The Iola register., 1885-02-06
My God! that man is a vii

"Sure! yes. 1 was sure when the
man in the cell next to mine raped il
on the wall. He had means of know
ing"
"I don't understand YOU"
Prisoners can sometimes talk to
each other by taps on the wall which
divides their cells! The man next me
was one of us. Long before he went
raving mad from the months of solitary
confinement, he raped out over and
over again: Betrayed by Macari' ]
believed him. He was too true a man
to make the accusation without proof.
But until now could not see the object
of the treason"
The easiest part of my task was over.
Macari's assumed relationship to Pau
line was disposed of. Now, if Ceneri
would tell me, must learn who was the
victim of that crime committed years
ago, and what was the reason for the
foul deed. 1 must learn that Macari's
explanation was an utter falsehood,
prompted by malice, or else my journey
would have benefited me nothing. Is
it any wonder that my lips trembled as
l endeavored to approach fhe subjectp
''Now. DIR. Ceneri," said, Il have
a question of heavier import to ask.
Had Pauline lover before married
her?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Surely you
have not come here to ask that ques-
tion-to have fit of jealousy cured?"
NO." L said; ''you will hear my
meaning later on. Meanwhile, answer
me"
''She had a lover, and Macari pro-
fessed to love her, and swore she should
be his wife. But 1 can most certainly
say she never returned his love-
"Nor loved any one else?"
Not to my knowledge. But your
manner, your words are strange. Why
do you ask? may have wronged you,
Mr.. Vaughan, but save for the one
thing, her mind, Pauline was fit to be
your wife.
You did wrong me-you know it.
What right had you to let me marry
woman whose senses were disar-
ranged? 1t was cruel to bothp"
felt stern and spoke sternly. Ceneri
| shifted in his chair uneasily. If | had
wished revenge it was here. Gazing on
this wretched, ragged, broken-down
man. and knowing what awaited him
when he left me, would have filled the
measure desired by the most vengeful
/ heart.
wanted no revenge on the man. His
manner told me he spoke the truth
when he denied that Pauline had ever
been in love. As, when last l gazed on
her fair face, | knew it would, Macari' S
black lie had been secuted, Pauline
was innocent as an angel. But must
, know who was the man whose death had
for awhile deprived her of reason.
Ceneri was glancing at me nervously.
Did he guess what l had to ask him?
Tell me-" l said, '.the name of the
young man murdered by Macari in Lon
don, in the presence of Pauline; tell me
why he was killed?"
His face grew ashen. He seemed to
couapse-to sink back into his chair a
helpless heap. without the power of
speech or movement, without the power
of turning his eyes from my face.
"Tell me-" repeated .'Stay. 1
will recall the scene to you, and you
will know am well informed. Here is
the table; here is Macari, standing over
the man he has stabbed; here are you,
and behind YOU is another man with
scar on his cheek. In the back room,
at the piano, is Pauline. She is sing
ing, but her song stops rs the murdered
man falls dead. Do describe the scene
truly?"
l had spoken excitedly. I had used
gestures and words. Ceneri's ears had
drurs& in every syllable; his eyes had
followed every gesture. As l pointed
to the supposed position of Pauline. he
had looked there with quick, startled
glance, as if expecting to see her enter
the door. He made no attempt to de-
ny til" accuracy of my representation.
L waited for him to recover. He was
looking ghastly. His breath came in
spasmodic gasps. For a moment I
feared he was about to die then and
there. poured out glass of wine; he
took it to his trembling hand and gulped
it down.
Tell me his name?' l repeated.
Tell me what he had to do with Pau
line?''
Then he found his voice. ..Why do
you come here to ask me? Pauline
could have told you. She must be well,
or you could not have learned this
"She has told me nothing"
"You are wrong. She must have
told YOU. No one else saw the crime
the murder; for murder it was"
''There was another present beside
the actors l have named"
Ceneri started and looked at me.
,.'Yes, there was another; there by
an accident. A man who could hear
but not see. A man whose life pleaded
for as for my own"
Il thank you for having saved it,
"Yom thank me. Why should you
thank me-"
III you saved any ones life it was
mine. Twas that man."
"You that man!' He loo:.,d at me
more attentively-'.Yes; now the feat
ures come back to me- / always Won
dered that your face seemed so familiar.
Yes. I can understand-I am a doctor
your eyes were operated upon?"
''Yes-moSt successfully" y-, 81.
s.You can see well now-but then! I
could not be mistaken, you We're blind
you saw nothing
81 saw nothing, but l heard every
thing"
"And now Pauline has told you what
happened?''
Pauline has not spoken"
Ceneri rose, and in great agitation
walked up and down the room, his
chains rattling as he moved. Il knew
it." he muttered in Italian. Il knew it