The Republican., 1888-12-01

| Then she rose suddenly, her cheeks flushing
her eyes flashing.
Il know one thing" she said, slowly-u
know have not lost your love because
have ceased to be an attractive woman; fol
other men find me attractive, if my HUSBAND
does not"
He might have seen, he might have
known, that she was laboring under sont
strange excitement when she spoke those
words. He ought to have taken the alarm
then and there but he did not.
He was too sure Of her absolute love and
devotion to feel troubled. He only looked
at her, smiling laziy, as he lighted his
cigar
'Of course you are attractive, Clarice, u
he said. Il do not see that you look a dav
older than you did when l married you
Why should you3 | give you every com.
fort and luxury, and never find fault witt
you in any way, or deny you one wish.
don't know any married woman who live.
an easier life than you do, Clarice None v
case, luxury, society, full liberty to do a.
you please, to go and come, and entertain
whom you will think l am a pretty eoof
husband, as husbands go, after all. Bu
good night must be off | suppose tn,
Count is coming to practice that duet witt
you, is ne not!
Clarice, who had not taken her eyes from
his face while he spoke, but had listened
with the flush slowly dying from her cheek
and leaving it more CHASTITY in its pallor than
before,Nturned now and walked to the oppo
site side Of the room, as she said in Low
and weary tone; "Yes, he is coming Goot
night, Hugh"
mi OF ta
ing her brow on her clasped hands-,s,ss.a
the mantel the very droop of her figurel,.
speaking listless, desrairing WEAKNESS N
soul and body, when a rich and 1nelodioul
voice spoke close at her side:
| 'Madame-madame, are you illln II
! She started violently, and looked IN III
/ the handsome face of Count Dubois 81
was standing very near her. She tremd
with strange agitation.
You are certainly ILL.," he said. an he
drew her hand in his arm and led her oitly
to adivan and seated himself besideher.
They were silent for a moment
Il me1 monsieur your husband, mala5e.
as l came III, the Count said, presepy |
1t is strange mystery tome how a Jan |
with such beautiful hone and a lcely |
wife can leave them both SO often foithe |
Doudoir of an actress ike Nanine Her |
brazen beauty would repel not attrae me. |
l am glad, madame, that you do not,llow
yourself to pine away in solitude, an6nake
yourself miserable on that account.1 am
glad that you allow yourself the pleasres of
society, even though you starve you heart
and the hearts Of those who adore yc."
While the Count spoke, Clarice fit her
self growing cold and numb. Sh closed
her eyes and swayed backward, there a
gentle arm was stretched to suplRt her.
She yielded herself to its pressur uncon-
sciousiy. Heart and brain were sctortured
and stung with pain, she gave 10 fought to
her body.
What were you saying abut-about
Nanine" she asked in a hoare whisper.
"Surely you are iesting. My huband does
not go to see that actress, save in the au
dience. We have all been to see her several
times. She plays well. But he-oh, no,
you are mistaken, Count Dubois
The count laughed, a bitter sarcastic
laugh, unpleasant to hear.
My dear lady" he said 81 did not sup
pose you ignorant of this matter or | never
should have been the first to speak of it to
you. But the whole city knows what a
slave to Nanine Monsieur Bickester has be-
come during the last two months No day
passes that he does not see her. He is said
TO be most favored of all her lovers, just
now But surely, madame, you" ~
this'jnnct ure rio c,ssirt's r-s,.rssrifs were =
terrupted by the sudden dropping of a limp
figure against his shoulder. Clarico had
tainted.
She recovered consciousness to find her
self held closely in the Counts arms, his
hands strol1ing her brow, his pale face bent
closely above her own, while he murmured
passionate words Of endearment
MY darling, my beautiful one" he cried,
as she opened her eyes, "you must not
grieve over one mans perfdy and falseness.
Here is one who loves you better than his
life who will give you devotion, tenderness,
happiness forever. Fly with me, dearest;
go this very night. Let your husband seek
the actress, but never again let him insult
YOU by coming home to you. 1t is more sin
ful to dwell with him after he is untrue to
you, than TO fly with one who will devote
his life to making you happy Come, go
with NE this very night, Clarice-"
But Clarice drew herself from his arms,
weak, trembling and pallid as death.
mo, no." she cried, wait, wait. l must
see him frst-I must hear the confession
from his own lips. / can not believe it till
he tells me it is so. can not condemn him
unhea2d.n
"You have but to go with me this very
evening, to the side entrance of the theater,
and | will give you proof of my words"
Count Dubois answered, quietly. 'Your
husband will emerge therefrom at Nanine's
side and drive away with her in a close
carriage. VIII you goa Do you desire the
prcofr'
81 do will 60" she answered.
'An hour later, two cloaked figures stood
motionless at the private entrance of the
theater where the beautiful mamie" per-
formed nightly to enthusiastic audiences.
A thousand wild thoughts, memories, Incl
dents, We're floating through the excited
brain Of Clarice, as she waited there. Her
husbands prolonged absences, his increas-
ing disregard of his home, his avoidance of
quiet evenings alone with her All, why
had she been so blind as not to see and un-
derstand that she had rival in his hearta
Why had she been the last to know the
bitter, humiliating truth! And yet-aud yet
perhaps, after all, it was not true; perhaps
he was not there; perhaps he would not
come forth with Nanine, and Count Dubois
would confess it all a cruel jest.
But, even as the wild hope began to find a
place in her tortured mind, there was a
murmur of voices, the sound of footsteps, a
light laugh-and Nanine, all wrapped in a
snowy fleece of cloud-like drapery from
which her face shone like a star, came trip