The Idler Volume 6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 Excerpt: ...was a good lump of a fellow who had been a soldier, and he picked out a girl in the Seigneury of Beaugard to make his wife. It is said the girl herself was not set for the man, for she was of finer stuff than the peasants around her, and showed it. But her father and mother had a dozen other children, and what was the girl, this Falise, to do? She said yes to the man, the time was fixed for. the marriage, and it came along. ' So. At the very hour of the wedding Beaugard came by, for the Church was in mending, and he had given leave it should be in his own chapel. Well, he rode by just as the bride was coming out with the man--Garoche. When he saw Falise he gave a whistle, then spoke in his throat, reined up his horse, and got down. He fastened his eyes on the girl's. A strange look passed between them--he had never seen her before, but she had seen hijj often, 'and when he was gone, had helped the housekeeper with his rooms. She had carried away with her a stray glove of his. Of course it sounds droll, and theysaid of her when all came out it was wicked; but evil is according to a man's own heart, and the girl had hid this glove as she hid whatever was in her soul--hid it even from the priest.... "Bien, the Baron looked and she looked, and he took off his hat, stepped forward, and kissed her on the cheek. She turned pale as a ghost, and her eyes took on the colour that her cheeks lost. When he stepped back he looked close at the husband. 'What is your name?' he said. 'Garoche, Monsieur le Baron, ' was the reply. 'Garoche Garoche I' he said, eyeing him up and down. 'You have been a soldier?' 'Yes, Monsieur le Baron?' 'You have served with me?' 'Against you, Monsieur le Baron.... when Bigot came fighting.' 'Better against me than for me, ' said the Baron s...