The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-12-03
wooing which should have been COM
pleted before the final step had been
taken.
CHAPTER v.
NY LAW. NOT LOVE.

| ITOuu anu nhppt tS lelU Wncu ScdU-
ed side by side with Pauline in the rail-
way carriage which was taking us to
the north, fortunate as told myself ]
was to have won such fair bride;
great as my love was for the sweet girl
who mad just vowed herself mine for
ever, Ceneri's extraordinary stipulation
kept recurring 20 my mind-the man
who marries Pauline March must be
content to take her rs she is; to wish to
know nothing of her past.
Not foI one minute did think such a
contract could te enforced. AS soon as
l had succeeded in making Pauline love
me she would surely wish to tell me all
her history--there would be no need to
ask for 1.-THE confidence would then
be given as q matter of course. When
she learned the secret of love all other
secrets would cease between us.
NV wife looked verv beautiful as she
sat with her head leaning against the
dark cloth Of the carriage. Her clear
cut, refined features showed in that po-
sition advantageously. Her face, as
usual, l,was pale and calm; her eyes were
cast down. A woman to be indeed proud
of; to worship, to cherish, and -how
sweet it seemed to whisper the word to
myself-my wife!
Yet | suspect none would have taken
us for newly married couple. At any
rate there were no nudgings and sly
glances among our fellow-passengers.
The ceremony had been so hurried on
that no attempt had been made TO in
vest Pauline with the usual bridal ac-
cessories. Her dress, although becom-
ing and fashionable, was one in which
| had seen her several times. Neither
of us had any brand new belongings to
stamp us rs being bound for honey
moon; so the only notice we attracted
was the notice which was due to my
wife's great and uncommon beauty.
The carriage was nearly full when we
started from London, and as the
strangeness of our new relations pre-
vented our conversing in an ordinary
way, by mutual consent we were all but
silent; a few soft words in Italian were
all | could trust myself TO speak until
we were alone.
AT the first important station, the
first place at which the train stopped
for any time worth mentioning, l eXer.
cised a little diplomatic bribery, and,
changing our carriage We were in.
stalled in a compartment the windows
of which bore the magic word zen.
gagged" Pauline and were alone.
took her hand in mine.
g.Mty .uifan' I cail nacCinna talv
''mine, only mine. forever!'
Her hand lay listless and unresisting
in my own. pressed my lips to her
cheek. She shrank not from my kiss,
neither did she return it-she simply
suffered il.
"Pauline" / whispered, ''say once,
Gilbert, my husband >"
She repeated the words like child
learning new lesson. My heart sank
as her emotionless accents fell on my
ears. had hard task before me!
could not blame her. Why should
she love me yet? Me, whose Christian
por,ao, ! think, che hoard yostorday for
the first timer Better, far better, in
difference than simulated love. She
had become my wife simply because heI
uncle wished IL. ] could at least com.
fort myself by thinking the marriage
bad not been forced upon her; also that,
so far 2s could see, she entertained nc
dislike to me. did not for one mo
ment despair. | must now WOO hei
humbly and reverently, as every mar
should WOO his love. Certainly, as hei
husband. did not stand in worse po
siton than when / was her fellow-lodgel
and old Teresa was following my every
movement with her black suspicion:
eyes.
/ would win her, but until coulC
claim the rights which love would give
! resolved TO take none of those will
which the law had invested me. NonC
save this, and this only once.
Pauline" / said, "will you kis!
me? Only once ! ask it. IL will max,
me happier; but If YOU would ratheI
wait until we are better acquainted,
shall not complain"
She leaned forward and kissed my
forehead. Her young lips were red anC
warm, but they chilled me-in that kis
/
which was thrilling me.
drew my hand from hers, and, still
sitting beside her, began to do my bes
to make myself agreeable to the woman
/ loved. # / felt distressed and some
what disappointed, | concealed it anC
strove TO talk pleasantly and naturally
tried to ascertain what manner o
woman | had married-to get at hel
likes and dislikes to study her disposi
ton to determine her tastes-learn hel
wishes-read her thoughts and event
ually TO make her regard me as on'
who would spend his life in rendering
her happy.
When was il the idea first struck m,
the horrible idea that even the pecul
iarity and novelty Of the situation
could not altogether account for Paul
ines apathy and lack OF animation =
that shyness alone could not be entirely
responsible for the difficulty expert
enced in max ng her talk to me, even II
inducing her TO answer my questionsi
/ made every excuse for her She was
tired; she was upset; she could think o
nothing else save the rash and sudder
step taken to-day-more rash for hel
than for meas /, at least, knew that
loved her. At last /, TOO, sank int
silence, and miles and hours went by
whilst the bride and bridegroom sa
side by side without exchanging a word
much less n caress. 1t was strang,