The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-05 00:00:00

ADRIENNE;

OR,
THE SHADOW OF THE PAST.

CALL RIGHTS RESERVED.I

CHAPTER VII.

: Tiles dismissed, Adrienne returned alone through the
desolate mansion; and, with nerves excited to the
i highest point of sensibility, she shrank at the echo
of her own step as she flitted through the long and
. lonely halls. She ran up the staircase, and made a
t
momentary pause in front of the door Eady had re-
fused to unc!ose for her; she was tempted to try the
lock, but a sudden fear of what might be found
'With n deterred her, and with fleet steps she sped
1 down again, and soon gained the door of her tower
room.
Carefully closing it behind her, the young girl
Paused before ascending to her own apartment, to
snatch another glance at the veiled portrait. With
a tremulous hand she turned aside the curtain, and a
ray of sunshine from a half-open shutter fell upon the
face. She started at the sudden illumination, and
fearfully glanced around to see if it proceeded from a
natural cause.
• The painting represented a woman of mature
' beauty, wearing a green riding-habit, and hat with a
dark plume which fel upon her shoulder and mingled
With the blonde curls that hung as a golden glory
around the white throat. The face was smiling, but
it was one which suffering had deeply touched. A
sorrow that gnawed the deeper from being concealed,
seemed to throw its shadow over the lovely features,
and few could long gaze upon that fair face without
a vague feeling of tenderness and compassion for the
high-bred heiress of lands and gold, who seemed to be
in the zenith of fortune and happiness when that
Picture was taken, yet in whose heart and life had
crept the canker of an incurable sorrow.
Adrienne, too, saw that it was like herself—like
what she might become, when time and suffering had
developed her into perfect womanhood. Now, it was
only the vague resemblance of the young bud to the
stately flower. After a long and earnest gaze into the
deep, sad eyes, Adrienne dropped the curtain with the
excla motion—
" How strange! I seem to myself to belong more _
to her, than to the terrible old man upstairs."
In passing to the recess in which was the sliding
Panel, Adrienne took special care not to walk over
the stain upon the floor; but even with this pre-
caution, she could not repress the shudder that thrilled
her sensitive frame, and she muttered—
"It is blood! I feel it—l know it ; though the old
woman declared it was only a coffee stain."
The spring readily yielded to her touch, and she
Stood within the darkened stairway. With the unut-
terable dread that something might impede her steps,
she groped her way upward, and finally reached the
upper floor. She glanced around the room half fear.
fully, for WI that had happened that day had con-
tributed to fill her mind with superstitious dread, and,
with a sigh of relief, she threw herself into a large
chair which was placed near one of the windows.
The sound of lumbering footsteps upon the stairs,
aroused her from the indulgence of her feelings, and
she gazed with dilating eyes and half-parted lips upon
the half open door, expecting somegoblin dire to make
its appearance through it. With a sensation of intense
relief, she saw a black face, ugly enough for a goblin,
but with a human expression of pleasere at her
Presence there, and old Pierre came in, bearing a
bundle of wood, with which he proceeded to light a
fire from a few coals he carried in an iron pan.
Adrienne thanked him gratefully for his attention
to her comfort, and the old negro's tongue was at
once unloosed. He sententiously replied—
"lt's my bizness to make de fires, mistis, an' it's
my pleasure to make one for sucha nice-lookin' young
lady as you is. 11l tillers keep you a good supply o'
wood, and den you kin keep your fire a burnin'
through all de dark hours. You'll find dat a comfort,
I reckin, in die strange house. Now I must ten' to
marster's fire, an' of you'll let me through de door on
tie gal'ry. I shan't have to come up de dark stairs and
scare you agin."
• Adrienne blushed faintly at his accurate interpre-
tation of her feelings, and replied, apologetically--
" Everything here is so strange to me that every
sound startles me. I shall overcome this feeling in a
few days, and I hope you will not think that I am
afraid of you."
"Oh, no, mam'selle, I aint sightly to look at, I know
very well; but ole Pierre's face have never got to be
fearsome to anyone yit. Leastways shall it be to you,
for you looks like some o' de ole stock, sure enuff ;
and your voice sounds mighty familiar in de ole
house."
"And yet I am not of their blood," thought
Adrienne, "but an interloper, who isunwelcome to
him who now claims the mastery here."
She unlocked the outer door, again gracefully
thanked him for his attention to her wants, and
turned to the more cheerful-looking room with
emotions of gratitude to this poor old -creature for
the kindly sympathy he had shown for her lone-
liness.

"My Own blood treats me as an alien," was her
bitter thought, "while this untutored menial can
feel compassion for my isolated and forlorn posi-
tion."
The fire leaped and flashed up the chimney, and the
quaintly carved furniture glittered in its beams.
Adrienne began to feel less nervous, and by the time
Eady came up with her tea she had made herself
quite comfortable in her new quarters. The old woman
stayed but a few moments, as her master was waiting
for his supper, which she bore upon the same waiter.
Adrienne was glad to drink the tea, and then occupy
herself with a book which M. Lecour was considerate
enough to send in to her. As Eady finally withdrew
her hsad from the door, she warningly said—
" Don't you come out o' yer room, nor take no
notice of any noises you may hear, young mistis, caze
it may be wuss for you den you may think, ef de
marster were to come 'cross you in one o' his
tantrums. He cuts up mightily some nights, and he
is in one o' his spells now."
At the sound of M. Lecour's voice she abruptly
closed the door and went to him. Pierre brought up
a supply of wood for the night, and a candle, which
he advised her to economise as much as possible, as
his master did not permit many to be burned by any
one in his establishment except himself.
With a heavy sinking of the heart, the young
stranger listened to his departing footsteps as they
Clattered down the staircase, and she tried to combat
the sense of loneliness by the thought that the length
of the gallery only separated her from her grandfather;
and, stern as he was, should the nightmare of fear
come upon her, she would overcome her dread of of-
fending him, and fly to him for companionship.
Later in the evening, Eady again came quietly up,
bearing the valise of Adrienne, and stayed long enough
to prepare the bed for its new occupant. Reiterating
her cautions, the old woman d;sappeared for the
night, and Adrienne was left to solitude.
After exchanging her black robe for a dressing
gown she drew up the large chair in front of the fire,
and sat down to contemplate the miniature of Victor
Duvernay, which she wore next her heart, concealed
in a small golden case. A touch upon a spring re-
vealed a dark, nobly handsome face, surrounded by a
waving mass of jet black hair. Certain that no in-
trusive eyes could behold her, the young girl pressed
the senseless ivory to her lips and heart, and
murmured words of tender devotion which she would
scarcely have been willing to express to the original.
She fell into a dreamy reverie, and sinking in the
depths of her luxurious chair, she felt a sense of re-
pose, after the varied excitements of the day, stealing
over both mind and body.
She slept, at first lightly and fitfully, but gradually
hsr senses more deeply steeped themselves in the
oblivion of slumber, and the soul flitted away to the
weird realm of dreams.
Adrienne was aroused from her slumber by wild
cries, and the deep baying of a bloodhcund ; the fire
had gone down, and the room was only illumined by
the glowing embers. She threw a few faggots upon
the hearth, and by the time they kindled in a blaze,
had recovered sufficient composure to comprehend
that the cries proceeded from the room of M. Lecour,
and the deers baying of tho dog ogeondod fitywn the
lower apartment of the tower.
The frantic scenes of the preceding night were
evidently being re-enacted, and the lonely stranger
listened with a degree of terror that completely un-
nerved her frame. Remembering his own words and
Eady's caution, she sat still and trembling, fearing
every moment that the madman would remember her
vicinity, and burst into her room,
Suddenly the uproar ceased; the drug had produced i
its last phase, and the frantic actor n the scene lay
supine upon his couch. After a few prolonged wails,
the dog also sunk into silence, but the
sat cowering in her chair, afraid to look around,
terrified even at the sound of her own perturbee
breathing, which now alone broke the deep silence
that fell on everything within the house.
The faint rustle of the breeze, and the answering
cry of the night-birds that lived unharmed among the
unpruned trees were the only interruptions to the
profound quiet of the night. Gradually the quick
fluttering of her heart subsided, and she gained
courage to look around; a sense of chilliness reminded
her that she would be better in bed, and in a few
moments she was safely ensconced in the antique bed-
stead in the corner. Eady had loosened the lace
curtains, and they fell to the floor in light filmy folds.
By the uncertain flashes of firelight, Adrienne gazed
upon the rich furniture, and mused upon the fair
woman whose taste had decorated the apartment, till
slumber again fell softly upon her eyelids.
This time she slept soundly for several hours, and
then occurred a most extraordinary dream—a dream
apparently so terribly real, in all its details as to fill
her wills unutterable awe.
The fire, so it seemed to her yet glowed upon the
hearth, and, by its glimmer, a tall figure was seen
in front of the mirror, arraying itself in the bridal
dresses Eady had that morning exhibited. She first
assumed the white muslin, and decked herself with
the pearls. Pale as a snowdrift, with dishevelled hair,
white as silver, and an expression of intense melan-
choly upon her features, she surveyed herself with
moans of deep anguish. The pallid lips seemed to un-
clese, and wail forth the plaintive cry—
" Loved and lost—loved and lost ;—pearls and
teals.. go,
.ogether. Qff !. off !, ye freeze me to the
roarro3Y., ...‘ • " •
the jewel's were snatched from neck, arm, tad
brow, and the dress was hastily laid 5a1cu...1.40

splendid bridal robii'with its costly lace, and fairy
flowers, was then donned, and the magnificent
diamonds flashed above her faded brow, and lay in
glittering radiance upon her bare neck and arms.
Again the voice came hissingly and scornfully through
the set teeth—

"This, for pride, and family peace. They gave
me to him, though my heart was with the past; but I
played my part well. He cannot reproach me when
we meet beyond the stars, for I was true to him, if I
did not love him. Off! idle gawds ! for my dead
heart can tell how vain ye are to impart happiness !"
In their turn, these, too, were torn from her per-
son, and consigned to the receptacles to which they
belonged.
Then, with a shudder, she lifted the plain white
silk, and held it at arm's length, while she surveyed it
with an expression of horror.
"Robe of Deijaneira ! hateful folds, that glisten to
me like the sheen of the serpent that entered the
Paradise in which our first parents dwelt, in your
turn, I must assume ye for a purpose which I dare
not forego."
With evident reluctance the robe was thrown on,
and then the opals were brought forth with an ex-
pression of loathing upon her features. She turned
them towards the glimmering light, and muttered—
" Fiery hearts, fiery hearts, well do you typify the
one for whom they were worn. A consuming an-
guish did he light in my soul, and his shall not es-
cape from its blighting influence."
When this last toilet was completed, she surveyed
herself in the mirror, and then took from a drawer in
the dressing stand a large lace shawl, with which she
enveloped her whole person: Carefully unclosing the
door, she glided out, and approached the entrance to
M. Lecour's apartment.
And now, in her dream, Adrienne seemed to rise and
follow her. The white figure paused in front of M.
Leceues door, and softly turned the bolt. The dazzling
glare of many lights fell upon her rich costume, for he
habitually slept with his room brilliantly illuminated.
Approaching the couch on which he lay breathing
heavily, the phantom bride stretched forth her arms,
land held the cloud of lace in such a manner as clearly
to reveal her features, and the wild masses of silver
hair, amid which the fiery opals so strangely
gleamed.
A clear, piercing voice cried out—
" Murderer ! arouse yourself, for the White Terror
is upon you! the White Terror is upon you?"
-With a wild cry, M. Lecour started from the leaden
slumber which had lately bound his senses, cast a
horrified glance towald the pallid face that bent over
him, and fell motionless upon his pillow.
Swiftly then the phantom seemed to glide back,
tore off the loathsome finery, and consigned it to its
usual receptable. As she was leaving the room, it ap-
peared as if her oyes fell upon Adrienne, and,
with her finger pressed upon her lips, she drew near,
peered through the transparent curtain, and by the
faint light examined the face of the stranger.
Adrienne struggled to speak—to ask her why she
came there—hut the words died away in her throat
as she saw the former mistress of Bellair looking down
upon her.
At this climax the senses of the poor overwrought
girl seemed to fail her, and she became unconscious of
everything.
(To be continued.)