Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Woman's Choice —The Story Of A Hero.
says my pretty niece 1 " and he looked earnestly at Claire . The young lady blushed as she replied , "That it became her not to dispute the will of her guardian . " De Ploermel then enquired after the health of the Lady du Guesclin .
" She is confined to her chamber , my good lord , " Avas the reply . " A mother ' s grief , fair sir—a mother ' s grief . She cannot forget Iter first-born ' s lack of deity . " " May I see the good lady V asked the knight ; " I am much bound to her for her skilful leech craft Avhen last I sojourned Avithyou ; I would fain try my powers of consolation in her behalf . "
" You Avill see her at supper , my good lord , " said Du Guesclin , " ancl it is near the hour now . " " Your pardon , my kind host ; but I may not tarry to partake of it Avith you . My A'isit , as I said , must be brief—will you
suffer this damsel to guide me to the lady ' s chamber ancl sue for a- short intervieAV Avith her ?" " Surely , if you desire it , good sir , " replied Sir Oliver . " Hie thee , Claire , ancl guide thine uncle to the boAver chamber ,
Avhere my lady is even noAv busied Avith her maidens . " Claire extended her pretty Avhite hand to her kinsman , ancl led him Avith a gay smile from the hall . He accompanied her in silence till they entered the corridor leading to the Lady du Guesclin ' s room . There he paused , aud gently detained his niece .
" I Avould speak Avith you alone for a feAv moments , Claire , " saicl De Ploermel . "Listen to me , clear child , and answer me sincerely , as you A'alue your o \ A'n future happiness . You are my sister ' s child , and Avhen I refused to alloAV your dead father to make me your guardianit was from no
, Avant of kindred affection , but because I deemed my solitary home not a meet dAvellhig for a motherless g irl . The rights of a kinsman are , hoAvever , inalienable ; therefore , if you love not this Guy du Guesclin , say but the Avord , ancl I Avill restore you to
your first affianced Bertrand . " " I like Guy passing Avell , " saicl Claire , timidl y , " and am very happy ; but I thank yon , mine honoured uncle . " " You prefer him to Bertrand 1 " said De floermel . "Oh yes " replied Claire . "And AVherefore , I pray you , my child ?"
" Because he is better tempered ancl handsomer than Bertrand , ancl neA'er chides me , as be did , for Avhat he called my faults . " " No proof of the truth of his affections , clear maiden , Bertrand , I . know , Avas ever fierce of mood , ancl easily roused to auger ;
but I could not have thought that he Avould haA'e been such a kill-courtesy as to . show his rash humour to a fair maiden like yourself , Claire . " " I did not say that , " she replied , eagerly . " He always reproved me gently ; but lie
loved me not as Guy does . " " I Avould say , he did not so Avell knoAV how to flatter my SAveet niece ! But , believe me , thy judgment is altogether Avrong ; thou preferest a popinjay to an eagle—a false crystal to a true diamond . " " Good my uncle , " said the maiden quickly ; " a popinjay that pleases the eye is
surely preferable to a wild bird that might peck them out in bis mood ; and if the diamond be unpolished , your crystal is the prettier Avear . " " Nay , I will reason no longer with thee , Claire ; thou dost but follow the perverse
nature of thy sox from EA'e doAvmvard , Avho lost her Eden by giving ear to a false tongue . Since thou lovesb this smooth-mannered gallant , I will not tliAvart th y fancy , although I am too sure thou Avilt one day repent thy choice . And IIOAV go , ancl ask
Lady du Guesclin to admit me . " As she obeyed , he followed her sloAvl y , muttering , " A silly moppet ! 'Tis pity that such a puppet should make or mar a brave man ' s happiness ; I would the boy did not love her . " If the Lord of Ploermel could not boast
of his success as a match-maker or marrer , he had much reason to be proud of bis poAvers of consolation ; for Avhen he descended to the hall , be led Avith Mm Lad y du Guesclin , from AA'hose heart be had apirently removed a Aveight of grief , for she smiled gladly and gratefully upon him , ancl for the first time since the exile of her
son from his home , looked as gently cheerful as she had been accustomed to do . The Lord of Ploermel almost immediately after supper took his leave , telling Sir Oliver , as he advanced to tender him the stirrup cup , that he must come resolved to exert all his former prowess at the approaching tournament , as he ( De Ploermel ) expected a young knight , a friend of his OAVII , to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Woman's Choice —The Story Of A Hero.
says my pretty niece 1 " and he looked earnestly at Claire . The young lady blushed as she replied , "That it became her not to dispute the will of her guardian . " De Ploermel then enquired after the health of the Lady du Guesclin .
" She is confined to her chamber , my good lord , " Avas the reply . " A mother ' s grief , fair sir—a mother ' s grief . She cannot forget Iter first-born ' s lack of deity . " " May I see the good lady V asked the knight ; " I am much bound to her for her skilful leech craft Avhen last I sojourned Avithyou ; I would fain try my powers of consolation in her behalf . "
" You Avill see her at supper , my good lord , " said Du Guesclin , " ancl it is near the hour now . " " Your pardon , my kind host ; but I may not tarry to partake of it Avith you . My A'isit , as I said , must be brief—will you
suffer this damsel to guide me to the lady ' s chamber ancl sue for a- short intervieAV Avith her ?" " Surely , if you desire it , good sir , " replied Sir Oliver . " Hie thee , Claire , ancl guide thine uncle to the boAver chamber ,
Avhere my lady is even noAv busied Avith her maidens . " Claire extended her pretty Avhite hand to her kinsman , ancl led him Avith a gay smile from the hall . He accompanied her in silence till they entered the corridor leading to the Lady du Guesclin ' s room . There he paused , aud gently detained his niece .
" I Avould speak Avith you alone for a feAv moments , Claire , " saicl De Ploermel . "Listen to me , clear child , and answer me sincerely , as you A'alue your o \ A'n future happiness . You are my sister ' s child , and Avhen I refused to alloAV your dead father to make me your guardianit was from no
, Avant of kindred affection , but because I deemed my solitary home not a meet dAvellhig for a motherless g irl . The rights of a kinsman are , hoAvever , inalienable ; therefore , if you love not this Guy du Guesclin , say but the Avord , ancl I Avill restore you to
your first affianced Bertrand . " " I like Guy passing Avell , " saicl Claire , timidl y , " and am very happy ; but I thank yon , mine honoured uncle . " " You prefer him to Bertrand 1 " said De floermel . "Oh yes " replied Claire . "And AVherefore , I pray you , my child ?"
" Because he is better tempered ancl handsomer than Bertrand , ancl neA'er chides me , as be did , for Avhat he called my faults . " " No proof of the truth of his affections , clear maiden , Bertrand , I . know , Avas ever fierce of mood , ancl easily roused to auger ;
but I could not have thought that he Avould haA'e been such a kill-courtesy as to . show his rash humour to a fair maiden like yourself , Claire . " " I did not say that , " she replied , eagerly . " He always reproved me gently ; but lie
loved me not as Guy does . " " I Avould say , he did not so Avell knoAV how to flatter my SAveet niece ! But , believe me , thy judgment is altogether Avrong ; thou preferest a popinjay to an eagle—a false crystal to a true diamond . " " Good my uncle , " said the maiden quickly ; " a popinjay that pleases the eye is
surely preferable to a wild bird that might peck them out in bis mood ; and if the diamond be unpolished , your crystal is the prettier Avear . " " Nay , I will reason no longer with thee , Claire ; thou dost but follow the perverse
nature of thy sox from EA'e doAvmvard , Avho lost her Eden by giving ear to a false tongue . Since thou lovesb this smooth-mannered gallant , I will not tliAvart th y fancy , although I am too sure thou Avilt one day repent thy choice . And IIOAV go , ancl ask
Lady du Guesclin to admit me . " As she obeyed , he followed her sloAvl y , muttering , " A silly moppet ! 'Tis pity that such a puppet should make or mar a brave man ' s happiness ; I would the boy did not love her . " If the Lord of Ploermel could not boast
of his success as a match-maker or marrer , he had much reason to be proud of bis poAvers of consolation ; for Avhen he descended to the hall , be led Avith Mm Lad y du Guesclin , from AA'hose heart be had apirently removed a Aveight of grief , for she smiled gladly and gratefully upon him , ancl for the first time since the exile of her
son from his home , looked as gently cheerful as she had been accustomed to do . The Lord of Ploermel almost immediately after supper took his leave , telling Sir Oliver , as he advanced to tender him the stirrup cup , that he must come resolved to exert all his former prowess at the approaching tournament , as he ( De Ploermel ) expected a young knight , a friend of his OAVII , to