Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-03-14

"Who is with madam " said he to the
"Who2 why, the man who comes al
most every day, M. Benazous."
"What BORE" thought Simon but
Benazous went away, and he thought no
more about it; he seemed i'll and out of
spirits
"Laure," said he, "you know how i'm
possible it is for me to endure any worry
about money; will you make sacrifice
for me9 A temporary one. have a debt
hanging over my head, like the sword of
Damocles will you lend me your dia-
monds for three months2 The money | can
raise on them will get me out of trouble,
and CAN"
"Do not explain" said Laure, turning
pale. eff | could would help you; what
do | care for diamonds have sold mine
those you saw are false"
"Falsel why" Benazous, he was
going to say, but all at once the remem-
brance of Bernazous' visit flashed on him
in connection with the falsehood he had
told about the diamond, and he held his
tongue.
He was not any more anxious about
money; he was wretched from another and
more terrible sorrow. He was jealous.
"Great powers! said Simon to him
self, "am mistaken in Laure, or was she
mistaken in me- has she discovered ! am
not worthy of herr Can she-no-I will
not suspect her."
But in spite of all his noble resolutions,
Simon, when he had been some hours in
Paris, could not resist the temptation to
come back, aye, to come back by stealth,
too, to watch his wife. Nor long had he
to watch. Letting himself in with his
key, he stole up to the house and listened
under the drawing-room window Bena-
zous was there, and what was more, Laure
was sobbing, Benazous consoling her.
Poor Laure agitated and alarmed at her
husbands manner, and by her own secret,
she had not been able to dry her tears be-
fore Benazous had arrived, and she listened
to his consultations almost without hearing
them.
"Ah!" at length she sobbed out, "why
did | ever deceive my husband2"
Simon heard no more. He was not q
fighting man, but he was a man of honor.
He resolved never to see his wife again,
but not to disgrace her.
Stealing away, he paused in the village,
wrote a few lines to Laure, and then took
the train for Paris.
"Laure," said his letter, 81 know all.
will never see you again."
Laure was alone when she received this
letter. 1t drove her nearly mad. Go to
her uncle-go to Paris-go-what was she
to do2 Where was she to go2 To her
uncle, of course. But before she could
leave her house, her uncle was by her side.
MADAM" said he, "what do you mean Z
How dare you betray the honor of two
honest families. Your husband, too, you
have nearly killed."
"Oh, where is he?
"At my house. insisted on his re-
naming there. If you had seen the state
he was in"
"But am innocent Take me to him
take me to him."
"Can you justify yourself5"
81 can"
"Come, then
Monsieur Simon turned away from her
as she knelt beside his bed; for he was
exceedingly i'll, and in high fever.
"But am innocent"
"Innocent! did not hear you say, q
have deceived my husband2' We're you
not weeping?"
81 have deceived YOU"
"Shameess woman"
"No, not shameless; guilty, guilty Of
falsehood."
about Benazous1"
mot about Benazous, but about mon
ey."
About money!"
About my diamonds did sci
them"
"Well, so you said"
"But | sold them for you"
Then Laure told Simon all she had done
all about the bill of exchange-all about
NJ. Leopard.
"Is this true? How, then, came Bena'
zous to say the diamonds were real sale
Simon, not at all grateful, but still fearing
she was again deceiving him.
"Send for Leopard"
Leopard came, armed with the pruden
receipt he had made Laure sign. He con
firmed all Laure had said
"Now, child" he said, take your re
ceipt."
"But have not the money to redeem
the diamonds"
"You have the diamonds. never tool
them out. | am an old friend of you
husbands and would have lent him tn
money, but saw you were entering on
dangerous path, and I resolved to max
you feel the pangs and punishment of de
ception."
"Then ! am not in Benazous' power
He said nothing but the TRUTH"
"Nothing. Your fear of discover.
put you in his power, by seeming to max
an accomplce of him."
"Now-now we shall be so happy
Adolphe, you don't mind the money ant
all this about your brother, do you 2"
"The money-my brother-ah2 Laure
all the suffering of my life could not equa
that one moment when heard you say
Il have deceived my husband"
"Ah children, | am an old man.
may preach. Life is a labyrinth-so com
plicated, even with love and honor 70
guides, that without the clue there is n,
getting through it."
"And the clue IS"
"Truth."
UNITED STATES VICE PRESIDENTS
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