Litchfield enquirer., 1874-08-06

] i'll the air. ... r.
 A step approached. Madame's body was seized by Q convulsion in the spite of ! herself. and she closed her fingers upon the freezing hand of the Cuban. There entered slight man of medium helght. whose hair was somewhat eray | and whose bearing was that of soldier. He wore long gray coat. md he carried his hat and his cane in his hand. He had quick eye, small moustache, and o face of faultless outline
 He was easy but not careless His glance rested for an instant upon tho white and clear-cut visage of his aged | wife, who regarded him stcadfastly. sand then he bowed deeply.
 After an instant of quiet he again rais- ed his eyes, and encountered those of the Cuban.
 Ho retrcated step, parted his lips as Ii about to mako an exclamation, raised his hand and his hat few inches but hero he caught himself. The man subside q again, and the courier came to the sur- face. He bowed for the second time and remained in that position. He seemed to expect an out-burst.
 None came.
 The two women in close embrace con- templated him as if he were an apparition. Their faces wore outwardly illuminated by the candles, but their keen vitality em- anated from within. Their features radia- ted upon the baron all tho heats of sub lime scorn; thoir eyes gaye out flames of bitterness; their placid. waxen, and inn movable viasges emitted the vory spirit of reproach, even though the smallest mus cles lay undisturbcd.
 The profound silence was occupiel hv that subtle graduating of tempers which finally leads to speech; that unconscious descent to level where the heart may declare itself
 But Madame restrained tho growing inn pulse; 1t seemed as if sho were resistino, n flood. She permitted only few words to pass her lips. She addressed tho baron:-
 ''Yes sec that we two have encountered each other"
 ''Yes, replied tho baron, in good Eng fish, and with an undisturbcd voice. q seo that you are there''
 ''Then presume that what appears to be true, is true?' inquired the wife.
 ssPerfectly. responded tho other.
 The hands of the two women clasne1 moro tightly, md another significant paused ensued. The guest retained his position; he still presented the top of his head to the light. He did not move a hairs breath; he seemed to take refupo behind himself.
 Madame produced from beneath q nan- kIn on the table small decorated porce- lam box, ornamented with elaborate edpes of gllded metal. She placed it on the side of the table which was nearest tho baron, saying at the same time ill a soft and eqnable voice.
 "Here, Lucien, IS something desire to present to you. The box contains some jewels, and perhaps you, who are to re- maln Tn the world some time longer. may find them useful. They are tho last I have, and think they arc valuable. Come fi66n to De severed hy this final surrender of the remnant of the pillage. I cannot riso and give them to yon. Come and tako them
 The man, after an instant, advanced slowly with All easy tread. He laid his hand upon the box He raised it an inch, but it slipped. His fingers trembicd, thoush his face WAS immovable. Hisper- 6uti1.s'en, apnaared. as 1t were, through a crevice
 He seized tho casket second time, and then he retired backwards to his first posi- tion. He smiled, and he now regarded the two women with q steady scrutiny. He rose superior to them; he had achiey- ed his best object without a conflict, and he had encountered the worst that could possibly befall him; the door and his car riagc were close at hand; France and Paris lay beyond. He had but to turn his back to rid himself forever of two disagrceables, therefore he looked leniently upon thcIr final attacks,
 The Cuban was prostratcd; her sobs and sighs filled the air, and the convulsions of her face and hands afforded the only stir ill the quiet apartment.
 Madame's little flush of strength began to fade even after this short trial, and what suffering had done reappeared above what she had assumed. The sears which she had hidden came to the view again. Her back grew bowed, the hollow in her neck grew deep, her head nodded, and her hands shook from side to side in her lap.
 She kept her eyes fixed upon he hus- band.
 "We have come to the end, at last, Lucien," said she ill low and uncertain under tone, "and for mo nothing moro re- mains. l have lived; l have performed
  are no more blows or joys to be given to and my reason. Let mo sec if I cannot do something more." (She looked down for an instant at the girl at her feet, and tenderly placed hand upon her head ''Yes,' she continued, q can prevent pco- plc from saying of this poor child, She and another are the wives of an advent
 
 matter now; do not care; 1t is all one if marriage. It pleases nc to imagine I can vanish, and by so doing add to the reality of her position towards you. If they should say to her child, You come from 8 wrongful marriage, he will be enabled to say That is false' have not been a wife of yours for twenty years. Tho child you took and bore away and robbed of her fair life, and who now speaks, an old and haggard woman, declares that tho ob- ligatlons and spirit of her marriage were annulled long before you met this other unhappy one. She alone is your wife. The church records are nothing beside the convictions impressed by so much neglect and cruelty. What the ministers performed for us was the falsehood; to- day the truth becomes known to every ono. l am about to perform little act which is insignificant beside what have declared. but which proves me to be sin cere. throw my marriage certificate in- to the fire"
 This little touch of the drama was in spired by what was left of her old love of the surprising and tho picturesque. She had married and unmarried with the baron with the same impulses.
 She had thrown folded paper upon the coals in spite of the Cuban's shriek and leap, and 1t had burned to ashes. Madame turned to her visitor again. There was an indescribable feebleness in the action. It seemed as If her eyes al- most failed to penetrate to the corner where the baron stood.
 Remember always that you have but one wife. Forget we; am nothing; l am going. The beautiful girl, the bar oness, the old and garrulous eomplainer, are all passing away with me. I leav nothing behind, no child, no grief, no identity. I am lost from nowhere. The Lord has led me hither so that I might do one more service, and that being com ,,IoAad 1orsk day,o rt Y0u are crOincr