Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1843-04-18

yci-yo,-- should the first blow been do.ltby han
Could ! not have been aroused from my dream Of
SIN by the touch Of some other hand Blu, per.
haIs, II is better thus; the work will be more
quickly and more surely done. Another than he
might have founded the surface, and left the heart
unprobed but he we'll knew how TO cut TO the
verycore
And then she laughed the bitter, biting laugh
which has poison in It's mit,hl As she paused an
instant in the centre of,he floor, the door Of the
apartment opened, and an aged woman stood up.
on the threshold, towards whom ,he passionate
Italian sprang in eager haste. Clasping her hand
she hurried her into the saloon whispering hoars
ly, You are welcome, Alba; hnd forgotten that
you, a, least, are true to me Come hliher--I
have tale to tell you-a long and wondrous tale
Of love, and trust, and crime ST, her"--herc in
his velvetcovercd char Misery should, atleasi,
be lodged uIuriousy, when il has made mock
cry of life
And, having forced her terrified companion in.
to the sea, which she had so lately quilted. she
flung herself upon the carpet beside her, and bur
led her face on the knees Of the agita,ed woman
For a time her sobs were fearful She who listen.
ed TO them felt that they were unaccompaniod by
tears, for they were hard and dry and seemed to
rive the heart from which they sprung Sudden
ly they ceased and tossing back her streaming
dered as calm and equal as though sorrow had
never shaken it You mus, remember, Alba, the
infant daughter of noble house, famous through
out Venice, for its long descent and its prodigious
wealth-a naughty house, which had given a
Doge TO the Republic and more than one cardinal
TO the papal court OF Rome Nay, speak not
there is need to it. for there is so foul
stain on its escutcheon that not all lhevirtucso on
which for centuries it has built up It's pride can
er efface the blot
you remember the daughter of that house,
Alba-gay and happy child, for whom every day
Of life was one continuous carnival 1t was YOU
who rocked her cradle who encouraged her tim
id footsteps into strength; who watched her as she
grew from infancy TO womanhood She lost her
mother while she was yet girl; and sometimes ]
have thought A ba, since - You know
what | would say-somctmes have thought
for even satisfied and happy guilt has its moments
of refection-hat surely my pure young moth
er's spirit should have saved me Could she not
have flung the mantle Of her innocence between
me and my berayer, and hid my crime from that
power by which 1t is even now avenged2 But
wander from my purpose Thehciress TO wealth,
10 honor and to fame, was at length a child no
longer. Flatterers told her that she was beauti-
iu and poets wrote sonets to her eyes Her mind
had been laid open by careful and earnest fingers,
and the pages promised to do no discredit TO her
lineage. THIS was she when they married her
1t was a gorgeous festival and none asked
whether the noble bride who pledged her faith at
the altar, wore her hear, upon her lip, or whether
she stood there an unrcsistng victim. Had they
been able to look into the heart they would have
found blank--a fearful blank--soon TO be filed
with loathing, ialsehood, and dshonor
You know the rest, Alba; the disappointed
bride, the neglected wife, the trembling mother
learned, when it was too late, that she could be
loved even to dolatry--that she could love as
wildly as she was loved You know the arts that
were used TO win her for she was, at least, no
easy victim You know how tenderness for her
infant child tugged at her hcart.stfings and made
her almost forswear her selfish passion You
watched her as it failed at length before the devo
ton of the first man who had ever taught the
heart to beat at his approach; and you--you, the
nurse Of her infancy, the guard Of her youth, the
nurse Of her infancy, the guard of her youth, the
steadast and uncaculatlng friend of her woman
hood-you alone clung to her in her disgrace
have been happy, AIba--I have been uery happy
u child sporting upon the brink of precipice
among the flowers that veil ia bird slipping
honey dew while a serpent couches beneath the
blossom-laden boughs, ready TO spring. All that
can be imagined by which the mind may figure
false security onthe very confines Of destruction,
such have been Poor seIf.,acrheing friend
/ And she spoke she passed her small thin hand
over the face Of her weeping listener H. at least
have gathered few buds Of bcsscdness
| nightshade is pleasant to the eye when we forget
its poison; but you have suffered without reaping
even the reward ofthe guilty for he is false, Al
| ha false -
| Nay, nay your ear has been abused, nv gen.
tie child
Would tina, il were so; but no, no See you
wonder letter. and she pointed 10 tia, which lay
upon the table III is from Her-fro~ tho fair
6end who has robbed me the only heart ever
cared to win--the only friend, save yourself
whom my shame aud my crime had lef me. III
IS a reply 10 one from HIN, m which he bad de
clared his passion. DO you hear me Alba p
declared his passion for another One victim
does no, suffice he is weary Of the fond wretch
who has chung 20 him through so many tedious
| months; and he asks for a new sacrifice She
has rebuked his bol1ness with all the Indignation
ola proud woman who holds the confession as IN
/ insult But this is not enough She has robbed
me Of his heart for she must have looked and
! listened when he talked to her, a. though she
/ loyca him, or be would no, have dared 50 much
/ And what care ! for the csska when the Jewel
j. abs,factedl While ! was dear 10 han / could
have braved every thing for hrs sske-I have
done H. but now, now and she wrung her hands
as she again started up, now | care not how soon
We pant
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