The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-12-21

The Deuth-Bed,
The night was dark, and the rain poured down
in torrents; the sky was obscured by dense and
Opaque clouds; at short intervals flashes of vivid
and lorked lightning umined the space around
and made darkness more visible.
On that eventiul night expired Monsieur Delfose :
ne died the most horribeiof deaths. With broken
ribs and his head fractured, lie lay upon his bed
moliOnless and insensble since his fall He had
been bed, but the of the surgeon had produced
no eflect-his case WAS bevond the reach 6f human
skill.
Iurat, his confidential valet-de chambre, was
watching by his bed side Madame Alvare had not
yet lett her daughter Cecilia, who was Nill in a
ialntIng fit. AT length the young girl was restored
10 animation but she soon succumbed to The fee.
Dleness and debility of her situation, and fell into
a species Of lethargiC sumber, which was how.
ever, far from dangerous. Madame Aware, was
therefore at length enabled to carry into execution
the direiul vengeance which she had previously
formed.
She hastened TO the apartment of NJ Deliose.
and dismissed his valetde chambre to his sumbers
an arrangement which was far from being disa.
greeable to the sleepy domestic.
The night was far advanced loud wind syyanf
round The mansion agitated the trees in the garden
ana shook the venetian blinds which were securely
fastened. ''
AS soon as she was alone with the dying man,
Madame Aware hastened to the door drew The
bots, and cut the pulls of the bells which comm.
nlcated with the head of the bed she then raised
the counterpane, seized the inanimate hands of the
uJ.i'' 'ieu iilgh securely together with a hand
kerchet, and, having closed the curtains seated
herself IN an arm chair by the side of the bed.
Long dld she remain, wrapped up in the most
deep meditation, with her hands clasped and her
head reclining upon her shoulder. An hour-a
long hour-paSsed away and suddeplv sbe ,,;saJ
her head and seemed to listen attentiveIv mnr.
murng voice proceeded from the alcove in which
the bed was placed and that sound was produeed
by the painful and short respiration of man who
appeared TO awake from a terrible nightmare.
hendIsh smile agtated the lips of the Italian.
and she listened more attentivey still. Suddenly
cry OF anguish issued from the bed, and hollow,
voice exclaimed
i" All! what terrible dream Where am I?n
In your winding sheet" was the answer.
w no is there-who speaks to me 2" demanded
the dying man and as he received no reply, he
continued " oh, it was nothing NV head is
wandering. How suffer %
horrible shout of laughter answered this COM
plant.
There is some one here n' cried M. Delfose in
feeble and scarcely audible tone of voice
Yes to your misfortune, wretch"
" But who are you ?"
" am your victim, your judge, and your execu
uoner =. returned Madame Aware, with fearful
accent, as So drew aside the curtains of the bed
Depart ula-depart - cried NJ Delfose.
No, will not go" exclaimed Madame Aware
leaning over the dying man, her mouth frothing
and distorted with rage; Z" | will remain by YOU,
side by side, until your heart ceases to heat All
ing the last fifteen years shall now be repaid with
usurlous interest," and by those means shall Won
have toretaste of the torments of future punish
ment ~
But where am | =? What is the matter with
me = calculated M. Delfose. | suffer-mv head
whirls round-1 am wounded-oh | am wounded" |
Yes cried Madame Aware "and YOU have |
already bled profusely. But there still remains |
enough IN your veins to quench my thirst for ven
geance /"
"Is it you, Jua-yes, it is you" said M, Del.
lose, glancing wildly at the infuriate woman. |
" What are you doing here ?'
Ayenglng myself, was the answer
Wretch " calculated the dying man al am |
all covered with wounds and it is YOU that come |
to destroy me in my sleep ~
No, but | am coming now" murmured Ma. |
dame Aware, gnashing her teeth. " What have |
you lost all memory of the past? Have YOU for. |
gotten, in your ethargy of few hours, that You |
are dying by the hand of your son Listen,
| will recall every circumstance to your mind |
This evening you inveigled my daughter into an |
atrocious plot and you were about to satisfy your
horrible desires when | came. Oh yes | came
and wrested her from your grasp; and your son
Theodore seized you iorciby in his arms | thought
Tor moment his purpose was to embrace YOU -
And the laugh of the Italian was wild and fero-
eious.
He hurled you from the window" she resumed
alter moments land your body was mutated
IN the ialE Is your recollection less troubled
now ?"
Yes-yes," uttered M. Deiose, in tone of
despair " 1t was he who has wounded me-"
les-lt was he--your own son - exclaimed |
Madame Aware "and it were better he than T.
Now you suffer more than ever. Oh is it not
dreadful to die by the hand of your own son %
Peace, peace, wretch 20 screamed NJ. Delfose.
y VIII summon my domestcs-they will attend
to my call !'
"Oh, call, ring-they will not come =" returned
Madame Aware; they are all asleep; BESIDES
Nao a al fanlNl I
when am
" | will ring the bell % murmured the diving
man, endeavoring to raise his arms but he could
not detac6 his hands from each other.
" Your hands are tied 20 cried The Italian look
at that wall, feel for the bell.rope have cut il
Oh, have taken all necessary precautions-von
are entirely in my power''
Now, perhaps" said NJ, Delfoge; but IN.
morrow will be avenged 20
Tomorrow you will be rolled up in vour wind.
ing Sheet, answered the Italian with horrd
laugh, and with an emphasis expressive of raEa
and sarcasm; Tomorrow your eyes will be closed
IN an eternal sleep Yes, gnash your teeth, thew
VIII not gnash o'morroW--tO.morrow you will
no more !" VIII 'o
: No, no; will not die, wretch; nv wounds
are not no dangerous % said NJ. Delfose.
:, ;. Not dangerous e cried Madame Aware
" they are incurable the surgeon has pronounced
that they are mortal. Dissipation has corrupted
your blood--eaten into the very marrow of vour
bones; and-but, In word, know that YOU are at
the point of DEATH"
shall not die, tell you!' persisted M, Dell
ose " the surgeon did not say that should die, ),
" You will not believe me !'' cried the Italian.
" Even if your wounds were not mortal. and even
II 1t were possible for you to exist few days
longer, am not here 10 prevent the prolongation
OF your existence! P! | am now stronger than Won.
and can open your wounds, and dry up your
blood, drop by drop!' ''''
oh, mercy, mercy-do not kill me ~ exclaimed
M. Deliose, with terrible feeling OF alarm, for he
perceived by the look Of the Italian that he was
lost. 0 ''"9
Tranquilize yourself-I will not kill you at
little like the maefactor on the wheel. or M,
wretch impaled upon the stake !"
And as the wrathtul woman spoke this, she
raised the counterpane of the bed with one hand.
and with the other she tore off the bandages which
the body Of the miserable man, :