The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-03-31
VIII.
RozEL, October 10.

R0ZEL, october H.
Here am back in my cell, my friend.
Why did l ever leave it? Never has man
felt a more troubled heart beat between
these cold walls, than my own wretched
heartl Ali will not curse our poor hui
man reason, our wisdom, our philosophy;
are they not, after all, the noblest and best
conquests of our nature2 But, great
heavenl how little they amount tol What
unreliable guides, and what feeble sup
ports
Listen to sad story. Yesterday, thanks
to Madame de Malouet, remained alone
at the chateau the whole day and the
whole evening. was therefore as much
at peace as it was possible for me to be-
Towards midnight heard the carriages
returning, and soon after all noise ceased.
1t was, think, about three o'clock in the
morning when / was aroused from the
species of torpor that has stood me in lieu
of sleep for the past few nights, by the
sound,quite close to me, OF door cautious
ly opened or closed in the yard. / know
not by what strange and sudden connect-
ion of ideas so simple an incident attract
ed my attention and disturbed my mind.
left abruptly the armchair in which j
had been slumbering, and went up to a
window. | distinctly saw a man moving
off with discreet steps in the direction of
the avenue. had no difficulty in satis-
flying myself that the door through which
he had Just .passed was that which gives
access to the wing of the chateau contigu-
Gus to the library. This part of the house
contains several rooms devoted to transient
guests; l knew that they were all vacant
at this moment--unless Madame de Pail
me, as had often happened, had occupied
for the night the lodging that was always
set apart for her in that wing.
You may guess what strange thought
hoated across my brain. repealed it at
| first as sheer Madness but remembering,
within the field of my somewhat extended
usefulness, certain facts that lent proba-
bility to that thought, entertained it with
a sort Of cynical irony, and was almost
ready to admit it, as an odious but decis-
i've denouemeut The early dawn found
me struggling still in this mental anguish,
calling up my recollections, examining in
a childish way the most minute circum-
stances that might tend to confirm or to
Danish my suspicious. Excess of fatigue
brought on at last two hours of prostra-
ton, from which emerged with better
command Of my reason. 1t was impossi-
BILE for me to doubt the reality of this app
partition that had struck my eyes during
the night; but it appeared to me that had
put upon it hasty and senseless construc-
ton, and that my ailing spirit had attrib-
uted to it the least likely explanation.
went down at halfpast ten o'clock as
usual. Madame de Paine was in the par
lor; she must therefore have spent the night
at the chateau. Nevertheless, a mere
glance at her was enough to remove from
my mind the very shadow of suspicion. =
She was talking quietly in the center of a
group. She greeted me with her usual
gentle smile. | felt relieved of an i'm
/. mense weight. / was escaping torment
of such painful and bitter nature, that the
positive impression OF my previous grief
freed from the disgraceful complications
with which i had for moment though
t it aggravated, appeared almost pleasant
3 Never had my heart rendered to this wo
man more tender and more sincere hom
e age. was grateful to her from the bot
f tom of my soul, for having restored puri
t ty to my wound and to my memory.
i The afternoon was to be devoted to
: horseback ride along the sea shore. Il
e the effusion of heart that succeeded tn
t anxieties of the night. i yielded quit
= readily to the entresties of Monsieur d
a Malouet, who, arguing on my approach
# ing departure. was urging me to accompa
= nv him on this excursion. 1t was abou
O two o'clock when our cavalcade, recruite
h as usual among few young men OF tn
/ neighborhood, marched out of the cha
h teau's gate. We had been travelling mel
O rily for a few minutes, and was not tn
It least merry of the band, when Madame q
a Paine suddenly came to take place by m
side.
II 81 am about to be guilty of a base deed
she said; land YET, had so strongly /,