Volume III Part 39 (1/2)

The next e, rushed out of his hiding place with clenched fists and a sobringto the door with a superb gesture, he said:

”You are a dirty scoundrel, sir Get out of ain!”

The comedy was over Grateful for such fidelity and real affection, Monsieur de Loubancourt ister--which was a detail of no importance to a man as in love--as Frida Krubstein; she came from Saxony, and had been a servant at an inn Then he disinherited his son, as far as he could[17]

[Footnote 17: According to French law, nobody can altogether disinherit a child, and no son or daughter can be ”cut off” with a ”proverbial shi+lling”]

And now that she is a respectable and respected , Madame de Loubancourt is received everywhere by society in those places of winter resort where people's by-gone history is so rarely gone into, and where women bear a name, who are pretty, and who can waltz--like the Germans can, are alell received

THE READ ONE AND THE OTHER

”Well, really,” Chasseval said, standing with his back to the fire, ”could any of those respectable shop-keepers and wine growers have possibly believed that that pretty little Parisian woman, with her soft innocent eyes, like those of a Madonna, with such solden hair, and who always dressed so simple, was their candidate's mistress?”

She was a wonderful help to hi fare _cafes_ and had a pleasant and suitable word for every one, and did not recoil at a glass of rip of the hand, and was always ready to join in _farandole_[18] She seemed to be so in love with Elienne Rulhiere, to trust hi half of his life, and of belonging to hiave him such looks full of pleasure and of hope, and listened to all he said so intently, that voters who rees to be talked over and persuaded; and pro doctor, whose name they never heard mentioned in the district before

[Footnote 18: A dance in Provence in which the dancers form a chain, and the movements are directed by the leader--TRANSLATOR]

That electoral can had been like a truant's escapade for Jane Dardenne; it was a delightful and unexpected holiday, and as she was an actress at heart, she played her part seriously, and threw herself into her character, and enjoyed herself more than she ever enjoyed herself in her s

And then there ca taken for a wo flattered, respected and envied, and of getting out of the usual groove for a time, and also the dream that this journey of a feeeks would have the sequence, that her lover would not separate from her on their return, but would sacrifice the woer loved, and whom he ironically used to call his _Cinderella_, to her

At night, when they had laid aside all pretense, and when they were alone in their room in the hotel, she coaxed him and flattered hi arms around him, and amidst her kisses, whispered those words to hiive hith, like a stout dram of alcohol

The two between them captured the district, and won the election easily, and in spite of his youth, Elienne Rulhiere was chosen by a majority of five thousand Then, of course, there were more fetes and banquets, at which Jane was present, and where she was received with enthusiastic shouts; there were fireworks, when she was obliged to set light to the first rocket, and balls at which she astonished those worthy people by her affability And when they left, three little girls dressed in white, as if they were going to be confirmed, came onto the platform and recited some complimentary verses to her while the band played the _Marseillaise_, the women waved their pocket-handkerchiefs, and the e , looking char costume, with a s at such a pathetic leave-taking, actress as she ith a sudden and childlike gesture, she blew kisses to theers, and said:

”Good-bye, et you!”

The deputy, as also very effusive, had invited his principal supporters to come and see him in Paris as there were plenty of excursion trains They all took hied to invite them all to dinner

In order to avoid any possible uests He told her that they were rather noisy, talkative, and unpolished, and that they would, no doubt, astonish her by their reat influence, and were excellent ood reception It was a very useful precaution, for when they ca with pleasure, and with their hair po, they felt inclined to fall down before the new Madame Rulhiere to whom the deputy introduced them, and who seemed to be perfectly at home there

At first they were embarrassed, felt uncomfortable and out of place, did not knohat to say, and had to seek their words; they buttoned and unbuttoned their gloves, answered her questions at random, and racked their brains to discover the solution of the enigaze of a soers er, Caseue, the hotel proprietor, looked at Rulhiere anxiously

The laas the first to recover hi the deputy in the ribs with his elbow, and said:

”I understand it all, I understand it; you thought that people do not coratulate you, Monsieur”

He gave a wink, and ns behind his back to his friends, and then the captain had his turn

”We are not boobies, and that fellow Roquetton is theof the lot of us Ah! Monsieur Rulhiere, without any exaggeration, you are the creaood fellows”