The Son Of Monte Cristo Part 21 (2/2)

She had entered the booth where the exhibition had taken place, in a moment of idle curiosity, and was surprised at the ireatly irritated withal This reat deal upon himself, certainly Why had she not answered him as he deserved? What did he mean--”Make yourself beloved”--as if she were not already beloved! She remembered the eyes which the peasants riveted on her Could it be that they did not love her? And now she was seated on a wooden bench, Madame Ursula, who had at last arrived, on one side, and on the other a pretty but dirty child, as playing with the fringe of her dress

Meanwhile the entertainave more than he promised in his handbill Before the curtain went up, he called together the ed thereat amazement said a few conciliatory words As Gudel was by no iantess turned her face toward Robeccal and winked at him

Poor Gudel was very happy in this reconciliation After all, things would go sot rid of Robeccal Then Caillette kissed hiht as a bird, she skipped up to hiht, papa?”

”Adorable!” he answered He did not know that his darling was co herself with Irene

Fanfar had his hands full, and seemed so little interested in the audience that Caillette was enchanted, for in her heart lurked a fear that some one would love her Fanfar But after all it did not matter, for he cared little for all the beauties in the world He handed La Roulante the stones which were to form her apparent nutriave Robeccal some advice as to the manner in which he should hold his sword Then he took a position where he could see without being seen

”Now, Fanfar,” said Iron Jaws, ”it is your turn! Look out for Caillette!”

The girl was to execute a new step on the tight-rope, and when she appeared, led forward by Fanfar, and made the three deep ”reverences,”

there was a hu--her delicacy was fairy-like She lightly placed her foot on Fanfar's hand and sprang upon the rope Standing there, she looked at Irene, as leaning back with an air of indifference

Fanfar now took up a violin, and raising the instruan He played at first very slowly Caillette, with her ar pole--advanced up the rope She knelt, and remained absolutely motionless Then there came a peremptory summons from the violin She arose and extended her aran to dance Fanfar was an artist, his playing onderful The music became faster and faster, and Caillette's little feet seemed hardly to touch the rope, they twinkled like stars, while Fanfar's bow looked only like a silver thread He dropped the violin, and Caillette leaped into his arlance of laughing triumph

Then came Robeccal's turn He was a horrible object when he sed the swords It was not admiration, it was horror, that he inspired He seemed to enjoy this, and had imitated drops of blood on the sabres that he put down his throat A few delicate persons shouted ”Enough!” and Gudel appeared, not as Gudel, be it understood, but as Iron Jaws, the athlete His enormous shoulders, his bull neck, contrasted with Fanfar's delicate forhts and bent iron bars, and did all sorts of wonderful things No one noticed the agility hich Fanfar, in his subordinate _role_, passed these weights to his employer

And now, the principal feat was to be perfore, on which already stood a curious apparatus of bars and chains Over this was a platform The barrel was placed under this platform, and filled with stones A rim was fitted to this barrel, and it was hoisted a little distance froht that Gudel was to lift with his teeth

Iron Jaws placed himself on this platforrasped the chain in his teeth The barrel moved up and up The croas absolutely silent, this excess of strength inspired thee sound was heard

What was it? No one knew No one had tiround And Fanfar had caught this barrel in his iron arms Had it absolutely fallen, for the chain had broken, nothing could have saved Gudel As it was, the shock deprived him of consciousness Fanfar himself could hardly stand

Caillette and Bobi+chel ran to Gudel La Roulante knelt at his side, and uttered shriek after shriek Robeccal did not appear

The peasants gathered around the injured ht him dead

Fanfar drew Caillette away, and then leaned over his friend

La Roulante pushed him aside

”Don't interfere,” she said, ”he is my husband”

Fanfar looked her in the face, and continued his examination He opened Gudel's vest and shi+rt, and laid his hand on his heart There was a ,” said Fanfar