Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-06-24
THE WAGE OF TREASON.

der. half mechanical. upon the fair white
forehead of Dounia. and stole away from
the conjugal domIcilc. while DouniA TO
main.l alone and reflected. Where did
Alexis iyano,itch's nocturnal excursions
take himi The professor was no longer .
young man-he had passed his tftieth
ycar-and science aud his absorbing du.
ties as director of the Imperial gymna-
sum. where 800 pupils studied under him.
left him no time to devote 10 amorous
intrigucA And then. was not Dounia
young. robust aud beautiful. with her
luxuriant auburn hair. her steel oolorcd
eyes. and her Isr,erse. enigmatical smile,
She was pcor. obscure and ignorant
when he married her: he rich. q grand
digniiary u the slav university. and
councillor To his majesty the car,
hut love hal conquered all obstacles,
and Dounia. daughter % . shepherd ~
tie Caucasus. became the idolised wife
of the dirctor % the gymnasium. The
seductive Cirvasslan had indeci often
triumphci In the heart ~ the sayant
over de-I.,iic duty. How frequently he
at by her. admiring her. aud listening
a. sbc tabblc,l In French. gently critics.
ing her linguistic errors Was not her
naive conversation worth q hundred
um-s n. much as the subtitle literary and
philosophical discussions In which he en-
gagged with the leti.r~i m.n u ST. Pe-
tcrsburgi Since several months. how.
ever. Alcti. lyanositch's interest In
Dounia. French Lessons had Jagged.
lie p.rniti-,l her to confound the t.nscs.
a. isnow gender. and To forget the ele-
mentary rules ~ syuiaK without cor
rccting her. as formerly. Moreover. he
left the house regularly every evening
aud did not return until lat. nj night.
Was Alexis l,anoyiicb d~c.ising heri
She hal discarded that supI-u~itlon long
ago Duunia was too sure of herself.
tco prrnj 81 her extraordinary b-au,y.
t. supI..-c slc coulj have a rival still.
how should She explain Alexis absence
every nighp lie did not gamble. for
the money In the safe Vas never disturb
81. and IL - no, usual 10 Wait the game
Nth empty pockets
Once only. a I-r-on % unpfcpo>-c~sing
aspect and poorly attircI presented him
srlf at the door With q letter. Alexis,
having rad IL. handed the t.arcr note
- i've hundred rublcs without the least
remark. the stranger accepted the same
without even giving thanks Gambling
dcbt. are not laid In such q manner. and
when Al-,i. vas asked about the Incl.
dent be merely answered. Il am helping
along a gusl causc. and Dounia did not
dare to question any further.
She was patient AMI waited. hoping the
incIplicabl. at--cnccs of her husband
would ccas. sson, the thought 10 follow
and spy his actions never occurred To
her. This evening. however. hs hal
hardly crOsse,l the threshold when. en-.
ycloI-,l IN heavy furs. her face hidden
by a hOol. AMI her fcct inca-cd Ia stout
t.p,s. DOunia followed rapidly In his
foutsleIS. shc shalowci him through
the snow covered sirrrt.. Oppressed and
anxious. the blood mounting to her TEN.
ples. anl her heart t-ating violently.
Thi. cunjugai pursuit. In the night and
through the snow. did not have jealousy
for IT. only motive. In fact. Dounla had
not the right to L. jealous Dounia was
guilty. \ young Instructor at the gym
nasium. a Gcfnan named Karl Strueh,r.
prohting by the directors occupation and
the isolation % his wife. had won her,
And IL ~as the thoughi 81 tai. that tor
tutci her; that perhaps shc alone was
guilty anl that Alexis Was not dcc.iying
her. that he loved her still and might H.
able "a justify his nightly at-snce and
convict her of tr,ason. ignobls anil un-
Iar.,nable. An. could shc bat establish
his lAilhl.ssncs.l She would then be et'
cuS,blc for her own.
TIL. L. Why Dounia followed her hus-
band. on tha, clear and frosty night.
,hrvugh q strange and labyrinthlne quar-.
Ter ~ tho city. whose narrow streets
we're scarccly illuminated by the myste-
rious moonlight
Alexis. having arrived at hi. destina.
ton. Was alout to rap on the door 81
bouss. within which all scemed silcnt
and dark. when be paused. I.etreating
hastily. he hid behind the angle Of the
house and listened Light footsteps. were
ooming In hi. direction. II am icing
followed he thought. Coolly and reso-
'ui.ly b. drew a revolver from his pock-
st. cooked IL. and waited. Some moments
later dark form showed plainly against
the bright moonlight at the entrance %
the alley Alexis RAISED his pistol ready
10 fire. Just then Dounia. surprised at
SEEING ~ one. and bslicying she had been
outwi ittei. threw hack her hood In order
10 ge, a better view of the locality. The
moonlight revealed her featues plainly.
and Alexis. recognizing her. ran from
his hiding place.
"Dounia!- he cried. "what are you
doing here. unfortunate womanr
IL VA. following you, Alexis l,ano-
WITCH" she answered. with trembling
voice: lit Was wrong. know. but could
not resist the desire. wanted 10 know
where YOU spent your evenings"
Curiosity IL very often q lad coun-
selor. Dounia." said the professor, grave
ly, after a few moments reflection.
heaven grant you may not regret want
ing TO know that which ! had deter.
mined io hid, from you. But. perhaps.
I am wrong after all. The wife should
hide nothing from her husband. and the
husband have no secret from his wife
love you, Dounia. my love alone caused
me To let you remain ignorant Of certain
things. a knowledge Of which might
prove dangerous TO you. DO you know.
by the way. that, not knowing who you
were. I was about TO Kill Jour
"what, kill an unknowni-one who
has never harmed youi You must be
engaged In some very grave undertak'
ing 10 harbor such resolution.
"very grave. indeed hut you wished
% zee and know. come with me and
you shall lie satisfied And Alexis
lvanoviich drew Dounia, still surprised
and frightened. toward the iow door of
the mysterious house. which opened a.
lently after he had Knocked In . pecu-
liar and measured manner.
A regular mesting OF ths Sihilistie
committee was being held within. and
they were discussing circular 10 be ssni
out which Vas TO inform the affiliated oi
an important attempt 10 be made by the
revolutionary party against the life Of
the czar. Alexis lvanovitch introduced
Dounia - neophyte. and. two or thres
women approaching her. gave her In
structiona She Vas given pamphlets se