L'Abbe Constantin -- Complete

, the day which should br

ening before, the sky had looked threatening, heavy with clouds. Bettina

sun dissipated the mist, the trees became vaguely discernible through the vapor; then, suddenly, the sun shone brilliantly, flooding with light the park, a

le superstitious. The sunshine gives her good hope and go

Susie, Betting, and the children waited on th

es; then, Richard, addressing his

is the wed

wedd

ou

wedd

cert

am I about to

eur Jean

has writt

ettina, who have written to me. For the last two months, al

my le

gth than usual. I do not complain of that, but I do ask

ingly, but Be

, I h

ous. When returning in the carriage, Bettina

ly," he

his earthenware salad-dish-and then it was again Monsieur Jean, always Monsieur Jean. She discovered that she had loved him much longer than she had suspected. At last it was the 10th of August. Luncheon was just over, and Harry and Bella were impatien

d Bella, "Aunt Be

o come, we shall see our frien

she would give him that decisive explanation for which she had been preparing herself for the last three weeks. The children went away with

ght of his departure; we settled that if, on the day of his return, I could say to you, 'Susie, I am sure that I l

ise you. But are

s very place," she added, smiling, "to this seat; and to use almost the same language to him that you form

as told you about

at there is no man of whom s

chard, that I can not get this fear out of her head? She does not understand that, before everything, I wish to love and be loved; wil

u might have be

e at Trouville, Susie had arranged a little plot. We lunched with the Prince, but the result was disastrous. Accept him! The two hours that I passed with him, I passed in asking myself how I could have said such a

d joyous across the space. All three remained silent, it was the regiment, it

I deserve to be loved differently; I think that I should not cause him so much terror, so much fear, if he

o him freely, for we know, both of us, Bettina, that you

t, I sha

d seen Jean, he was quite white with

ce, he did not stop to talk to us; usua

t first he seemed as if he were going

so nice to talk to a soldier, esp

fond of Monsieur Jean; if you knew, papa, how

arry, you remember that great Punch who

was the little dog,

ent away talking o

Scott, "every one li

ery one else when you kn

er leaving the village. There was the terrace where Be

she shoul

same time. He raised his head

ould start that very evening at six o'clock for Paris; one of the personages in the W

ply, and that was the result of his reflections. He

took leave of his Colonel, his comrades

of that great yard amid the noise of the cannon rolling over the pavement of Souvigny; but ho

ave immediately, he could not dine at the castle, and begged Mrs. Scott to remember him to Miss Bettina.

to wish his godfather farewell. That is what cost h

y. The first thing that met his eyes was a little note on bluish

y evening. Perhaps it will be a little serious for me, but yet I should like to try to

lines, but soon he could read th

is left me of

ancial situation was admirable; more than 2,000 francs in hand! And the wishes of Susie and Bettina were accomplishe

ll be spread about in other parishes that here they can always find charity. And do you kn

take them to a poor man who had broken his arm a fe

he passing of the regiment; but Jean only stopped for a moment, he looked sad. For some time, t

one of those little youthful troubles which did not concern a poor old

y," he said to the Cure,

, or rather his pieces of sugar, for he had put five or six in his pocket, considering that Loulou h

e Constantin had become extravagant, prodigal; he felt himself a millionaire, the sugar for Loulou was one o

mistresses of Longueval

n arrived at the vicarage, an

wanted to speak to m

godfather, which will surp

eve

es me, too-I have com

you are g

am goi

he

, in tw

r boy, you were going to d

s. Scott to excuse me. I a

rec

rec

re are y

Pa

this sudden d

I have thought abou

ave no longer the right to treat you as a child; but you know how much I love you; if you have

; but you have the right to know. I am going to Pa

regiment! To l

ort time, for a little while only; but to leave Souvi

owe to the grace of God, it was my happiness, yes, Jean, my happiness, to feel you here, near me, and now you are going away! Jean, wait a little patiently, it can not be for ve

love you, too, an

I kn

little, when you took me to yourself, when you brought me up. My heart h

before all!-all!-all! I have always known you a good judge of your duty, y

ion, "and it is better that you should know all. You will stay h

her!

tti

tti

her, I ad

y poor

of these things; but I tell you

God! It was here that I began to love her. You know, when she came here with her sister-with the little 'rouleaux' of francs-her hair fell down-and then the evening, the month of Mary! Then I was permitte

I alone who have seen her with the poor. If you only knew how tender, and how good she is! Neit

ore, I promise you; but I li

me with her in an open carriage, full of toys-she was taking these toys to a poor sick little girl, and when she gave them to her, to make the poor l

ere poor, but

s you pain to see her, to live near her; above all, if

head fall between his hands, and remained

since she came to Longueval. Well-when I reflect-it did not astonish me that any one should

f

ved. She begged me to explain to her what a soldier's life was, the life of a t

hey returned from Havre yesterday at three o'clock. Well! an hour after their arrival she was here. And it was of you of whom she spoke directly.

my dear godfather," said Jean,

er this evening. She would introduce you to her brother-in-law, who has come back. There is no one else in the house at this moment,

e said, 'you and Monsieur Jean, my s

d, laughing, 'Quit

ran away. Quite a family party! Do yo

think that,

ieve that sh

elieve i

u,

one a few steps, I stopped and turned. She could no longer see me, I was lost in the darkness; but I could see her. She stood there motionless, her shoulders and arms bare, in the rain, her eyes fixed on the way by which I had gone. Perhaps I am mad to think that. Perhaps it

completely at a loss, "but then, I do not understand yo

not been touched by it, I would stay, I would stay-for nothing but for the sweet joy of seeing her, and I would love her from afar, without any h

g of things in which I am no great scholar, but you are both good, yo

money! he

t you have loved her? It is rather in spite of her money. Your conscience,

ood opinion of one's self is not enough;

ll who know you, w

this question of money, another thing more serious

d be more wor

ve to consider what she is and what I am, to ask what

ften places thoughts much more distinctly before us-Paul was speaking of her; he did not susp

a husband who would have no other care than to make her existence a perpetual ho

son in the depths of the Alps, or in some almost unknown village in Algeria, could I ask her to follow me? Could I condemn her to the life of a sold

hat is more serious than

hat; I have thought of nothing else, and loving her as I do love, the reason must indeed be strong which shows me clearly my duty. I m

He remained there quite overpowered with

hat such suffering should fall upo

me one knocked ge

o not be afraid, Jean.

ened it, and recoiled as if b

ment she had seen Jean,

she. "Oh, h

hands, and addressin

ou, I saw yesterday, and him, not for three whole weeks, not si

e had neither power to make a

l to come! It was an inspiration! However, it embarrasses me a little, it embarrasses me a great deal

hands, and turning

away, Monsieur Jean; I will make my confession publicly. I am quite willing to speak

on the field of battle, gives to a soldier ardor, heroism, and disdain of danger. The emotion whic

not sufficient courage to do it, I must have it for both. I must march alone, my head hi

say what she liked, they let her do as she liked, they felt that the hour was supreme; they underst

d, they listened. Alone, of the three, Bettina retained he

approve. That is settled, is it not? Well, what brings me here is your letter, Monsieur Jean, that letter in which you tell my sister that you can not dine with us this evening, and that you are positively obliged to leave here. This letter has unsettle

eat it to myself from morning to night. That is what I had proposed to do, and you understand that your letter caused me much embarrassment. I reflected a little, and thought

ou, Miss Percival,"

me, I love it still more for the good which it allows me to do. I love it-selfishly, if you like-for the joy of giving, but I think that my fortune is not very badly placed in my hands. Well, Monsieur le Cure, in the same way that you have the care of souls, it seems that I have the care of money. I have always thought, 'I wish, above all things, that my husband should be worthy of sharing this great fortune. I wish to be very sure th

e, his eyes cast down, looking

of yours would be useless, would disturb me, would prevent me from going straight to my aim, and telling you what I

omise

of her confidence, her voice trembled slightly. She con

e you for what has happened, yet

fa

t-And at the same time you have spoken very well of him to me. Not too well-no, no-but yet very well! Then, I had so much confidence in you, that I began to look at him, and exami

ago, the evening before you left here, Jean-I discovered that I loved you. Yes, Je

all. Jean, listen to me well; I do not wish for a reply torn from your emotion; I know that you love me. If you marry me, I do not wish it to be only for love; I wish it to be also for reason. During the fortnig

e. I know why you became a soldier; I know what duties, what sacrifices, the future may demand from you. Jean, do not suppose that I shall turn you from any of these duties, from any of these sacrifices. If I could be disappointed with you

sire you for a husband. I should love you less-perhaps I should not love you at all, though that would be very difficult-if you were to begin to live as all those live whom I would not have. When I can follow you, I will follow you; whe

r me, not him. Tell me, if he loves me, and feels me worthy of his love, would it be just to make

vely, "marry her. It is your dut

her in his arms, and pressed

herself, and addres

, I have still one thing

u w

r le Cure, emb

paternally on both cheeks,

t like your own son, and I shall be almost like your own daugh

.........

edding-gowns, entered the church of Longueval, while, placed behind the altar, the

the poor little harmonium had disappeared; an organ, with resplendent pipes, rose in t

enediction, and then remained for some moments in prayer, his arms extended, c

tina had played the first time that she had entered that little vi

e it was Bet

ITOR'S B

stone, embrowned

oulders which o

hemselves i

give me not

ccepted and si

ly one real luxu

him to purgatory j

e between dearl

all-one never

and miserable exist

is one! (

y, the first thing is

y seldom dwell at pe

end money. The foll

to Eugene Sue, but

is life belon

rying, but one ought

g him by her importu

enough religi

people is often mo

s the only way of