"I don't know what I did after that. I must have screamed at first, then
fainted and fallen, and finally have run to the chateau. The next thing
that I remember I was in bed, with my mother sitting beside me.

"I thought that I had dreamed all this in a frightful nightmare. I
stammered: 'And what of him, what of him, Gontran?' There was no answer.
It was true!

"I did not dare see him again, but I asked for a lock of his blond hair.
Here--here it is!"

And the old maid stretched out her trembling hand in a despairing
gesture. Then she blew her nose several times, wiped her eyes and
continued:

"I broke off my marriage--without saying why. And I--I always
have remained the--the widow of this thirteen-year-old boy." Then
her head fell on her breast and she wept for a long time.

As the guests were retiring for the night a large man, whose quiet she
had disturbed, whispered in his neighbor's ear: "Isn't it unfortunate to,
be so sentimental?"




THE ENGLISHMAN OF ETRETAT

A great English poet has just crossed over to France in order to greet