Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-11-18

great affiiction had left its impress upon
his soul. At times his suffering ap-
peared great, and he would order the
boy from his presence with ine1plicable
harshness, evincing almost hatred.
Such display of feeling ever awakened
the deepest grief in Henri, which
quickly recalled De Ceran to himself.
ready mentioned had transpired, Henri
retired to his room. Monsieur de
Ceran had given him a Greek transla-
tion to accomplish, which would occupy
some hours. The boy seated himself
to the task, but his brain was burning
hot and his ideas confused. At length,
discouraged and weary, he determined
to resign the task but on attempting
to leave his room he found the door
locked. The hot blood flushed his
cheek, and his spirit rebelled at the
restraint placed upon his movements.
Angrily he shook the door, which sud-
denly yielded to his touch. Rushing
down stairs, Henri ran into the open
air it was evening, and the stars shone
clear in the heavens. A feeling of re-
gret for the anger he had displayed
urged the boy to return to his room
tulS WAS uDout W uo, Wutu
he stopped. For one moment he fan
cied himself the mere plaything of
vision, but the next instant he saw that
it was no fancy, and that q woman at
the extreme end of the path was wend-
ing her way toward pavilion which he
himself had never entered. Impelled
by one of those irresistible desires
which do not allow time for thought,
he followed the stranger and saw her
enter the pavilion. With stealthy foot
steps he approached a partially open
window. where he could both see and
hear all that traDspired.
A single lamp burned dimly within.
Near table Monsieur de Ceran was
seated. and directly in front of him
stood the shadow which Henri had fol-
lowed-the sad and beautiful face which
had haunted the boys thoughts. Mon
sieur de Ceran was speaking, and Henri
listened eagerly.
Madame" said De Ceran, "you
have desired an explanation. Need /
say it is useless ? You have written me
that L had destroyed your existence,
but You, what have you done with
mine? Would you revive in my soul
the remembrance of sorrows which
ought to have killed and which time
simply weakens without destroying p
"Be merciful, murmured the woman,
in scarcely articulate voice.
''Do you wish to kindle that hatred
which ought to have been buried in
grave?" continued De Ceran.
"May God forgive you," replied his
listerer, "for you are unmerciful and
cruel"
"No, madame" resumed Monsieur
de Ceran, "no, 1 am less cruel than you
have been, less unrelenting. Listen to
me. You destroyed my happiness when
l surrounded you with love; you
brought dishonor upon my name when
1 knelt to you IN the widest worship,
the most passionate love you deceived
me when I placed all confidence in your
virtue. l have suffered too much to
forgive you madame. Ihave loved you
too dearly"
81 do not ask for your forgiveness,
only ask for justice" The words were
uttered proudly.
Il, whom you have so cruelty wronged,
seek not for revenge. 1 alone despise
you, yet there have been hours in my
life when the thirst for revenge has
been great. Alone in this roem with
you, the thoughts of the past crowd
wildly upon me. l again see Henri
dying. I hear him calling upon you in
his rsving, and again he reveals to me
your husband, his brother, your love-"
As he spoke, De Ceran arose, his eyes
cleaned with a fierce light, and his
breath came hot and fast through his
parted lips.
NV God have pity upon me, eI-
claimed his listener. 1T is false-1
swear that it is false she added, rails
ing her eyes with irm, full gaze.
You believe me mad, then, con-
tinued De Ceran, that should credit
the words of dying man in preference
to your own? Again, tell you, his
words are burned into my memory,
buried in my heart, which they have
broken. In one brief hour I lost all,
and, in a moment of rage, of despair,
could have killed him with my own
hand, but 1 remembered that he was
nv brother, and through days of tor
ture l stood beside him. When deaths
hand had chilled him 1 came to you. |
You were about to become a mother.
Out of the great love l had once felt
for you found room to pity you. l
you from your friends.
took you to Italy there l had courage
to wait, and it was only when your son,
whom you dared to call by the name of
Henri, no longer needed you, that l
told you all-told you that 1 despised
you"
"And then, as now, told you l am
innocent / knelt at your feet, clung |
10 you, but you were deaf to my words.
You have cast me from you you have