The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-01

auircs IL he thinks OF consulting q medlcai
nan. Ny lord answers roughly that no Is
,uite old enough to DO Capable OF doctoring
himself.
"As he makes this reply, the courier aP-
pears. returning from the post. Ny lord
gives him orders 10 go out again and buy
some lemons. He proposes TO try bot lemon
ade as a means Of inducing Precipitation in
bed. In that way he has formerly cured
odds. and in that way he viii cure the cold
rom which he is suffering now.
1.-The courier obeys in silence. Judging by
,ppearauces, he GOES very reluctantly on this
pcond errani.
.My lord turns 10 the baron who has thus
Tar taken no part in the conversation and
AXIS him. in a s~neeringtone, how much longer
1e PROPOSES 70 prolong his stay in Venice.
The baron answers quietly. Let Us speak
plainly to one another, my lord. II you wish
mo to leave your house you have only 60 say
lie word. and | go NJ lord turns 10 his
wife. and asks if she can support the calamity
If her brothers abSarce-laying a grossly in
mlting emphasis on the word brother The
COUNTESS preserves her inpenetrable com.
0osure; nothing in her betrayS the deadly
hatred with which she regards the titled
ruGian who has insulted her. You are
master in this house, my lori, is all She says.
Do rs you please
"My lord looks at lis wife: looks at The
oaron-and Suddenly alters his tone. Docs
ne perceive in the compOsure OF the countess
md her brother something lurking under the
surface that threatens him, This ia at least
...t.ft el.F D.. r..lag IA chimney as.afamr foe
he language that be has used. fAbject
sretch9
My lords excuses are interrupted by the
.otum OF the courier with the lemons and hot
water.
The countess observes for the first time
hat the man looks III. His hands tremble as
he places the tray on the table. Ny lord or
iers his courier 70 follow him, and mab,s tho
emonade in the bedroom. The countess re-
marks that the courier seems hardly CAPABLE
II oneying his orders. Hearing tins the man
admits that he is in. He, too. is suffering
from a cold; be has been kept waiting in a
iraugbt at the shop where be bought the
emons: he feels alternately hot and cold. and
BE- begs permission TO lie down for a Little
while OH his bed.
"FrcIing hor humanity appealed e.. tho
countess volunteers to make the lemonade
herself. My lord takes the courier 10y the
arm, leads him asides and whispers those
words to him: Watch her. and see that sle
puts nothing into the lemonade; then bring it
TO me with your own hands, and then 60 TO
bed, II you like
"Wthout a word more 20 his wife or 20 tho
baron my lord leaves the room.
"fhe countess makes the lemonade and the
courier takes it to his master.
Returning on the way 70 hi own room he
$50 weak and feels, be says, 50 giddy, that
he is obliged to support himself by the backs
II the chairs as he passes them The baron,
always considerable 10 persons Of low degree,
offers his arm. I ARA AFRAID. nay poor fellow
ne says, that You are really III The courier
makes this extraordinary answer: lis all
over with me. sir. l have caught my death
"Ihe countess is naturally startled. You
are not an old man. she says, trying TO rouse
the courier's spirits. Al your age catching
cold doesn't surely mean catching your
deathp The courier fixes his eyes despair
ingly on the COUNTIES.
my lungs are weak, my lady, be says
1 have already had TWO attacks Of bron-
chitis. The second time n great physiclar
joined my own doctor in Attendance on mo-.
lie considered my recovery almost in the
light Of a miracle. Take care Of yourself
be said. III YOU have q third attack Of
bronchitis, as certainly as two aud two make
four you will he a dead man" | feel The
same inward sbiyering. my lady, that ! felt
on those two former orcasiOnS-and | I'll
y0u again, ! have caught my death ia
Venice
speaking some comforting word, the
aron leads him TO his room. The countess
: left alone on the stage.
"She seats herself. and looks toward tho
lO0r by which the courier has been led out.
Ali my poor fellow, she says, If you coald
only change constitutions with my lord what
a happy result would follow for the baron
and Tor met II You could only get cured II a
.rumpery cold with = little hot lemonade.
AMI II lac could only catch his death IA your
placer
''She suddenly pauses-considers for awhile
and springs to her feet with "A cry Of tfi-
aniphant surprise: the wonderful, the unpar-
illeled idea las crossed her mind like q flash
# lightning. Make the two men change
names and places, and the deed il donei
Where are the otstaelesf Remove my lord
Dy fair means or foul-fron his room and
seep him secretly prisoner In the palace, 10
i've or die ~ future necessity may determine.
Place the courier in the vacant bed and call
N the doctor 70 see him-ill, IN my lords
,haracter, and-if he dies-dying under my
nrd's name
The manuscript dropped from l%leury's
hands. A sickening SENSE OF horror oyerpow-
ned him. The question which had occurred
1t the close OF the first net ot the play as
mmed a new and terrible Interest now. As
lar rs the scene OF the countess sOlilOquy, tho
incidents Of the second act had reelected tho
she events of bis late brothers life rs faith
July a. the incidents II the first act Was
he monstrous plot, revealed in the lincs which
be had lust read. the offspring at th~ocoante~'
morbid Imagination; OF had sine Ia tins ease
Also deluded herself with the idea tuat shs
vas inyenting when she was really writing
lnder the influence Of her 0wn guilty remen-
trance Of the pasti Ii the latter interprctl-
ion were the true one, he had just read tho
narrative OF the contemplated murder Of his
n0tAer, planned in cold blood by a woman
who was at that moment inhabitlng the same
house with him. While, to make the fatality
complete, Agnes herself had lanocently pro-