State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-01-12
THE WIFE.

tragic occurrence recently took
place at Passy, near Paris. Our read
ers, doubtless, know that the prac-
tice is very common, in France, Of
several families occ upying the diff
fcrent portions of the same house
The attention and strong curiosity
of the inmates Of such house, be-
came strongly excited respecting u
YOUNG couple, Of interesting APP
poaruncc, who had, a few days be-
fore, taken up their abode in one
of its apartments. They were, ev-
identity, plunged into the deepest
allliction; and there appeared such
a fearful, trembling wildness in the
young lady's countenance and de-
pertinent, as gave rise to the opinion,
that she was a victim of insanity!
They never left their apartment; nor,
from the noises that were heard in it,
and the light that continued burning
through all the night, did they, or,
at least, both of them ever seem to
retire to rest. Their appearance
become, from day to day, more bag
gard ; and it was manifest, that some
intense passion or other was preying
upon their vitals.
A shocking solution, ofthcir mys-
terry, at length appeared. The wife
Of physician of some emlnence,
Madame O., one of the in
mates of the house, was awakened
by the voice Of a lady, in frightful
screams demanding instant admit
lance, threatening to break in the
door, and asking for her husband,
NJ. O., He was at Paris. She
then led Madame, O., with n
light, to her own apartment, which,
for the first time, was dark. The
spectacle that met her eyes, there,
was the body Of a young man,
stretched on the floor, with the head
supported by a pillow. He had
hung himself; and, through slight
warmth yet remained, showing that
succor, a few minutes earlier, might
have availed, he was beyond posi-
bility of restoration. This was her
story: she was wealthy heiress, and
had married this young man in vio-
lation of the wishes of her family.
He soon dissipated her whole for
tune, and reduced them both TO the
extremity of indulgence. Remorse
and despair, planted in his mind the
fixed resolution of seli-destruction,
which all her prayers and undimin-
ished affection could not shake.
They withdrew from Paris to the
retired village Of Passy; and the
wretched wife devoted herselfto the
awful task of watching her husband
TO prevent the execution Of his
horrid resolve. Day and night, her
eye never fell, nor turned from him.
This was the explanation of that
fearful wildness that resembled
insanity, of those restless vigils,
which no power, less intense than
such motive, could have protracted
so long. At length, on that last
night, physical nature yielded 10
the exhaustion Of such passion and
such unrcmitted fatigue. While
her husband slept, or feigned sleep,
her eyeids sank, in brief forgetful-
ness of her vigil. On awakening,
the room was dark, and her husband
did not answer her voice. She
found him, by cropping about the
room, suspended by slight cord
from hook in the wall. She in
stantly cut him down, and placed
his head upon pillow and the rest
is already told.
1t is a singular thing that we more
often read of such tragedies of in
tensely concentrated horror, involv-
ing suicide, among the French,
than among any other nation. Such
an occurrence never could have hap
pened among ourselves. 1t is to be
ascribed to the vehemence of pas
sion, which, Notwithstanding the
common opinions of French light
ness and frivolity, is decided ele-
ment in their character, together
with that general absence of relig-
ious restraint. The writings of the
philosophers(!) Of the past, and the
romantic school of fiction at the
present age, embellishing the worst
passions and the most feareful hor-
rors to which they may lead human
nature, have, we doubt not, had a