Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-05-01


night I consented that it should take place at
an early day."
"Thank God, 1 am not too late to prevent
that farce" said Albert, fervently. "And,
Florimond, dear wife, when you heard l was
dead, did you feel no pity-no compassion
for my sad fate? Did no soft memory come
over your heart of that happy year of our
married life? Did you feel no sorrow"
Il did," said Florimond; 81 felt sorrow
and such wild remorse as almost maddened
my brainP
"Remorsep cried Albert with Frightening
eve. "Flormond, one feels remorse only for
deeds of injustice and wrong. Do you, then,
confess, dear wife, that you did wrong in leav,
ing me2"
Florimond hesitated and seemed unwilling
to reply.
"Tell me, in truth and candor," persisted
Albert. .-..
81 believe that I did," said Florimond
"In those moments of remorse my conduct was
revealed in its true light saw all its wicked,
ness. Had I remained in that position, in
which, however unfortunate, l had only to
thank my own obstnacy for being so placed
my dear grandmother opposed my early mar
riage to you'll might, by discharging my
duty to you as Christian and a true wife
have regained your wandering regard. More
over, might have been spared many subse'
quent moments of mental suffering and trial,
and above all, I might have escaped the un-
fortunate entangement Of my present unhap'
py position"
"You can easily escape that" remarked
Albert, soothingly and affectionately; "you
have only to return to your husbands care
and protection. You certainly cannot marry
Doctor Eglinton now, with living husband
before your eyes"
81 am quite aware of that said Florimond,
little petulantly "but there is nevertheless, a
way in which I can eventually become his wife.
Before I had heard of your death, Albert, l
had already consented to get divorce from
you and marry him."
my God |" cried Albert, "this is the hard
est blow you have given me yet" and he
showed such unmistakable emotion, Flor'
mond's sympathies went out to him more
kindly than they had yet done during this
trying interview. The painful silence was
broken by Albert.
"Florimond," he said, constraining his anger
and speaking in tones of forced calmness, "you
cannot obtain divorce from me. There are
no legal grounds for dvorce-none what
overland even if there we're, I will fight this
man with his own weapons. l do not blame
him for loving you and seeking to gain your
hand when he thought your husband among
the dead but do blame and utterly execrate
his attempts to persuade you into obtaining
divorce. I swear to you will spend every
cent possess on earth, and bend and devote
all the power of my mind and soul to defeat
his infamous purpose-to keep you from him.
It has come to this between that man and
myself-a personal struggle for the possession
of the woman we both love- Yes, Florimond,
1 love you as wel-as madly-as he, and
mine you are already, by every right, divine
and human What right has he to covet
another mans wife? But you shall never be
his, Florimond. By all the gods l swear it
You shall never be his while there is breath
in my body. Get the divorce, if you can;
but even then he shall never wear my jewel
in his heart. will kill him first at the very
altar! Florimond, why do you force me to
the utterance of such harsh language? Why
kindle my anger and my vengeance against
that man? Put an end to the strife between
us listen to the voice of duty. For your
own sake, my dear wife, leave this dangerous
path, so full of perilous snares and pitfalls!
For the sake of this, our darling child-for
the sake of your husband who loves you, and
only you among all women, come back to me!
Repair the wrong you confess you have done
against me! Believe me, Florimond, you
shall never regret the step. You shall have
comfort, luxury, wealth; the qualification of
every wish-all-all that devoted attention,
forethought, indulgence and love can do to
make you happy"
Nothing can ever make me happy again.,
said Florimond, wringing her hands wildly.
"Aye! but you shall be happy, Florlmond,"
cried Albert, earnestly; "Only grant my
prayer and I promise you, in the discharge OF
your duty to your husband and your child,
the rewards of an approving conscience will
make you immeasurably happy"
Florimoud only buried her pallid face in her
hands and moaned, "God have mercy on me"
"Alberta!" said her father, taking the hand
of the startled, perplexed child, and leading
her to her mother, "join your pleading with
mine implore your mother not to desert her
own ofspring-not to leave you, in your ten
der innocence to the sole charge of father,
who, Notwithstanding all his love, cannot act
mothers part for you-cannot give you the
requisite care, the guardianship, the tender
watchfulness, ola devoted mothers love!"
Crying bitterly, Berta threw her arms
around her mothers neck, sobbing, "Dear
mamma, 60 with papa"
Florimond now seemed like one almost be-
reft of mind. She pressed her hands to her
throbbng brow-to her wildly-beating heart
and hung around her child's neck with pas
sionate embraces and caresses, and still the
one word for which Albert had prayed, was
not spoken.
"Come, my child" said Albert, at last,
"your mother is no longer a mother to you.
She is lost to all feelings of true womanhood-