New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-16

Tninie."
"I'ut she is dressed in Spanish costume"
Yes, her mother was Spanish lady"
"And Fulmen, where is she nOw?N
''She is dead" said the old man, sol.
emmy. 'She lies at The left of the altar in
the chapel of the CASTLE"
Fatigue had no power that night to
bring sleep to Ralph's eyelids. 1t was in
vain that he extiDgnished the candles and
buried bis head under the blankets; the
image Of Fulmen still pursued him. Now
it Was Fulmen radiant with brauty as she
was represented in the picture, and as he
had seen her at the fancy ball again
was Fulmen pale and cold, extended in her
| cOthu under the pavement OF Q chapel,
Then he remembered his oath oil I'VE her
as well dead as living, and col sweat
batbed bis brow. AT that N en- light
at the opposite extremity Of ea Ttmenr
attracted his atteniiUrS a d CT, W lose ex
istence he had not suspected tn led noise
lessly on it's hing the cant religbred
themselves spontaneously, and figure
| draped in q winding sheet entered the room
and gppro 4ched bis bed. 1t advanced
slowly; the most acute ear could have de-
tected no sound of footsteps. Brave Us h.
was the earl trembled at the appritiOn.
When the figure was within few feet of
the bed the winding sheet was thrown back,
and revealed young girl dressed in Span
ish costume.
"Fulmen p' he murmured, 'fthe picture
has descended from its frame I"
l. was indeed Fulmen, just as she was
painted, save that the lips were pale, the
eye mournfnl, and the Whole expression
unspeakably sad.
"Fulmen!" repeated the Earl, with a
tone Of terror, in which was mingled sort
of ftverish Joy.
at is T." she said. $40 You remember
your oath? They have told yen that am
dead.n
The teeth of Ralph Chartered but the
voice was so pure, so meiodious, that ii
aided him TO shake of the torpOr which was
creeping over him.
No, You are not dead" he exclaimed,
with an effort.
~ have been dead q year. replied Full
men sadly. "They buried me in the chapel.
You can read an epitaph on the marble
slab. the third from the high altar"
Ralph could not detach his eyes from
this singular creature, whose marvellous
beauty counteracted in some degree the
terror which the apparitiOn would other
wise have caused.
"Aias?" resumed the spectre-draping
the shroud about her form with all the Co
quetry with which a living belle might
wrap an opera cloak around her, 81 am
dead, really dead, at seventeen; when life
was full of light and perfume and music;
when tears, even, were so sweet that they
Tesemblpd smiles; WHEN the present was so
happy that the future was forgotten. Aud
then loved you. | trusted in your oath;
but you did not care for me-. You have
come here to marry my sister"
"Fulmen!p murmured Ralph, who felt
pang of remerse at his heart, Il have
loved you; Hove you still"
She shook her head.
'.rhe dead are never loyed,n she said
sadly.
Ralph trembled He felt his blood cur
die in bis veins. He remembered his oath.
Yet Fulmen dad not complain. She did not
overwhelm him with repToacnes. She
seemed resigned. He saw her lean her
head upon her hand; tear shoue in her
eye, and SILVER passed through her
frame.
II am cold" she said and rising from
the chair 10 which she had seated herself
she approached the fire place and bent as
1t to warm herself by the interchangeable
brands. The dead are always cOld,' she
murmured.
"Heavens!n exclaimed Ralph, "you are
not dead; but, dead or living, you are
beautiful, more beautiful than any living
woman. and 1 love you as on the day I first
saw you"
THE dead are never loved, +" she repeated,
mourniully.
"But you are not dead. The limbs of the
dead are rigid; the flesh corrupt; they
are lnsensible; they can not walk; they
can not speak; you are not dead it is i'm
possiblew
II am dead" repeated Fulmen, in tone
OF authority which admitted of no question;
dead, aud yet suffer-"
"You suffer!' the earl exclaimed.
Eyes. Because / died with q guilty
thought in my heart. l remembered the
ball where | met yOn. II was earthly love
not penitence, that engrcssed my last hours
Yet, il you who are alive can love me still,
God will perhaps pardon me, and shall
suffer no longer
Il do love you,n cried Ralph, gazing at
The young girl so beautiful IN her sadness.
Yet secret voice said within him, "Ah, il
she were only alive %
A pale smile passed over the face of the
phantom. 1t rose and advanced toward
him. Ralph involuntarily shrank back at
its approach.
"You see,r she said, mournfully, at is
always so. The living fear the dead.n
mo, no !" said he, eagerly, ashamed of
the momentary terror; mo, Fulmen, my
beloved, comeW
She extended her hand, and took that of
the young man. Ralph uttered a CRY.
His hand was pressed by { cold. clammy
fingers Of q corpse. She let his hand fall.
''No," she repeated, in half-suffoe aied
voice, you see it can not be; shall suffer
alwaysW
And she fed; while Ralph was SO over
whelmed that he had no power 10 speak or
move. The candles went out suddenly;
silence reigned again in the chamber; the
phantom had vanished. .s.ss'.
The next day dawned bright and beauti-
full. The Baron de Roche Noire, who did
appear to notice the pallor and abstraction
OF his guest, proposed hunt. The day
was spent in the open air, and as amid the
excitement of the chase, the Earl thought
OF the occurrences of the last night, they
seemed to him only as bewildering dream.
But with the return Of darkness, and espe-
cially at the sight Of the picture, the appari-
ton again seemed TO him reality, and he
determined 10 ascertain the ruth. Plead.
ing headache, be retired TO his room aud.
extinguishing the candles, softly, "Fulmen |!
Fulmenp There was no answer.
Again he called, ,,Fulmen, / love you,
though dead"