Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-03-13

force drew her 10 me, ana ia1u unaJ poor
head on nv shoulder. I stroked the smooth
black silky hair, l kissed the white forehead,
and used every endearing and soothing ex-
preston that love such mine could sug-
pest. In vainl The moment loosened my
hold my wife fed from my side.
{" Easil," she cried, "you knew it! You
knew the blood of a man was on my handsl
Again l say such love is not holy!'
Dearest, again I tell you that in my
eyes-if the truth were known in the eyes
of all-you are innocent as babe"
She shook her head hopelessly I saw
that nothing at present could move her.
Perhaps it was more than I had a right to
expect So for the time l gave up arguing.
l begged her for my sake to retire to rest.
gave her soothing draught. | sat by her
for hours, and held her hand. until at last
her eyelids fell, and, worn out by grief, she
slept
Oh. Low right I had been in choosing
flight! Although a cursed chance had re-
vealed what fondly hoped would be for
ever buried in oblivion, how right l had
been! Had the hands of justice grasped my
sweet wife. although she might no doubt
have teen found guiltless the trial. the ex-
posture, would have kilede her. Thank
heaven, she YVES safe, and anenable only to
the tribunal of her own sensitive conscencel
When | heard her breathing grow regu-
lar and knew that she was in a deep sleep, l
preseei nv lins gently to her fair cheek and
left her. I went in search of my mother
and made the best tale [ could think of to
account for Philippa's indisposition. 1
forced myself to wear a smiling face, and to
listen with show of interest to the account
nv mother gave me of certain difficulties
which had during my absence arisen with
some OF the native servants. But there was
nothing which could really interest me
when thought Of my poor love lying there
10 ole 10. o,,I
morse. No wonder that, as soon as l had
srent with my mother the smallest portion
of time which filial duty and gratitude ex-
acted I fed back to Philippians bedside.
I watched beside her until she awo1e-
until her splendid dark eyes unveiled them
selves I leaned over and kissed her pas
sionatey. Between sleeping and waking,
while consciousness was yet in allegiance. she
returned by caresses. Then came back
memory and its terrors.
"Leave me-" she said; 81 am murder
essr'
her she was innocent. My only hope was
that by continued argument I might in time
ease her mind. She listened almost apathet-
iicalv. I grew eloquent and passionat tie.
Was not pleading for my own sake as we'll
as hers? If I could but persuade her she
was unaccountable for what she had done,
,.some remnant Of the happiness which few
DAYS ago had promised myself might even
,Esoe- be left.
.a.Iasi,n she whispered, 81 have been
dkea4aing horrible things. Viii they try
n.e-asd hang me 2"
werq. guilty, the English law could not reach
you.7'
She started card it was for this you
hurried to .s5pain2 To save me from fell
on's death1?"
.sTo save yoa from what, i'll your state at
,oN hoo T
you are innocent, but l dare not risk the
trial"
She was silent fsrsserne minutes; then she
spoke.
81 am proud, passioAate, wicE ed she
said; ''but could never have msant to do
this was mad! I must have been mad!
Basil, you could tell them. .Vas MAC. They
would believe you and forgive me-"
She looked at me imploringly.
t GGHJ 6 s@H srg At tie n d F 1g
delirium. I could pledge my professional
reputation that your actions were the result
of madness. Fear nothing on that score,
my wife"
spoke boldly, but as I spoke thought
shot through me-a thought which blanehed
splration to my brow. [ knew enough
OF law to be aware that husband could
not in criminal case give evidence for or
against his wife. My marriage with Phil,
lppa had deprived her of the benefit of my
testimony as to her insanity l trembled
IN the event of her being tried for the muir
der of Sir Mervyn Ferrand. The very
nurses had but seen her sane. No one but
myself and perhaps my servant had seen
her i'll her madness.
My dismay was such that vas bound to
leave the room in order to recover my
presence of mind Again and again l
thanked heaven that we were on foreign
soil. The thought that my unreasoning
love might have destroyed her l loved was
almost more than could bear.
fancy have fingered long enough over
that terrible time when my wife first
learned that the dream which had haunted
her was reality-that her hand had I'M
knowingly avenged her supposed and pre-
meditated wrong Let me but say that the
a9ental anguish into which the knowledge
Ttslnged her was not unattended by physical
evil. In fact, for many days my poor girl
was i'll, very ILL., My mother and | nursed
her with every care, and by and by youth
and a splendid constitution Teasserted the M
selves, and, a shadow of her former self, she
was able to leave her bed. Ny mother was
tenderness itself to her daughter. She knew
nothing of the true cause of her illness; in
deed, sac blamed me roundly for not having
taken proper care of my beautiful bride.
and vowed laughingly that for the future
nothing should induce her to trust Philippa
out of her sight
Now that Philippe knew all she had done
/ thought it better to tell her that, although
he had no intention of so doing, Sir Mervyn
Ferrand, in causing mock marriage to be
celebrated. had by strange chance really
made her his wife This gave her little
comfort. SIT makes my crime the greater"
she said, bitterly. 81 have killed my hus-
band instead Of my seducer l am not fit
to lve!'
Weeks went by. Philippe gradually grew
stronger, and, what was even more a cause
or JOY to me, calmer and more reasonable
on a certain subject. With all the power
could bring TO bear had never ceased to
impress upon her that morally she was inno-
cent, and believed my words We're bearing
fruit. Her fits of mental anguish and self
reproach grew of less frequent occurrence.
She did not, whenever we were alone, con-
tinualy harp on her crime Calm seemed
to settle upon us once more and I ventured
to hope that the great physician, Time,
would one day bring to my wifes heart
something that might be called sorrowfu
happiness; but knew must wait wears and
years for this.
She was changed, greatly changed. Her
lips seldom smiled; her eyes never bright
ened, unless when she saw me drawing near
She seemed older and graver. But I knew,
in spite of all, she loved me with deathless
love.
Although at last we had ceased to discuss
the sorrow of our life, | suspected it was
seldom absent from her mind Sometimes
as lay beside her heard her moaning and
talking in her troubled dreams, and too we'll
| knew the cause. As my arm stole round
her. and assured her of the safety and Ger
tainty of my great love, in my heart l
cursed the dead man whose evil deed had
brought such lasting woe on the fair head
pillowed on my bosom. All me! what life
might have been for US two, now that love
reigned between usl
Once-it was shortly after Phlippa began
to creep, weak invalid, about the fragrant
potio-she said to me, with evident mean
ing in her voice:
Basil, do you see the London papers?'
ak IS Mg1z