L'Abbe Constantin -- Complete

practice. He will lead the life of a soldier. Ten days' march on the highroad going and returning, and ten day

of his departure. With impatience-for he suffers an absolute martyrdom, he longs to escape from it; with terror-for to pass twenty

at he has only loved Bettina since the day when the two chatted gayly, amicably, in the little drawing-room. She was sitting on the blue couch near the widow, and, while talking,

not then felt any taste for marriage, it was because his interviews with these two girls had not caused him any emotion or any agitation. He had smiled in speaking thus, but a few minutes after he

andon himself to this emo

very serious, but I s

rrive at Longueval, and there would be an end of this dangerous intimacy. He would have courage; he would keep at a distance; he would lose himself in the crowd, would see Bettina less often and less familiarly. To see her no more was a thought he could not support! He wished to remain Bettina's friend,

ung Philip and the young Daniel, formed a part of the famous brotherhood of the thirty-four. They were old friends, Bettina had treated them as such, and had declared to them, with pe

n destined for pleasure. As soon as it was a question only of amusement, riding, croquet, lawn-tennis, polo, dancing, charades, and theatricals, he was ready for everything.

ns, and the latter had scarcely concluded the customary little complime

hirty-

d that it was his personal graces which had obtained for him this very flattering and cordial reception. It was a great mist

ing only, but for every evening, and Paul, with enthusiasm, came every e

particular attention and favor. It pleased her to talk long, very long, alone with him. But what w

m, he knew how to love him. Nothing to him was sweeter, nothing was easier, than to say of the friend of his childhood all th

conduct. He had just been talking for a quarter of an hour with Bettina. The conversatio

me, and I have made a bold

ented with the result of the enterprise

and really it is very good of me to acknowledge it; for, between ourselves, she makes me play an ungrateful and ridiculous

e conf

have very good eyes; you were looking at us. Well, do you know what we were talking about? Of you, my dear fellow,

er? You took lessons togethe

on be Captai

mman

d th

, etc., e

Jean, if you liked, you might

Paul was much astonished at th

atter? Have I

g. But how could you take such

have entertained the absu

! y

d it you may have it; you ar

I entre

comfort wa

nks I am agreeable; but as to considering me seriously, that little person will never commit such a folly. I must fall back upon

n, who had taken to placing himself very regularly in Mrs. Scott's particular circle, for like Bett

s, but not very profoundly, in the hearts of all young girls. The sensation had been the same, at the same moment, in the soul of Bettina and the soul of Jean. He, te

he-this Jean? Why not? She knew him better than she knew all those who, during the past year, had haunted her f

inking for a moment of the obscurity of Jean; he, in recoiling before her mountain of wealth as he would have recoiled befo

with more frankness to the first call of love-this is why Jean became, day by day, more

ot; the temptation was too strong; it carried him away; so he came. She would come to him,

each other, and if w

ouch them. He tried to escape those eyes which, tender and smiling, anxious and curious, tried to meet hi

ered those uncertain, agitated, troubled words which were not addressed to her, and whi

et of her budding love, as a miser guards and caresses the first coins of his treasure. The day when she should see clearly into her ow

s flattered by it-a woman is never displeased at thinking herself beloved-and vexed at the same time. She held Jean in great es

and it helped her, too. But Susie had not to reproach herself for having flirted with Jean. She recognized his merit and his superiority; he was worth more than the others, he was a man to suffer seriously, and that was what Mrs. Scott did not wish. Already, two or three times, she had been on t

spend this last day at Longueval, and dine at the house. Jean had re

st ten; he came on foot. Several times o

her again. I shall leave to-morrow, and return no more to Souvig

ay, he would see her a

the drawing-room, Be

t last! How

been ver

re going t

to-m

ar

in the

runs by the wall of the park,

is the way

d have gone out on the terrace to se

's burning hand in hers. He drew i

speak to your s

e are a dozen persons round her. Come

to seat himse

ng away, to

ou

k, on board the Labrador. We are going to meet him at Havre. We shall also start the day after to-morrow; we are going to take the children, it will do them a great deal of good to spend a few days at the seaside. How p

ee w

eeks in

ival, in the ca

ame time, I am a little sorry to leave here, for I should have gone every morning to pay a little visit to Monsieur l'Abbe. He would have given me news of you. Perhaps, in ab

e remembrance of your extreme kindness, yo

he was afraid of his

go and speak to your sister. She is l

m, Bettina followe

herself at the piano to play

ens approached

e the honor, M

romised this dance to Mo

o him, will you

s under

Jean, who had seated h

Lavardens has asked me for this dance, and I replied that

ume of her hair-Jean felt his courage could

I persisted in coming because I would not leave withou

gan the prelud

ng up quite joyful, "wh

ly, without removing

She immediately regretted having accepted, she would have liked to stay

ettina and Paul, a haze floated be

"profit by this waltz, and go. To-morrow I will

d no more at Bettina; had he

t him; and all at on

ittle tired, let us stop, please.

fered h

nk you,"

Bettina ran across the room. Paul remained alone, muc

or, when he heard some one call

d turned. She

without wishi

pardon, I am

er is threatening," she extended her ha

I will tell them to drive you home," and turning toward one

the open air will revive m

no greatcoat, take somet

-I shall go to oblige you to go in." And without ev

e thought, "I am lost, m

now that Bettina read hi

s, he hesitated one short moment

ou, and that is why I

words, he fled away and was

the hall. Great drops of rain, driven by the wind, swept across her bare should

" she thought, "but now I am very s

od there motionless, near the oak table in the hall. Bettina heard bursts of laughter and the strains of the

that I am very tired, and

sent her away. She would undress herself. She let herself

room opened, i

not well,

how nice of you to come. Sit here

ng with her burning brow Susie's fresh shoulders. Then she sudd

arling, what i

g! it is nothing

oy

it will do me so much good. But do no

's caress, Bettina

r now, and I can talk t

ou call

t noticed for some time that he wa

, I

al days I asked myself-pardon me for speaking to you with such frankness, it is my way, you know-I asked myself if it w

ou

, he fled from me, he was afraid of me, evidently afraid. Now,

ainly

s money which attracts all the others and tempts them so much, this money terr

care, perhaps yo

control it! Susie, dear Susie, by the affection which I bear you, and God knows how great is that affection, this is my conviction, my absolute conviction-if, instead of being Miss Percival

u loved

adore the man who will be my husband. Well! I don't say that I adore Jean, n

u in this state of excitement. I do not deny

an that, mor

all the love that one can bear you? As to Jean-it is progressing decidedly, here am I also calling him Jean-well! you

f I lov

the world which you can not have. Since our arrival in Paris, we have been launched into a very brilliant, ve

t I did

r to you to be call

least, if

return al

ps, allowed myself to be too easily persuaded. You see how sensible I am. Jean is going away to-morrow, I shall not see him again for three weeks. During these three

s, I kn

e weeks, I say to you, 'Susie, I am certain that I love him,' will you allow me to go to him, myself, quite alone,

will all

sister, and murmured

you,

I laid you in your little bed, when I sang you to sleep. And since then, Bettina, I have had only one desire in the world, your happiness. That is why I beg you to reflect well. Do not answer me, do not let

uld like it

n bed, you promise

d as an

your best to

ery b

without thinkin

without thinkin

well,

head rested gently amid embroideries

his evening. Before going to my own room, I shall come ba

alf-succeeded. She fell into a half-slumber which left her floating between dream and reality. She had promi

passed thus sh

her room; she half-opened her eyes, and thought she reco

ow I lo

go to

eep! I am

'clock in the morning she was suddenly awakened by a noise, which, the night before, woul

g!" she thought.

d the shutters. The day had broke, gray and lowering; the clouds were heavy w

-gown, and remained at the window; she watched the falling rain. Since he positively must go, she would hav

s twenty or thirty miles, with an hour's halt for luncheon. It was the Abbe Constantin who had taught her that; when going their rou

ght of young Turner, young Norton, of Paul de Lavardens, who would slee

e Lava

e. To have danced like that, while Jean was so obviously in trouble! That waltz too

was, she should never have allowed him to go back on foot. She ought to have detained him at any price. Her imagination tormented and excited her; Jean must have carried away with him the impression that she was a bad l

for her cruelty of the previous evening. Yes, she would go! But she had promised to Susie to be as good as an angel, and to do what she was going t

uslin dressing-gown, little high-heeled slippers, and blue satin shoes. She might wake her maid. Oh, never

little sabots which she wore in the garden, and the large tartan cloak for driving in wet weather. She half-opened her d

is her great anxiety. There they are! She slips them on o

r; she seizes it; she is ready; but when she is ready to go, she sees that the hall-door is fastened by a great iron bar. She tries to rai

lips back in the groove. But Bettina has made a long scratch on her hand, from which issues a slender stream of blood.

e is out o

rageously; her head bent, hidden under her immense umbrella, she has taken a few steps. All at once, furious, mad, blinding, a sudden squall bursts upon Bettina, bur

e weather, and at this moment, when Bettina struggles against the tempest with her blue satin shoe half buried in the

inds her little sabot, fastens it on as well as she can, a

nearer this time. Bettina fancies she hears the rolling of the gun-carriag

mpeters, and along the road caught glimpses, vaguely appea

ed, she waited. He is there among that confused mass of riders. Will she be able to re

d of six guns, and six ammunition wagons. Of course it is the Abbe Constantin who has taught her that. Thus sh

with her one evening, when night was falling, on that terrace. He raised his eyes, and the very spot where he remembered having seen her, was the spot where he found her again.

or the l

ewell, and this gesture, repeated many times, brought her h

he does not understand that I love h