The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-12-03

thing / could remember before my eyes
closed was that, in spite Of my resolu-
tion. / took that white, well. shaped,
unresisting hand in my own, and slept
still holding it,
Sleep! Yes, it was sleep, II sleep
means anything but rest and peace.
Never, since the night | heard it, had
that woman's stiiied moaning come
back to me so clearly; never had my
dreams so nearly approached the real
ity of the terror which the blind man
had felt years ago. Right ankful |
was when the haunting cry rose shriller
and shriller, and, at last, eliminated by
resolving itself into the shrieking
whistle, which told me we were near to
Edinburgh. l loosed my wife's hand
and recalled my senses. That dream
must have been vivid one, for it left
me with the beads OF perspiration clam
my on my brow.
Never having been TO Edinburgh, and
wishing to see something OF the city, |
had proposed staying there for two OF
three days. During the journey 1 had
suggested this to my wife. She had
agreed to it as though place or time
was matter of little moment to her.
Nothing, it seemed to me, awoke her
interest!
We drove to The hotel and supped to-
gether. From our manner we might,
at the most, have been friends. Our
intercourse, for the time, being confined
TO the usual civilities shown by a gen.
tleman toward 4 lady in whose society
he is thrown. Pauline thanked me for
any lit lie attention to her comfort, and
that was all. The journey had been a
long and trying one-she looked wear
led out.
"You are tired, Pauline" I said;
''would you like to 60 TO your room?"
al am very tired" She spoke al
most plaintively.
Goodnight, then," l said; ito
morrow you will feel better, and we
will look at the lions of the place"
She rose; we shook hands, and said
goodnight Pauline retired to her
apartment, whilst | went out for a
ramble through the gas-lighted streets,
and with a sad heart recalled the
events of the day.
Husband and wife! The bitter
mockery of the words! For in every
thing except the legal bond Pauline
and l were as far apart rs we were on
that day when first saw her at Turin.
Yet this morning we had vowed to love
and cherish each other until death did
us part. Why had | been rash enough
to take Ceneri at his word? Why not
have waited until / had ascertained
that the girl could love me, or at least
ascertained that she had the power of
loving at all? The apathy and utter
indifference she displayed fell like u
chill upon my heart. / had done a
foolish thing-a thing that could never
be undone. must bear the conse-
quences. Still | would hope-hope
particularly, for what tomorrow might
bring forth.
| walked about for long time,
thinking over my strange position.
Then | returned TO the hotel and
sought my own apartment. 1t was one
of the suite OF rooms l had engaged,
aud mex. to my wife's. dismissed,
as well as could, all hopes and fears
until the morning came, and. tired with
the days events, aL last slept.
My bride and did not visit the
Lakes as / had planned. In two days
time / had learned the whole truth
learned all | could know-all that ]
might ever know about Pauline. The
meaning of the old woman's repeated
phrase, "she is not for love or mar
rage" was manifested TO me. The
reason why DIR. Ceneri had stipulated
that Pauline husband should be con-
tent to take her without inquiring into
her early life was clear. Pauline-my
wife my love, had no past!
Or no knowledge Of the past. Slow
| ly at first, then with swift steps, the
truth came home to me. Now knew
how to account for that puzzled, strange
look in those beautiful eyes-knew the
reason for the indifference, the apathy,
she displayed. The face OF the woman
| had married was fair as the morn
her figure as perfect as that of a Gre.
clan statue; her voice low and sweet
but the one thing which animates every
charm-the mind-was missingl
How shall describe her? Madness
means something quite different from
her state. Imbecility would still less
convey my meaning There is no word
/ can find which is fitting to use. There
was simply something missing from
her intellect as much missing as Q
limb may be from body. Memory,
except for comparatively recent events
she seemed to have none. The power
Of reasoning, weighing and drawing de
ductions seemed beyond her grasp. She
appeared unable to recognize the inn
pOrtance or bearing Of occurrences tax
ing place round her. Sorrow and de
light were emotions she was incapable
OF feeling. Nothing appeared to move
her. Unless her attention was called
TO them she noticed neither persons mol
places. She lived as by instinct--rose,
ate, drank and lay down TO rest as one
not knowing why she did so. Such
questions or remarks rs came within
the limited range of her capacity sh,
replied to-those outside it passed un
needed, or else the shy troubled eye
sought for u moment the questioner'
face, and left him rs mystilied as haC
been when first l noticed that curious
inquiring look.
Yet she was not mad. A person
might have met her out in company
and after spending hours in her society