The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-06-24

ed, until, stopping, the soft hand of my con-
ductress withdrew the filIct from my ewes.
81 found myself in a spacious chamber, lof-
ty, and badly lighted by smoky lamp The
windows were open, but garnished by thick
bars of iron. On the floor, on a mat Iay.-
or rather weltering in agony,-a woman
whose head was envelopcd in muslin veil
through which however, could distinguish
eyes. yet full of tears. She held hanlker-
chief to her mouth, which in her efforts to
suppress her means, she bit with violence
Never did behold so beautiful creature
beautiful even amidst the distortions of agony.
: Save the grinding of her teeth. the cracking
OF her joints, no Othc- sonnd escaped her.
Not cry revealed her inward torture
There we stood all three mute and mo-
tionle>s, whilst the loud snoring of the sleep
ing husband echoed with consolinc regularity
in the adjoining room. I turned round to
look at my conductrcSs but She had resumed
the mask. Of which. during our route she had
Invested herself and | could only see two
black eyes of aerecahly pronounced forma-
ton The lover stood silently apart whilst
| busted myself about the sufferer Alas. ]
discovered from symptoms that have never de-
ceivcd me that she bore within a liceSS
burden. tcckoncl to the GIRL. bending for
ward to arpri>c her ofrhi~ circumstance when
at that moment the Jealous lover drew Iii, ,lar-
ger. But had leisure to whisper nv intcn-
tons to the conhdantc. who quickly explain
ed to him in thc same low tone the cause of
our hu>hcd conference \ >linht Shullcr
ran through his whole frame as he listened TO
her, and ! almost tancicl could perceive his
vi>ar" blank beneath his dark mask. Tax
n- -advantacc OF a moment. when in despair
he stood "azng at the unfortunate ladv-now
li,id in her agonv-thc contiiantc pointed
on' to me. with prohihtory gesture, some
collct> Of lemonade which stood ready on
a >idrhoarl Understood from these >irna'>
that in spite of the cxhau>,inr heat which
consumed me. was to a''>;an from Incnch-
ing my thirst.
"Prc>cnt'y the cavalier took An empty
class. and pouring ont som" lemonade drank
it. Al that moment tho donna was seized
me that a favorable ;uncturc had arrived, tor
which was prepared. seized my lancet
and blcI her successfully in the right arm
the attendant catching the ahunl,ntlv flow
ing blood in towels. until the sufferer fell in
TO a propi'iou> state Of weakness when. after
terrible half hour | succeeded in relieving
her Of her littless burden. The Spaniard
conscious that lhad saved HE. thought no
longer of POISONING me. Iconld perceive the
hi" tears roll down beneath his ,izor till they
wet his mantle. The poor sonora uttered not
cry. but >hivcrcd and trrmblcd like bird
that has been shared, while great drops of
sweat poured from her panied body AZ one
"t the most critical moments. when death was
at her very heart she made a gesture towards
her husbands chamber. H. had probably
turned himself in bed and Of rs all She was
the only one who heard 'hc ru>tling of the
sheets. and the cracking of tie mattress be-
meath him.
There was pause imagined that |
conld read in the fiery "lancc> which the cav
airr and hc confi,,antc throw at each other
through their masks dispute as to whether
life or death WAS 70 be my rortion. stretched
out my hand TO take the glass of lcmonalr
from which :hr lover had lately drank, hut
imagining that was cong TO quail one o.
the still full and poisoned "ohc;s he >prang
like panther towards me- placed his darrrr
across the two cnvcnomrd vases, and then.
pcrceiving it was his own glass had taken.
he filled it up, and courtcou>y lowing. SIGN
cd TO me that might partakc OF it, SO cx-
prcs>vc were his gestures of a desire to pre-
vent me from touching the dangerous .lraucht.
that iorgavc him for all his former s,l>pc-
ions. and determined to fogct his previous
resolutions to take my life When had
qucnrhcd my thirst, he claSpcd my hand with
corlialitv ; and after another tedious space of
pain and anxiety, we laid the lady in bed
She was saved
Il whispered to the confdante what pre-
cautions and cares We're requisite for her
mistress, and expressed desire to depart:
but was not rca>surcd bv finding that not
she, but the cavalier, was to be my conductor
]. however. resolved to hc on nv Guard. The
senior. taking up bundle, containing the
dead Intan: and the lren upon which the
lady had been blcd hid them under his cloak.
and signing me to shut my eyes and follow
him, whilst held by his raimcnt, | obeyed
As he passed through the doorway, however.
continued to give backward glance at the
con6dantc she had Withdrawn her mask and
bchcld the lovie>t countenance in the world
confess that when found myself in the O.
pen AIR. preathcu as II mountain ildd been
removed from nv chest: and following my
guide at short distance, continued to watch
his movements. Passing through the garden
and postcrn gate. we found in the streets two
stce,lS which we mounted. and set off with a
speed that made it impossible for me 70 re-
mark single Object which might enable me
hereafter to recognize the route we pursued.
At dawn of day, found myself at my own
door; and with wave of hi. hand. and
pressure of his finger to his li;r the Spaniard