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58
Her bosom thrilled with feeling as he talked
about his wife and babes, and her heart’s
earnest desire was that she possessed the
power of mind to aid him effectually with her
pen. She once thought of bestowing upon
him as a gift all her manuscripts. But then
Modesty interposed, and asked of her what
good that would do. Could they supply the
place of the contributions of him whose arti
cles were received in the stead of those of
M. Beranger ? She thought not, and had al
most come to the conclusion to go away and
not offer her manuscripts. Finally, however,
she concluded to present them to the editor,
and tell him that if they could do him any
good they were at his service. This she did
with so much diffidence that she won still far
ther the confidence and good-will of Monsieur
Bland.
“Let me see them.” said he, taking them
from her hand and running his eye eagerly
over the fair chirograph}*. -If they will sup
ply the place of those which should have
come from the hands of the young,gentleman
about whom I was speaking to you, l shall
be happy to pay you the price for them which
has been set upon his manuscript.”
Pauline assured him that she would not ac
cept anything for her productions.
M. Bland did not hear this, so intently was
he engaged by this time in reading.
After he had finished, with joy and satis
faction beaming in his countenance, he look
ed at Pauline and congratulated her upon her
successful efforts. Then, drawing his purse,
he took out fifty francs and gave them to
her, in spite of her efforts against receiving
them.
“I would willingly double the amount,”
said he, “ did my means allow it. Permit me,
madam, to consider you my regular contribu
tor in the place of the dissipated young man
whom I shall dismiss. As far as lam able,
I will pay you liberally for your contribu
tions.”
This closed the interview, and Pauline
departed. About this time the clerks and
printers began to make their appearance. As
she was proceeding to her residence, and had
just turned the corner of Rue St. Simon, she
met a young man, pale and haggard in his
looks, but whose countenance at the same
time beamed with the fire of genius. After
passing him, a little interest as well as curios
ity to know who the young man was, prompt
ed her to turn her head and take another view
of him. She found he had done the same.
With mutual haste they ceased to look at each
other, and proceeded on their journey with
accelerated speed. As Pauline went along,
she could hardly contain herself for joy ; but
at the same time she felt sad for M. Bland,
and also for the young gentleman who had
been deprived of his place on account of his
dissipated habits. She almost reproached her
self for not interceding in his behalf. But
then she recollected that that would be doing
injustice to the editor and his family. What
a pity it was, thought she, that a young man
who could supply the place of M. Beranger
as a writer, should indulge in habits of dissi
pation! If she could see him, and tell him of
his error, she was certain he would reform!
What a noble young man he must be! And
if he only had some kind friend to speak
gently to him, and encourage him in his good
resolution ! With a multitude of such thoughts
as these, she fell into a revery, from which
she w r as awakened by passing someone in the
street. Her cheek was mantled in blushes
for fear that someone had read her thoughts.
In her interest for the dissipated young man,
she had forgotten the intellectual young man
she had just met. The former she had seen,
the latter she had not seen. So much ad
vantage has the ideal over the real in woman’s
mind!
Pauline soon reached her room, where we
safely leave her for awhile, and turn back
with all speed to overtake the intellectual
young man who was going towards the office
Oa QIfS!E AIE ¥ ® ASSI?IF IS ♦
of La Publiciste. Have we not lost him ?
No —there he is just entering the office ! Let
us stand unseen and learn who he is, and
hear what he has to say. He addresses the
editor.
“Good morning, Monsieur Bland.”
“Good morning, mon ami ,” returned the ed
itor kindly, and with a smile, as he handed
him a chair.
“ l am afraid you could not decipher my
manuscript,” continued the y'oung man, who,
we can tell the reader, since Pauline will not
hear us, is the dissipated young man that had
sent in the manuscript that morning. The
young man of bad habits, and the intellectual
young man, are one and the same.
“ I must tell you candidly, though it gives
me pain, mon amif replied M. Bland, “that
I have dispensed with your services, and em
ployed in your stead a young lady of talent
who came here this morning very opportune
ly with these manuscripts. [Handing the pa
pers to his friend.] Only think what would
have been the consequences if she had not
come almost providentially with her compo
sition. This is the last hour I can receive
contributions for my next issue.”
This was spoken in a spirit of kindness
which to our hero was more bitter than a re
buke would have been. It is ever thus with
the sensitiveness of nature’s nobility.
Reader, for the sake of convenience we
shall call our young hero Duval, though his
true name will not be known until the last
scene of the drama.
Duval took the manuscripts and commenced
to read them, apparently not hearing anything
the editor said, though every word sunk like
a dagger into his breast. It was his philos
ophy to keep all his feeling to himself. Af
ter he had hastily run over the papers, he
raised his eyes to M. Bland and said :
“ I am certain I met the authoress of these
manuscripts at the corner of Rue St. Simon as
I was coming here. . The very same soul
which I saw beaming through that lady's eye
as a jewel in its setting, I see flashing in the
sentiments contained in these pieces. Nay,
she has left the impress of her soul in the
very chirograph}*. Such is immortal mind. —
It pervades all space, and the mere body can
no more contain its ethereal essence than yon
astral lamp can incarcerate the spirit-like lu
minous particles which radiate in all direc
tions when it is lighted up.”
“Why, Duval,” saidM.Bland, “yougrow
eloquent. Who would have thought that the
most talented young man in France, who has
never been known to bow at Beauty’s shrine,
would now become so enthusiastic over the
charms of an unknown fair one ? It is true
the young lady is beautiful, but who would
have thought that you would be captivated by
beauty 1”
“You deceive yourself,' 5 answered Duval,
“I candidly confess I feel an interest in the
unknown, and, if you will have it so, that I
am in love. But ”
“Ha! ha! M. Duval in love!”
“Hear me out, M. Bland. lam in love,
but it is in love with your fair correspondent’s
mind. If I had never seen her face, this true
index of her mind and character, —her writ
ings,—would kindle in my breast such a soul
passion as has never yet glowed there.”
“Now, Duval, if you could only cease
drinking and marry this young lady, how hap
py -would you both be, and how happy would
1 be, too, to retain you both as contributors
to my journal With such twin-giants of in
tellect, I could rival any paper in Paris, and
soon be enabled to pay for your articles as
their merit deserves. I will tell you who
this young lady is, and where she resides.—
I may rely upon your secrecy'?”
Duval nodded assent.
“Well,” continued M. Bland, “her name
is Pauline de Meulan. Her address is No. 8,
Rue de St. Germain.”
Duval bade the editor good day and depart
ed. As he went, he began to think more se-
riously about himself than he was accustom
ed to do. He had been in the habit of regard
ing dissipation in an improper light. The hab
its of body which morality generally con
demned he was wont to consider of little im
portance. “If I keep my head and heart
right,” he would say, “it is all-sufficient.—
What matters it about the casket, if the gems
are of pure water ?”
Duval should have rememberetd that it is
impossible to keep the mind and heart right
without proper habits of body. If the casket
be not kept properly burnished, the jewels
may become tarnished. lie now thought of
this, and resolved, for Pauline’s sake, to re
form. and to make her his own.
What were the thoughts of M. Bland after
Duval’s departure'? Always an admirer of
this young gentleman’s genius, he had been
more than ever dazzled by the soul-flashes
which irradiated with so much splendor the
conversation which had just terminated. He
had become enamoured of both the gentleman
and lady who had left his office a little before,
and he thought it would be promoting a truly
laudable purpose to throw these young peo
ple into each other’s society, and bring about
their union. He felt certain that Duval, for
Pauline’s sake, would forsake his cups. Oth
erwise he feared that the most brilliant mind
in France would hide its light in the gloom of
the drunkard’s grave.
Time passed on, and Pauline continued to
write for La Publiciste. Her articles were
universally read* and admired. She wrote
over a fictitious signature, and thus remained
incognita for some time. Her contributions
were attributed to some of the ablest, mascu
line pens in Paris, and no one dreamed that
such articles as “ La Communismecn Franee" 1
came from the pen of a maiden of sixteen.
M. Bland had a wealthy and fashionable
friend by the name of Suard. M. Suard was
in the habit of giving literary soirees , at
which he assembled much of the wit and
talent of Paris. He was the confidential
friend and adviser of the Editor of La Publi
cistc, to whom he had rendered considerable
assistance. He was therefore aware of the
secret of Pauline’s contributions, and had de
termined, as soon as she had fully established
her reputation, to invite her to appear at his
soirees , and be known as one of the best wri
ters in the city. M. Bland had also informed
him of the flame which Duval was cherishing
for her. and had asked him to second his ef
forts to bring about the marriage of the two.
Behold Duval and Pauline at one of M.
Suard’s soirees !
Pauline had thrown off’ her incognita , and
therefore excited much interest and received
much attention —a most propitious circum
stance for the kindling of a more ardent flame
in the bosom of Duval, who had been for
mally introduced. He had been recognized
by her as the young gentleman whom she
met on her return from her first visit to M.
Bland, but she did not dream it was he whom
she had supplanted as contributor to La Pub
liciste. She had some soul-stirring conversa
tion with him during the evening.
At last the company adjourned. Duval
was unfortunate enough, to see some other
gentleman conduct Pauline home. He, from
this hour forward, spent his time in restless
uneasiness, such as the reader may imagine,
if he has ever been in love.
Pauline went home full of admiration for
Duval. Perhaps there was a little Cupid
away off in a remote corner of her heart, but
she told him to be still and he obeyed her.
Soon after her attendance at the first soiree ,
a most unfortunate circumstance occurred to
Pauline. She was taken sick of a fever, and
was confined to her bed several months.
When first attacked, the most embarrassing
difficulties smote her bosom. Not fully aware
of her own mental powers, and of the repu
tation she had acquired as a writer, she was
fearful that M. Bland would employ another
contributor during her illness, who would su
persede her as a writer, and thus she would
be thrown out of employment. But she was
not long troubled with this fear, for one day
she received a small package containing an
article written in her own style, with a note,
asking her to receive the favor from an “Un
known Friend.” The note was written in a
gentleman’s hand, and it promised to supply
her with contributions until her recovery.
She determined to accept the proposition, and,
writing a line as she lay in bed, toM. Bland,
explaining the circumstances, she sent him
the first MS. from her “Unknown Friend.”
This the editor very readily accepted, espe
cially as he knew who composed the article,,
and published it over Pauline’s signature.—
Thus was printed, contribution aftei contri
bution, until our heroine recovered, and was
able to resume her pen. Need we say that
it was Duval who composed the pieces for
Pauline, with M. Bland’s and M. Suard's
knowledge ?
After the recovery of our fair authoress’
she and Duval again met at one of M. Suard's
soirees, and after the party was over, Duval
accompanied her home. On the way, he
avowed his passion for her, and begged her
to accept his hand and heart. Her answer
was, that she admired and respected him, and
could love him, but that her heart was pre
possessed for another. Avery common an
swer this, and rarely a sincere one. Its sin
cerity is undoubted in the present instance,
however, for Pauline had indeed fallen des
perately in love with the “Unknown Friend,”
who had supplied her place during her ill
ness, as writer for La Publiciste. She loved
Duval but did not know it.
Duval did not know it either; and Duval
was in agonies.
The next time he saw M. Bland, he was
asked how he had succeeded with Pauline.
“She loves another,” was his simple reply,
as he left the kind editor.
Duval’s passion was a heart-seated flame,
and therefore did not give vent to itself in
wordy complaints.
M. Bland, who had seen something of hu
man nature, half suspected what was the
matter. He resolved to set things right, and
for this purpose, at an early opportunity,
called upon Pauline. He acted in such a
way, and conversed in such a manner as to
induce her to make him her confidant. They
conversed about various things. She ad
mired Duval’s talents, and lauded them with
out stint. She enquired about the dissipated
young man, whom she had surperseded, and
expressed a good deal of interest in his fate.
The editor assured her he was likely to do
well. The next topic that came up was her
“Unknown friend,” about whom she spoke
in ecstacies. Siie gave M. Bland to under
stand, in a round-a-bout way, and in a very
delicate manner, that she was in love with
her “Unknown Friend.”
“Just as I expected,” thought the Editor,
as he was going off. “ I must seek Duval
quickly, and let him know this, or I fear dis
appointment will send him to his cups again.”
Pauline tried to get M. Bland to tell her, if
he knew, who her “Unknown Friend” was.
This he refused to do, but told her that she
would be invited to tea at M. Suard’s next
evening, where the mystery would be solved.
He immediately sought Duval, and gave him
joy, by letting him know that Pauline loved
him.
The next morning, Duval and Pauline both
received notes to the following effect:
“M. Suard expects you to tea this eve
ning.”
Evening came, and Pauline was ushered
into M. Suard’s parlor, where sat M. Bland.
“And you really would like to see your
“Unknown Friend'?” said M. Bland.
“It would afford me much pleasure to do
so,” answered Pauline blushingly, for she
now began to suspect that the “ Unknown”
would make his appearance.