Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-09-06

OF time when she did not know me
| Who could suspect her Of n fault Whof
| was base enough to do SO, and the
devil again whispered in my ear; Sup
posing these letters were of n time when
had already Alright to all her thoughts,
right to be jealous even OF her dreams,
when she was already mine ? luntied tho
ribbon. Noon saw me. There was not
even mirror in the room. to make me
blush tor myself. Iopened one letter,
then another, and read them to the end.
"Oh what fearful hour that was for
me What did those letters contain The
vilest betrayal OF which man was ever
yeta victim; and they were written by
one ofmy most Intimate friends And in
what straia ? what passion +! what GER
tainty of his love being shared how ho
spoke otsecrecy ! What counsel he law
ished ON the tot deceiviag u husband /!
And all these letters were ofa time when
was marred and perfectly happy ! Shall
| tell you what lelt2 Imagine the in
toXication caused Ny deadly poison. |
drank deeply of that poison. | read all
the letters all, Then re-folded them,
re- tied the ribbon, replaced the packet
aud shut the drawer.
81 knew that if | did not go for her at
! twelve o'clock she would como back from
the Countess IS in tho evening And so 1t
happened. Sho got down hastily from the
carriage and ran toward mo as | stood
waiting for her on the steps. She kissed
mo with extreme tenderness, and seemed
to be very glad to be with me again. lot
nothing be seen ON my face. We talked,
we supped together, and then retired to our
separate bed rooms. | did not close my
eyes. Whiloawako | counted every hour.
When the clock struck II quarterpast mid
night, | got up and passed into her bed
room. There was beautiful blonde her
head buried in tho white pillows. 1t is
thus thatNnges are depicted in the midst
of whito clouds. Whnt lrightlul lie was
this on the part of Nature; vice with n
face of such innocence My resolution
was taken. | had tho stubbornnoss of the
mad man haunted by II fixed idoa. The
poison had corrodcd my whole soul.
~ placed my right hnnd gently under
her throat, and heartily strangled he.
She opened for ono moment her large,
dark blue eyes, and looking Mt Ino with
astonishment, then closed them and died.
She died without struggling agoinst me,
MS if falling asleep. She was never ang
ry with me not even when | killed her
One drop Of blood fell from her mouth ON
the bacll of my hand, You know whore;
| did not prrcevo it until tho next day,
when IL had dried. We buried her with,
out any one su.pecting the truth. | lived
there In complete solitude; who was
there to control my nctlons2 Sto Ind
neither relatives nor protectors to question
mo on the subject and | designedly put
oil writing to my friends, 50 that none OF
them could arrive in time.
"On coming bacS from the vault did
not feel the slightest weight on my con,
science. | Aad been cruel but she deserv,
ed it. | did not hate her; could forget
her; | hardly thought abou, it. Never
did man commita murder with less re-
morse than |.
"On my return, found In the chateau
the Counties SO often mentioned. Ny
measure had been so we'll taken that she
| l.I. t.,t.. q I.n hn
seemed much agitatod on seeing me-.
Terror, sympathy, griof-l know not
what made her speak so conlusedy that
| could not understand what she said to
console me.
Ibid even listen to her? What need
hnd of consolation? wasnot sorrow
stricken. Finally, she took mo familiar
ly by the hand, and said, in a low voice
that she was Obliged to conllde to me n
secret, and that she counted on my honor
as nobleman not to abuse it. She Ind
given to my wife, TO keep for her, pack-
age of letters thnt she could not keep her
self, and she begged Of him 20 give them
buck to her. Whilst she was speaking, |
felt several times that | shivered from
head to foot. With apparent GOODNESS, |
questioned her on the contents Of these
letters, At this question, ths lady started
and replied, with indignation;
"Sir, your wife was more generous
than you. When she took chnrge OF
these letters she did not ask me their con-
tents She even gnve me her word never
to look at them, and am conyino-
ed that she never even glanced at them.
Hers was noble soul, and She would
have disdained 10 broak 10 secret her
given word"
"'It is we'll, replied. How shall |
recognize the packageY'
"'It was tied by a pink ribbon with n
silver edge
II will go and search for IT,
"I took my wife's keys ard began TO
search for the packet; although ] knew
wnere ii was pretended to have some
difficulty in finding ii.
"'I. it this2 said handing It to the
Countess.
YES, yes ! See, the knot | made is
still there. She never touched it,
II did not dare to lift my eyes to her.
| fented ;est she should read in them
that bad undone it, aud that had un-
done something elso besides. took
leave Of her hastily; she got into her
carriage and drove OF. Poor woman,
she had her excuse. Her husband wis
brutal and dis,iputed. II had been like
him, | should have deserved wife like
her. Oh but my wifel Her heart was
,, 10. .o,l ou,alint Gha loyod