The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-04-01


|, return Of that dreadful nervous delu
sionY
" Il have had another retur,
"Which, as you yourself believe
might have been prevented Romayne
: you astonish me-
"There was time of silence befor,
Romayne answered this. He was Lit
} tie mysterious when he did reply. 'Yor
know the old saying, my good friend
Of two evils, choose the least. I bes,
my sufferings as one OF two evils, and
the least 81 the two
"Lord Loring appeared to feel thu
necessity Of touching delicate subject
With light hand. He said, in lnii
PHEASANT way, Stella isn't the othel
evil, I supposeY
"'Most assuredly not
"'Then what is ltY
"Romayne answered, almost passion.
ately, My own weakness and selfish.
ness J Faults which 1 must resist, O,
become mean and heartless man. For
me the worst OF the two evils is there. !
respect and admire Miss Eyrecourt--I
believe her to be woman in thous,
and--dont ask mo to see her again
Where is Penrose2 Let us talk OF some
thin. ELSE
whether this wild way Of speaking
offended Lord Loring. or only discour-
aged him, I cannot say. / heard him
take his leave in these words: You
have disappointed me, Romayne. We
will talk of something else the next
time we meet The study door was
opened and closed. Romayne wss left
by himself.
"Solitude was apparently not to his
taste, just then. heard him call to
Penrose. heard Penrose ask: Do
You want mer
"Romayne answered: God knows !
want a friend-and I have no friend
near me but your Major Hynd is away,
and Lord Loring is offended with me-
"Penrose asked why.
Romayne, thereupon, entered on
the necessary explanation. As priest.
writing to priests, pass over details
utterly uninteresting to us. The sub.
stance OF what he said amounted to this:
Miss Eyrecourt had produced an i'm.
preston on him which was new to him
in his experience Of women. II he saw
more Of her. it might end-I ask your
pardon for repeating the ridiculous OK.
pression-in his falling in love with
her. In this condition of mind or BODY.
whichever it may be, he would probably
be incapable Of the self control which
he had hithertn practiced. II she con.
sented to devote her life to him. hs
might accept the cruel sacrifice. Rather
than do this, he would keep away from
her for her dear sake-no matter what
he might suffer or whom he might of. |
tend.
"Imagine. any human being, out Of |
lunatic asylum, talking in this way.
Shall I own to you, my reverend col.
league, how this curious self exposure
struck me? AS listened 10 Romayne
[ felt grateful to the famous council,
which definitely forbade the priests Of
tho Catholic Church to marry. We
might otherwise have been morally en-.
ervated by the weakness which degrades
priests might have be.
come instruments in the hands of
women.
"Bat you will be anxious to hear
what Penrose did under the circum-
stances. For the moment, can tell
you this, he startled me.
"Instead of seizing the opportunity,
and directing Romayne's mind TO the
OF religion, Penrose act
ually encouraged him to reconsider his
decision. All the weakness of my poor
little Arthurs character showed itself
In his next words.
"Ho said to Romayne: 1T may be
wrong in .me to speak to you as freely
rs I wish to speak. But you have 90
admitted me TO your conf
ience7-you have been so coLsiderate
and so kind toward me-that feel On
in your happiness, which, per-
haps makes me over bold. Are you
very sure that some such entire change
IN your life rs yonr marriage might not
and in delivering you from your burdens
II such thing could be. is It wrong to
that your wife's good influence
over You might be the means OF making
POUR marriage happy one3 must
not presume to offer an opinion on such
) subject. 1t is only my gratitude. my
rue attachment to you that ventures to
put the question. Are you conscious
,f having given this matter--so serious
! matter for you-sufficient thoughtr
"Mako your mind easy. reverend sir,
Romayne's answer set everything right.
"He said: Il have thought of it till
could think no longer. I still believe
that sweet woman might control the
torment OF the voice. But could she
deliver me from the remorse perpetu-
Ally gnswing at my hearth / feel as
murderers feel. In taking another
mans hfe--a man who has not even In
Iured NELL have committed the one
unstonable and objectionable sin.
Csn any human creatures influence
make me forget thatf No more Of ~
no more oomel Let us take Sefugs
n eus boohs.' e- f'T71 --
"Thoss words touched Psnross IN ths
right place. Now. ~ understand his
'oruples, be falt that he might honor
ably speak out. His zeal more than
balanced his weakness. a. you will pres.