The Argosy — page 81: what you’re looking at

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68 Checkmate in Ten Moves. her deceased husband’s, and an avowed admirer of Mademoiselle Mariette, had within the year been nominated to that dignified post. “Likes them?” repeated the young lady, with a pout, “he can never find enough to keep him employed. He was ten times happier and more useful when he had only his own business to look after, and let other people alone. Now he leaves that to his clerks, while he frets the flesh off his bones, and those of his neighbours, all for the public good! I hate the very sound of his boots at the door !” ‘The boots are loyal to their allegiance, then, and still bring him within reach of those eyes he used to worship in sonnets.” ‘‘Oh, he comes often enough, if that is what you mean; but the eyes would not cry themselves blind if he stayed away,” said Mariette. “And poor Herr Ulrich—I beg his pardon, the Herr Professor Leinhardt—he was actually summoned from his classes to face mus- ketry drill and bivouac hardships! It seems great waste of material, unless they put him in the band; and his piano touch will not be appreciated there.” “He was obliged to go,” said Eleanor, and I was aware, by the very composure of her manner, that more was meant than spoken. ‘But he told us the military exercise was not new to him; he had gone through it all as a boy, and indeed, saw a little service in the war with Prussia.” “Ah!” TI said ‘Prussia will not forget that, you will see. They say the Bavarians will have the compliment of being always in the front wherever there is danger.” ‘That is just where he wishes to be,” said Mariette, her cheeks ill a-glow, and her eyes flashing with a brightness that was dimmed “he next moment by a gush:of tears, as she darted out of the room. T looked at Eleanor in consternation. ‘ Yes,” she said, her kind eyes filling as they met mine, “my poor little bird is caught, and I had hoped it was for her happiness, but this terrible war has changed the face of everything. They had only just come to an understand- ing; and Ulrich was about to go home to arrange matters with his family, when his summons came to join the army. How it will end no one can dare to Say.” I was really sorry at the turn affairs had taken, and took an early opportunity of showing Mariette that my sympathy was on her side. Friends in England at this time supplied me regularly with papers, and we all devoured the reports of special correspondents with a readiness of belief proportioned to our ignorance. But time went on, and that promised victory never came. ‘Wait awhile,” M. le Maire would say, when he detected this impression on our countenances, ‘‘ your English journalists, made- moiselle, are very clever, and write spirited articles; but they overlook (COU l am \ 2 0)(0)(0)| KS,(E6)