The Clique of Gold

e passages, and the steps on the staircase, and suspecting that som

d the doctors utte

is

wollen from sleeplessness, and overcome with fatigue, had drawn the cou

my dear si

piration on his pallid brow, did not understan

hope. Did you not

suddenness, that the stunned mind refuses to believe them, a

ere full of life, in perfect health, and the whole vigor of her years, apparently perfectly hap

ath, she retained the appearance of life; she was still warm, her skin transparent, and her limbs supple. Even her eyes, still wide open, retained their expression, and betrayed the la

claimed Henrietta. And she went from one doctor to the

ed away from her, distressed by her terrible grief, expressing their inability to help by a gesture; and then the poor girl went back to the bed, and, bending over her mother, watched with a painful

room; but she insisted upon staying. They tried to remove her by force; but she clung to th

down upon her knees by the side of the bed, hiding he

, my darli

t for; and then a couple of priests; a little later (it was towards the end of January) one of the count's friends appeared, who

h the count, twenty-five or thirty ladies came and

en quarrelling; orders were given; and at last t

t and prayed

lives; but they did not eat a morsel. How could they do it, seeing before them the empty seat

loss. During the day they were seen wandering about the house, withou

ounded by the death of the countess. Daniel had loved her like a mother; and in his hea

that he was admitted. When Henrietta saw him, she felt sorry she had not let him come in

saying a word, but deeply moved, and feeling instinctively that

ze him. There was a strange want of steadiness in his movements; he looked almost like a paralytic, whose crutches had suddenly

ief as soon as I go b

usually difficult, and when great things were expected of him. Two or three absurd, ridiculous, in fact u

ed the truth. They attributed the sudden failure of his faculties

t he had loved her so deepl

her admiration, so far from being diminished, only increased day by day. She love

it come about? He tortured his mind in vain; he could not

fectly ine

ness. At first he had thought of going back to the country. But gradually, as day followed day, and weeks gr

d at one time begun to be seriously concerned for her father's health. But she was not a little amazed when she saw him lay aside his mourning, an

ater matter

with jet black beard and hair. Henrietta could not restrain an expressio

he thinks this goes better with my co

e had occurred in the coun

s, nevertheless, a woman, and hence had the keen instinct of her sex, which is better

n frightened, confided her troubles to Daniel. But she had only spo

t, Miss Henrietta; and, whatever y

le of all kinds. A number of young men came in the forenoon on horseback, and in the most unceremonious costumes. They came in smoking their cigars, and asked at once for liquors and absinthe. In the afternoon, another set of men made their appearance,-vulga

at, having been ill-treated in politics, he intended to devote himself henceforth to grand enterprises, and hoped confi

tune, he had already an income of a hundred thousand dollars. Was that not quite enough for

e was afraid of hurting her father'

, tapped her cheek

ike to rule your

ded more s

I ought to go into retirement? Have

dear

condemn himself to inactivity, unless he wants to die. I do not want

y, that both Henrietta and

t sure that he had only to undertake a thing, and he was sure to succeed. Besides, Daniel hoped

ts to be made in the very last fashion; and never went out without a camellia or a rosebud in his buttonhole. He no longer contented himself with dyeing his h

n. If he was spoken to, he started like a criminal caught in the act. He who formerly prided himself on his magnificent appetite (he saw in it a resemb

ell like drops of ink on his white shirt-front. Then, again, these attacks of melancholy would be followed by s

and brought him a letter. The count tore it from his hands, th

o Daniel. "There are moments

than usually, perhaps in order to gain courage, he drew

called me a very bad father. I dare say you blame me for leaving you so consta

letely to herself than the daughter of a workman, whose business keeps him from

ary, papa," re

how do you occ

o make home pleasant to you. Then I embroider, I sew, I study. In the a

ed; but it was

ge stands in need of some one to advise her, to pet her,-an affectionate and

she had wound round her father's ne

of marryi

side, hesitated mome

es

at were her stupor, her indignation, her bitter grief

om we have lost? You would make her sit down in the chair in which she used to sit, and let her rest her feet on the cushion whi

et, if Henrietta had been less excited, she woul

he stammered out at last. "I am old; I may die; we have no

imson; but she

here is M. Da

el

saw that she was falling into the pit he

had told me-in fact, since you h

tended to make hi

de no

t which I had to use the whole strength of my firm will. A sailor is a sorry kind of h

rgain which her father proposed to her, and it made her indignant. He t

; for my part, I wi

ch to choose? Finding herself alone, she took a pen, a

to you instant

riet

rry it at once to its address; and then she waited i

ntly, and the birds sang joyously. There he spent almost all the time which was not required by his official duties. A walk in company with his friend, Maxime de Brevan; a visit to

at sailor is," said the

uld have prevented his falling into bad company. A pure, noble love, such as his, based upon perfect confidence in her to whom it is given, is quite s

not ambitious. He had chosen a profession which he loved. He had a considerable fortune of his own, and was thus, by

he blessed day when she should become his own, to have any thing to wish for or to regret. Hence he worked incessantly, indefatigably, waking up every morning anew with the determination to make himself one of those names which weigh more than the oldest parchments, and to win

is love, he saw nothing impossible in that thoug

quiet ways?" said Admiral Penhoel to his young off

ht him Henrietta's letter. He knew that something extraordinary must have happened to induce Henrietta, w

ned at the house?" h

not that

nt is no

, s

ss Henr

ss is perf

eathed mo

ng at once; and make haste, or

moment later he was out of the house. As he walked rapi

arm too soon; perhaps she has

o be the case. He felt worse than ever, when, upon being shown into the drawing-room, he saw

d, without waiting for the door to be

terrible,

y, what. You

s going to m

recalling at once the gradual tran

That explains

repeated to him in a half-stifled voice almost literally her

enrietta. Your father evidently

that is h

that, if you would consent to

ing to add, he stopped; b

I understood it; and that was my reas

was asking him

ht to consent!"

ng with indignati

r, ne

his life's happiness destroyed forever, Henrietta lost to him. But the very imminence of the

but he can marry without asking you for yours. There is no law which authorizes children to oppose the follies of their parents. What your father wants is

O

o our separation. He might possibly forgive you; but she-Don't you think she should avail herself to the utmost of her influence over him? Who can for

hy

peak out fully what he thought; and at las

thing else but a barefaced speculation. Your f

pleaded his cause with such eagerness, that

e to yield?

ch you t

dly, and said in a to

shall not object to this profanation. But you

se, offered her hand

know, and I will tell you, the name of the woman whom fa

e. Next morning, the first

you though

led to turn his head away; and then s

f I said I was not going to suffer cruelly at the idea of a stra

ot prepared for suc

at you will be tender, affectionate, and kind.

is her

nty-

t she thought his new wife much too young

wo years younger w

forgot that that w

esent you to her. She is a foreigner, of excellent family, very rich

e name of her future mother-in-law, he star

ot mistaken, that is worse than any