Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-09-20

the way; his horse went on at random,
now leaping over banks of snow, now
sinking into bitches, and threatening ev-
cry moment to overturn the sleigh. The
insupportable thought of having lost
the road had become n certainty. The
forest of Jadrino was nowhere to be dis
covered, and after two hours the jaded
animal seemed ready to drop to the
ground. At length kind of dark line
became visible in the distance. Vladi-
mir urged his horse forward, and reached
the skirt of forest. He now hoped to
reach his destination soon, as it was cas-
ier to pursue his way in the forest, into
which the snow had not yet penetrated.
Vladimir took fresh courage; however,
there were no signs of Jadrino. By de-
grees the storm abated, and the moon
shone brightly. He finally reached the
opposite skirt of the forest Still, no Ja-
drino but group of four or five houses
met his view. His knock at the door of
the nearest was answered by an old man.
"What do you want? he said.
"Where lies Jadrino? ?" asked Vladi-
mir.
"About ten wersts distant"
At this reply Vladimir felt as if his
sentence of death were being announced
to him.
"Can you procure me horse to take
me thither?" he asked.
"We have no horses"
Or at least guide. will pay any
price"
every we'll. My son can accompany
the gentleman"
After little while, which seemed an
eternity to Vladimir, young fellow
made his appearance, holding thick
staff in his hand, and they took their
way across the snow-covered plain.
"What o'clock is it?" asked VJadi-
mir.
ct is already past midnight.
And in very truth the sun began to
gid the east, when they finally arrived
at Jadrino. The church door was lock-
ed. Vladimir paid and dismissed his
guide. and then instantly fastened to
the minister's dwelling. What he there
learned will appear from the sequel.
At Nemaradof the night had passed
quietly. In the morning the master of
the house and his wife arose as usual,
and proceeded to the dining-room, Ga
briel Gabrilovitch in his wooden jacket
and night-cap, Petrowna in her morning
gown. After they had breakfasted, Ga
briel sent up one of the girls to inquire
how Marie was: She returned with the
message that her young mistress had had
a sleepless night, but that she was better
now, and would come down presently.
Marie soon after entered the room, look
ing exceedingly pale, yet without the
least perceptible agitation.
"How do you feel this morning, love p
quired her father.
Better" was the answer.
The day passed by as usual but in
stead of the looked-ior Improvement, q
change for the worse took place in Ma.
rie's condition. The family physician
was summoned from the nearest town,
who found her in state of most violent
fever. For fourteen days she lay at the
point of death.
Nothing transpired of the nocturnaI
fight for the maid took good care tC
keep silence on her own account, and
the others who knew it never betrayed
themselves with syllable, even wher
under the influence of brandy, SO greatly
did they dread Gabriel's anger.
Marie, however, spoke so necessarily
of Vladimir when delirious, that hel
mother could not remain in doupt as tc
the cause of her illness. Having advis
ed with few friends, her parents resolv
ed to let her marry the young soldier
seeing that one cannot escape ones fate
and, besides, that riches do not always
lead to happiness.
The patient recovered. During hel
illness Vladimir had not once showed
his face in the house, and it was resolved
to apprise him of his unexpected good
fortune. But to the astonishment of th,
proud proprietor of Nemaradof, the ca
det declared that he should never agair
cross the threshold of his house, begging
them at the same time to forget utterly
SO wretched creature as he, to whom
death alone would give repose.
A few days afterward, they learned
that Vladimir had again returned to tn,
J army. 1t was in the year 1872. M
one uttered his name in Marie's presence
and she herself never made mention o
him in any way. Two or three months
} had elapsed, when she found his nam,
among the list OF the officers who hac
distinguished themselves at Borodino
and had been mortally wounded. Sh
, tainted away and had relapse, from
which she recovered but slowly.