The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1885-03-27
She kissed me. dearest, forgive me. 1
should not blame YOU Only nm to blame"

| DJhtt ana Snuuu0rDu AZ henrit IT, 100 Wou
l knew what England meant. 1t meant
Philppa's standing in open court. in a pris.
oners dock, the centre OF gaping crowd.
self accused Of the murder Of her husban I!
And rs pictured this once more, and for
the last time, the temptation shook me-,
lspoke, but l aysrted my eyes from hers.
and strange; 1t sounded like the voice OF
another man. A sort OF undercurrent OF
thought ran through me. that IL Philippa
would but share 1t, ! could bear any burden,
any dishonor.
,rS isl said in % SS,o ~, sse :sa o.HSr s
We can b. Happy p' Let the sv man s' take HI:
chance. What does anything matter. SO
long rs We love and are togetherT'
felt that her eyes were seeking mine. I
felt a change in the clasp of her hand. ]
knew that she was nobler and better than I.
-, Basil" she said, softly, nd>speaking
band, not the man love, who said thai. l
forgive you for tho sake Of your great love,
for tho sake Of all you have done, or tried
to do: for me. Tell mo now, when do we
start for Englandr'
Her words brought back my senses. N-ver
in the widest height of my passion hal I
loved Phi!ippa as loved her at that mo.
mont besought her pardon She gave
it, and once more repeated her question.
With the calm OF settled despair coll
suited the railway-guide. and found that II
| we left Seville tomorrow morning ~ the
first train, we might, by travelling day and
night, early on the morning or the twenti-
| eth reach the town in which the trial was to
be held. made the result OF my researches
known to my wife; AMI upon my assuring
her that We should have time to spur., she
left all the arrangements Of the journey tn
me-
After this, another painful question arose.
Was my mother to be told! Philippa, who
may, perhaps, in her secret heart have
craved for woman's support and sympa.
thy in her approaching trial, at first insisted
that my mother should be taken into our
few days time would be gossip to the world.
besought her to waive the point, to spare
my mothers feelings until the very last mo-
mont. We could not take her With us on our
hurried journey. We were young; she was
old. The fatigue, combined with the grief,
would be more than her frame could endure
l could not bear to think Of her waiting
lonely in Seville for the bad news which she
know must come in day or two from Eng
land. Let us say nothing respecting the
wretched errand on which we are bound
Lot us depart in secret. and leave some
plausible explanation behind us.
To my relief Philippa at last consented to
this. Then, after long. fearful embrace,
we steeled ourselves to join my mother at
the evening meal, and to bear ourselves so
that she should suspect nothing of the tenn.
pest within our hearts. We did not very
long subject ourselves to this strain upon
our nerves. 1t seemed to me now that every
moment spent otherwise than alone with my
wife was a precious treasure wasted, a loss
which should forever regret So very
early we pleaded fatigue, and retired to our
rest Such rest!
Philippa bade my mother good night with
an embrace so long and passionate that I
feared it would awaken alarm. espec ally
when it was succeeded Ivy my own veiled.
but scarcely less emotional, adeu. For who
could say that we should ever meet again2
do not believe it struck Philippa that in
accompanying her was running the slight
est risk Had she thought 50, she would
have insisted upon going alone But
new that the part I had played in that
night's work would probably bring a severe
punishment upon my own head. What did
care Tor that?
Silently and sadly in the retirement of
our room we made our preparations Tor the
journey, which began with the morn. There
was nj need to cumber ourselves with much |
luggage. We should rest in no bed until |
the trial was over. What resting-place |
might then be Philippa's, Heaven only
Then ] wrote letter, to be given to or
found by my mother in the morning. told |
her that an important matter took me post |
haste to England; that Philippa had deter
mined to accompany me; thatI would write |
further explanation: I hoped she would at |
tribute my sudden fight to the cratic ma
ture which she often averred possessed.
After all. the deception mattered little.
In a weeks time nothing would matter
Grief. overwhelming grief. would be my
FOR mo and for Philippe, my poor mother
would be forced to SHARE
All being now ready for our stars, NJ 4
strove to win some hours OF sleep. Our |
efforts were Knocked to acorn. Through |
that, the last night we could spend together. |
an eyelid. Let me draw . veil over my wild |
distress and Philippa's calm acquiescence in |
her fate. Some grief is too sacred to de- |
SCRIBE
Morning! Bright, broad, clear. cool.
odorous lnorningl Our sleeplessness had at |
while for a moment giorying. in the beauty |
Of the world. to remember what this morn
ing meant to US. Giving ourselves annie |
time to reach the railway station, we crept |
from our room. and, with eyes full of blind |
ing tears. crossed the pleasant patio. |
spray from the great orange tree. kissed It |
and gave it to my wife. Without word |
abe placed it in the bosom Of ,~r dr-s. A |
she drew nor mantle aside to do 80, for the |
first time noticed that she wore the very |
dress which clad her on that fatal night.
Although 1t was utterly unsuited to the
almost tropical heat through which we |
should have to travel, dared not remon-. |
strate with her. Now, of all times, her |
slightest wish should be my law.
Noiselsssly undid the massive studded |
wooden gate, which at night time closed the
entrance to the patio. Unseen, we stepped
into the shady. narrow street. Our luggage |
was light. l could carry it with ease to the
station, which was only short distance oil.
We were there only too soon.
We had to wait some time ere the train,
which, following the example OF the true
Spaniard, declines on any consideration TO |
be hurried, made its appearance We TOOK
our seats in silence At last the dignitied
train condescended to move onward. We
sat side by side. and gazed and gazsd in the
direction of the beautiful city from which
we were flying; gazed until we saw the very |
last of it, until even the great towering
Giralda was lost to view. Then, and only |
then, think we fully realized to what end
we were speeding.
The next three days and nights seem now
little more to me than whirling dream.
On and on we went to work out our fate,
over the same ground which had traversed,
with scarcely less agitated feelings, some
mOnths aOO I ground nv teeth when i L