The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-02
WASHINGTON, D. %.
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For the National Era. n
HERMAN; /
YOUNG KNIGHT HOOD
by E.. FoXToN, -o %
author Of" Premiees" r.
by +. F0XT0N,
author q" Premiees."
CHAPTER XIv-Concluded.

hey stOOd race 10 iace alone again Tor the urSt
time since that miserable morning in Boston,
more than three years ago. ..-l W.
Then Constance dropped like broken idol
CA one knee before him. covered her face with
her hands, and burst into a tropical deluge of
tears: No, no! Let me stay here 1t s the
proper place for mel All, Herman, noble
Hermann why were you constant and SO
unworthyl No, don't ask mo to risel Ny
wicked pride deserves penance, and shall have
If | have knelt to other men since | spurned
rou-the guide and counsellor that Heav ven
orlained me-and asked for their forgiveness
for lighter sins; and now -
Miss -Constance-oh, dear Con
stance. Don't Jet me see you so have taken
you by surprise Forgive me Oh, you shock,
you grieye me
! will never do that again, at any rate"
said ,he and trying to check the sobs, which
shook her whole frame, she allowed him TO
raise her and lead her to a sofa "But if |
confess myself to any one, | am sure it is fit
that should do so to you, oh my patriot, my
hero, my true-love far truer to me than my
self! whom | wronged, and agonized, and re-
paid with my childish scorn and anger for be-
ing only too lofty and heroic for spoiled and
senseless thing like me to understand Ii you
want revenge, you shall have it,
Sc" Revengel' on you'll my dearest? my own
heart? don't. | want nothing but your affec-
ION, if you can only give me that You are
olertirod, and - .s ia
"Yes, | am over-tired, and deserve to be-. of
following out my own wild will /; and want re-
yenge if you do not, on my mad pride and pas
SION, which have made as both so wretchedin
Bothl Were you so wretched, too? Oh,
Constance, Constancel"
Was | not? Did Won think me so heartIess
well senseless? Well you might, indeed
Bat TO have to go away and leave you, in that
wldcrneSs-amOng strangers-perhaps to re-
apse, and die Oh, what could Won think of
me2r
Would you like to know what | did think
OF YOU that you were an incarnate blessing,
-ent t. mo by Heaven in the time of my utmost
need; that your infinite compassion could be
bounded only by your LOYALTY to duty; and that
the very memory of your healing presence when
you gone, was as an amulet to preserve
me 10 devote myself to you'll kept myself up
a. we'll as could with that and with the hope, the
liked determination, to see you soon again, and
make Won mine il it was IN the power of mortal
man 10 do 1t but IN spite Or ~" -. -
gone, Constance, YOU cannot imagine how felt
a. my very being would be crushed inwards
with its own emptinessl"
Can | not? You shall hear. | loved you,
Herman. ] did not know it, but | did love you
at the time-in Boston,
"Oh, Constance You did love me? and
now?"
"No-less," faltered she, pausing; and then
she broke forth again. " liked You always, and
Clara, and Edward. ! was always happier
sua better with you, than with anybody else
eyor saw my mind and heart and whole soul
leIt at home with you, | could not tell why;
but indeed, ! never knew how | loved Won,
Herman, till after that day when You stood be-
inrr me so pale, and brave, and strong, show
Pg me how much-how over-much-you loved
b. and vet how you could do without my love.
| was i'll soon after: and even when tried
and it was long before | did-to remember all
that passed between u.s. could not, with any
ilearncss; but that look of yours-that fond,
firm, agony could not forget; and / could
not help admiring you for it, even when |
thought Won i'm the wrong but when ! found
my disgrace-the fool of tyrants -
MY COnstancel Do you mean TO say that
You not only feel for me, but feel WiM me,
now? Ny God, ] thank theei |"
Herman, indeed, | can You may well
wonder at it. 1t needed very much to break
down my ignorant and selfconceited arrogance;
Out The rullian. who struck Sumner down bleeding
Oh the Senate floor, struck with the same stroke
the scales from eyes, as | believe he must have
done from those of hundreds Then l knew
my pet institution by its fruits. A system,
which had for its arguments the blows oha
trapo, and for its tongue bludgeon, could be
little akin to my cherished patriotism and lib
orty. Chivalry and the South, indeedl As
read the news on a stray scrap OF newspaper IN
which child had brought some flowers to one
Of th" Sisters, | thought of you. So Herman
was right | said. L blushed, and turned liter
ally sick with shame, as if had seen instead a
published account Of my treatment of you; so
that the Sister Superior saw, took the scrap
IRON me, looked it over, and asked me whether
either of the parties was relation or friend
OF NINE
Oh, Constance, you could think OF me, and
= yet become a Sister of Charity
was one already to all intents and pur-
poses. | had entered upon my noviciate, and
taken private vow and l was glad then that
had dropped out of life, and left my name and
all behind What can be think of me now
said to myself. Nothing, but that very likely
am one the "ladies," who are at this very mo
nent getting up subscriptions to buy new canes
Tor that representative of the South to break
onthe grandest heads of my country-Herman'
own among them, perhaps. i am disgraced,
SAID; and my South is dsgraeed; and thu
sooner | am out of this weary wicked world
The happier for me-, and asked leave to g
Sth Sister Mary, because We heard that the
cholera was in Kansas, and | thought that
should like to die in the service of the sick Free
State people there. 1t seemed to be the onl.
repsratiOn to your cause that had it in IN,
/ power to make and did not in the least sup
pose that you would ever come to hear OF M
again; but | thought, that if you should,
should have liked to have you hear that
Ny own love! How could have borne f
near 1t? How could you suppose that l coul'
ever Tor moment forget your How coul
you ever consent for year or a month to pu
~ fearful barrier between yourself and me
cu"i You not have served God among you
"ields and kindred in some happier way?"
am afraid / had not cared so much as
ousht about serving God," murmured Con
SI'ance, her pink cheeks blushing between he
Gencate fingers, like roses through icicles
II GU must not think me as good as you are
nitfman, or you will despise me for chea
Nnen You find me out. You shall hear tn
"HG'e story, as you have right to do, as fas
y can summon up resolution to confess ho'
~r part have played. But first, you mus
%e4r now hopeless and dreary was for tina
my only excuse AS for happiness, Nigh
-a'e iound 1t here, perhaps might have don
certainly, if l had been less~spoiled wa,
am mr. and exactng-if had not been beloved
ward ved again. AS it was, i was spoiled, wa
'Ue ~ Tacting, and-yes, will own tit
Nuy,-broken-hearted"