Litchfield enquirer., 1871-11-02
m.-MAURICE.


 As he finished we were both startled by rapid step behind us coming up the drawing room.
 Ny Godp said Maurice. springing over the lounge. Do you know no bet ter, Trefetheness, than to tell such story to this ehild?'' And raising our eyes, there stood Aria in the doorway, pale to faint ing, and falling forward just as Maurice caught her. What a picture she was her self She had put on brocade of gold, and the sumptuous train lifted over her arm had fallen, and was trailing heavy and glistering beside her Round her waist she had tied, like a Franciscan girdle, a cord of blood-red comedian beads, and over all had thrown shroud of priceless old black lace, whose rents and rust con- trast and effect ignored. Pallid and re- mote behind the veil, 1t was something more than her swoon that startled us-she was the very picture of Agnes Trefethness there above us! It could never be the simple story that touched her so, l thought; and now I see that it was the first pfemO- nltlon of her fate--a physical terror, an unconscious psychological confession of the future. She said, when questioned upon her recovery, that it was not what she had just heard; but suddenly, while she listened 8 chill crept over her, and great dread, and she seemed to be stand ing on the edge of gulf, with no power to retreat. I went up stairs with her, but Maurice would not relinquish his. burden, insisting on carrying her. She, however, slipped to the floor, and clung only to his arm as he went. While she cleansed her beautiful hair from cologne water in which it had been deluged, after having rested for few moments, I ran down to the drawing room again to pick up the music book and restore it to it's place. Maurice was walking slowly up and down the room, s ghlee eTs! Tsrefetheness had 19Rfaalhdad 19aah Ier
 ''And what are you making out of this, little maid?" said he, stepping for the music book and placing it in my hand. Strange choice for you! Come, let me see if you understand note of it. You should have chosen some book of white, spring songs-this is the principle of Au- gust the keynote of sentiments and sen sations yet unknown to my little girls. ,"
 "There are great many things which we know and yet never experience, Uncle Maurice
 Profound wisdom worthy to have been addressed to that elderly individual. :"
 'l beg your pardon, Uncle Maurice! There 1t is again. It is very thoughtless in me. !"
 ''Now do not disturb your small self for a triie," said he, sweetly. ''Let the naughty color subside, and come with me to the other room. Sing!' then said he, as we reached the open piano. ''Ah! you don't wish? True, it might be little diff fcult at first. We'll, then, will sing"
 laughed. Except in a village choir I ha1 l. I,,t l,o ed his eyebrows gaily, sat down, and voice, this golden tenor, parted the air, and, melted by the sweet surprise, burst into tears He paused, looking at me in his innocent way, half incredulous, half pleased, a moment, then broke blossom from it's stem, as the glass stood near, and tossed me the bell.
 ''Catch the crystals i'll it, {" he said; ''for house-fowerse- it is legendary-are never bedewed by anything but tears!" and be- gan another song: for it was one of his peeuharities never to pursue that i'll which he had been interrupted.
 Who has ever denied the power of en- chantment i'll music? the absolute thrall and glamour 1t exercises-all the force of incantation and conqlest-the souls it car ries captiye-the walls that rose to slowly breathing sound-the flute of Hamelin's pied piper-the sirens song-the Lure ley's lyrei If Savonarola himself had heard Maurice sing he would have ceased illumination, and burned no more Decam- erons in the public square; and if he sings in hell, the angels will lean out of heaven to listen! If it had been hymn, we might all have become devotees; as it was, q serenade, brimmed and overhowing with passion as the sky with light, sweet to satiety, full of hints of odorous night blooms, of low winds and summer stars, of rich dusk and tender hush, the words half guessed, the tune melting into de- hcious close, as it was, at the air, the glance, the magnetism of the singer, every heart beat quicker and every cheek flushed with it's own possibilities. I looked at Aria who had stolen down and stood at the opposite end of the piano, her eyes fastened or Matrices, glowing and liquid; her face still and always so pale; her smile, too, like arrowy light, coming and going and transfusing her whole countenance with every pulse of the breeding dream in which the music had folded her. Then I looked at Trefetheness where he leaned in the doorway, suffering his paper to hang forgotten, and gazing through the lofty W1uuON dt GllG Ulle ICdNeu COuSUdlU dIlu pure without, if any thing counteracted the spell with him it was that, and it may be that he reflected calming ray of this mood upon me.
 Maurice remained motionless after the conclusion, as if 10th to break the effect, his hands lying upon the keys. and his eyes meeting Arria's. At last he rose, and putting his fingers in his pockets with the air of one who was petted in all man. ner of incorrect trihes, though really he had never had any one to earess him or indulge him, and had therefore, as he once told us, done the latter as well as he could himself, an air that was irresistible, be it said, and strolled once or twice up and down the room
 Sound is such positive thing to me- such an existence, D said he, ''that never think the note has no being when again swallowed in the silence from which it rose. look to see all the tunes that have ever fitted through this room, every dis tinct note, and wonder that they do not swarm, like honey bees, on the ceiling, on the Bacchante with her kissing cymbals there, on the great organ pipes. Some times when l have come in here alone, I have waited to hear what tone would re- ply to my touch, half expecting the old tunes to crowd up and prevent the keys from acknowledging my talismanic fn- gers.
 Maurice, said Trefetheness under his breath, and laughing, ifs it Lager or Dizy?'
 .'Neither, so early, thank you. By the way, Dr. Trefetheness, you dine here to- day?'
 'sBy all means"
 ''Then should advise you to depart and shortly reappear in different guiseL or disguise. What disguises man like a full dress?'' he asked, abruptly.
 "Marry now, can tell, said Trefethe- ness.
 ssMass, you can not tell Serve him up GU ,aaturet- that is, in dressing gown and slippers, cigar and morning paper and you have the original flavor of the article. Herewith I follow your example which, by-the-way, IS not yet set. You will not know me when you see me again. Mes