The Morning herald., 1876-09-13

dsd NTH some rays Of hope tie gloom Of
the future. The unhappiness Of Aurora,
said / to myself will Be but transient /;
love will soften into bitterness. Her NOR.
tai enemies are blinded by their desire Of
revenge. Nhe will, she shall BE- happy in
spite Of them l-they will leave me some
money, and the means Of procuring more
BY industry. / should be q wretch indeed
il I did not devote my life to the task Of
strewing flowers along her path. When
she learns who am her resentment will
no doubt, at first be vehement but when
her GOOD sense shall perceive that the evil
is irreparable, resignation will come to her
aid-love will supply the place Of richa,
and we shall yet be happy.
Such were my reflections during eight
days previous to that on which l conduct
ed my mistress to the altar. At the mo-
ment when she pronounced the vow to
live and die with me, sudden shivering
ran through all my veins-a general trep.
idation seized my whole frame. l had
never had go near a view of villainy. l
should infallihly have sunk to the earth, if
food of tears had not come to my relief,
while the silly crowd who surrounded US
mistook this last cry of expiring virtue
for an excess of sensibility. Aurora her.
self was deceived; felt, trem the warmth
of her caresses, that the vain parsonage
was ambitious Of appearing as much my
mistress as my bride. The engravers, in
order to reward me, as they said, for the
ability with which 1 had acted my part,
permitted me to prolong the enchantment
for fortnight. Excess Of love a while
banished from my mind the fatal catastro-
phe which was fast approaching. At
length, after various conferences with the
unplacable enemies Of Aurora, it was de-
creed that we should set out on journey
to my native soil.
In proposing to my wife an excursion of
which I foresaw all the cruel consequences
I could not prevent deep sigh from es.
GAPING me, to which the credulous Aurora
paid no attention. Her lively imag gina
| ton was elated with the idea Of travelling
by my side in magnificent equipage, at
tended by her women. escorted by SER
wants on horseback, and finding means Of
indulging at once her pride and her love ;
ideas excusable enough at eighteen, which
was the age Of my wife. She was.delighted
| in making preparations for a journey, the
approach Of which was to me distraction.
More than once I implored my patrons
for mercy the obligations | had entered
into were laid before me. We began our
journey.
Two of my ten friends served me as
csuriers, while he who had paid his ad
dresses to Aurora, pushed his imprudenct
so far as to offer himself to me as coach
man. 1t is true that a wig, dexterously
stuck on his hair, and patch fixed on his
right eye, 80 disguised him that even hi
friends did not recognize him; three other,
Of the young engravers gaily rode behine
the carriage as lacqueys. The other four
detained at Lyons by their affairs, con-
soled themselves in not being OF the party
by making the travellers promise to writ
to them from every place where we shoule
stop to rest ourselves, and this we did fire.
quently, travelling only by short stages
scarcely could these wicked domestic
contain their mirth when they heard m.
vain bride, who always spoke to then
with naughty distance, addressing hersel
to me in terms the most respectful, inquir
ing the names of my "chateaux," the ex
tent of my estates, and of my seignoria
rights Of hunting and fishing dwellin
, with complacency on my mines, which II
her lively apprehension were equal a
least to those Of Peru. On subjects sucl
as these turned our conversations, whe
! three leagues beyond Montelemart we per
ceiyed the narrow lane which led to
village, the steeple Of which appeared dis
tant from the high road. This poor vii
lage, alas was mine. The critical mo
ment was approaching.
Il (To BE coNT1NUED.)