The Son Of Monte Cristo Part 62 (1/2)

Coucon appeared bearing two cards on a silver tray

Esperance looked at the cards, and uttered an exclamation of joy

”Lay two more covers,” he said, ”I will come down at once”

CHAPTER XLVI

FORWARD!

Esperance hurried down, and in the dining-roo er advanced to ed I am for this visit”

This Goutran, Goutran Sabrau, was a tall young fellow of about twenty-five, with blonde hair and a frank face He was a painter, and had already attained some celebrity

”Upon ,” said Goutran ”But what is going on here, you do not look like yourself Your eyes are hter than usual Have you not so ance

”No I have no secrets,” answered Esperance, ”and I ae”

”And yet the very tones of your voice are altered”

Esperance interrupted his friend with some impatience

”Neverpleasant to coone away”

Goutran looked at hito buy a picture of Goutran's, which had obtained a great success at the Salon The picture was of a gipsy girl playing a violin and dancing

Bertuccio went to the painter's studio, and offered an enormous sum for the picture, which was refused by Goutran Accustoratification of all his caprices, he went hi man replied:

”You offer me, sir, twenty thousand francs for a canvas for which a picture dealer would not give me fifty louis, and yet I refuse At the same time I am immensely flattered, and feel that I owe you an explanation The picture is dear to me for reasons which are neither a drama nor a poem I had a friend whos and I often took her into the country We were one day at Mendon e heard strange music, wild barbarian h the trees a young gipsy girl playing a violin and lightly dancing as she played We listened in astonishular Suddenly I felt thatheavily to my arm She had fainted I seized her in my arms, and bore her away In a week death was very near Then she said to ain!'

”I could not leave her, but I sent a friend to find this unknown girl

EachI discovered that the search had been fruitless The sick girl said when I told her, 'Very well! I shall not die until she comes' On the fourth day she half lifted herself fro:

”'There she is! I hear her!'

”I ran to the , and beheld the gipsy in the garden How did the sick girl know she was there? The gipsy had not played a note I could not refuse ipsy to coan to play such soft, mysterious melodies Poor Aimee listened with a faint smile

Suddenly she drew ipsy, sir, is the one I have painted You see therefore that I could never part with this picture”