The Galley Slave's Ring

bout fifty years of age, alt

seemed to partake of the hardness of marble;-all these features betrayed the characteristic type of the Breton race, among which the Gallic tongue and blood have pre-eminently preserved themselves unalloyed down to our own days. Upon the ruddy and thick lips of Monsieur Lebrenn sat a perpetual smile that one time betoken

ected visit, George Duchene waited in sile

by your employer to attend to some repairs in my shop.

h to me, monsieur,

earn. I was aware, besides, as all our neighbors are, of your worthy conduct to

not a little embarrassed by

our relations to each other, I said to you, and did so in all frankness: 'Monsieur George, we are neighbors;

onsieur, y

orge, you never set y

ttribute my reserve to either

should I attr

nsi

orge, be frank-you

s cheeks, paleness and blushes alternated with each other.

ur. I love mademois

, you did not return to my house out of f

mons

ed your love to anyone

, mons

u refuse to place confiden

the embarrassed young

a bourgeois-a rich man compared to you, who li

mons

silence the mer

put a question to you. You may

en, mon

tly after your discharge from t

mons

rl, an orphan name

ieur; it i

reason why the marriag

sion of pain contracted his coun

and surprised at George's silence, he co

t and oblivion. Your embarrassmen

"My embarrassment and emotion are caused by cruel recol

do not, Mons

nured to work and poverty. I believed her wise. A bachelor's life weighed upon me. I also thought of my grandfather. A wife would have assisted me in taking better care of h

is hand to the young man. "I am happy to be able to

g to the evil advice of one of her girl friends, a lost woman, she followed her example. Having lived in misery all her life, enduring grievous privations

enn, "she succumbed to the temptations of a

ot know, coined according to her habit of improvising upon all manner of subjects some of the wildest of songs. In short, she is lost forever. And yet, the girl

h to tell you what happened at my house three days ago. I was, in the evening, in my wife's room, together with my daughter. The girl had sat silent and meditative for a while. Suddenly, taking my

is hands, and seized with inexpressible ecstasy

d manners, with his frankness, and his conversation, as I heard him talk with you. I never said to him a word that could make him suspect my sentiments for him. On his part, he never dropped his extreme reserve towards me. I would be happy were he to share the sentiments I entertain for him, and if you, father and mother, think such a marriage proper. If you think otherwise I shall respect your wishes, knowing that you respect my

ing astonishment. He could not believe his o

, is this

not be effected, Velleda's affection for us will not change, but neither will she marry anyone else. Now, then, seeing it is quite natural that a young and handsome girl of eighteen

cation, that was stamped upon George's features at these wo

, proves that you served with honor. During your three months with me I was able-my eyes are sufficiently keen-to gauge your worth in point of heart, intelligence and skill at your trade. Delighted with our acquaintance, I invited you to call upon us. Your reserve in this instance is an additional proof of the delicacy of your character.

eved himself treading on enchanted ground, as the merchant had indicated

l so dazed with joy at all I have heard-at y

ertain for you, what I said was we might decide to accept you as our son-in-law. It was conditional. The condi

did I not s

ondition simply because I had it on my mind whe

ressible anxiety, and beginning to apprehend he

u worked at my place, our conversation always turned upon the history of our forefathers. Nevertheles

ieur, that all opinion, sin

pinion to prevail by peaceful means, and schemes to bring about its triumph by violence,

man, looking at the linendraper wi

tration attempted single-handed. Is

ered with a feeling of increas

eir own opinion. In short, people affiliate in secret societies-and, on the da

ished in that manner," answered George in a high state of

e rather disinclined to give our daughter to a man who did not belong to himself; who, at any moment, might take up arms, and march with the secret society that he is a member of at the risk of his life, as behooves a man of honor and conviction. It is all very lofty, very heroic, I admit. The inconvenience lies in that the Chamber of Peers, fail

ternation, had turned pale. He ans

ur-two

" interposed the linendraper; and he pr

ty. I will believe you, and you shall be my son-in-law-or, rather, my own son," added Lebrenn, reaching out his hand to George, "seei

ty of the blow that smote the hopes of George. He, hitherto so determined and energetic, f

commiseration. In a moved vo

your oath, Mo

to wipe away his tears. He then face

r, give you the oat

arriage to m

, monsieur," answer

sumed the merchant, "you admit tha

s silence was

of regret, and rising; "it is all ended-

all be so,

and of you secrecy concerning this interview. As you may judge, my inclinations were most favorable towards you. It is not my fa

should have loyally apprized you of the sacred engagement that binds me to my party. I am certain I would have made the confession to you, so soon as I had recovered from the intoxication of happiness that your words threw me into. I would have had time to consider the duties imposed upon

expected no less from you," said

ce more to the young ma

more,

But the latter, suddenly throwing his arms around the young artisan, pressed him to

nest man! Loyal heart!

the linendraper, George looked at him unable

ago-Lourc

George's frame. In

, mons

en, fourth floo

r, I beg

named Dupont introdu

I can make

you. You took the usual pledge. And you wer

or-stricken at the revelation, and seeking to regain

he chairman of the comm

young man still hesitatin

s,

depicted on George's counte

ded. And here

ispered a few word

bt, the young man cried,

ath that you demande

a last

tes

ctations. You stood the test gallantly. You preferred the ruin of your dearest hopes to a lie, notwithstandi

rchant, "can I now-can I this time-can I hope-with certainty? I conjure

wife and I consent to your marriage. And we look forward to it with deligh

pressing with effusion the ha

, the events of yesterday-those that are in train to-

Lebrenn to express his astonishment, for a moment forgotten in his transport of joy;

use, without being rich, exactly, I enjoy some comfort and have a few duds to sell? What business have I, I suppose you are thinking, with a party, the aim of which is the conquest for the proletariat of

are, indeed, are the men who, having arrived at comfort, turn a

find among them merchants, artists, manufacturers, literary people, lawyers, men of learning, physicians, in short-bourgeois, most of whom, like myself, live in modest comfort, all of them animated w

rprised and happy I a

s of capital to stop credit and to reject our signature, however honorable the same may be? Would we, were credit, instead of being the monopoly of the few that it is to-day, democratically organized by the state, as it ought to be,-would we be then exposed to ruin by the sudden withdrawal of capital, by usurious extortion, of discount, or as the consequence of a merciless competition? Are not we to-day, we old men, on the eve of finding ourselves in as precarious a position as was that of your grandfather, that brave invalid of toil, who, after thirty years of work and probity, would have died of want but for your devotion to him, my dear George? Have I, already once ruined like so many other merchants, the certainty that my son will always find the means of earning his daily bread, that he will not be forced to experience, like you, George, like all other proletarians, the trials of being laid-off-that homicidal manoeuvre which causes you to die a little every day for want of sufficient food? And my daughter-but no! I know her too well! She would sooner die! But how many young girls, brought up in comfort

ur; I have b

liant women, who, with act and voice, encouraged their fathers, brothers, sons and husbands in battle. But you know our by-laws. They impose upon us absolute silence towards outsiders. George, within three days either the thron

of war, monsieur;

marriage with you, and that you love her, would be only

ld, mon

crisis before speaking to my daughter. Should I be killed, my w

y to you is-I shall approve myself worthy of your daughter-worthy of you; I am not overcome by the magnitude

draper, affectionately pressing the young man's

e, and fifty cartridges that

f arms and ample powder. I went out this morning to inspect the deposits of ammunition that it was feared the police spies had discovered. I found the rumor false. At

him, as for my

re in the

mons

of allowing me to impart to h

f the old man, who was still smoking his

crazily in love. All I ask of you is to keep the secret for a few days, after which you are entitled to the expectation of soon seeing yours

dence of the Count of Plouernel, the colonel of dragoons who was waiting