Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-07-25

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was considerably taller than l. yet my person
al strength greatly exceeded his. The momen
my hand was on his throat there woke in me
! deadly thirst for his life had attacked hin
| In the first place to preserve my own life, bu
now every thought vanished in a consuming
desire for his death.
1t was a fearful struggle, and blow afre
| blow was given on either side with frenzie(
strength. telt myself failing, and summon
ing all my powers, dealt Guandano blow
which sent him Keeling backwards to the
earth. This would have gained me very littl,
more than momentary respite, but that il
falling he struck his head violently against
large stone lying near, and was wounded and
partially stunned. drew from my pocket q
large knife which l always carried with me on
my travels, and, mad for his blood plunged il
into his breast. My intention was to stab him
to the heart; but the blade snapt, and the
the wound, though mortal, was not instantly
fatal. He opened his eyes and told me he was
dying, for my knife had pierced his breast pre-.
cisely where there was mark, the sign and
seal of the compact with the evil one to which
have referred.
1t was a fearful scene. Inez lay on the
ground to the left, with her face, still beautiful
turned up to the quiet stars her attitude was
one of chill like repose, lying peacefully as
majestic Inquire, covered from head 20 heel in
the Enthusiastically embroidered robes, whose
silver and golden threads Glitter in the moon
light as they moved with the strong heaving
of his wounded breast.
The moon sank and the stars paled in the
light of coming day but it was not till the
sun rose blood.red that l thought of flight.
Guandano's convulsive breathing had died in
to silence long ago; had been alone with the
beautiful dead and the awful dead tor hours
Suddenly realised what my position would
be ii found under these circumstances, and the
thought drove me to action.
Every arrangement had been made for my
leaving Mexico that morning, and nothing re-
manned for me to do but to take the broken
pieces OF my knive to prevent detection, and
to sail for England. l drew ring from the
finger OF lnez, which | intended to keep in
memory OF her, and then raised Guandano's
robe TO take the broken knife-bale
from the wound. 1t was gone | could
lind 1t nowhere, though l was certain
it had been lodged in his breast To my un.
uttera6le horror | saw that the expression in
Guandano's eye when he had cursed me. and
winch had shudderingy noted at the time, was
In 1t still the curse came tearfuly to mind,
and hastily covering the face fled l looked
back once i'll my flight and saw the face nm.
with terror that the murdered man was
watching me, fled faster and still faster, not
venturing To look behind me again.
MY escape was quite easy. The vessel
winch was IN waiting to convey me and my
beautiful bride to our happy home took me
alone-a murderer bearing curse more fear
full than that OF Cain.
"Nor was it long before the mysterious
curse took shape, | knew that mine was a
haunted life. One day, a month after my re.
turn to England, was standing by the fire in
room OF one OF the club houses in Pail Mall.
There were about dozen men in the room
beside myself; some smoking and reading,
some conversng; and | watched their move.
menls as l saw them reflected in the mirror
before me. 1t was evening, aud the room was
brilliantly lighted by many lamps the refec-
ton In The mirror reminded me of a scene in a
play As, As lq p9 s9% suddenly, high up
lamp, which did not remember I'd Have seen
before. turned to look into the room for it,
but seeing nothing like it, turned again to the
mirror. And now to my terror l saw that it
was no lamp but moon; and the ceiling Of
the room was changed for deep blue mid
night sky, and the dining tables and card ia
bes, and all the familiar objects OF the room
vanished slowly, and in their place came trees
and grass, spot l knew too wei, tTyst
when Inez and | were lovers Presently
the whole scene was visible and there was
enacted before my bewidered eye the tragedy
Of my last night i'll Mexico. The most terri
Bile thing was the image of myself fighting
desperately with Guandano, the features dis
torted with mad rage, | tried to turn my
glance aside, but it was impossible; l was
constrained to watch the CHASTITY fight to its
tragica ending. just as it had really been,
after Guandano had received the fatal blow, he
rose and cursed me and now heard the
words distinctly. My horror was insupporta-
ble and tainted.
"For about three months after that time l
had no return of the curse, and began to hope
the single visitation would be all but l was
mistaken. Invent one evening to the theater {:
was in my seat early, before the rising OF the
curtain, and locking idly round the house,
when my eye was caught by a glimmer that
caused me to look straight before for the light
Upon tie dark eXpanse OF the curtain, as
though reflected upon it from magic lantern,
was the spectral moon which | had before seen
in the mirror. | knew what was coming, and
watched the whole scene CLEAN slowly out
trees, grass, and two figures, Tor this time lnez
aud were alone, as we had been in the early
part of that tragal evening. And then Guam
dano's majestic form-but need not describe
it the same vision appeared on the curtain
that had appalled, me in the mirror, but this
time | heard the sound OF blows, and OF the
heavy breathing of the combattants. AS Gu
andano fell pierced by my knife, a mortal
pang shot through my breast, and, as before,
tainted.
81 could never calculate time or place the
vision was presented TO me in the street, in
church, alone i'll my own room: sometimes for
months l was altogether free from it, and
again saw it twice in one week. ! ceased to
attend all places of public resort, and gave
myself up entirely 10 my curse; l felt that to
attempt to evade it was useless, and L even
came to take morbid interest in watching
the development of its phenomena. 1t was
never exactly as | had seen it b. fore: some
times there was an awful silence, save when
the words of the curse were spoken and at
others l heard every sound, from my first
love-whisper to the trembling Inez to the
sound of my escaping footsteps as l ran from
the murdered man.
81 grew curious to know what would be the
next change but was quite unprepared for
what occurred abont two years after my re-
turn to England.
"On the second anniversary of that fatal
day not only saw the scene more wildly
than ever, like a picture on the wall of my
study, but actually tek the blows which
saw given 10 my wrath i'll the vision. You
think me mad, but 1 tell you there were
bruises on my body proving beyond all ques-
ton that had been severely beaten.
"You will now understand what seemed in
applicable i'll my attack at your rooms the 9th
er evening, though that time was the first that
l have been wounded as well as beaten"
He turned back the sleeve on his lett arm
and held the limb before me; from the ell
bow to the wrist it was covered with many
colored bruises. / glanced up into his face
as he stood before me; it had altered con
siderably since he began 10 tell me his stony
and now wore the look Of man premalurey
!