Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-11-10

into his arms and pressed upon her lips kiss of adieu. That mana thousand devilsi- that man was Dominiquei
 Under this blow of fate the colossus stag gered like n beef under the butchers ham, merI he supported hilnself against the win dow frame, his legs trembling, his hands convulsively tearing at the scarf that seemed to stop his breathing. And thus, while he exposed his life to win the bread for the household, his wife whom he had adored like a madman-his wife-profited by his absence to treacherously deceive himl The shock too much-the strong man began to cry, and many things that had passed un- noticed by the confding husband returned to mind to torture him. Parbleu! but it had gone a long time, this pretended hate for the wheelwrights workman-this pretended hate that was to turn suspicion. And those marks of passionate love given to him, tho husbandl Lies again-vilo hypocrisies to capture his confidence Bah, the miserable guilty wretch l whom he had loved so much!
 The noise of the door closing softly and a shadow moving away reused the fisherman from his trance of agony-in an instant he was transfgured-a whirlwind of fury surged into his brain-blood blinded him! With a turn of the wrist he threw off his heavy shoes, bent his body like runner making for the goal and bounded upon the tracks of the lover-the lover so full of security and satis- faction with himself, and who followed, care leSsly whiStling tune, with his hands ill hls pockets, a narrow pathway enframed be- tween two hedges He had arrived almost at the main street of the hamlet, when sud denly two powerful hands closed upon his neck, clutching it with grasp of iron Dom iniquc gasped, wavered, bent to his knees and lay without moaul
 Twenty minutes later Won returned to the strand, moving in the direction of his boat He still carried upon his shoulders a fishing sack, but so heavily loaded this time that he walked with difficulty, and every instant slipped upon the pebbles, round and polished. Arrived at last at his bark, he threw down his burden; it fell with thud upon the pile of stones that constituted the ballast. The tide had turned, and already the waves were tapping under the keel of the little vessel. The fisherman seated himself in his accus- toned place, propped his feet upon the sack in the bottom drew out his pipe and began to smoke. To smoke-aye-butn not for long-a half hour, not more. When the movement of the boat and the wash of the waves told him the hour had come, he drew up his anchor, cast off his line and the vessel, obedi- ent to the oars vigorously handled, drew rapidly away.
 The tempest had lulled considerably; in the harbor the water nearly tranquil, but the harbor was evidently not far enough for the sailors purposes; he hOisted the sail and stood for the open sea. An hour perhaps he sailed thus in the midst of the shadows, but he stopped at last, and at the moment the moon broke from the clouds that yelled it and spread upon the water a train of silver
 Ut will do, " he murmured, considering it carefully, '''tis far enough!" and he drew from his pocket broad bladed clasp knife carried by men of his calling, knclt upon the sack before him and delivered himself to a mysterious work that filled him, judging by the smilo upon his lips, with satisfaction. This work accomplished, tho sack was loaded with stones from the pile of ballast and cast into the depths of the sea, the fisherman ! lighted his pipe anew, threw out his lines baited as they had been in the beginning of the evening and began to fish.
 1 L Not until broad daylight later than his usual hour did he withdraw them again and start on the homeward journey. Catherine i -ho saw her from afar-waited for him upon the deserted beach with every sign of profound dsquietude, the way of wlves ill general, and faithleSs wives in particular. In transport of dissimufaton and tender ness sho threw herself upon the breast of her husband.
 Mon Dieu" she cried, ''but thou art late l knew not what to think of it, and the hor- 1 rible tempest that has ragged since thy dc parturo! I do not wish theo to go out in weather like this againl How have prayed to Our Lady!"
 ''Prayed to Our Lady, and for me!' Yvon responded with singular smile; ''ah well
 thou seest thy prayer is granted-I have re
 turned and the fishing was excellent. But come, havc yet to dlsembarrass my lines
 they are loaded. Thou shalt help me at the
 task. Begin!"
 Had Catherine been looking at her husbanC
 as he spoke, tho cold and cruel expression oi
 his face, the relentless tightening of his lips
 would havo mado her heart die within her
 but she saw and suspected nothing in hel
 eagerness to measure the harvest tho tempest
 had brought them. Bonnets, dresses, fril
 fralls, and the thousand and nothing
 dear to a woman's soul were bound up in tht
 those scaly treasures. Accustomed to assist
 ing her husband she worked rapidly anC
 well; the pile of fish upon the gravel beside
 her steadily increased ill proportions
 All at once she stopped as if stung by al
 adder her eyes, wild and staring, fixed upoI
 a hook that she held in her hand, the onl,
 one in fact upon which tho fish had left tn
 bait Untasted. She lifted herself with bound, and with hoarse and strangled erie
 pointed to the object swinging at the enc of it.
 , "Whatm said Yvon, who had watched he closely, ''thou dost not like it, that daint,
 bait with which 1 fed my fishes? Regard it again, my precious treasure; regard it again ; 1 beseech thee; nay, moro than that, 1 com } mand thee, thou who hast spent the night il 5 praying to Our Lady!"
 ) Alas, poor Catherine! the command wa useless. White as winding sheet, an imag
 of abject shame and fear, she stood with he l eyes bent always on the end of the line s where, bound securely upon the pointe hook, swung ghastly bleeding fragment, l mangled, tumefed human finger, the fles r shriveled and shrinking from the bone an
 bluish and hideous! For an instant she stoo r as l tell you, staring down at it, unable t . credit the evidence of her own senses. ;, "Dost thou know itg" said Yvon agair @ with cynical smile.
 Did she know it? His voice broke the spe r that bound her-she threw up her hands s ward off the accusing sight, staggered ste l or two, and fell insensible.-Translated frol 0 tho French of Louis Daresne for the Ne @ York Mercury by B. C. Waggener.