Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-01-13
CHAPTER TX.

CHAPTER TX.
As Miriam stood before the mirror, con-
templating the brilliant image it reflected,
with strange, reckless feeling of triumph at
her heart, the door opened without warning,
and Priscilla entered.
The old woman's once erect figure was
bent, and she supported herself with thick
knotted stick as she hobbled, rather than
walked, towards her mistress, who turned
hastily to confront her with the secret mix
ture of repugnance and fear which she al
ways felt at her approach.
"What do you want?" she angrily asked,
as Pricilla, standing before her, ran her keen
black eyes over her, scanning her figure from
head to foot with searching and malignant
gaze.
II want to speak with you, my lady" The
words were respectful, but her tone was harsh
and even threatening, and an inward appre.
hension of some approaching danger thrilled
Miriam's heart. Disgusting this dread un-
der cold and naughty aspect, she rejoined,
"You might at least have asked permission
to enter my room, or have chosen more
fitting time for intruding yourselfupon me-"
"And what more fitting time could have
chosen ?" shrilly asked the old dame. "When
I see disgrace and ruin, and crime hanging
over the house whose name and fame used to
be untarnished, but now lie under cloud
which seems to grow blacker as years 60 on,
then think it's surely fitting time for me
to open my lips and warn you of the abyss
you're standing on the brink Of"
81 do not know what you mean," replied
Miriam, trembling, in spite Of herself, at the
old womans menacing look and tome
mo, Lady Hepburn, you don't know all l
mean. You don't know all know, either, or
you'd find out that it's true what I'm telling
you, that the ground is sliding from beneath
your feet. Ask yourself, my Lady of Linton,
what paths those feet of yours have trodden
in, and where they have brought you to now?
Ask yourself whether you carry clean heart
and a clear conscience in your breast, or
whether your past life and actions don't rise
up before you, and bid you repent and 60
mourning in sackcloth and ashes to the end
of your days, Instead Of decking yourself, as
I see you decked, in fine clothes and jewels,
like the Jezebel of old, who desired to en-
snare the innocent and wreak her wicked
works on all who came within her reach
Why do I see you in this shameless guise,
and where's the black dress you ought to be
wearing for your husband, Sir Roland Hep
burn? Do you feel that you have got any
right to cast it aside?'
So rapidly did she pour forth this address,
that her listener found no opportunity to ST.
lence or interrupt her. When she ceased,
however, half breathIess from the excitement
and energy with which she had spoken, Lady
Hepburn, with an imperious stamp of her
foot, exclaimed in her most commanding tone,
while indignation, for the moment, conquered
her fear
"How dare you use such insolent language
to me-? Leave my room Instantly, or shall
give orders to have you driven away from this
house, and never allowed to set your foot
within its doors again."
"And is it me you would be driving from
my masters house? Me who was born and
raised in the family, and never had hard
word from one of them in their whole blessed
lives? No, my lady, you'll never do that.
There's not servant on the place who'd drive
old Priscilla away, or keep her from entering
these DOORS.
"We shall see to thai" rejoined Miriam, now
fairly quivering with passionate resentment.
You will speedily find out that I am mistress
here, and that intend to have my commands
obeyed. I have already put up with your
insolence too long," She moved towards the
bell as she spoke, and was about to put her
hand upon it, when Priscilla swiftly interfered.
Don't ring the bell, my lady. I've come
to you to tell you something which must be
said, and which you must listen to. You've
no choice in the matter. I'm speaking Gods
truth, and if you stop your ears against it, |
tell you you'll run yourself into everlasting
perdition! Do you want to cast your own
soul into the blackness of hell 2"
Inexpressibly startled by the extraordinary
vehemence of the old woman's manner, as
we'll as by the forcible language that she en-
ployed, Lady Hepburn stood as if petrifed,
and was for moment incapable of answer
ing. Perceivng her advantage, Priscilla
went on, raising her shriveled hand with a
warning gesture, like some solemn emissary
of the Fates sent to bear message of ap-
preaching doom.
"I take my sacred oath to you before
Heaven, my lady, I'm saying no word but
what is full of the weightiest Importance to
you, and as you value your welfare in this
world and the next, you'd better pay due re-
gard to what I say. I've kept my lips sealed
this long while-too long, maybe; but it
didn't seem as if was called upon to open
them to you so long as things went on in their
usual course I've watched you watched
you many time when you never guessed |
was near and I've sometimes thought from
your sad looks and quiet ways that maybe
the Spirit of Grace was entering into your
heart and working repentance there God
knows I've prayed that it might be so. I've
wished you no evil, though you've tried to do
evil to me ever since you first knew me, but
rather hoped and desired you might turn
from the error of your ways, so that a day
of peace ght once more dawn upon this
ill-fated house. But now that see you cast
ing your mourning aside, and Haunting your
self in the eyes of the world, and entertaining