The Clique of Gold

d with rare and fragrant flowers, while the door and window-frames were overgrown with luxuriant creepers. In the windows stood large vases filled with flowers; and the light bamboo chairs were cove

all sofa and began,

ough M. Elgin what I want to say. But I have the independence of all the girls

words with the air of a little child who looks cunning, and d

afternoon," she continued, "and you have heard that in

ss than a month! What could

wish to hear from your own lips whether

code of social laws which prescribes that a French girl must never mention the word "marriage

"that I do not understand, that I cannot possi

nderstand me perfectly well. Have they no

as permitted

t has told me every thing. I speak, therefore, to Count Ville-Handry'

was bent upon gaining time, and avoiding any positive answer. For the first time

no obje

all

all

ead, and then s

seeing her father marry again, Miss Ville-Handry hates me. Will you promise me to

mpcey been tried so hard. H

ou overestimat

a sharp and penetrating glance that h

our honor that you will do your best, and I shall be ve

emy into security for a time, and for a moment he was inclined to pledge his honor. Nay

randon very coldly, "you

ce in her hands, apparently overcome by gr

! Great God! Wha

gain, her face bright with a

r determined he might have been not to keep it. Whilst you-I can trust you; you are a man of honor,

Bran

ure of it. What, then, can it be? Tell me

ell her? Daniel

clinching her teeth con

big tears, resembling diamonds of matchless beauty, roll

I am an adventuress, come from nowhere; that my father, the brave defender of the Union, exists only in the painting in my parlor; that no one knows where my income com

ng, her lips trembling, she rose, an

They would not touch a child; but they do not hesitate to repeat a slander which dishonors a woman, and kills her as surely as a dagger. If I were a man, and had been told that Miss Brandon was an adventuress, I would have been bent upon ascertaining the matter. America is not so far off. I should have soon found the te

the terrible subject. To enable her to speak with such energy and in such a tone, she

sunk back upon the sofa, and continued in a l

r first duty. We are taught not to blush, except when we have done wrong; they are taught all the appearances of false prudishness. In France, they work hard to save appearances; with us, we aim at reality. In Philadelphia, I did every thing I chose to do, provided I did not think it was wrong. I thought I could do the same here. Poor me! I did not count upon the wickedness of the world. I went out alone, on horseback, in the morning. I wen

, ran up to Daniel, and, seizi

hey talked to y

itated to answ

you see that your he

ll-

n, calling God, as it were, to witness, and asking fo

irrefutable proofs o

e adjoining room. Daniel, moved to the bottom of his heart

rough the whole gamut of passion with such a sonorous ring, and yet with such sweet languor,

f, repeating thus unconsciously t

nd how well she

y wood inlaid with jewels. She resumed her seat on the sofa; and in that brief, sh

I was breathing; but I had never been able yet to take hold of it. Now, for the first time, I can face it; and I owe it to you that I am able to defy it. Listen, therefore;

earching something among the papers insid

ngly obliging man, and, to show his appreciation, invited him to dine here. Thus he became acquainted with Mrs. Brian and myself. He was a man of about forty, of medium height, ordinary looking, very polite, but not refined in his manners. The first time I looked at his

ressed his portrait so deeply on his mind, that he thought he saw him bef

yellow eyes. I must acknowledge, moreover, that M. Malgat behaved perfectly well whenever he was here. As M. Elgin did not know Paris, and had money to invest, he advised him what to do. When we had drafts upon the Mutual Discount Society, h

d the papers she was looking for.

t believe what I s

the result of his operations on 'change, which he carried on on acco

unate next time. There is a capital chance on such

same; the name of the fu

trange," s

ah shook

not help me in any way. This letter, however, wi

the letter

, Dec.

the most honorable among men, that I can make the

ed on my own account. One loss brought about another, I lost my head; I hoped to recover my money; and n

me that sum? I may not be able to return it in less than six

rdict. It is a matter of life and death with me; and as you

M. Elgin had written in

dollars, to be drawn from funds deposited with the

mered Daniel, "t

no longer worthy of such honor. He spoke of nothing but of his devotion unto death. It is true M. Elgin carried his generosity to an extreme. He, a model of honesty, who would have starved to death rather than touch the gold intrusted to his care,-he consoled Malgat, finding all kinds of apology for him, telling him, that, after all, he was not so very much to b

anner, which was painful to hear, an

aid all this kindness? Read this note; it

written by Malgat to M

not ten thousand dollars I had taken, b

but I can do so no longer. The board of directors have begun to suspect me; and t

ping from this country. I beseech you on my knees, in the name of all that is dear to you, for mercy's sake; for I am penn

n, and leave the answer with the concierge.

ut across the lines, M. Elgin h

mediately. N

to save his life; he was too fearfu

ity for the poor man; and I besought him to give the wretch the means to escape. But he was inflexible. Seeing, however, how excited I was

eart, as if to still its beating; a

ef, this defaulter, had become enraged; he demanded money. At first he asked for it on his knees in humble words; but, when he found that this did not answer, he suddenly rose in a perfect fury, his mouth foaming, his eyes bloodshot, and overwhelm

a moment, Daniel thought she was going to be ill. But she made an effor

l, it was with pity and contempt; for what could he do to us? Nothing, you will say. Even if he should dare to accuse us of some great crime, we thought no one wo

umber of more or less reliable stories. They exaggerated the sums he had stolen; and they sai

d nearly forgotte

re could he have found people mean enough to serve his purposes? and who were they? I do not know. Perhaps he did nothing more, as Mrs.

I, Sarah Brandon, had been an accomplice of this defaulter, and, worse than that, that the sum

whisper and most cautiously, then louder,

a thousand infamous innuendoes. They said that Malgat's defalcation was after the American style, and that it wa

, indignation, and resentment alternately appeared on her

e infamous proceedings. It is true, I had been struck by some strange whisperings, by curious l

when we were out, showed us the true state of things. It

that he would most assuredly find out the authors of this infamous libel, and t

the house until he had grown cooler. He pushed us aside almost with brutali

Elgin returned, pale, exhausted, and distressed. He had found no one willing even to listen to him; everybody tellin

cepting her words; but she mast

hard features and piercing eyes, who received me almost brutally, as if I had been a criminal. But, when I had shown him the letters which you have just read, his manner s

ently before your innocence. Would to God t

nd hope, upon Daniel, and added, in a voi

justice itself but you, sir, will

to answer. He felt as if all his senses

ss Brandon again

eeling as if, under her obstinate gaze, his mind left him, his ener

t hesitate to confide them, the only proofs of my innocence, to your honor. Take them and show them to the other clerks who have been sitting for twenty years in the same office with Malgat;

waited, but not

stand, his brow in his hands, he endeavored to think, to reason. Then Mi

seech

warm hand, Daniel rose so hastily, that he upset the cha

rgr

ace turned crimson, and then, almost instantly, livid; and, stepp

finding, apparently, no wo

or she walked to the door; but, suddenly changing her mi

f against such infamous charges; and you abuse my patience by heaping insult after insult upon me. But

ew words of apology; bu

hese explanations? Charles de Kergrist, it appears, killed himself after a supper, which he left in a state of drunkenness. He committed suicide because he had lost his fortune at Homburg and at Baden; because he had exhausted his last resources; because his family, ashamed at his disgrace, refused to acknowledge him any longer. And, if he chose my window for his self-mur

her with an air of utter

Kergrist's brother; for, after those explanations, he has continued to be our friend, sir, one of our best friends. And he was here to-night, and you

ich pity and contempt were strangely mix

criminal, do you sit in judgment on me. Question me, and

ep excitement; he knew he could not even prevent his features from expressing

Miss Brandon,

moment with joy; and in a tone of voice which

am sure you will grant me M

charm which had overcome Daniel. He saw how

g his anger at himself, and

to that to-night. I sh

at him half

not, removed your doubts, your insulting suspicio

at Daniel, stung to the quick, forgot the discre

don, I must confess that there is on

hi

e had allowed to escape him. But he had

s Brandon, how you can ma

y n

ensely rich, you say. The c

ad like a timid boarding-school girl who has been caught acting contrary to rules; and a flood o

ret into which you pry is one of those which

thinking he had c

!" he said

did not waver, and repl

side that veil of proud reserve which conceals the mysterie

confession seemed to him

o not expect me to explain to you what is going on within me. I myself hardly understand it as yet. I can give no precise name to that feeling of sympathy

d not belie

y appears to me an asylum, where I shall bury my disappointments and my sorrows, and where I shall find peace and a position which commands respect. Ah! you need not be afraid for that great and noble nam

reasonable objection to make. Fifty marriages out of every hundred are made upon less high ground. Miss Brandon, however, was not

acceptable to a duchess. I have refused them, in spite of M. Elgin and Mrs. Brian. Only yesterday, a man of twenty-f

swimming in tears; and, answering apparently her

olished society in Europe; and yet I have looked in vain for the man whose eye could for a moment even break the peace of my heart. I have seen everywhere only persons of like p

nt full of energy; and, beaming

ared not,-what, I do not know, but something grand, perilous, impossible. I dreamed of one of those ambitious men with a pale brow, a longing look, w

buried at the bottom of the sea. I would have drunk deep from the cup of my hopes; my pulse would have kept time with the fever of his

s success and of his glories, of the reverence paid

ve stirred up the heart of a stoic. The sple

pieces like the ill-jointed pieces of an ancient armor. But Miss B

irst man who has ever dared to speak harshly to me, harsh unto insult. Will you make me repent of my frankness? Oh, no, no! surely you will not be so cruel. I know you to be a man of honor and of high

erly despondent, and added, i

I know m

face to face, pale, troubled, trembling with excitement, t

rroundings; his mind was shaken; a mysterious delirium took possession of his senses; the blood

Miss Henrietta to receive me like an elder sister. Ah! if I were the woman you think I am, what would I care for Miss Henrietta and her enmity? You know very well t

that her knees struck the floor with a noise; and, seizin

sighed, "to be

ds. He trembled from head to foot; and, bending over Miss Brandon, he rais

e said in a hoa

ndon's sobs on his heart, burning him like fiery flames. Then, half drunk with excite

up instantly, drew

! unhap

out in sobs, s

sk for nothing now. If

d with terrib

ne, Sarah; I am yours.

ircase, taking three steps at once, and, find