The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1868-03-19
The Husbands Revenge

In the Maglal-ns church at GirgenIi
"a town of Sicily, 10 the Val di Mozzara
on the site of the ancient AggrigouIum
the magnificent ruins of which are still
to be sepn) preparations had been made
for grand festival. ltwas adorned, OF
usual on such occasions, with red tapes
try and flowers. The hour OF noon had
struck, the workmen had left the church
and there reigned around that deep
ouemn stiffness which, 10 Catholic
places Of worship, is so appropriate aud
SO imposing.
Two gentlemen, who conversed in o
low tone Of voice, were pacing up and
down tho long isle tho! runs along the
northern side Of the building, and seem
ed 10 be enjoying the shade and cool.
ness Of the church, as if it had been a
public promenade. The elder was o
man about thirty yeau Of age, stout,
broad d-shouldered aud strongly built.
with a grave counlensnce. in which no
trace of passion was visible; this was
Don Antonio Co:racciolo, Marquis d.
Arena. The other who seemed mere
youth, hal a slender. graceful figure, Au
animated, handsome face, and dark eyes,
soft almost as those ofa wonan-Mhicb
wondered from sile N side with ap,
proving glances. as il he had some pc
cuIiar interest in the intsriot offibe SO
cfed elfeet Ani.s such lie reftaaly
hal, t6t ~ aa
plonned the churelrand. spperiuleded
its erection. He was called GiRlio Bal
z'!;i, and had ooIy lately returned from
Rome, Suddenly they stopped,
Il shall enttast you with o secret
which think will amuse you, Signor
Marquis, said the younger man, in the
easy, intimate tones in which one
speaks TO o friend at whose house one
is visitor Ia socrat with which, be
lievc, none is acquainted but myself
You see the effects Of acoustics, which
sometimes play us builders s!rlpge
tricks wien we least expect or wish
them. Chauce, m,re accident, has
revealed TO me that one stands here
here, upon this white marble slab-Ono
can distinctly over hear every syllable
even OF the lowest whisper, uttered far
from this, youder. where you may oh
serve tie second last confessional; while
ia straight line between this point and
that, you would not be sensible of any
sauud were you even much nearer the
place. Ifyou will fireman standing here
| will go yonder to the confessional ia
question, and you will be sstonished al
this miracle Of nature
He went accordingly, but scarcely
had he moved the distance Of a couple
Of steps, when the marquis distinctly
heard whisper. the subject Of which
seemed 10 mako strong impression
upon him. He stood as rigid and mar.
bls.white as il suddenly turned to atone
by soma msgician's wand; while The
painfully anxious attention with which
ho listened, and which was expressed iu
his otherWiss stony ftalures, gave evi
dencs that ho was bearing something o
excessive importance. He did not NOV
o muscle he scarcely breuthed-hc wa
like one standing on the extreme verg
of an abyss, in which be is afraid of fall
ing, and bis rolling eyes aud bca'ioI
heart alone gave signs of his ViolenIag
itatiou.
ln a very fOw minutes the young arch
iiect came back smiling. and called ou
from little distance, Il could not man
age to mako the experiment, as som
one was in the confesSional,-frOm th
glimpse l got, lady closely velcd-b br
heavens! what is the matter with you
The only answer which the Marqui
gavo the Italian was to place his dngt
on his mouth and bc continued to stan
molionIcsG. After minute or two b
drew deep sigh. The statute pa'se