Monsieur de Camors -- Volume 1

when he reached it on the evening of a beautiful summer day. A long and gloomy avenue of elms, interlacing their thick branches, led to the dwelling-house, which was quite uneq

than a hundred and fifty years. Behind the house stretched the garden; and in its midst, mounted on a stone arch, stood a dismal sun-dial with hearts and spades painted between its figures; while the trees around it were trimmed into the shapes of confessionals and chess-pawns. To the right, a labyrinth of young trees, similarly clipped in the fashion

his prospect was an exceedingly painfu

an infant nurtured there, who had a mother, and who had perhaps loved these old relics. But his system did not admit of

house; an operation which added to the discomfort they sought to remove, and irritated the old residents of the walls, while it disturbed the sleep of hoary spiders in thei

rprise from their cracked canvases. They were a dilapidated set of old nobles, one having lost a nose, another an arm, others again sections of their faces. One of them-a chevalier of St. Lo

in the poultry-yard; and the results of the sacrifice now successively appeared, swimming in butter. Happily, however, the fatherly kindness of the General had despatched a hamper of provisions from Campvallon, and a few s

a tenet of faith that he who gave a plain answer to any question was a dishonored man. With all possible respect he let Camors understand plainly that he was not to be deceived by his affected ignorance into any belief that M. le Comte did not know a great

t it now; drew from the General's old cognac a fresh

strange to Parisian ears, reigned around him, broken only at intervals by the distant bay of a hound, rising suddenly, and dying into peace again. His eyes becoming accustomed to the darkness,

s bustle, worldly and artificial life, play, and the races with him; and the watering-places and the seaside had never sh

desolation of some lunar region. This part of Normandy recalled to him the least cultivated parts of Br

rd de Madeleine. But he found, instead, peasants' huts scattered along the side of the road, their low, mossy roofs seeming to spring from the rich soil like an enormous fungus growth. Two or three of the dwellers in these huts were taking

their beasts of burden; and this reflection was as balm to the scornful aristocracy that was the cornerstone of his theory. Wandering on to an eminence, his discouraged eye swept but a fresh horizon of apple-trees and heads of barley, and he was about to turn back when a strange sound suddenly arrested his steps. It was a concert of

ted princess. The palace he found in the middle of the path, in the shape of the high back wall of a dwelling, fronting on another road.

k by it that he felt an irresistible desire to see the performers, especially the singer. With this impulse he climbed the little hedge bordering the road, placed himself on the top, and found himself several feet above the level of the lighted window. He did not hesitate to use his skill as a gymnast to raise himself

e seated at a table working; a young man appeared to be drawing; while other persons lounged on comfortable seats around the room. Around the piano was a group which chiefly attracted the attention of the young Count. At the instrument was seated a grave young girl of about twelve years; immediately behind her stood an old man,

oval of her face was relieved by a pair of bright black eyes that seemed to grow larger as she sang. One hand rested gently on the shoulder of the girl

wo new voices lent their aid. The old priest laid aside his violoncello, stood up,

gstress walked to the window. She leaned out as if to breathe the fresh air, and her profile was sharply relieved against the bright light behind her, in

h her gentle breathing above the sound of the fan; and leaning eagerly forward for a better view, he caused the leaves to rustle slightly. She starte

ether or not he was visible to her; but, under the danger of he

ds which brought three or four of her friends to the window;

or their eyes wandered over the gloom with evident uncertainty, convincing him that his presence was only suspected, not discovered. But they exchanged animated observations, to wh

he warning and a moment when he seemed unobserved, he slid from the tree, jumped into the next field, and entered the wood at a point somewhat farther down than the spot where he had scaled the hedge. This done

assed before, were still standing at their

use below there, facing the other road

at as well as I," rep

uld hardly have ask

Camors had remarked that in all classes of society women have more wit

er here. To whom does that house belon

an, "Monsieur des Rameure

n who li

ur de Tecle,

does not live alone? There is a lady who

er-in-law, Madame de Te

ng the Bach prelude, the moon rose, the country looked more beautiful, and, in short, when he perceived, at the end of its gloomy avenue, his chateau bathed in the white light, he found the spectacle rather enjoyable than otherwise. And when he had once more ensconced himself in

ous modes of culture and crops, like men who were no strangers to all modern improvements in agriculture. The name of Des Rameures frequently occurred in the conversation as confirmation of their own theories, or experiments. M. des Rameures gave preference to this manure, to this machine for winnowing; this breed of animals was intro

t was near midday, it was doubtful to him whether the solitude and silence appeared less complete and oppressive than on the preceding n

ace to his soul. The inhabitant of Paris has one great blessing, which he does not take into account until he suffers from its loss-one great half of his existence is filled up without the least trouble to himself. The all-potent vitality whic

ars, writes all the books he reads, edits all the journals on which he breakfasts, wr

nnerved, may even be assailed by the suspicion that he is a feeble human creature after all! But no! He returns to Paris; the collective electricity again inspires him; he rebounds; he recovers; he is busy, keen to disce

hed from all his old haunts and habits, he began to feel terribly the weight of time. He, therefore, experienced a delicious sensation when suddenly he heard that regular beat of hoofs upon the ro

ce. But the two ladies, at sight of him, appeared as surprised as himself, suddenly drew rein and conferred hastily. Then, rec

nclination; but he was quite sure, in spite of the veils that floated from their riding-hats, that h

," he said, "is t

public way, Monsieur le

se ladies mean by

ladies mean no harm by passing through your woods; and sometimes they even stop at the chateau

ppose it displeases me? I only asked for

ctable ladies; Madame de Tecle, and

dame, Monsieur de Tecle, n

e old steward smiled a dry smile. "He has been among the

d, I wish it understood these ladies are

prolonged for some time, reentered the chateau and examined the different rooms, arranging with the steward the best plan of making the house habitab