Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-07-24

wound healed rapidly, and his strength return
ed much sooner than had expected. On the
sixth day after this strange attack he told me
to get him a cab, and he would go home.
made no attempt to prevent it for in truth
was glad for him to go. My nerves had re-
ceived a shock that terrible night, and while
constantly il his presence, l felt that they
could not recover their tone. He left me about
three o'clock in the afternoon, giving me his
address, and requesting, rather than inviting
me to come to see him the following day. He
would take no denial, and L was obliged to
promise that / would come.
could not tell why, but | certainly dread
ed my visit, and would gladly have accepted
the slightest pretext for breaking the engage,
ment, had one presented itself. About sunset
left my lodgings to walk to Brompton where
Temple lived. 1t was bleak February day,
and the quick walk in the keen wind did much
towards restoring me to myself; so that by
the time l knocked at Temples door, / had
quite lost the vague feeling of uneasness which
during the day had disturbed me whenever
had thought of the evening.
| was shown into large, bright cheerful
apartment, whose furniture and arrangements
showed plainly wealth and taste, combined in
luxury and elegance.
Though Temple looked ill., avoided max
any in uiries about his health and as we sat
opposite to each other for some time in silence
my uneasy feelings returned in full force.
The hours passed slowly, Temple seeming
lost iii revere. AT length, rousing himself
with evident effort,
"Iam dull dog tonight" he said. "Open
that cabinet if you care for stones and shells"
"But don't" | answered somewhat rudely.
He smiled.
'That's candid look at the books; or
stay. and he look from large portfolio that
stood against the wall number of photographs
chiefly architectural and perfectly beautiful
of their kini.
In my own rooms, and at my leisure, l
should have enjoyed few things more tan the
turning over OF such a collection but now |
felt disinclned for it, My listlessness betray-
ed Itself in my manner of examination, and |
was glad when Temple perceived it, and gath.
ering them up replaced them in their case.
took up book that lay on the table near
me, and had scarcely opened it, when Temple
held out his hand for it. gave it to him, and
rapidly turning over The leaves, he read two
lines with fierce bitter emphasis -
uThere may be heaven, there must be hell.
Meanwhile there is our life here! well
He threw the book upon the table, and be-
gan to pace up and down the room, speaking
slowly, "that man understood the whole thing
when he wrote those lines the possibility of
heaven for some, the certainty of hell for
many and meanwhile, pending something
worse or better, the endurance of this life for
us all. / know nothing finer than those two
lines l should like them to be put upon my
grave stone"
"In heavens name, why 2" asked, start
led more by his manner than his words.
"a queer kind of epitaph l suppose you
think" he continued, smiling "but shall
not die like christian, and so have no right
to expect christian burial, with the decency of
a grave stone, and the ornament of an cpl.
tsph."
He sat down opposite 10 me, and my vague
feeling of fear grew stronger every moment as
| looked at him. l felt an irresistible impulse
to question him.
"Why not 2" l said
He leaned forward towards me till l could
feel his breath in my face, and said in low
clear tone,
Because my life is haunted, and my death
will be damned"
The words were terrible enough but they
derived additional horror from the manner of
their utterance. He did not speak them reck.
lessly, bur with the calmest deepest, most
mourniul appreciation of their awful significa.
ton; as though he bad thought the matter
ever that there was no remedy, no escape, no
hope.
To be continued.