AUNT MARTHA'S HAPPY FIND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 165, 12 July 1894, Page 10

AUNT MARTHA'S HAPPY FIND.

ITbanslated From the Fbench.)

CHAPTER XIX. A PAIR OF SPECTACLES. 'Mademoiselle Aimke, what luck to meeb /oubere! Will you do me a favour?' • Willingly, doctor, if it is »" my power.' •I have just found in my pockeb my old friend's spectacles; will yoa carry them to him ? lamina hnrry.' Aimee made a significanb grimace. • You have nothing to fear,' continued the doctor, laughing, ' the ogre is more inoiTenaivo than over, he had a sprain yesterday which will keep him on hia sofa for one or two weeks. Before going out I establiahed him on tho verandah with his papers. I do not know how I came to take his spectacles, unleaß—' •Give them to me, doctor, I will go homo quickly, and send one of tho servants to t.im,' interrupted Aimee. • No, no, if you will not go I will go myself ;it ia nob worth while to take so much trouble ; I am sure that he ia already in a rago because he cannot read his papers. •In that case I will go,' Maid the young girl suddenly resolved by the little doctor s cross tone. 'Bub what will they think of my abaeaco? Maud ought to be awake 'Do not be troubled, my road takes me straight to the Linden?. ( I will tell them in parsing where you are.' 'Thank you.' And Aimee, without too much good will, went in the direction of St. Rock's. When ahe reached the gate she hesitated a second, then, collecting all her courage, she opened it and advanced resolutely along tho path whore bhe old man was accustomed to walk. As she approachod the house her steps slackened in spite of herself, and her heart began to beat. 'i am absurd,' thought she. One would really say that I was going to meet a wild animal, and not to return to a helpless old man his precious spectacles.' Bub that did not hinder her from feeling her pulses quicken more than usual. She looked right and left in the hope of perceiving a servant to whom she could give them, bub all was deserted, and the only noise that she heard was her own step upon the gravsl. ' If only the verandah curtains were not down,' thought Aimee, 'and I could see what he was doing, perhaps that would give me courage, Ah ! there is a little opening—yes, he is there, but~l believe that he is asleep; I will try to lay the ppectacles down without awakening him.' Mhe mounted the stone steps noiselessly, and found herself in front of tho old man, who abruptly opened his eyes, moved upon hb couch, and tried to sit up. ' I beg your pardon,' said Aimee, 'I meb the doctor, who sent me with these spectacles, which he found in hia pocket; he thought you would need them.' The old man held out his hand, and murmured some words of apology. ' He would have brought them himself if ho had .not been so horned,' added she, preparing to leave. - The old man shrugged his shoulders. • It is always the same thing, they are in a hurry when they want to be these doctors. Imbecile,' murmured he, trying fruitlessly to reach the papers placed near him, ' he does everything upside down; he carries off my spectacles and pnta my papers a mile away.' Aimee hastened to give thorn to him, and was about to take her leave when a door opened and a servant appeared. 'Do you need anything, air?1 asked the new comer. •No.' 1 Will you take your coffee, air?' The old man turned towards the door with an irritated look. ' JVlusb I not eat even if I have sprained my ankle?' The servant disappeared, and Aimee waa about to do the Bame, when the old man threw his paper and spectacles away from him.' IHe might have spared you the trouble of bringing them,' said he, crossly; 'who can road in such a position ?' Aimee had picked up the paper, and looked at the poor man with a feeling of fear and compassion. ' I could, perhaps, read to you myself, if yon wished,' added she, surprised at her own audacity. ' You !' He seemed amazed. ' How long since women knew how to road V Aimee could not help smiling. 'I think thab I know; at least I hare supposed so.' ' Without stammering, wibhoub whining, without sing-song ?' ' I will try not to do either.' The old man did not answer, and Aimee drew up a chair. 4 Where shall I begin V He hesitated. 'With the correspondence,' said he, at last. Aimee obeyed, and read without stopping for almost half an hour. At thab moment tho servant came in with coffee. 'Do you wish any ?' inquired the old man, brusquely. ' No, thonk you, I nover drink coffee.' I What do you drink, then?' • Tea.' ' You might say wator with a certain taste.' Aimee, this time, could no help laughing. ' It teems to me,' said she, ' that one might say as much of coffee.' The old mad looked at her, and his face lib up; ib was the first time. ' Shall I continue V ' Yea, if you are neb tired.' • Do I read very badly ?' ' No, not for a woman.' Quite proud of such praise, Aimee resumed her reading. When she had finished, ehf: looked at her watch, and rose quickly. I 1 .must go. it is later than I thought, May I come back to morrow?' The old man turned an astonished look upon her. To-morrow? Why?1 0 'To read to you ; that U, if you wish it. He did not answer for a moment. ' Why do you wish to road to me?' He spoke hesitatingly,'as if he regretted each of hia worde. 'I do not know. Ib must be so tiresome to be all clay alone, without being able to do anything"' Ha turned away, and closed hiseyoa. 1 Good-bye until to-morrow,' eaid Aimee, find she ran off, hor heart so light and i\vouß, that it aeemed easier to fly than to walk. She had just entered the little wood which lei to tho Lindens, wben she perceived through the foliage a figure, which turned quickly at the sound of her step. 'It is hei! Why is he here?' and she ttruagled with the.emotion which made her heart boatr-i^r-r .-—■ - JJ'f you have made me wait!' said the , "^wmerßhakirig hands with her. ■hoVonn1! *el? 6V** with astonishment ab , 1-. ™" the Jame impingTvoa/ WA here wait>nK. for fear of

1 No, I have just come from there ; I waa there when the doctor passed. How did he receive you V And he looked in the direction of St. Rock's. •Not so badly, 1 am to go back tomorrow.' •Is ib thab pronpecb which makes you look so happy ?' Aimee blushed deeply. 'Perhaps,' said she, then ahe added with a little agitation, • if ib nob strange thab one so often deprives one's self of the pleasure of doing a little good to the suffering and unhappy ?' • It is our egotism which deceives us, ana thus deprives ua of one of the purest joys we can have.' •Oh ! 1 was only thinking of myself in saying that.' ' Do you suppose thab I do nob ahare the weaknesses of humanity ?' ' Maud has often spoken to me of all thab you have done for the factory workmen.' He laughed. • Mies Maud is a little enbhusiaab, one must nover belie7e more than half ahe says. Now, I will give you my message from your invalids.' 'Bub they are well, are they not?' ' Yea. nearly. They send you word thab they will never forgab all that you have done for th«m, and that, if the day conies when you will need aid, you musb not forget them, then.' Aimee did nob answer immediately. •If they knew,' said she, at last, • bhe little inclination I had to go wibh the doctor, and how I wiahed that Mademoiselle Eatelle would awake before I atarted, they would not be bo grateful, and they would have Borne reason nob to be.' ' But you do nob regreb your sacrifice ?' ' Oh ! no, I am only aorry that ib should have been one ; I think you find ib hard to understand me.' 11 V hia blue eyea became grave. *1 understand you, because I know what ib coats to sacrifice one's tastes to one's duties ; but I know also how sweet is the feeling of duty accomplished ; above all, when one has dona ib to please the One who never judges our actions, but our intentions." 'Is ib nob difficult to acb like that always?' ' Perhaps, only one must nob forgeb that if wo do good only in the sight of men, we receive our reward already., bhe looked gravely ab him, and meb hia kind smile. ' Here we are ab the park entrance,' said he, ' I musb leave you.' • Will you nob come in ?' 'No, nob this evening, I have been absent from tho factory a long time.' She held oub her hand, which he held closely in his for a moment, and they separated. * * * The next day, and on the days which followed, Aimeo profited by the hour of Maud's rest to return to St. Rock's, and, according to her promise, read to the old invalid, who was, nevertheless, careful to show her no gratitude, and always received her with his croaaeab air. Bub aa noon as the first moment was passed, his wrinkled face softened by degrees, and Aimee generally returned with a heart light and joyous, happy in having succeeded in brightening a little thab lonely life, ab the bottom of which, she was sure, existed some secreb sorrow, all the deeper because it was hiddon. One afternoon, aa she was returning in all haste after her daily reading, she meb the doctor, who from afar saw her, and barred her path. 8 O doctor, leb me pass ! I am in a hurry; Maud is waiting for me to go bo the factory, with Mademoiselle Isabeau.1 1 That will be a good exercise for their patience, Mademoiselle Aimee,' said the doctor, winking mischievously ; ' you know you ought nob to neglect any opportunity tor the improvemenb of your pupil. Besides, I have only two words to say to you.' But Aimee knew thab the doctor's two words could be prolonged indefinitely. 1 Do you think thacMr Sb. Rock will soon be able bo walk ?' ahe aaked. •That ia just whab I waa going to tell you. I think that he could, easily, if he wished to ; but he is so cunning, he knows well that bis reader will abandon him aa soon as he can move.' Aimoe blushed with pleasure. • O doctor ! are you sure ? Do you really think thab my visits please him? He is .always co gruff when I arrive.' • W hat would you have ? Ib is his manner, he is original from head to foot.' • Ib ia not a very agreeable originality.' •I have found a charm in ib : there are so many people who do nob care anything ! for me, and yeb smile ab me all day long, that I do not grumble if I am a little illtreated by one who really cares for me.' ' Bab how do you know that he likes my visits ? Has he told you V 'Oh ! no, indeed. When he says such a thing, we shall have to bury him. But I am very perspicacious, though ib may nob seem so, and I see many things that are nob told me, and that people even try to hide from me. Formerly, for instance, he would insisb that I should remain with him for the afternoon ; now he sends me away under the pretext thab my cigars are nob good ; then, hardly has he finished breakfast than he wishes to be carried to tho verandah, where he forbids any one to disturb him, on the plea that he wishes to deep.' ' gut perhaps all that is true.' The doctor laughed. • Let your mind be easy, I can see clearly though ray eyes are much smaller than youra. Bub 1 must leave you, lam wasting my time. Adieu,' and he hurried off. " All alone?' said he, as he entered Sb. Rock's verandah. ' Am I nob always alone?' responded the old man, from the sofa where he waa lying. ' Ah ! then she has nob been here these last days.' ' Yes, yes, she's been here, but she only stayed one or two minutes ; she is always in a hurry, like all women who have nothing to do.' '.In that case I am glad I came back early ; I could read to you for a while.' • You ? No, thank you, you read much too badly. Besides, the papers tire me, politics do not interest me any more.' ' What interests you, then ?' 'Nothing.' The two men kept silence; the doctor lib his cigar and stretched himself in the most comfortable Arm chair in the verandah. 'Do you know who ahe ia?1 suddenly asked tho old man, in a slow voice, almost in a whisper. The doctor smiled mischievously. ' Are you speaking of Mademoiselle Valrose?' A significant grunt answered him. ' No I know nothing about her.' ' Is she rich ?' •I suppose not, I never heard of the rich working for their living.' ' Are they kind to her ?' •Where? At the. Lindens! They all adore hor, except la belle leabeau, and I should not be surprised if the epidemic extended as tar as the factory.' ' You think, then, that ahe is poor.' • That depend; upon one'a idea of poverty, Diogenes thought himself rich in hia tub.' Tht. old man- shrugged his shoulders. •Ib is so stupid to be always trying to be witty.' ' What would you have mo do? I try to hide my miseries as best I can.' There war* an instant's silence, during which the helpless invalid stirred uneasily upon his couch. 1 Perhaps it ia foolish,' he murmured, * perhaps ehe i? no better than the .rest; perhap? I am again deceived.' ' Whab did you say ? I did nob understand;' ' Nothing:, nothing ; if I was sure of nob. doing something foolish ' — 1 What would you do V

• I would leave her something in my will, if only to keep her from want, later in life, you know.1 There waa a pause, during which the old man seemed to wait anxiously. 1 The idea is nob bad,' said the doctor, ab last,' 'bub you ought to think ib over a little, and find out something about her.' The aick man's face lib up. •No, no,' said he, 'since you do not think ib a bad idea, I need not) wait. Wallson would never have taken her withoub good recommendabiona ; thab is sufficient. I have never said anything to her, but this will prove thab I am noB aa ungrateful as i seem. Will you give me some paper?' ' No, you can write another time ; just now, I want you to try to walk.' « Bub I have already told you thab I cannot pub my foob to bhe ground.' 'Really, th,at ia whabl bold Mademoiselle Aimee,' said the doctor, carelessly. ' She asked me if you could nob soon walk. I think thab she would nob be sorry bo walk about a Hbtlo with you, inatead of remaining in a chair like an automaton. These girla from the Midi are like quicksilver, they ennnot stay in one place' •If you think so, 1 will try, bu* you mnsb help me. Give me your arm." The doctor obeyed. 'You see now, I waa right, as usual,' said he, reseating the old man, who aeemed quite surprised ab having made the tour of bhe verandah. 'Mow we have done wibh this affair, and you are free to aprain your other ankle, if you think fib.' 'Thank you, I have not the leaabinclination, bub if you will help me to my office, you shall be free also to do as you like.' •You are thoughtful with your permission. It was worth while to rush home like one poaaeaied ; I am well rewarded, truly ?' Bub the old man did not appear to hear him, hia eyea were dreamy, and hia lips moved. ♦Come, then,' said the doctor, approaching, ' I think we can do it withoub anyone's aid.' And putting his arm in his, they left the verandah together. 'Does your foob hurt you?' aaked the physician, seabing his friend in his armchair near the desk. A negative movemenb was the only answer. The doctor waa about to go away, wben, with a gesture, the old man recalled him. • Bayard, advise me.' 1 About what ?' ' Aboub thab little girl. Do you think she is really whab she eeema ? If she were deceiving me, as bhe other—thab makes me hesitate —yet, I do nob want to be unjust, nor do her wrong because her eyes are the same, and her smile aa innocent. Perhaps she is really a true and good woman. Whab do you think? 1 'I ? Nothing. lam not ao auspicious.1 'If you had had your heart bora from your bosom,' cried the old man ; 'if the light of your eyes had been taken from you, if your only joy had been destroyed, and you had been left bare, ruined by the roadside, and the demon who did it all waa a woman—would you nob have learned to be auspicious?' The doctor's face had become so grave that one could hardly recognise it. • Listen, St. Rock,9 said he, after a moment's silence ; 'ib ia better to avoid this subject, for we differ greatly; in my opinion, her only fault was that she had neither name nor fortune.' ' It ia no fault bo marry against a father's will,' cried the old man, vehemently ; ' ib is no faulb to rob a man of his only aon—to destroy forever his happiness and his life ?' ' You are rob just, you forgeb that he loved her, that he wished no one bub her for hia wife, and-thab he preferred to see himself disinherited and driven from home rather than renounce her.' 'An honest woman would never have permitted him to sacrifice himself after such a fashion; she would have reasoned with him.' ' Reasoned ! when one is a child, when one loves, and is loved —it is easy to say it. Bub here we are, far away from your idea; ib ia my opinion that you had better postpone your project.' With these words, the physician hastened to leave the room. Left alone, the old man dropped hia head upon his breast, and sab motionless for a lone time. When he raised his head, hia resolution was taken. 'Good or bad.' murmured he, trying a pen,' she will see that I am nob ungrateful; if she does not deserve it, at all events, 1 shall never know it, and if otherwise, I shall have done a good action, which has nob happened for many a day.' {To be Continued.)