Short Fiction Hardy, Arthur Sherburne: Aurélie. v1. 10 Feb 2017

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Arthur Sherburne Hardy: Born : 1847 Aug 13: Died : 1930 Mar 13

Excerpt
SOME months before her death the Countess Anne gave to Antoine, the child of Père Bigot, chief of the wood-cutters of Freyr, a wooden soldier. Antoine was far too young at that time to play with so brave a toy, and later, after the Countess’s death, it became far too sacred a relic of that lady of blessed memory to be put to any common use. And thus it happened that it stood year after year on the black shelf above Antoine’s bed, beside the blue-robed image of the Virgin, and in Antoine’s eyes, being thus enshrined within the halo of forbidden things, acquired a sanctity equal to that of the Holy Virgin herself. It was a very martial soldier, erect and resolute of mien, its musket, the butt of which rested beside one gaitered foot, pressed firmly against the right shoulder, and having to Antoine the appearance of being loaded and ready for action.

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