Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-01

going to disappoint you? Which is it ?"
"The projections we see in each other,
l explained, may fairly be speculatively
questioned. The indefinite shapes of thu
glowing mass of Goals offer an excellent
field for the creative fancy. Persons O
vigorous imagination will there discovel
endless forms in what to an unimaginativ,
eye is formless waste"
Sic laughed gayly, thinking l was il
jest.
" How very absurd wonder what yor
see in me that is not there l am quite
quite sure see nothing in you but what is
I've no doubt of that. But after all, sht
added, coaxingly-a shade, l fancy, haC
overspread my face at such distasteful ex
pressions as "quIte sure, no doubt y
what does it signify, since one thing ii
absolutely certain, is it not %
"What is it % 1 asked, TREMENDOUSLY.
She looked at me reproachfully.
Nousuch-what question p
1 only sighed and kept silence.
81 meant" she said, by and by, in q
zoftened whisper, THAT we loved each
other. But am wrong, perhaps?"
inquiry. Women's perceptions are incon
veniently acute. A doubt. suspicion,
must have crossed her. She looked me
earnestly in the face, saying in grave, be-
seeching voice, "Do you love me. Non.
such ?"
l wanted to reply-or rather avoid re-
plying-by an affectionate pressure of hel
hand But her distrust was somewhat
aroused. She rose, took my hands, hold
ing me aloof, and repeating
"Do you love me? ?"
Darling, believe do" murmured,
distressed.
"You believe you do You say SO to
tease me. Nonsuch, want you to tell me
sincerely, positively, Individually, that you
know you love me-"
Terrible challenge, to an agnostio
"Vivia, you have not the slightest idea
what you ask !" exclaimed, agonized.
Have l not Could anything be palmer
than my question That l should ask il
may seem strange, but you arenot to blame
me for that.
Listen to me, dearest" | said, and
made her sit down beside me, and will
try and explain. You and perceive in
each other certain qualities that excite in
ourselves certain feelings love,
reverence, admiration, for instance. Phi,
losophers have proved to'us, however, that
these sentiments may be but the sem.
blances of just perceptions semblances to
which reality Will afterward be found not
| to correspond"
81 don't understand word, she said.
'What can you mean q
"By the stimulation of Just and ac-
curate perception? A stick plunged in
water looks broken. When in the train
we easily drift into the illusion that the
trees we pass are moving and we ourselves
at rest"
But we are not taken in, she objected,
perplexed.
No ; but why? Because the means of
yerification are at hand. Take the stick
from the water, step out of the train, and
you correct your falsifed impressions. Ia
moral feelings, real or simulated, we have
unfortunately no such means available.
There is practically no limit to the range
of imaginative influence in modifying the
character of present sensation. You ask
me if 1 love you? trust do; act on
the supposition-yet it is possible 1 may
not, you know"
"How?' she asked. hesitated. She
insisted. "You must tell me-"
implored her not to question me. But
she imperiously urged me to make myself
clear. Reluctantly l submitted.
" L may, unconsciously, be attracted by
your aristocratic name. Your fortune, l
rejoice say, is scarcely large enough to ex-
ercise an appreciate influence. Still it
may, unknown to myself. be factor in
what experience. Your personal charms,
my darling, as you must have discovered
for yourself, prepossesses every one in your
favor to degree that cannot exactly be
called rational. By dwelling habitually on
your charming side, and forgetting possible
hidden deficiencies, may have come to
transform you into an angel most unlike
| reality"
Are you laughing at me?" she asked
again. bewildered. "Are you in play g:
What makes you say all these strange
things to me?"
you forced them from me, dearest ~
| murmured.
mo; l asked you simple, straightfor.
ward question: wanted direct answer
it was not much"
"Vivia, it was the most frightful de.
mand you could possibly put upon a man
of my way of thinking" l cried patheti.
cally. ~ had rather, my love, that you
asked me to walk over red-hot plates of
iron than to state proposition in terms OF
such certainty as that"
She seemed deeply wounded, and rose
saying "Then you can never have be-
lieved in my love either-tell me that ?"
| replied without flinching.
You say you love me you speak sin.
cerely you have accepted me, but that
your motives in accepting me should have
been unmixed, it is not in our power to de-
termine. l was natural heir to large
property and income. Now, whenever
we perceive a non. sentimental reason fer
partiality as fortune Cd my side,
rank on yours-it should make US examine
the sentiment with jealous minuteness. /
could regret my mothers iberality. Had
been left penniless, though our marriage
might have been indefinitely postponed,
perhaps broken off altogether, you might
then, by unalterable constancy in refusing
to bestow your hand elsewhere, have de-
menstrated the disinterestedness of your
affection as now you cannot do"
"You have my word for it. Are you
going to say that is not enough 81
GAN human testimony, Viva, is value
less as an ultimate criterion"
Even yours to me mine to you :"
"The ADre so, dearest, since our strong
prediction to believe each other as good
as settles for us what we shall regard as
proof Thought, it is we'll said, depends
on the organism, the organism on its en-.
vironment. There is no escaping the con
clusion that the whole OF our love may be
beautiful but baseless dream. deludng
us with the phantom of certain knowl-
edge"
Her countenance changed. She turned
suddenly as white as death. l noted it,
and in the insane elation of relief OF that
moment thoughtless exclamation of joy
broke from my lips.
"Vivia you grow pale-pale Thank
heaven, then, that magnificent complex
ion-at last know tit is your own, in
deedr'
"My ownr' she repeated, wondering
What else should it be"
A guilty flush of confusion overspread
my check. l had betrayed myself In
my frenzy of delight at getting the re-
quired proof l had forgotten all besides.
Nonsuch," she said, in tone that
trembled-I feared with anger" tell me
the truth. Did you, could you think that
I-?' she stopped, and covered her face
with her hands,
saw l was lost. My only hope was to
show her that right was On my side; that