The Argosy — page 207: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

190 Lhe Burgomaster’s Daughter. ‘““Ah! do you see? He offers her his arm, and she positively takes it. Shameful!” ‘This is going too far!” cried the senior old lady, in a state of excitement, ‘I used to take the girl’s part, but I give her up from this day.” ‘‘ And Monsieur Warenne is not troubling himself! He is look- ing up at the crows instead of watching his daughter,” said the other, in great disgust. Unconscious of the remarks made on thé impropriety of her con- duct, Lucille, thinking herself quite safe, since her father was with her, walked on in innocent happiness, bashfully pleased by the attention paid to her by the Baron. It was so new, so delightful to meet with a gentleman—a real gentleman—a man so different from any she had ever seen. Jules was very well, and was certainly very good-looking, but then he had not the charm of manner, the delight- ful ease of the Baron; and the dear, good papa hated him; while papa adored the Baron, and would be so glad if The Baron offering her his arm checked Lucille’s thoughts. She did not quite like this attention, it was a little too familiar, so she hesitated, and looked at him timidly. ‘The ground is so rough,” he said, with a most delightful smile, and an air of deep respect. So after a little flutter Lucille put the tips of her fingers on his arm, and walked on silently. A few steps more, and his hand fell on hers. Frightened, she would have pulled it away, but his fingers had too firm a grasp of her little palm to enable her to succeed in this. ‘‘ Why not accord me so small a privilege, Lucille ?” asked the Baron, in his most insinuating voice. ‘Think for how short a time longer I shall have the happiness of seeing you. I am obliged to quit the Ardennes in a month.” Lucille was no simpleton; she did not believe he was “ obliged ” to go; and, even if that were true, he could come again. Or, were he really in earnest, he could ask her to be his wife, and take her | with him. So this last speech of his was a failure, and she very de- cidedly drew away her imprisoned hand. ‘‘ Why do you leave so soon?” she said. ‘‘ Have you found the Ardennes dull ? ” ‘ Dull! when I have had you by my side! No, Lucille, I have been too happy. How shall I manage to forget you P ” Lucille longed to ask if it was necessary to forget her, but she did not dare say this, the more especially as the Baron’s ardent gaze of admiration, fixed on her face, was covering it with blushes. She was just the girl to please a swarthy man like him. Beautifully fair, with blue eyes, and a profusion of amber tresses, and yet quite un- like that type of fairness which he had seen in Flanders, and which is generally joined to a figure too ample for beauty, Lucille seemed to him the very perfection of grace and loveliness. ‘‘ You do not answer me,” he said, in a low tone. ‘‘Shall you be sorry when I go away?” Eomichbooks.com