The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-09-04
TIL z OPAL RING;
OR, THE FATAL LOVE TEST

OR, THE FATAL LOVE TEST.
An old street, which we shall name the
Rue des Truands, in old Paris, in times not
old to US. To call it street is little more
!han form of speech; it is rather mar
row, black, squalid passage that divides the
tortuous rows Of high, dark, rickety, bulgy,
sickly houses, irregularly pierced with win
dows that breathe an atmosphere the ma
ture Of which may well account for the un.
wholesomeness of their compilations.
1t is always cold there, and the atmos-
phere is always charged with deadly
damp and nausea. On the ground floors
of the houses are some shops that have no
aspect Of containing anything saleable, or Of
being the scenes where commerce is carried
on; for you always seem to see the same
unfaded, attempting goods, of whatever
nature or description they be, in the dark,
mudspashed windows. Lean, green. un-
dersized children, some looking precocous.
ly intelligent, others stolid in their grimy
misery. hang about the doorways or list
lessly dabble in the mire; and towards even
ing, which falls early there, the rats come
out and forage, little disturbed by their vi.
cinity. The street is very quiet in general,
except on fete days, about some of the low
cabarets, from whence there then proceed
fierce oaths and savage roars, which are
supposed to be songs Of mrth and iollity;
for even Joy there wears mask of vice aud
debasement and ferocty.
On summer evening, when the right
side Of Paris had not ye! lost the last beams
Of the sun that never fell upon the wrong,
woman turned from the gay quarter into
the Rue des Truands She WAS dressed
In dark garments and closely veiled so
that nothing but her height WIS clearly
distinguishablc; and she walked rapidly,
and with the anxious air of one who is
ncrveusly conscious of being in false po
sition. She stopped at last before closed
door, examined the aspect Of the house,
consulted little paper she held in her
hand, and then Knocked SOFTLY The door
opened instantly, and closed on her as
she entered. leaving her in total darkness.
''F-sr nothing, madame" said the slrill
voice If the Invisible porter; give me your
hand, aud | viii guide you safely"
TIE visitor held out her hand in the
dark, and felt it taken by hand so cold,
so lean, so extraordinary small, that she
could hardly forbear shuddering at the
strange. unnatural contact. Through Il
room or passage. dark and ear,hy-smelling
as tomb, up steep, winding stair case,
through long, creaking corridor, still in
darkness, now and then family and mo-
mentarily broken 10y some Invisible Dor.
rewed light, the guide and guest proceeded
together in silence, till at the end of the
passage they stopped, and the former
knocked at the door Being bidder TO en-.
ter, they did so; and, for the first time, the
visitor, looking down to about the level ol
her own waist, saw her conductor a dwarf
hDmp.back Of tile female sex, but of nm age
perfectly undistinguishable who, after peer
sng upward with quick, strange, side.long
glance, that seemed TO pierce her veil
noiselessly withdrew and left her standing
before the rooms inhabitant.
lie was an old man, Of pale leaden
complexion, with quick, keen eyes, that
peered from beneath low, shaggy black
hrows, while his hair and long thick beard
were white. lie sat at a table covered with
veuerablelooking books. yellow veIum
manuscripts, and various instruments OF
singular aspect, on which shaded lamp
threw partial CLEAN. Signing to the la
dy with a lean, long hand. TO advance TO a
seat near him, he watched her movements
with look of close and quiet scrutiny and
in profound silence, till she had taken the
chair
"Excuse me, madame" he said, "Lut
you must raise your veil | cannot speak
to you without seeing your face"
She hesitated for a second, then sudden.
Iy flung II up, and boldly and steadily met
his eye. The action and the face accorded
both were proud, passionate, resolute-even
defiant; the latter. though not in its first
youth, handsome. Nothing of this was
lost on the old man; neither did he fail 10
perceive that the hand that threw back the
veil was small and white, and that level
flashed from il in the lamplight.
81 come," the visitor said, "for turn OF
your art. Can you, are you disposed, to
aid mes Fear nothing as to the exten,
and security of your reward" and she laid
heavy purse on the table.
He appeared not TO notice the move
ment as he said quietly:
when you have stated the case TO me
madame, shall he better able TO answer
your question"
II was evident that there was powerful
struggle in the mind of the visitor; for he,
color rose, her nostrls dilated, and when
after pause, she spoke again, her voice wa.
thicker, and her words abrupt and hurried
81 love and would be loved again, which
l am not. l would purchase love-tlat
one mans love-at any price"
" Al any price to aim, or TO you!"
$40 either, or TO both"
as lie heart.free-or does he love ano
iber?r