Chapter X.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 46, 14 March 1884, Page 7

Chapter X.

June 15. His name in Darcet — Darcet without a shade of an apostrophe. Oh, what a calamity 1 But really, now, it is not such an unbearable name after all. Perhaps my aunt will end by saying that is just as pood as Corbin : although Corbin, she thinks, is not withotit a certain heraldic rudeness, and breathes more of the antique than of the commonplace. In a tournament given by the Duke of Brittany one Corbin of Anjou, master of the horse, exhibited much prowess — not a doubt, but he was one of our Corbins. My dear Elise, can no one find a Darcet who fought in the Crusades, and buy my life's happiness with the dust of the ennobling dead ? But, really, it is a shame for me to be satirical about my aunt, for I owe to her that I have found out Germain's name. Laßt evening the cuie came to spend the evening with us. I had remarked him on the previous day speaking to our friend in the street, and I bravely turned the conversation on the parishioners, asking him if he was content with their attendance. I knew well enough that this was a favorite topic with him, I knew how dearly he loved those who assisted regularly at all the devotions, and I knew that Germain and his mother and sister were models in this respect. Every Sunday they are in the church early, and in the evening they are in their places again before the bell has nearly done ringing for Vespers. I expected that the curd would immediately cite such a splendid example, especially as poor M. de Tourmagne waß there ; and in spite of his real, sincere piety, the good count is wont to avoid High Mass in the most adroit manner, and very seldom makes his appearance at Vespers, or. when he does, it is generally towards the end of the " Magnificat." Unfortunately, M. de Tourmagne guessed what was coming, and immediately flew to cover, and commenced an animated discussion on the subject of certain decrees and ordinances which prescribed assistance at all parish offices. So in punishment for my wickedness I was condemned to endure a shower of eloquence and erudition which 1 did not exactly bargain for. However, the gentlemen forgot themselves so far as to take to

speaking Latin ; ray aunt lost all patience and plunged hotly into 1 tbt argument on the side of the parish, reproaching M. de Tourmagne with having several times neglected to fast, because he was not in the church before the sermon to hear it announced. The count gaye a parting stroke ; he urged the active part men are at present obliged to play in civil society, the multiplication of occupations in consequence of the revolutions which have shaken Europe, and a hundred other arguments to the effect that the length of religious services is not in accordance with the present wants of civilisation. Here I broke in, another opponeut to tbe poor count's very fallacious arguments. I hinted that probably the cure could cite some instances of persons whose occupations were as absorbing as those of M. de Tourmagne and who yet found time to come and join in the prai?es of God. " Certainly," ejaculated M. le Cure, " certainly ;" —but that was all ; we could see quite well that he was racking his brains to'find an example ; the fact was, none occurred to him, though this was' exactly what I had counted on. My aunt, dreading that M. de Tourmagne should have the last word, came again to the rescue by assisting the pastor's ungrateful memory. "For example," she, said, -'take that splendid young fellow who is there so regularly with his mother and sister ; — you must have remarked them— near us, nearly under the pulpit. Stephanie, you know whom I mean ?" 11 Yes, aunt." I became very intent, indeed, on my embroidery, for I felt the tell-tale color mounting uncomfortably into my face. " You mean M. Darcet," cried the cur 6, in delight, " M. Germain Darcet ! Ah ! my dear count, M. Darcet will condemn you. I forgot about him for the moment. A savant like yourself, but with bis fortune and name to make and a mother and sister to support. That is occupation enough, I think, and ■till he never misses any of the devotions." . ; '„ „ " Darcet. !" repeated my aunt ; "I do not know that family." " It is not a family," Teplied the cure, " at least not an aristo- - cratic family ; and yet they are three of tbe most charming people I have ever met. They are honor itself, and as to their piety, I have seldom met any so tender and Bolid." " Germain Darcet !" repeated M. de Tourmagne, " Germain Darcet? — 1 wonder where 1 have heard that name before V "In the Academy of Science, moat probably. M. Darcet is a mo9t accomplished man. I believe he has written a book, but I don't think it has been successful ;— he is too modest and too proud to gain public admirers." .... „ " Bah I" returned the count ; "if he has merit, believe me, the admirers will come of themselves. Darcet I— Darcet I—l am sure I have heard that name before. What is his occupation r " I don't know. He speaks very little about himself. I only know that he hap travelled a good deal. But that reminds me, Madame d'Aubecourt— he is a countryman of lyours; he is a Vendean." " Oh, well, said my aunt, "I do not wonder- at hiß piety then. Good blood never lies, true blue never Btains." "Tes," added the cure 1 ; " his father was a gentleman of some property, whose dearest object in life was to bring up his noble son worthily, and whose only regret was that he bad- not more money to leave him. With the consent of his excellent mother, our young fiiend set of! on his travels, and by his hard work he supplies for the deficiencies of their slender income." Here the conversation changed very much against my will, you may be sure. But this was not to be the last time that the name of Germain Darcet was to be introduced in conversation in the salon of the Marchioness d'Aubecourt. And he is a Vend^an 1 Elbe, Klise, the ways of Providence ar«s very wonderful. Good-bye, now, for I am off to our bookseller's, stricken with a new andmost brilliant idea which ought to have occurred to me long aejo. (To he Continued.)