The state journal., 1884-07-19


ever done before. 1t was evening, the
first evening that we had walked together,
for she had always returned to the shore
with her maid at dusk. had looked for
her all the afternoon, and was leaving the
pier disappointed when | saw her com
ing.
The moon "with sad steps" climbed
the sky, and the multitudinous stars shed a
quiet light upon the sea.
The maid was with her, but walking at
a greater distance than usual in the rear
l had noticed from the first that the re-
lation between the beautiful young
/ mistress and her maid was neither a
friendly nor an intimate one. The maid,
: thought, had stolid and sullen air,
and seemed devoid of that regard for her
mistress which | thought would have
been a natural feeling in one who stood
| in the position of protectreSs to so tender
and gentle being. My fancy had
created for the lonely visitant of the pier
history of mingled pathos and mystery,
but it rested on basis unsubstantial as
air, for she had never spoken OF herself
except in phrases involuntary and remote.
This evening, when we had reached the
| end of the pier and had stood for while
watching the lights flash upon the water
from a vessel anchored in the distance,
l noticed that she was paler than usual,
and that her eyes, whose restless, Wlsttul
glance always affected me strangely, had
an anxious and troubled look, also GER
tain indescribable something [ had never
seen in them before. | prevailed on her
to sit, and we placed ourselves on bench
beneath the life boat which, swinging in
chains overhead, formed sort of ex
tempore roof.
l wanted to speak to her, but knew
not how to begin. Presently, of her own
will, she turned and said, quietly
"You have noticed something strange
in me.
l replied, in confused and hurried
way, that had sometimes feared she
carried some heavy trouble with her;
that l had shrunk from speaking Of it,
but that l longed if ii were possible, to
be Of some service to her.
"You are right, she said, sadly, Gin
supposing that l have a trouble, and
indeed, it is q heavy one; but you cannot
help me-nO!' she said with a gesture
and accent almost despairing, when |
made as though | would offer some help
or counsel. ut is not possible. My life
is as it is. | cannot help myself and no
one else can help me.
Then her voice sank to a frightful
whisper, and the fear in her eyes height
ened as she said:-
"HaveyOu not seen that am watched?'
| cast an angry look in the direction OF
the maid, who was pacing the pier at a
little distance from us and my COM
paniOn also glanced that way and
whispered
Yes, you have seen it; l knew you
had Everywhere and all day long am
watched and followed. | cannot escape
they have woven web around me. :"
She trembled and was full of excite
ment a condition that contrasted
strongly and painfully with her usually
quiet and gentle state.
But why is it p l asked, anxiously,
with a feeling of deeper concern than l
dared to reveal. "Why are you watched
and followed? Do not your friends know
of this Why are you here alone with
woman you fear 2
A moments passion cleaned in her
eyes and expired and inexpressible
yearning took its place while she
answered
'My friends All you do not under
stand; you cannot how could you? l
fear my friends more than fear her. She
belongs to them and acts for them ; it is
my friends that are my enemies it is
from them that | cannot escape. Shall |
tell you why it is that they are cruel to
me, and what is the horrible burden fmy
life but no cannot. Who are you
that l should talk to you in this way
What interest have you in me?''
A terrible suspicion crossed my mind,
but vanished in an instant. She had be-
come calm again, and spoke as one who
than she was aware of, | begged, | i'm
plored her, that she would speak to me
and make me her confident, assuring her
of my fidelity and my earnest desire to
serve her but she was silent, and when
she spoke again it was with shadow of
GOODNESS in her manner and she thanked
me; but said that she had spoken more
than she intended, and made an excuse,
and begged that / would forget. The
maid, who, as | believed, had noticed
her recent excitement came up, and say
ing that it was late and the air was grow
ing chilly, suggested that her mistress
should return. She rose at once and
gave me her hand saying that she would
not trouble me to accompany them to
the shore, and seeing that it was her
wish to be alone bowed and she with
drew, followed by the maid.
From that night | thought of her
more than ever Nay, her sweet, mourn
full face haunted my waking and my sleep
ing dreams, and the sad music Of her
voice echoed in my ear.
To the interest OF her beauty and her
bearing was now added that of the
mystery she had darkly limited at
mystery which remained mystery, for
she never again reverted to it, and |
forebore to trouble her with questiOnings.
But the feeling that had been growing
in me since our friendship Opered, sank
deeper and acquired ever fresh strength.
Interest had long since passed into fasci-
nation fascination now passed into love.
At this there was nothing to wonder.
Her dark and melancholy beauty, the in
explieably subtle charm of her manner,
the frequency OF our meetings and the
curiously fitting character of time and
place-these were circumstances | had
neither power nor will resist And |
grew to love her with the heat and pas
sion OF youth, though conscious always
of a something lowering about her which
made it difficult for ne to approach her
in the character of lover.
But one evening as we sat together on
the steps leading down to the water |
dared to speak 10 her as had never
spoken before. She heard me, but with
agitation in her looks and when paused
and drew q little closer to her she shrank
back, and in tone almost of horror she
answered that what had asked her was
wholly impossible for her to grant. Then
her manner softened, and with tears in
her eyes she bade me leave her and forget
her.