HER LITTLE HIGHNESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 197, 19 August 1895, Page 3

HER LITTLE HIGHNESS.

TSASSLATED FfiOM THE GERMAN OF NATALT

YON ESCHSTROTH.

Author of ' A Priestess of Comedy,' • Countess Dynar,' • A Princess of the Stage,' etc., etc.

BT'ELISEL. L4THROP.

CHAPTER XVII.

Baron yon Ohly's house was brilliantly lighted.

Cyprian sprang from his carriage and hurried up the steps. He seemed to be th^ first guesb.

Baronoss Florence looked as fresh and gay as ever. She wore a white toilet with Mack velvet trimmings, as sole sign that she really was in mourning. To take turther notice of her sister's death seemed to be foolish to her. Claudine had died without being . reconciled to her sister Her will hud been an open diegrace and slight ;..j tbc Ohiy faix-Qy. Is 'Would be absurd to ,;um crocodile tuAra for such a sister.

' Tba b&r^r; is stsfferirtgr irem £Ottt, my ■dear eouat, .-,r he wcold imve ilovn to meat you o»; r«o sri»KS cf loro/ triad Florence, gay'y-

• Ye? ;f Ssttsri»«, hvt I »hoitlcs: prefer to receive , pitt^<l aDjjsl isi xny ai-nas. Wfeere have you bidden B&rocosa Migacn, mamma-

Sh*" 'f.i3j ; *&i>d eserriiy. 'Bf eajfcfol vTith your jckac, friend Valler;a» My «nnataral daughter is not the person to holoai&ni kawhrtX them.'

'Good gr.?.c,otiiv-a !-st*ie -ipixit of opposition ?'

'At least a "little spirit1" who always says co m'fcec hcz frivO'loua aotbar says yes. How .1 eoKio by & da.cghiei- so sentimental as Mission, ffiighi ssrvs as a naw interesting juppicraenfc to raridcra theories of heredity.' 1 Chapter II — tvlth tl Talleral and Hoeanna '"' for fcfao first;. So this Mignon doe* nob sin# of tha '• land where the oratigeibicss-.nis g ro'-r,," b.-ib of that where "«koais" r»Ke an "i \~hv tctnvser seeks his path witii diinculljy.'

*V«ry rjf.'&tly •/"c.caai'j, A sentimental, gravo. thcughfcfu.!, Sirodrah temperament. Sb« taken lifo a? BKiiou iy as I take it lightly.'

grat-fl i^dj. fey hmf

'»e!y tß«ci?.s»ly to see the Why -Lias 3ho make us wait

1 2i^ti from eequsfory. Sb.6 is bandaging thi hat.d of c.Dt.v 0? ;he rtsaii^s, who cut her harwi qcica baHSy .n <;pefiiriij a bottle. I tbilik intf SanuarsuiQ dotiaa will not too hag devaiti hs r >.n a iLssu as daughter of

taO bc-i-c

' Su*r.»r:tn; : Vt-x-i '■ 1 aever had the c-ee^saty coMtMraheatieu of that.' The c-.CDi; taiarrtujv-ad bimaalf, and turned politeiy to ij he £wi •■ -3 the other guests b'4>p.>j ta sr nve —several young couples, former dot -jti ;«»? t-f Sophienhof ; a countess &nd h»r ?:„-& J.aughtiuTS, who entered the i-oorn v«ch 4 -I! '-as "ssnr-.nee of those acc.vatoc&ed ti- ■} W iag-i ootaM from childhood; > fail' S--' ofik-jrH.—'"all of whom psuMi Itit-j i he (iOi'Jb room to express their rfympafchy for ilse poor -.fiiicted baron. Vallt tu\ k-enfc in *;!.o background, and Ir.■r.'cnjf.t slj 'Jy.'.-rJan stared at her. Wh'i^? *n,\ is a '.';'jt! tbie delicate madonna-fav-j irji: j'^oemad as though he had ga/.:jc' ix i.! '.-!■;; tryas before, and seen these Mi}-. !■>;- .! -..-otK her aiother'a guests, and her.'!;: rnvr :i 16 oM Counissß S.s hand. Wbai u*a- ttQr;ei)tib!oadehair! The heavy knot', lev hi"U5" neck, shone like spun gold. A.uc- be bad sesa Just' each beautiful hair befoco, brs-c

The ytw.joj: guests cohered around her, bus Ic-t" s'r j/xgeiy contrasted with them \r;v.J >Iij 4 '.T\,. Sleg?.atly and fashionably riresr-'id, bht>. yet looked so maidenly and isnprovenl'icaij bcsida Ibem. Her figure ia Gill sis hb en'" fragile, her manner simple asd n'ui\r -iwb, peasant; bat grave. ' Marc ]\ts« : wty i' r,?k you to present me fco \ov;r .(.Hughter?' nr,yt; Cyprian, drawing ;viar .vitih i^se •r^aek:i^?(l smile of conscious vsctr :v,; >.i'.i.ii jr.- .v-ir.;c«s id :.t him. What a ala»i-':-3'--,.! iweai, 4.Uy, !o- sly embarrassment! Sho :ii!:aljPi' c-iiri;(.ir. her delicate lips quiver •&& though she ws uld Bpeak, but she reinairiM sil^ut, 'sSbs- is dr.Mc'.oca T whiepera the captain t-j tfeu ipsrois :,«■% k ud anough to be heard. 'OcuOyJi >. y; i.-ka'Jicd .; special scheme for ■;onvers.in£, with y^-.u:-g eirls. He told thai) ho b*il often, especially in former days, btjiGu :fiiid<?i"iu<svi so take one of these ifiexpbri:.4m?ctj b^iaßain to dinner. Then he eitbut• wi--.s s:i :-:;<«d much or ate much, and i;&a w«a ■<■ j t.;s. v.isiKCtory as the other. His Sr »■ tv! cstbn to such a youthful comPBriion vi-.'&a a) ways ; ' Do you like to skate tittd nan'.eraI,' >1 ijuestjon usually answered wirh £i i!:y y" : 3h or no. Then he would tell a .-.ics. ;t jioi?JL»l«, aoeedote, and watch the offocv, 1: a ,h»Pp.y t-ppreciation, then the victory. t-.v*» i.a g-.iod as won; bub if her iis-*:\ Tfievrf.i- ss-.ii; J<>v/er, with a baebful k'i;';>;i<i, a-;.ji i er rnpu-or was silence, then C'lc.nfe Ljiiukwltv, hjciLca more interested in bis pjftfea during the coarse.

Tbfiß iollo^tid !he next attack. s Whaii pastor confirmed you, Mi3s X. ?' The h aaiJ uvuid ne raised quickly, che oyus To»!d Jiajiii, She would mention bis Woe t.;a hico Viulera], as a matter of nrinciplu woiii'?" attack him, however he coritiedit'tad I is own convictions in co doing. Ho would declare the sermons of bhts ai^rg yawa she ixentioned vapid, uninfcsji&ctaalj and faimeelJ" too worldly or too orthodox ;; ia short he would attack theunknown in the fii:ioee: manner.

If this dad nab help, all was losb. Horrified, bhe g«i wouid usually forget all sihyoess, a.nd disiond her pasbor boldly and er.fchapiaftfciwaJJy, Dvcitemenb makes bhe plainest, fare ftfcferacM?©, and unconsciously the gir) wo aid Clisplay* all her naive, over-iiow-jae little hejiro.

A giimpgjgof ajacti & young heart ia always ictsrtMEir.g. i/OuaisGryprian, greatly enterfcalne^l; woaid. gradually begin bo yield. In the thoaghls .of v;inr.iag him over to her adored pasfcat, his ilbiile neighbour would bflcome nioro ua-d tnorq animated, and since ho »vaa so band some and ngreeable, the caor« rfcaioits V&lierat ehowed, the more woalu Lsereyet? fc'eam. , Inch, by inch, h& Jefc her conquer ; then, at deswrt, wocUl £n?,?ely assure hsr thab ghc h»<i enuvorti^J him to quite a differ&ab opiniou. Th 9 girl would beam with prkio unri sat is-fa ction, select) the choicesb lonbimn for him, aod try to reward him by the greatest* gracU meness.

lv tfels oass. Gyp ria» had enjoyed himself Bad usually aiada tke acquaintance of a dour iiU!a girl. Bu fc if his manoeuvre failed, i! his opisioH of iso.- pastor elicited ouly an li»olt*tJ shrug or 's^r shoulders and aanihilabinjr Bilence, ther. ba knew that further effotte w#ro sisdasa here, calmly leb her pout s.iii ato his dinner with the bosb of

appetites,

1 Kind friend, jafc vie take Mignon in bo diojsor,' he aaksd fcho baroness, who could scarcely beiio%'o her ears.

' Impossible, my rie,-\r captain. You will bask in th« smHss of yjiur hostess.5 4 Of course, it nirsat he very hard for yon to give me up, baroness,' said he, fceasiogly, A'l'ih oaa of Ub ircoskijibl c smiles, • but such a saenSsa eher.ld nos ,be declined by a niotber ; ib ie far her dan«bher.'

She struck him playfully, with her feather fan.

' You arrogant fellow ! I know no better way to punish you in \thia moment than by fulfilling your wish.' «■

'To punish?'

The baroness smiled strangely. • My daughter will prove to you that she thinks such a sacrifice tiresome and unnecessary. Mignon's list of favourites at present begins with lieutenants and descends to captains.'

• "Sou arouse the lion of v&\nity in me.' ' Who is always active enough to ensnare a mouse, if no noble game is in sight.' ♦ Your good opinion of me fturly enchants me, baroness.'

• Mocker ! Do you not know the fable id which King Lion was the slavv9 of a poor little mouse ?' t

'I am so fond of being a slave, and am so modest that I will pub up with the smallesb hand or foob.'

• Very well, if my poor child is wvlling to take you instead of her charming lieutenant —'

• Opposition would throw an unfortunate light upon her mother's bringing up. 1 ' You are right. lam convinced that Mignon will have •eufficienb reverence for age to bear the unavoidable honour with dignity.'

' Bat, dear baroness—really yon are noli ao very old—' Vallerai looked moab innocent; bub the baroness, who had already turned1' away, quickly returned : m^< ' I absolutely did not speak of myselff^ you ungallanb man 1' said she, laughingly shaking her finger at him. ' But if you thoughb of me ib is all the more terrible that you show no more veneration.'

Cyprian crossed his arms with a languishing glance.

' I not only venerate it—l adore it. 1 •Good graciouß, where V cried the Baroness yon Ohly. He bent close to her and whispered: • In wine and cigars.' ' Good - for • nothing !' and Mignon'e mamma rustled away, horrified. Mignon blushed deeply as Count Cyprian bowed before her, and with tbe moßt gallant words, offered her his arm. She accepted it with an expression of solemn gravity, as it seemed to him, and none too williugly, for Mignon bated anything noticeable. Why had the count made*such an unusual request ? Was it true, aa tHey said, that he occasionally made a joke of baking young girls into dinner, and afterwards ridiculing their simplicity and lack of experience ?'

Two of her young friends had, in confidsnee, poared out their heaits abouh (Jouat Cyprian to her, and, strangely enough, one told exactly the same story aa the ofcher. Mignon was no average gir,l*< She remembered other strikingly similar conversations, and drew her own conclusions. Especially as, in secret, the memory of a handsome man, still young despite bia grey hair, whose hand had held one of her braids, who had handed her a red rose with such a fascinating glance, was still fresh in her heart. \

(To be Continued.)