The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-08-05

81 give thee up--D0t see thee aSiln Mro.e
Hyppolith "ThOu canst never desire this IL
has no meaning Take courage, Lucie; thy
conscience may feel easy. since thou dost not
break thy word to Adrian when obstnately
demand admittance to thee, and have prom
ised him nothing. will, | must see thee. My
| patience is exhausted. Let me once hold thee
to my heart, and will be strong to resist fate.
| Have compassion on me-"
Lucie had hardly time to read these lines
| brought by Hedwig when the door flew open,
and the writer himself, in passionate haste, fol-
| lowed
Compassion . cried he, falling at her feet.
| COMPASSION. will endure this life no longer.
Thou art my light, my breath; am lost with
out thee. Lucie, hast thou no word, no single
word, for met"
Lucie lay weeping in Hedwig's arms. Her
resistance was overcome, her strength torsook
| her
"Hyppplith," stammered she, thou wilt
| ruin us both Let me die alone have wish
to die. Only free myself"
"And what danger threatens me here-here
at thy feet? Here all earth is mine, here
| nothing can harm me- o, feel myself so
| powerful, so superhumanly strong, that could
contend with the powers of heaven and hell
"The people in the house will hear thee, will
betray thee, and thou canst not dare to come
| again"
II will not come again to this hiding-place,
skulkng as if our love- honorable and pure,
stunned the light of the world. will take
thee with me, and before all who hear me will
proclaim thee as my bride. Yes, Lucie, thou
shalt be mine remain mine, even if heaven
and earth had sworn opposition"
"Stop!' suddenly Numbered a voice that
made the blood Of Hyppolith and Lucie curdle
Leave my sister free, Prince Hyppolith. And
dost thou thus keep thy word, Lucie!'
Adrian who was never known to be in
tumult of passion stood serious and austere, as
if sculptured in bronze terrible judge before
them Ashamed and humbled, Luce's eyes
fell before the glance of her brothers, while
Hyppolith, in bold posture, turning to his
friend said:
Hear me- Adrian ere thou condemnest.'
:" know enough in order to act Hippo
18th, you have scorned the entreaties of your
friends. have not regarded the well-meant coun-
sells of an older man, have not spared the rep
utation of an innocent maiden"
Enough cried Hyppoith. "This is the
first time that | have entered the house-but a
| few moments have been at her feet
Abrams features frightened A noble res
olution sat on his unclouded brow He stood
proudly erect, and with frmvoice answered.
81 believe you, Hyppolith, and thank you for
| the forbearance you have manifested toward
my sister, whom from this time forth thou wilt
leave sacred and untouched. Up to this mo-
ment you deemed Lucie free, and therefore be-
| lieved you might venture to take her by storm
and till now thought it advisable to conceal
the secret which | am forced to make known
as wall against your impetuous proceedings.
| You believed Lucie to be free were confident
of her love, hoped to possess her and must,
with one stroke, annihlate your hopes Lucie
is the bride of another"
"Lucie the bride of anotherlo cried Hyppo-
18th.
With eager attention both Lucie and he fol-
lowed these words of Adrian at the conclu-
sion of which, the maiden uttered loud, pierre
ing shrek, and fell into Hedwigs arms, who
was present as the unnoticcd witness Of the
scene, and supported the sinking one.
This is shameful cheat" cried Hyppolith
Moderate your words, your Highness," con-
tinued Adrian, calmly. "Lucie is from this
hour the afhanced of a man whom you respect
for whom you feel friendship, whose endeavor
it has been to confirm this respect, to merit
this friendship"
| KNOW DOt one lOr WHOM l nave THESE Itel-
| ings but thee, and thou art -
"Not Lucie's brother but her betrothed
who is nearer, and who trembles no less for
| her honor; who will he no less careful to guard
her from any treachery."
"Lucie not thy sister," asked Hyppolitb,
| frantic in look and tone, and hurriedly running
his hand through his long black hair "Thou
her betrothed! Have another head2 Adrian,
il whirls most fearfulIyu
"Will your Highness hear me?O continued
Adrian, dismssing Hedwg with "A sign "And
thou, Lucie, rise up, look into my eyes, and be
firm II is the last will of my father which
reveal. He gave it in charge to me not to break
the seal till the right hour. This hour is come,
which is to decide oil the future for us there
fore truth demands it,"
Lucie leaned her face, tear-bedewed and
pale on the cushion Of the sofa, before which
she had sunk on her knees Hyppolitb stood
motionless his looks staringly fixed on the floor,
and, though at rest, was wild, frantic, sor-
rowful picture.
The history is short, Lucie. My father
found thee in the wilderness, pining, freezing
newborn babe, wrapped in rags-and took
thee with him When he brought thee home,
he found confusion and affection reigning
there Mother lay unconscious upon her bed
of sorrow and dead child in her arms. Az
vet she knew not her late--accident saved her
from this pang Father laid the strange child
| in her arms and when she awoke from the
state of stupor, there smiled on her from thy
ewes life of Joy The deception remained
concealed from mother until this day, She
loved the stranger child as her own. | alone
shared fathers secret and his command not
to inform mother of it till necessary, ] have
held sacred A selfreproach tormented her
and made her fear the punishment of God
and in the death Of her own child acknowl-
edged the Just sentence of the Lord. There
are fixed ideas that may poison the life, not
only of an individual but of his neighbor.
| With such fixed idea mother had to conflict.
| The thought left her not that for her own fault
she should lose her children while young and
that, in the death Of the first the chain of I'M
happy circumstances would be riveted Lucies
| coming here has remained undiscovered. But
now is the time to break silence and enter on
business now when it is our duty to save her
honor, her peace, and future life. believe |
have an earlier greater claim on this maiden
than you, Hyppolith, and declare her my bride.
Sacred will she be held by friend untouched
by man of honor. Lucie loves me with SIS
tcrly affection This sufhces me. will seek
to establish her happiness"
Adrian was silent. SO remained Hyppolith,
and nothing was heard but the sobs of Lucie
But how different was the silence Of these two
men, both contending with the most powerful
feelings. In Adrian's silence there was an i'm
posing dignity a power Of selfcontrol; in Hyp-
polith's doubt was prominent. Thus they stood
for few minutes face to face. Then Hyppo-
lth violently tore himself away and without a
word hurried out Of the door and in few
moments was heard TO gallop off,
Shocking, shocking" groaned Lucie, press