Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08

has but to strike 81
When the Count joined him, he said,
smoothly, "Welcome, dear friend, as the
morning sun and may your news be
sweet as Areca nuts The fairest wife is
better, trust, and her STANCE delusion
vanished ?"
"Buonc !" returned the Count, with n
forced and fugitive smile. "They say she
sleeps so I abstained from disturbing
her. My heart bleeds still for her cruel
fancy, but my hope is that she will be
more reasonable tomorrow.
"Ah, truly, there is much virtue lodged
in tomorrow" said Sastri, with stenlthy
SMILE moro cruel than stab. "Let US
drink, dear friend, to the blossoming of
it's buds of hope
SO saying, lie unsupported the decanter
of Soderini, and pushed it towards the
Italian, proceeding afterwards, with the
utmost GOODNESS, to pour himself out n
glass Of Tawagona, wine whose lus-
ciousness pleased his Oriental palate.
Since the Prince seemed disposed to sit
up drinking and talking, his host had to
sit up too, though he felt so worn out
with the worry and anxiety of the day
that lie would have risked anything less
than the danger of offending Sastri to
nave got away to the solitude Of his own
room.
A heavy oppression and creeping dread,
quite foreign to his cynical, selfcompla-
cent temperament, had possession Of him
all the evening. Shadows from the past
protruded themselves across his inward
vision, and made the light, and move
ment, and mirth nothing but a confused
blur to his eyes. Ghastly faces grinned
at him from the tinsel Of the stage, and
the tinklirg music and the merry rattle of
the actors were Transformed in his ears to
voiccless menaces and dying means, and
her voice repeating "Murderer T.
He drank glass after glass of the drug
Led wine in the hope of inducing sleep to
Danish consciousness. But the end was
reached sOoucr than he anticipated.
Drowsiucss came iGst and etupor follow
ed speedily.
When he began to snorc in his chair,
the Indian rang for Jose. and said. with a
smile and Il shrug. Your EHcellency
has drunk freely tonight, and now he
sleeps. Together we will help him to
where his slumber may be easy and un-
disturbed.
It was nearly ole o'clock when shuffl-
ing noise in the passage outside made it.
self audible in the Countess's bedroom,
and Lucia, opening her eyes, said to Ro-
settle, "See if the Count is retiring"
Rather astonished at this evidence Of
clear perception in her apparently sleep
ing mistress, the maid obeyed, and, com
ing back, reported that the Count had
fallen asleep down stairs, and jose WAS
now putting him TO bed.
"Theu there will be no more disturb
ing noises to break my rest, and you can
retire, " said tho Countess
But the signora may be i'll in the
night and require me, suggested Rosette,
feeling it incumbent upon her to make
some show Of resistance
"Thank YOU; prefer TO be alone, -
said Lucia. with quiet decision and she
closed her eyes as if to imply that those
words were final.
Nothing 10th, Rosetto took the hint,
and made her exit with as little delay as
possible. When the door closed on hel
waiting-woman, Lucia's face lost the lool;
of mere passiyity which had lain upon it
like mask all the time she had felt her.
self watched. For, inwardlv, she had
been very lar from state of passive
calm, and the hours passed with closed
|
preparation for the fultillment OF q pur-
pose.
The conflict between duty and desire
which he'd continually rent her MIND
throughout her married life, had ceased
now. Circumstances had come to free
| her from the burden Of an odious duty
and right aud desire rushed i'll one strong
current Which had no counter tide.
| l., -. g., lo
ful issue of her purpose demanded ut
most secrecy, bat her closed eyes werC
filed with intense inward sight, and hel
heart was palpitotiug with the wild ex
citement Of Il desperate resolve.
She could scarcely have been alone
more than hali an hour, when presence
and movement in the room became per-
ccptible to her acute consciousness.
She heard tue door from the passage
stealthily closed, and knew some one wal
gliding towards the bed. It was too dali
to see anything ii she had chosen to look
and believing the intruder to be her hus
band, she did not choose.
She lay absolutely motionless, listen
ing and waiting but there was look OF
her set lips, and a riGlity about the long
white fingers lying outside the coverlet
that contained a menace to greater daring
than the Counts,
She was not afraid Of him now she
was thinking OF her father and her moth
er. and the strength Of tine ayenger nerveI
her vibrating frame,
But the expected climax came IN an
other form from what she anticipated
Something cold. hard and metallic was
slowly thrust under her fingers, and {