Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-21

face, and he watched her sui "non ne
had done speaking. For half minute
there was silence. Then, without moving
or looking round at him she spoke sud-
denly with passionate bitterness:
"Whv have you told me p she cried.
II knewl Yes, Iknew ! What does it
matter How can 1t mend things to
speak? j can bear i'll can bear any
thing--but / Will not talk OF 1t. L can
not / will not
"Never after tonight, Mary" he said
gently. "Let us face things together
tonight just once, and decide together
what we shall do" -.
"What is there to do? retorted
Mary. Nothing. What can there be
to do?"
"Thet is what Ihave been trying to
decide. We must go away where weare
less we'll known. This life that we are
leading-that you are leading-csnnot
90 on, shall not. We will leave Lon
dom go abroad-where you can live your
own life and be true again.
True ?" said Mary wonderingly, and
her lips parted in dreary little smile
that seemed to stab him.
For more than q minute they stood in
silence then Godfrey put down his
forehead heavily against his hand and
drew deep, painful breath that was
almost a groan.
ave cannot 20 back" said Mary,
coldly and steadily, at last "and to
look back, to discuss things, to regret
them, is worse than useless. We have
our life to live, and our life is-what it
is. We may as well accept it. We have
to live it out as it is, not as it might have
been"
eve can make it nearer what it might
have been, he pleaded eagerly. MARY,
this is what want to say; let us face
disgrace, you and I-you and together !;
face it and bear it, and look at the world
honestly again. Our lives are false
false through and through-yours as
well as mine" IL is 80, Mary"
"Do deny it Our lives are lie.
Yes, l know it. Let them be-"
1--WE will go away" he repeated
pleadingly. ave will 60 away-live
quietlyIiiye a different Life. We need
not say why we go; it will DO rightly
guessed-every one will rightly under
stand. We shall give up our false posi-
ton and you can be yourself again
your own, true, sweet self-sshamed of
nothing, living your own good life, with
thoughts that oil the world might know
and be better for knowing"
A little pause.
THAT self is dead" said Mary quiet
". "Such life as you picture would
Kill me nowadays-send me mad, | think.
To seek about for ones dead self would
be-a gruesome task No, Godfrey, L
decline.
Mary, you do not understand want
you to help me, dear. want you to
help me to be true, honest with the
world. You, who were so good, who are
SO good, dear"
mo. Say 'were," interposed Mary
bitterly. 81 understand you, Godfrey.
understand all that you would say-all
that you require. You ask too much.
You are crnel to ask it.
"Mary !"
Cruel cruel !" repeated Mary
passionately, looking up at him with
angry, accusing eyes, her face flushed,
her lips trembling with indignation.
/" Do you think of no one but yourself
and me? Is Jack, little Jack, nothing
to you? Do You care nothing for him
for his future, his good name, his happi-
ness-all that Your own child, Geof-
frev our own child and you care
nothing What does it matter whether
we are false if he is happy? Our life is
lie-yes, / know it is a lie-and it shall
be lie-for his sake-I say it shall DO.
/ will deceive every one oil my life,
always, all can, as cleverly as | know
the way-always-aI No one shall
know. No one shall ever know. BY and
by they might reproach him with 1t
They shall not-they never shall. Yes,
l am wicked. l know, L choose to be
wicked do not care"
Her words seemed to beat down upon
him, their weight crushed him ; he bent
his head lower against his hand, and his
fingers frightened across his brow as
though they would stop its throbbing.
For fully q minute after Nary had done
speaking the room was quiet; tho clock
on the chimney-piece licked out the mo-
ments slowly and loudly one by one.
81 have been your evil genius. Mary,
he cried despairingly. "You. you who
have been all to me-my good angel
you !"
Mary's passion was gone. Her face
was pale again she stood looking
drearily down before her, cold, I'M
touched, impassive.
eff / have one honest thought, one
honest WISH, continued Godfrey, "and
sometimes nowadays have-it is you
you who have taught me. Our marriage
saved me. And you nave been sacrificed.
Ny salvation was not worth it-such 6
sacrifice "
lie raised his head YEARLY and bent il
down against his hand again. Mary
drew herself up little, checked sigh.
and glanced toward him.
"How will it all end 2" she asked in 6
weary tone. "f one were curious one
might wonder. / am not curious. lie
US talk of something else"