Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-08

Roulel. Yet | knew she had unuerstoou LUG
She threw a stone into the incoming wav
In her turn, then she spoke slowly ana care
fully: i,
aAre you going back to your wifef' SIN
said.
sWho told your said !, not having voic'
for more. -,
aTbe princess, think. The morning yot
came into the studio and she was there
/ seldom entered Suzon's house One morn
ing had gone TO ask her about photogra ph
ing a picture, / remembered, and frihces'
Mathilde was there
"What did she sayF' ] asked
"Preciselya She said what very hand
some man you were, and what sad story
yours was"
'Ahgn | said stupidity.
"Where is your wifep Suzon spoke with
careful ciyility. Il suppose you will join her
in Romegn
my wife, mademoiselle, is, or rather was,
in maison de sante. She suffers from IN
durable homicidal mania"
Il beg your pardon" said my comrade
/ softly, and held out her hand to me.
took it as it was offered and let it go
again. :,
I She did not ask me any more, nor did tell
| her OF what use was it to say that three
/ times had that woman tried to murder me
when crazed by drink, till her own people
had had her shut upi Or why should say
/ to nv bon garcon that had only that day
received letter from the doctor at the asy-
lum telling me that my wife had escaped, and
he did not know where she was; could ! tell
him Of any haunt in which she was likely TO
be foundl
/ saw no sense in telling all this TO Suzon.
When man at the age Of 20 marries wo-
man thirteen years older, and finds out soon
after that, besides being addicted TO drink
ing, she is OF unsound mind and makes pleas
ing attempts to murder him, she and her
doings are not a subject on which he is likely
TO dwell So held my tongue.
never thought she could find me out in
my pleasant land, though she had been there
once with me, long ago; Inever thought that
in her mad hatred She would remember how
/ invariably spent tho spring months there
after my winters work But | fancied l
should find her in Rome
What are you going to dor" asked Su-
zon
"Work, she said quietly.
She never spoke Of it, but | knew she
painted for her bread, and that she had no
idea of saving money, butlived from hand 70
mouth So | was anxious about her.
could not trust myself 20 think about it.
would keep an courant with her doings. that
was all could do for her though / knew
she was horribly poor, and the life Of beau
tiful woman in Paris is not easy in that ease
we will have one more walk before GO
| said 70 suzon and she said Yes
So the next day We walked up tho terraced
high road, up and up till we reached the
olives and the wheat, and then the bean
fields, and, wandering on at our own sweet
will, were happy and innocent, God knows
We sat down at last on the long grass at
the edge Of the sin oyerhanging the sea,
where d little wind came up to us
We did not speak Of its being our last dayl
we talked as uaual, comrade 70 comrade, |
while a nightingale somewhere about kept /
trying his voice IN broken ecstasies.
Il was like heaven.
lay on the grass; Suzon. not far or, read |
Leopardi aloud Why she chose that phil |
osophie de desespoir, she who had still Ia joie |
de vivre. | do not know. But presently | 1
ceased to hear her voice
do not sleep at night, and, Ike all people 4
who have insomnia, am utterly unnble some /
times @ keep from falling into deep sleep,
ii the open air
And 50 did that day.
And while | slept that woman must have
been creeping up 70 us For | started, dazed,
from my sleep TO see Suzon struggling in the /
grasp Of mad woman ON the very verge Of
the cliff
OF course / knew who it was I was on
my feet like flash, but not m time; for be-
fore could reach her | saw my comrade
flung out over that awful height.
And then two men VINO had been working
in the fields came running and caught my
wife. l d not wait 20 hear them tell how
they had seen her creep up 20 me, not seeing
| was not alone; how, just as she held the
knife at my back, Suzon had leaped like a
cat and caught it from her hand, and how
that she devil had turned on her All that
heard afterward Now | ran down that
zigzag path 10 the shore and knelt by my
little comrade.
! thought she was dead, for nearly every
bone in her body was broken and her eyes
were closed IN stupor. l CROPPED for her heart
With my hand q who had never touched herr.
She was alive, for felt it stir, and then she
opened her eyes and looked at me-
She knew me, but she did not, think, re-
member where she was or what had happened
The poor lips tried 70 speak and failed
Try again, my darling, ma cherie!' l
'ried Tell me, are you in paingn Though
did not think she was, for her back was
broken
Say it again." she whispered
"Whatf | wondered. Indespair / called
Ter by every name / had for her and had
lever used except to my own soul.
Ma cherie, ma rose blonde, mon amour
"What you said-I was always-to YOUR
he gasped fretfuily
Mon camarade, mon bon garcon,r / said,
hardly able 70 get out the words.
Bon gar the murmur died in her
hroat and her eyes closed Presently could
10 longer feel her heart.
And when | knew she was dead took her
Il my arms and carried her up to the little
'lateau, full Of wondering peasants, where
no gendarmes were taking away my wife. /
5ut did not see them; went straight to
Ter house, even to that chamber where had
lever thought to enter, and laid her on her
ed.
\ ]