Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-08

L
pered in nv ears: But what if these letters
date from a time when you already had a
right to know all her thoughts, when you
might already be Jealous of her dreams,
when she was already yours? unfastened
the ribbon. Nobody saw me; There was
not even a mirror to make me blush for my
self l opened one letter, then another,
and read them to the end.
ooh, it was terrible hour for me!
"What was there in these letters? The
vilest treason of which q man has ever been
the victim. The writer of these letters
was one of my intimate friends! And the
tone in which they we're written!-what
passion, what love, certain of being returned!
How he spoke of keeping the secret! And
all these letters dated at time when l was
married and so happy! How can tell you
what I felt? Imagine the intoxication
caused by mortal poison. l read all thosc
letters-every one. Then 1 put them up
again in a packet, retied them with the rib
bon, and, replacing them under the lace,
relocked the drawer.
knew that if she did not see me by noon
she would return in the evening from her
visit to the Countess-as she did. She de-
scended from the caleche hurriedly, to rush
toward me as I stood awaiting her on the
steps. She kissed me with excessive ten
derness, and appeared extremely happy to
be once again with me. 1 allowed nothing
of what was passing within me to appear in
my face We conversed, we supped to-
gether, and each retired to our bedrooms.
did not close an eye. Broad awake, I
counted all the hours. When the clock
struck the first quarter after midnight rose
and entered her room. The beautiful fair
head was there pressed into the white pill
lows-as angels are painted in the midst Of
snowy clouds. What frightful lie of ma
lures is vice under an aspect so innocent!
l was resolved, with the headlong willful-
ness of madman haunted by a fixed idea.
The poison had completely corroded my
soul. resolved to kill her as she lay.
81 pass over the details of the crime. She
died without offering the least resistance, as
TRANQUILITY as one goes to sleep. She was
never irritated against me-even when L
killed her. One single drop of blood fell
on the back of my hand-you know where.
did not perceive it until the next day,
when it was dry.
'We buried her without anybody suspect
ing the truth. lived in solitude. Who
could have controlled my actions? She had
neither parent nor guardian who could
have addressed to me any questions on the
subject, and 1 designedly put off sending
the customary invitations to the funeral, so
that my friends could not arrive in time.
ION returning from the vault I felt not
the least weight upon my conscience. l
had been cruel, but she had deserved 1t. 1
would not hate her-I would forget her. l
scarcely thought of her. Never did man
commit an assassination with less remorse
than l.
"The Countess, so often mentioned, was
at the chateau when 1 returned there. My
measures had been so we'll taken that she
also had arrived too late for the interment.
On seeing me she appeared greatly agi-
tated. Terror, sympathy, sorrow, or I know
not what had put SO much into her words
that could not understand what she was
saying to console me.
WAS I even listening to her? Had any
need of consolation? was not sad. At last
she took me familiarly by the hand, and,
dropping her voice, said that she was
obliged to confde secret to me, and that
she relied on my honor as a gentleman not
to abuse it. She had given my wife a
packet of letters to mind, not having been
able to keep them in her own house; and
these letters she now requested Inc to re-
turn to her. While she was speaking I sew
eral times felt shudder run through my
frame. With seeming GOODNESS, however,
questioned her as to the contents of the
letters. At this interrogation the lady
started, and replied angrily:
Sir, your wife has been more generous
than you! When she took charge of my
letters she did not demand to know what
they contained She even gave me her
promise that she would never set eyes on
them, and am convinced that she never
read a line of any of them. She had a
noble heart, and would have been ashamed
to forfeit the pledge she had given
every we1l,' | replied. How shall I
recognize this packet?'
{" 1T was tied with rose-colored ribbon
edged with silver.
"T will go and search for it.
'I took my wife's keys, knowing per-
'fectly well where 1 should find the packet;
but pretended to find it with much diff
Guilty.
"'Is this it?' asked the Countess, hand
ing it to her.
Yes, yes-that is it! See!-the knot 1
myself made has never been touched.
81 dared not raise my eyes to hers; I