Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-12-22

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not allow farthing of Auroras portion to be set
tied otherwise than on herself. So there was one
baseness of which was not guilty.
We were married. At the altar shivering ran
though my veins, general trepidation seized my
whole frame, and I should inevitably have sunk to
the earth in flood of tears, had not some one
come to my rescue. The silly crowd around mistook
the last cry Of expiring virtue for excess Of sensib
lity.
A fortnight after the marriage, as had been arran-
ged by my employers, at whose mercy was we
started to Montemart my unfortunate bride believ-
ing we were going to far different place. Several
OF the engravers were themselves our attendants,
disguised and acting courters to our magnificent
equipage The awful moment Of exposure arrived,
and when it did come, it proved more terrible than
ever had anticipated. The engravers caused the
carriage to be drawn up before mean and misera-
BILE cottage, at the door of which sat my humble
and venerable father. Now came the awful disclo-
was handed out The engravers came up, pulled
off their dsguses, and he whom Aurora so pointed
ly refused, exclaimed to her:
mo, madam, no, you have not been born or
brought up for an engraver; such lot would have
done too much honnor to you. Abelows-mender
is worthy of you, and such is he whom you have
made your husband!
Poor Aurora scarcely heard what had been said.
The truth had flashed upon her, and she sank back
in swoon. Recollect that l had now acquired a
considerable share of sensibilty and delicacy from
my late life. At that cruel moment trembled alike
at the thought of losing the woman adored, and
Of seeing her restored to life. lavished on her
the most tender cares, yet almost wishing that
those cares might be unavailing She recovered at
length her Senses but the moment her trenzied eye
met mine, "Monster!' she exclaimed, and again be-
came insensible. profted by her condition to re-
move her fromithe sight of those who had gathered
around, and to place her on an humble straw couch.
Here l remained beside her till she opened her
eyes; mine shrunk from their glance. The first
she made of speech was to interrupt the broken
accents of love which fell from my lips and to beg to
be let alone for time. The niece of the curate of
the parish, however who CHANGED to be by, remain
ed beside her, for she but eighteen, and seemed
glad of her attentions.
How shall describe the horrible night which
passed? 1t was not on my own account that |
suffered or feared She alone was in my thoughts
dreaded above all, for my love still predomi-
nant to see that heart alienated whose tenderness
was necessary to my existence to read cooness in
that eye on whose look my peace depended. But
could it be otherwise? Had not basely, viely,
darkened all the prospects Of her life and overwhelm
ed her with intolerable shame and anguish? That
night was punishment which would have almost
wiped out my lesser sin. Frequently, it may be
believed, sent to know how Aurora was. She
was calm, they told me- and indeed, to my surprise,
she entered in the morning the room where was.
She was pale, but collected. fell before her on
the ground but spoke not.
"You have deceived me" said she. 'It is on
your future conduct that my forgiveness must depend
Do not take advantage Of the power you have usur-
ped. The niece Of the curate has offered me an
asylum. There I will remain until this matter can
be thought of calmly.
Alas! these were soothing but deceitful words !!
Within day or two after this event. the interval
of which spent in forming wild hope for the future
I received at once two letters. The first was from
the engravers, the cause of my exaltation and fall
They wrote to me that my acquaintance had begot
in them friendship for me; that each originally
subscribed certain sum for the execution of their
plot that they would supply with money and every
thing necessary for my entering into some kind OF
business, and insuring the credable support Of my
self and Aurora" The otherletter was from Auro-
ra Some remains ofpty, she said, (which feel for
you, Notwithstanding your conduct, induce me to in
form you that am in Lyons 1t is my intention to
enter convent, which will rid me Of your presence +;
but you will do well to hold yourself in readiness to
appear befor every tribunal in France, till have
found out which will do me justice and break the
chain in which you have bound your victim"
hurried to the curate's, but could learn no
thing Of Aurora's retreat although become as
sured that the curate and his niece, despising my
condition, had been the urgent advisers of the step
Aurora had taken. I then nhastened to Lyons, where
the affair had now created sensation and saw only
the engravers, who Notwithstanding the base plot
which they had through me effected, were men Of
not ungenerous dispositions As they had driven me
out Of my former means of livelihood I conceived
myself at liberty to accept sum which they offered
me to enter into trade with. They advised me how
to dispose Of it at once and without trouble to me,
augmented it greatly.
Meanwhile the father of Aurora had made every
preparation for annulfng the marriage. This could
not be done but by publicly detailing the treachery
which had been practiced. Never, perhaps, was a
courthouse more crowded than that of Lyons, on
the day which the case was heard Aurora herself ap
peared, and ryeted the eyes of all present. not to
speak of my own. Unknown and unseen shrunk
into a corner like guilty thing. The counsel of
Aurora stated the case, and pleaded the victim 8
cause with so much eloquence to draw tears from
many eyes. No counsel arose for me, andaAurora,
who merely sought divorce, without desiring to
infct that punishment which she might easily have
brought down on the offender, would at once have
gained the suit had not arisen to speak for
me. It was one Of the engravers, the only one who
had been refused, as mentioned, by Aurora. He
made brief pleading for me- he praised my charac-
ter, he showed and confessed how / had been temp
ted and how fell At last he concluded by address
ing Aurora:
Eyes, madam" said he, sslaws may declare that
you are NOT his wife, but you have been the wife Of
his own bosom. The contract may be annulled, and
no stain may rest upon you. But stain may rest
upon another. Can you, will you, throw the blot Of
LEGITIMACY upon one even mere innocent that your
self!"
The appeal was understood, and it was not In vain.
The trembling Aurora exclaimed:
mol no! !" and the tears fell fast as she spoke.
The marriage was not aunuled. But while the
contract (which had signed with my own name,
believed by them to be the family name of the Mar
quis de Rouperonl was declared valid, it was also
determined that Aurora should remain unmolested
by the adventurer who had so far deceived her, and
every legal precautien was taken that should have
no control over her or her affairs
After this event did not remain long in Lyons,