United States or Democratic Republic of the Congo ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He was a fine young man of twenty-three, enriched to the amount of some twelve thousand francs a year by the death of a bachelor uncle, and the son of Madame Marest, widow of the wealthy wood-merchant.
No step of that nature is ever taken secretly in the provinces. The procureur-du-roi, Frederic Marest, whose fortune, buttonhole, and position were about on a par with those of Antonin Goulard, had received a like refusal, three years earlier, based on the difference of ages.
The young man had really secured certain triumphs in the court of assizes of the Aube, but he was none the less an object of derision to Frederic Marest, procureur-du-roi, Olivier Vinet, the substitute procureur, and the judge, Michu, the three best minds in the court. Simon Giguet, like other men, paid goodly tribute to the mighty power of ridicule that pursued him.
Like the first mutterings of a thunderstorm, the first faint breaths of cool wind, Maskull felt the stirrings of passion in his heart. In spite of his bodily fatigue, he wished to test his strength against something. This craving he identified with the crags of the Marest. They seemed to have the same magical attraction for his will as the lodestone for iron.
"What luck," said Oscar to Godeschal, as they were getting up in the morning, "that I had just ordered a new coat and trousers and waistcoat, and that my dear mother had made me that fine outfit! I have six frilled shirts of fine linen in the dozen she made for me. We shall make an appearance! Ha! ha! suppose one of us were to carry off the Creole marchioness from that Georges Marest!"
Thus refreshed, they passed the mouth of the Missouri on the 13th of July, and soon after were met by three Canadians, who brought them a letter from the Jesuit Marest, warning them that the river was infested by war-parties.
"Poor unhappy boy! what grief he has caused me!" said Godeschal, "that tall ne'er-do-well of a Georges Marest is his evil genius; he ought to flee him like the plague; if not, he'll bring him to some third disgrace." "What do you mean by that?" asked Desroches. Godeschal then related briefly the affair of the journey to Presles.
"Sure I wouldn't for the worruld be afther hintiu' that ye iver spake anythin' but the truth. Howandiver, I'll tell ye somethin'. Ye see, I was standin' at the dure av yer room last night by the marest accidint, an' I happened to overhear a confabulation between you an' Rivers. An' ye know what ye towld him, and ye know what he said to you.
"The procureur-du-roi is walking up and down there under the lindens," said the sub-prefect. "Monsieur Marest! Wish him good-morning from me." "But who are you?" "Whatever you wish me to be, my dear Monsieur Goulard," said the stranger. "You alone shall decide what I am to be in this department. Give me some advice on that head. Here, read that."
The upper part of it was covered with a kind of glittering vegetation which he could not comprehend. Joiwind put her hand on Maskull's shoulder, and pointed upward. "Here you have the highest peak in the whole land that is, until you come to the Ifdawn Marest." On hearing that strange name, he experienced a momentary unaccountable sensation of wild vigour and restlessness but it passed away.
Word Of The Day