Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-20
CHAPTER II.
-" Why, why is this 2

CHAPTER II.
why is this
Think'st thou I'd make life of jealously
To follow still the changes of the moon
With fresh suspicious 2"-Othelto.
1t wanted allan hour Of midnight, when
Philip, Duke Of Orleans, who had spent
the evening at St. Cloud, might have been
seen riding towards Paris with one atten-
dant. Soon after entering the city he a
lighted, gave the bride to the man who
followed, and then entered gloomy and
retired street. There was no moon, and a
few dark and wild looking clouds were hur-
rylng over the heavens, revealing, now and
then, through their torn skirts, sweet
and radiant star looking placidly down
from its far-offthrone. The air was heavy
and oppressive, and, for moment, half
removing his Spanish hat, he turned his
face heavenward, as if to catch some wan
dering breeze with power to cool his fever
ish brain, He suddenly replaced it, and
half audible execration escaped his lips,
for to him the wind appeared like the
scorching breath of furnace He hur-
ried onwards, and few minutes brought him
in front of large, gloomy looking building
Passing the door which opened into the
street, he turned corner of the building
through an arched gateway. All was silent
within, but light streamed from one of
the chamber windows. He unlocked a
door, which, having entered, he left on the
latch. He ascended narrow stairway,
dimly lighted by half expiring lamp.
This he stopped to trim, and then, by means
i of another key, admitted himself into a
H spacious apartment furnished in style Of
gloomy magnifcence. The heavy damask
curtains which shaded the windows, and
whichswere darkened and stained by time,
waved and tapped in the damp night breeze,
casting changeful shadows on the oaken
floor and wainscot. He threw his hat up
4on . table, and seated himself in luyuri
Gus Jadtsel, the only modern article of fur
niture in the room. But the agitation o
his mind would not suffer him to remair
quiet. In a moment afterwards, he star
ted up and walked rapidly to and fro, NUT
tering occasionally to himself, and frequent
ly pausing at the door to listen, as if b.
expected some persons approach. He star
ted with nervous gesture, as the deep pea
of a bell, striking the hour of midnight
from the tower Of a neighbored church
smote upon his ear. Five minutes elapsed
during which he had wrought himself
almost frenzy of impatience, when hi
watchful ear detected footsteps ascendin
the staircase. With strong effort, h
sought to quell his agitation, and was SUI
cessful. 1t was the calm, passionless. an
severe Philip of France, who opened th
door to his expected guest. The perso
who entered was dressed in the habit of
monk, his face being entirely concealed b
his cowl
"Thanks to your care, my friend" sal
he, as he held out one hand to Philip, an
with the other threw back his cowl; Z"
once more breathe the air of France"
"Your thanks are rather due to you
Disguise" replied Philip, "for, althoug
expecting you, I took you to be friar Johl
my confessor, in the room ofmy old frier
the Cheyelier de Lorrane, till you reveale
your face. But what made you assun
the garb off monk ?"
II deemed it the safest"
"Perhaps SO, yet I wish it had been a
most any other, for the sight of a priest
gown makes me falter in my purpose" +"
Superstitious as ever, preceive.
Be exiled from your country, through Il
influence Of a woman, as long as | ha
been, and your conscience may rest as 81
etly beneath monks gown, as the COZ
|, tiers pourpoint, were the question
freedom or continued banishment at
| sue"
: d,,After all, the King might object
9 yeat Return, even if SHE did not oppc
r "You deceive yourself. Your wife
t the only obstacle to my return to Franz
: the only country in the universe wor
o living in.
5. Have you ever seen herr"
5 "No."
IS "She has just returned, with the cou
J. from Flanders. While there, she pas;
/ over to Dover, to meet her brother, a
If succeeded in bringing him entirely over
ID the interests of the King
y "She, of course, stands higher than e
a. in HIS favor, which makes my return
le tirely hopeless. No matter-a faithl
re wife is dearer to you than devoted frle
Have you seen her since she returned {
ed "Two hours ago, [ parted with he1
be ST. Cloud. [ never saw her look so be
K, tiful. Her countenance was radiant
en- smiles, and"
g And who were those smiles for?
d. for you, but for Louis, or for some hs
n some cavalier,-or, perhaps some pr
ed page, or for a certain Spanish knlg
So heard"
nf- "Stop, Lorraine, muttered Philip, thrc
,ed his set teeth, while a dark, purple
hat overspread his countenance,-"I, as
red have no proof that she smiles too kind
,e a my brother, or any one else."