The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-03-26
Tho Eessn.so:j Es1.fso:j Chamber:
By THE DUCHESS.
!au:tor Of "itonict, 'Mo7lG Scully,
''P'snllis &c, etc.
CHAPTER Y.

sits ,Gotiunless 1T her window. She has
thrown Cpen the easement, and now
the sleeves Of her dressing-gown fall
INC back from her bare rounded arms
leans out SO that the descending night
dews fall like benson upon her burn
ing brow.
She is wrapped In melancholy; her
whole soal is burdened with thoughts
and regrets almost too heavy for her to
support. She is hamlssed and per
picked on all sides. and her heart is
Sore for the loss Of the love she once
had deemed her own.
TIE moonbeams cling like a halo
round her lovely head, her hair falls in
a luxUria1t shower about her should
ers: her plaintive face is raised from
earth, her eyes look heayenward, as
though seeking hope and comfort
there.
The night is still, almost to oppres-
siyeness. The birds have long since
ceased their song: the .Tind hardly
stirs the foliage Of the stately trees.
Tie perfume waited upward from the
sleeping garden floats past her and
mingles with her scented tresSes. No
sound comes to mar the serenity OF the
night, al is calm and silent as the
grave.
Yet, hark. what is this? A 5ootstep
on the gravel pash below arouses her
attention. For The first time since Do
ra's departure she moves, and, turning
her head, glances in the direction Of
the sound.
Bareheaded, and walking with his
bands clasped behind him as though
absorbed in deep thought, Sir Adrian
comes slowly over the sward until he
stands beneath her window. Here he
pauSes. as though almost unconscious
X his spirit had led him thither, and
brought him to a s.andStill where he
would most desire to be.
The moon. spreading its brilllance
all aroun;i. permits Florence to see
that his face is grave and thoughtful,
and-yeS. as she gazeS even closer, she
can see that it is full of pain and vain
longing.
What is rendering him unhappy on
this night Of all others. when the wo-
man she believes he loves has been his
willing companion for so many hours,
when doubtless she has given him
proofs of her preference for him above
all men?
Suddenly lifting his head, Sir Adrian
becomes conscious of the face in the
window above, and thrill ruShes
through him as he recognizes the form
of the woman he loves.
TIE scene is so calm, so hallowed, so
fun Of romance, that both their hearts
beat madly for awhile. They are alone;
any one still awake within the house Is
far distant.
Never has she appeared so spiritual,
so true and tender; so full Of sweetness
that IS almost unearthly. AL pride
seems to have gone from her, and tn its
place oaly gentle melancholy reigls;
she looks so fw removed from hian, sit
ting there ia the purity Of her wnaSs
robes tbaa at first, he hssitsteS to a.
dress hae, SO AeGIGSeG SSgasoa,
she Is HE an snga resting ca HS Ssy
to the realms above:
At lass. however, his heart compel
ing him, he speaks aloud.
aFloreRce, you still awake, when adj
the world Is sleeping"
His name falling from his lips touch
es a chord in her breast, and wakes her
to passionate life.
you too" she says in whisper that
reaches his strained ears. There seems
to her subtle JOY in the thought that
thev two of all the household are
awake are here taking together alone
in the pale light Of the moon.
Yet she is wrong in imagining that
no others are up in the house, as bis
next words tell her.
AZ is not matter Of wonder in my
case he responds: "a few fellows are
still in the smoking-roonl. It IS early,
you know-not yet three. But you
why are you keeping a lonely vigil like
this?"
aThe moon tempted me to the win
dow" answers Florence. "See how
calm she looks riding majestically up
there. See"-stretching out her bare
white arm until the beams fall full up
on it, and seem to change it to purest
marble-"doeS it not make one feel as
if all the world were being bathed in
its subdued glow%
a pale tremulous smile widens her
lips. Sir Adrian, plucking tall pale
lily growing near him, filings it upward
with such an eager aim that 1t allghts
upon her windcw-sill. She sees 1t. Her
fingers clese upon it.
gift emblem OF its possessoI," says
Adrian softly, and ratheT unstesdIy.
3De you know Of what you remind me,
sitting there In your White robes? A
medieval saint cut in stone-a pure an
GEL, too good, too far above all earthly
passion to enter into 1t, or understand
it., and the grief that must ever arrerd
upon it,"
He speaks bitterly. It seems to him
that she is indeed cold not to have
guessed before this the intensity of his
love for her. However much she may
have given her affection to another, it
still seems to him inexpressibly hard
that she can have no pity for his suffer
ing. He gazes at her intently. Do the
mystic mOonbeams deceive him, OF are
there tears in her great dark eyes? His
heart beats quickly. Once again he re-
members her emotion of the past even
ing. He hears again her passionate
so5s. Is she unhappy? Are there
thorns in her path that are difficult to
remover.
Florence, once again I entreat you
to conAds in me-" he says, after a
pause.
Il can not" she returns, sadly but
firmly. "But there is one thing must
say to you-think Of me as you may for
saying it, am not cold as you seemed
to imply a moment since; I am not
made of stone; and, alas, the grief you
think me incapable Of understanding
is mine already! You have wronged
me in your thoughts. I have here" she
explains with some yehenence, laying
the hand in which she still holds the
dropping lily upon her breast, what l
would gladly be without heart"
Nay" says Adrian hastily; you for
get. It is no longer yours, you have
given it away
Fer an Instant she glances at him
keen!y, while her breath comes and
goes with painful quickness.
'Yoa have ne tight % ssy sasS she
MurRurs at last.
@No, of course not; I beg your par
don," he says apologetieallg. ut is
your own secret"
&There is no secret" she declares
nerrously. None"
II have offended you, I should not
haze ssid that. You will fpTpiYe me2o