, covered with greasy-looking volumes thin writing paper, ink, md sand ; títere was an open lire-place, iilled with ashes, and two logs placed ready for lightiug. The "■■ immediately stooped down ani lit a matoh (though I protëited), and the room was soon lighted with the sparkling (!;iiins. Oh th mantel stood amalldusty images of the Madonna and the Crucifixión, balanced by a pipe and tobáceo pouch; aeapboard happened to bo halfopen, and on its shelves were arranged flasks of various sauces and sijices, and mouldy old bottles of soalod wines. He motioned me to a chair, and drew a little mat in front of it foi my feet ; and with his snuff-box in his hand and his head meekly bowed down, lie listened (O niy talo. Et was a diffioult story to teil, and 1 stuttered and stammered over it, but the priest was all attention. "That is all very right," he said, in a roassuring way; are muoh more oompbloated oases than that in tho village. And so you thiuk they should marry," he went on, litüng his Bleepy eyes to mine. " Yes, mdeed I do, and any little cx.Marie may inonr I shall most glad" Of course, I anderstand," he said, waving his hand in a deprecaling way. "Poor Jacques, he could noither read not write, But as he said that did nol prevent him from serving his country. Well, we wil] try and ar range inatters in t quiet way Borne timo soon, and in tho meantimo Marie and this Gierman must keep quiet andbide their time." Ainl then 1 rose, and he, bowing low, pn( m his sabots again, and aecompanied me to the garden-gato. On the following day I called again at Marie's cottage ; slie expeoted me, and had put the littlo coffoe-pot on the stove, and had sont Heinrich out to gok somc new bread for me, talking of everything I but the one robjfeol aoarest to her beart. She was looking charming, and was making a groat effort, to bc onergetic. I was being warmed by her hot eoffee, and wc were waiting for Heinl'lch and the brcifdi when the outor door oponed, and a grimt gust of cold wind swept through the narrow passage. Marie was holding a ! pan over the flre ; tha pan shook and ! trombled, and I feared for the fute of the milk as Mary turned her eyus, so full of lustrous ligfit, to_the door. I was fcoling a little .sluit out, and aggrievod about the probable loss of the milk dostined for niy cup, as I nnt-iccd Marie's distraction, when thud, thud camo along the passage, and - thud, thud, ochood through the room. As I lookcd at her, I saw tliat I sudd nly the love-lit eyes waned and paled, and from her clenched wliite lips oaine an agonizad shriek. She staggered I forward, and feil into her husband's anus. " Marie, mignonne, c'nst moi, regardes ton Jacques," and he tried to lift up the j blanohed face to his. " Ah ! it was you ' who saved me," he went on, turning and j reoognizing me. "Howmuoh I owo to you ' Figure to youi-self, my Marie, a I party ot' iive were brought from the field ; all had to undergo amputation, and I alone survivcd the lurgeon's knifo. I thonght it was all up with me, when I feil pieroed by two balls, and with those riderless horsea carecring over me, and kni'w nothing more until I woke to flnd myself in an ainbulanee without my leg ; and now I walk with my head as high as aiiy of those MÜèrat -■ Pnwtiens." I looked round bewildered, and saw Heinrich in the doorway; he stood like oue petritied, holding the loaf of broad listlessly in his hand ; his fuco und form seemed to shrink, and all strength appoared to have left hini ; he gave ono dospairing look at tho bent head erowned with its glistening braids of black hair, and silontly quitted the room. I laid Marie ujwu her bed, and watched besido it for mauy miserable liours, while she passed out of ono fainting fit into another. It was a totally different homeooining to what poor Jaequos had auticipated ; he had meant it to be a triumphal entry - an unexpectod, unalloyed pluasure - instead of whioh it had only boen a scène of consternation and distress. Ho found, however, a hearty welcome from all his neighborg, who, when Marie got bettei', emne flocking in to expross thoir oongratulations. 1 roturned home tliat evening with a very heavy hoart : on the road I met Heinrich. " I am going to try and get other quarters inside tho town," he said to me as I carne up to him. We walked toguther side by side, sadly and silently. A party of l'russiau offieers came riding joyously along the road ; they were returning from scouring the country, on the pretenoe of an alarm from Francs-Tireurs. All were noisy, ruddy, and full of lile : they looked ourioualy at my com panion as he returned Iheir military salute. Why should a conquoring Gorman look so downcast? they sjemed to say. A little further on came rattling at full speed tho Feld-post, bristling with soldiora and bayoneta, each uart being driv en by a sul Lo:1., soaivd-looking French peasant. As wc passed thern, the men oalled out friondly greetings to Heinrich, but he did nut raise liis bent head as with long, absent stridos ho waded through the suow. As wo passed through the gatea leading into tho town, with all the busde and confusión round us, he begftn abruptly to talk aloud hia inmost thoughts. " And liow my motlier wil] griove for ino ! " he said. " I have written to hor from time to time, telling her about my love lor Marie, and she bas so well understood - she has all a nian's chivalry for wonien. At Biei she wrote, "Donotgive your hoart to a Frenohwoman, my son," but in her last letter she said, ' When the war is over, and it" your lifo is spared, bring Marie with her babe and the two old women to our valley of the Wisperthal ; the house is roomy, and with us there will be plenty, and we shall forgot all th.it has been, - ' and now," ho went on, flinging up his anus, " It is all like BOme wild dream that is passed. You are tired," he said looking down at me with his kindly penetrating eyes, " but you will sleep to-night and get rest, while I - I - my lifo now will be ono long restless night, when waking I fiud her not." " You are a soldier : you can flght," I said, fueling more pity for Marie. " Yes, I can do tliat," he said, laughing hoarsely. Some days afterwards I was in the doorway of a houso oiiposite to that of Jacques, when my attention was attractedto a little crowd collected round his open door. Two Uhlans had come riding down the street, and stopped to join Heinrich, who was mounting his horso and bidding farewell to his hosts. Jacques held out his hand and gave Heinrich a friendly sh:ik for the wounded Frenchman could afford to be polito to his enemy ; tho old mother had come tottering into tho light, and, while shading her oyes with her hand, was giving a long earuest look at the departing guest. The bustling littlo mothcr-in-law was calling out hor last farewell to Heinrich, who, though he was ono of the detested in vaders, had proved himself a helpful and kindly inmate. Marie was standing with her baby in her arma at an upper window ; sho was full in the light, not partly bidden, as a girl might be, looking her last on the man she loves. She was gazing down with her Madonna face, full of high purpose and a calm scremty : the war within her had been sharp and fieroo, but the strugglo was over, and she had accepted her fato as God had willed it. Sho had come forward into the window to bring peace and encoiiragement to Hpinrieh. There was a divino tranquillity about her whole hearing that struck him as ho glaneed up with a sad disturbed face into the calm abovo him ; ho looked again, long and earnestly, and the shadow of a great grief seemed to pass away, and the drawn, hollow linea about his faoesoftened into repose. She, out of tho depths of hor dospair, had taught him that hard lifo lasson, oue la liberté et l' ebtittanee col,n, tain " We are not sont into the world to rost in tho haven of a great love, to Beek and win our individual happinoss ; love oomes, as spring cornos, to renew all life to cover the hard, cold earth with softness and sweetness, to bring the tender buds to blowoming perfection, to lili the olear air with fragranco and light. What f tha spring passes ? ia there 'not the long summer of twüight and peace ? Marie had loved, and her love had made her stronger and botter: she had suffered, and tlu; Buffering had raised and puriñed her whole nature ; sho was going to " live the life," not as she had planned it for horself, but as fate had deerood it. The beauty of renuneiation shone out of her olear eyes, and in the mitjesty of her figure there breathed the restful calm that follows upon the tumult of a storm subdued. "They aro not men, they are inaohines ! " exolaimed a young girl scornfully, as sho moved away from the little group at the door. Bhe had throaded a red ribbon, through herebon hair, and had lifted up her eyes laughingly to look into Heinrioh's face; ho was a"djusting liis long, glittering lance in the stirrup at the time, and had either not noticed her glance, or had gazed at hor vacautly with his dim, grief-ful eyes. [ stood and looked aftor tho throe figures, aitting square and upright on their powerful horses. As they passed out , trom tlio village strcot on to tho straight highwny, bordered with stately trees, I whose frozcn branches, entwining with i one aiiother, formed a trellised arch in i long pcrspectire, ono hoard the clank of i horses' hoofs far up tho road. The (Oene, i as I saw it, with tbo whanows ot evening softening all h:irsh outlines, seemed like somt dream-piotuie, bathed in the rosa i and amber light of a waning sun ; thero ' was no joyous rippling sound of running i water, all the fountains Were froendumb, i thin clouds of vnpory mist wreathed slowly up into the air from above the ; roilgh-hewn crosses thut bordei-ed the road-side, marking tlio resting place of those killed fighting for their fathorlund. Heinrich turned to give onu last look, and then the three horsemeu passod out of ' fjight. Jaoques crossed the street, and caught sight of Marie at tho window. She sniiled, and held up the laughing baby. Jacques' face becaine radia&t, as he stood leaning on his crutches, watching tho mother and child, and then limped quickly baek agaiu into the house. Then Marie leant out for a moment, her whole face involuntarily ohangingas she looked for the lust time into tho misty distanee, begimñng perhapa to realize with somotlimg like despair tho leveldulness ut her future daily lite - it was a passionute farewoll look - a helpless, wistful gazy : she was young and eager, with throbbing pulses and an aching heart, that revoltod agaiust the woinan's ïplentless will. Tho oliild looked up into the alterod face, its gleeful crowing elumged into a littln weak scared cry ; Marie startcd back, and, bonding her head low over her baby, hushed its wailing sobs. And in tho fading light I saw tho indistiuct outline of Jaeques' good-humored', meaTiingless face : he put his hand lightly on Mario's shouldor, and drew her into the rooin : sho shut the window and began to trim the evening lamp with dolt hands. And from behind thelamp I saw Marie'sgmnd figuro passing to and fro, as sho hushed her child to sleep ; thore was silenoe in the room, and in the blessed stillness I knew she would receive the strength and calm that steals its way into a woman's soul, when she holds in hor rirm arms the saored burden of a sleeping child. COXCI.VSION'. When the snow had melted, and the tender blades of grass had sprung out from the brown mould in the iields and hodges, and small buils had dotted the slendcr shoots of the trees, I went to bid farewell to the villagers of Villefranche. It niay be in the coming years I shall seo theiu aguin in times of peace and plenty, when war is no longer devastating the rich gardens of tho Ardennes, and lever and lamine are passed away as a tale that is told. But nevor can I forget Pranoe as she appoarod to me then, " beau tiful amid her woes," her proud spirit unbrokcu, her faith in her old prestige unshaken, her children silently suiFering in her cause : how bright, how pationt, how proudly uucomplaining they were ; how soft, how winning, how warm-hoarted ; what quick stmsibilities, what flashes i' kien humor; what dignity and grace. Are the French indeed so callous and frivolous 'i - these carnest, devoted husbands, these tender, holpful wivea, snpporting with their united, unweuried efforts largo families of bright-rycd - 1 j ï 1 - dren 'i What a rich study were the faces of the old mem and wom(;n ! Life had not slipped idly past them ; their old agwas stored with rich memories. We wept for their suflerings, but no tears carne from their oyes; they sufferod in silence waiting and hoping it was but a black olood passing over the blue bread th of their sky, - it would break and disperse, and Franco would appear from behind it briglitor, greater, more glorious thuii before. So thought the simple poasants as they faced starvation in their ruined homos. 1 found Marie's old mothersitting spinning outside the door, in the checkcnl sunlight. " And so you too are going, and Heinrich has gono : nothing is left, - c'est la guerre, ent ia guerre." Within, Jacquos was seated at a tablo, having a writing lesson ; M;irie stood at his elbow, guiding his pon. "It is never too late to mond," said Jacques, as he rose to give me his chair. " I ought to know how to write: I ought to have written to Marie when I was away. She has told me all. I do uot blame her, tho fault was mine." I put into his hand a letter that I had just received from an nnknown correspondent, itnnouncing the death of Heinrich, who had been shot at Orleans. When he was dyiug he asked his doctor to write me a few lines : " he wishes you to know that he is at rest, Marie, and that his last prayer was for happiness for you and Jacques." Marie wept as she read tho letter. Jacques drow her close to him, and sheltered the tear-stained face. " Marie," he said gently, "I suffer such pain, such constant gnawing pain, that I sometimos wish I too had been killed outright." Marie quickly raised her head ; the hot tears ceased to flow. " No, dear Jacques ; no, it is much better as it is." She supported him toa couch, and, sitting down bende him, held his thin, suffcring hand in hors. ' When you touch mo, Marie, the pain seems to pass away from mo." " I am so glad," she whispored, bending over him her wistful smiling face. I went out softly, I bade them no farewell ; but as I left, I too, like Heinrich, prayed that Marie and Jacques might be happy, with such happiness as God gives to those who do not question, nor struggle againat destiny, but work and wiit, earning that long rest which is tho end of life.