The Argosy — page 155: what you’re looking at

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

138 Monsieur Michaud’s Fiancée. know, in spite of your hiding it, you are not such as I am: only I owe you everything, and can refuse you nothing.” ‘Don’t say anything about my kindness, but tell me of your own free will that at some future time—for I do not wish to interfere with your work—you will be my wife.” * Yes,” said Georgette. ‘Then we shall feel bound to each other till one of us asks to be released—and the request is granted.” “IT could not be so ungrateful, Monsieur—I promise.” “We are quite agreed then?” M. Michaud just raised Georgette’s hand to his lips and kissed it ; that was the only sign of the compact, and after a short silence they both walked home together. Georgette looked round at the gardens and the signs of young life and happiness which they inspired, and heaved a litle sigh. She did not regret her compact, she was even proud to be M. Michaud’s fiancée, for she loved him ; still, in her girlish day-dreams her lover had not been at all like him, but young and handsome ; indeed, just lixe the hero in ““On ne badine pas avec l’amour.” Well, her day of romance had come and the lover was a middle-aged and decidedly plain man, but his heart was good and true, and as to his kindness—had not she said often she could never repay him—and now that she had found a way, how happy, very happy she ought to be! Monsieur Michaud spoke of his engagement. He told Madame below, he told everybody, and he took no notice of the smile that now and then was barely hidden. Georgette, too, made no secret of her new happiness, and when some of the theatre people began laughing at her, she flared up and said: * You could not find in all Paris a man with a better heart,” and the answer from a malicious brunette was: “Je ne dis pas, chéré, but anyhow you need not go further than the next street to find one handsomer !” III. TIME passed swiftly on with Georgette. She almost forgot the episode in the Tuileries, except that M. Michaud usually came to fetch her, and sometimes had a talk with M. Roche about her, always hearing great things of his fiancée. As for M. Michaud himself, he began to get accustomed to the alterations in his daily life, and as changes had come upon him he expressed no great surprise when something else occurred to disturb the former even course of his existence. This was the advent of a young cousin! Blaise Michaud had made a moderate fortune as a doctor in America, after which he came home to his beloved Paris, bought a practice, and then hunted up the relations whom absence had not made him forget. He was delighted when at last he found Cousin Gustave, but surprised when the latter introduced his fiancée. ‘To Eomicbooks.co