"A TRIUMPH OF LOVE"

Auckland Star, Issue 38, 14 February 1929, Page 26

"A TRIUMPH OF LOVE"

I By PIERRE BILLOTEY /=

CHAPTER XXI.— (Continued.) Three weeks ago Luce and Madeleine were dining at St. Cloud with Count Sarosch, and now they have been for two weeks with Pauline at Chamonix, where they were soon joined by Daniel Sarosch and Gustave de Beras, then by Jacques, and finally, only two days ago, by Nicolette and Gremont. By the look of them this morning, as they slide over the ice together, you can see a singular change in their appearance. They have, in fact, lately altered their projects, and consequently their conduct. Such reversals are not rare. It is usual to blame the changeability of men, but it would be sounder to blame events. In contradictory circumstances, the most reasonable people can only keep atloat by being contradictory themselves. This truth is at the base of all political systems, but it is equally obvious in the relations between individuals. Two facts, one after another, have modified the situation. In the first place, Luce's tongue has been too long, secondly, Jules Gremont, for other reasons, has lost his temper. It will be remembered that in the Blue Pavilion Madame Forest, ambitious and too ingenuous, told Daniel Sarosch that she was simply the governess of Madeleine Biseau, the heir of the old and rich Eugene Garain. By this admission the unhappy Luce destroyed her own prestige and sacrificed the love of the Hospodar. From that evening, she realised with alarm that Madeleine had taken her place in his affections. The next day Pauline arrived at Luce's House so early that she found her in bed, her face still wet with the tears which the deception and jealousy of the previous night had provoked. In her first words, Madame Lebrun made it clear that she was quite aware of what had happened on the previous night at St. Cloud, and her disdainful accent indicated to what extent Luce had already dropped in her friend's esteem. "You have shown lack of confidence in mi'," said Pauline, sitting down, "and it would serve you right if 1 left you. I am too indulgent for that, though, and I shall not abandon you, in spite of everything. T want to put you on the right road again, for you were very much on the wrong one if you imagined the Prince could marry you. He loved you? And he told you so? That's nothing. Yes, my dear, Daniel is j>o!iteness itself, and he will show you all the attentions that a well-bred man should show to any woman. You took his airy words seriously and visualised yourself as the Countess Sarosch. 1 should smile! Look here. Take no notice of all this childishness, or we shall quarrel. Come back to good sense, my dear, and face the fact that between you and Madeleine, so young and so ravishing, Count Daniel couldn't hesitate for a moment."

Without replying, Luce buried her face and sobbed feebly. Then calmly and insinuatingly, Pauline went on. "I don't blame you, after all, if you find yourself lonely and want to marry again. But look round you. You have not to go far to find the husband that you need, a mature man, settled, prudent, understanding the world, capable of solid affection and skilful in business. Yes, M. de Beras, without pretending to a passion which would be absurd at his age and yours, also feels something a good deal stronger than friendship for you." At these words, Luce sat up, produced her handkerchief from under the pillow, and, wiping her tears, said with a lively interest: "M. de Beras! Really, Pauline, do you think so?" "It may surprise you. but 1 know more than one who, failing the Prince, would be very well pleased with Gustave."

CHAPTER XXIT. At about a quarter to one that same flay, flremnnt had been made very angry by a friendly warning from the bank on the state of Madame Forest's account. TliC' funds which .Tules had deposited there on behalf of Garain ought to have sufficed for tTie expenses of a year at least. After five weeks, it was about one hundred thousand francs down, and meanwhile Madame Forest, regardless of the warnings of the manager, j>ersistbd in signing cheque after cheque. Too much immersed in his affairs to notice the aspirations and the carelessness of his sister, Gremont had not once gone to see what was happening in the Boulevard Raspail. This intimation from the bank, however, took him there post haste, cursing his negligence and ready to atone for it as energetically as possible. Luce had just sat down to a meal with her two friends and Madeleine. She was eating in silence, her eyes cast down, pensive, still regretting Daniel, already hoping for Gustavo. Pauline and Nicoletto were taking no notice of her, all their attention being concentrated on Madeleine, on whom they smiled, applauding her slightest witticism, and by compliment after compliment showing themselves familiar and affectionate towards this little mado, whom hitherto they had treated as a poor relation. When the maid announced Jules Gremont, Luce turned pale, foreseeing some new trouble. As he entered and got his first impressions of the extraordinary apartment, Jules raised his eyebrows, but he almost collapsed when Kinilienne introduced him into the studio; his fury increased, and one could almost hear liim growling under his breath. When Luce approached him, he discharged a frightful torrent of words, describing the prodigalities of his sister as an abuse of eomidence, and all the worse because he. Jules Gremont, would be held responsible for it.

Madame Forest, who had spent so much of the previous night in tears, now forced herself to cry a little more. Tears have always been the principal defence of women, when their account books are called for. Besides, Luce didn't keep any. "I shall not leave here," cried Gremont. "before I know down to a penny the details of your expenses. Let me see the invoices. I'll go and find them myself and study them here."

Furiously, he went over to her desk Luce returned panic stricken to her guests.

"I am done for," she said, "he is asking where the money is gone. How do I know?"

What saved Luce was the fact that !-he hart left the door open. While Gremmt, trembling will, rase. waited for the invoices that his sister could not find, he suddenly «melt a pleasing odour of roast joint from the adjoining room. Jules, who, in his anger, had forgotten to lunch, realised now that he was hungry. A few steps brought him to the door of the dining

room, where he was surprised to find the two unknown visitors. His appetite and Madeleine combined to intimidate him, and he tok his seat at the table. Reserved at first, Gremont said little, but he showed an increasingly amiability and regarded Nicolette with great interest. Although normally, he took nothing but mineral waters, he allowed Madame Castillon to fill his glass twice with Chablis. Nevertheless, after dessert, he asked Luce to let him have the documents which he wished to see, and he retired with them to the studio. Pauline, taking Nicolette aside, told her to put a little more rouge on her face, and then take M. Gremont a cup of coffee. An hour later, Luce discovered Nicolette on Jules' knee, while he whispered she did not know what into her ears, and Madame Castillon, with a roguish air, was making paper boats with the invoices. Thus ended the great anger of Jules Gremont. Forgiven, Luce had nevertheless to promise to be submissive in future. Jules decided that she should go away with Madeleine, since the holiday season had begun. He was above all anxious that the curious and suspicious Felicie should not discover how she had been going on iti Paris. Gremont chose Chamonix, because he wanted to see the mountains, and he told his sister that he would come for two or three days and look after her. Needless to say, Pauline accompanied Madeleine and Luce, M. de Beras and Daniel Sarosch, when they arrived some hours later, took rooms also at the Hotel Splendid. Jacques Durochat, who also had to be in\ ited, was obliged to have a room elsewhere, since the proprietress would not permit the two fiances to sleep under the same roof. Nicolette remained in Paris, but finally came along also, and by one of those coincidences of which life is so full, the little red-headed lady and the dark Gremont arrived together at Chamonix.

Towards the evening, as the nine entered the hall of the Hotel Splendid, Madeleine and Jacques approached one another. want to talk to you," she said, sharply, "it's time we arrived at a decision." "I was going to ask you for an interview," said Jacques, softly. They exchanged two or three phrases and separated, for Pauline and Sarosch, with an attentive air, were making toward* them. A little later, they sat down to the table, and at the soup course, Madeleine declared that the excursion to the sea of ice had wearied her, and made her want to sleep. At the end of the dinner, therefore, she got up and retired to her room, and Jacques went out as usual to make for his hotel at the other end ot tlie town.

CHAPTER XXIIT. A little later, as the moonlight was making striking phantasmagoria on the snows of Mont Blanc. Madeleine and Jaques found themselves outside Chamonix on the slope which follows the course of the Arve. The yellowish torrent flowing rapidly over the stones of its bed, seemed to exhale the cold of the ice from which it had just escaped It was only during the sunlit hours that anybody ventured to walk there. Vet there was some vegetation, and pine trees. It was therefore a very good spot for a nocturnal rendezvous', if vou would rather risk a cold than an interruption. "Take my arm." said Jacques. "'There are a good many dangers on this road." •No, thank vim," replied Madeleine, smiling. "1 ain very sure-footed. Besides, your arm needs a rest. You have been very busy offering it to-day to your dear Genevieve." It was too dark for Madeleine to notice that Jacques shrugged his shoulders, and she went on: \ou understand, of course, Jacques, that it is nothing to me that you find Madame de Marsault attractive But you forget that I am still vour official fiancee, and there is a lack of tact in courting that woman under inv eyes. '1 liings can t go on in this way." It was Jacques' turn now to laiio-li. "I hardly cxpected that reproach/' he said. "Didn't we decide, Madeleine, to maintain our relations on the basis of a cordial indifference? For that mattei, you set me an example, for vou received Sarosch with a kindness of which I hardly think he is worthv." "Naturally you would criticise" him." I admit that that person fills me not only with mistrust, but with a sort of disgust." "I have not asked you what you think of him," said Madeleine sharply, "but. I am prepared to be just as frank as you are, and I tell you that I have never yet met a creature so common, so insignificant, and so unreserved as that Madame Marsault." Perhaps you are mistaken about her, Madeleine." "As you are about Sarosch, Jacques." They proceeded without adding anything to these rather cross phrases. A little later Madeleine, catching her foot on a large stone, nearly fell, and Jacques seized hold of her. Either the young lady was afraid of further adventures of the sort, or else she was in a calmer mood, for she accepted his arm. This was all that was needed to bring about an entire change in the tone of the conversation. The fact of walking arm in arm put any idea of quarrelling out of the question and inspired a sort of mutual confidence. (To be continued dailv.)