The Argosy — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

The Burgomaster’s Daughter, 195 prime-minister, and Monsieur Bastoigne was a little lean clerk, who kept the accounts, sat in a corner, and wore slippers all the day long. * You look ill, Mademoiselle,” said Madame, kindly. ‘‘I hope to see you better soon. I wish to speak to your father.” ‘‘ He is here,” returned Lucille, in a low voice. She was trembling in every limb, and she was glad when Jules opened the door for her, and, bowing profoundly, covered, as it were, her escape. The Burgomaster, as he entered, stared first at his visitors, then, in his best patronising manner, he begged them to be seated, and seemed to wait, like a great man, to know what he could do for them. Madame did not keep him waiting long. ‘“T came, sir, on behalf of my son, to demand the hand of your daughter in marriage.” Monsieur Warenne’s fat, florid face turned white with amazement, and he kept silent from sheer anger. ““T have loved her for many years,” put in Jules, with a firm, steady voice. ‘‘ And now, when friends fall away from her, it is the right time, as it seems to me, for a true man to prove his affection.” Sir,” spluttered the Burgomaster, ‘‘ my daughter has no need of friends in this miserable little town. She will have plenty of friends at Brussels and at Paris.” | Madame Bastoigne seemed about to speak, but Jules looked at her imploringly, and she held her peace. ‘*T am much obliged, I am sure, for your offer of marriage,” con- tinued Monsieur Warenne; ‘‘ but are you aware that my daughter will have a dot of one hundred thousand francs, and with that fortune I expect her to marry a gentilhomme.” ‘Whatever you give to Lucille, my husband and I will give to Jules, franc for franc. We make no brag, but our till is not empty.” “T don’t intend my daughter to have anything to do with tills,” returned the Burgomaster, swelling more and more with importance. ‘* Allow me to consider this matter at an end.” “You refuse my son?” said Madame Bastoigne, growing a little pale about the mouth. *“T do: I have nothing to say bevadehit Jules; he is a very worthy young man, but not a fitting person to be my son-in-law.” “Now tell him, mother,” whispered Jules. : ** Monsieur Warenne ”__and Madame Bastoigne rose to her full height—‘“‘I look on you with pity. You are deceiving yourself, and you are ruining your daughter. Already there is not a man in the province who will ask her in marriage except my son.” *T don’t want your son—I don’t want any fripon in _ the pro- vince!” sputtered the angry Burgomaster. “And I ask her,” said Jules, ‘because I love her, and because I believe her to be a most innocent and unjustly maligned lady.” He was greatly agitated, but repressed his emotion, as his mother laid her hand upon his shoulder. CONIC OOO SS (CO) am