The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-12-07

favorable impressions.
He was singularly sad and pensive. He
took long walks alone. Sometimes he
carried his little son with him, as though
by chance. He sometimes attempted
little timid ten ierness with his wife; and
this awkwardness on his part was quite
touching.
Flo" he said to her one day. you are
a fairy; wave your wand over this place
and make of it an island in mid-ocean.'
You say that because you know how to
swim," she rejoined, laughing and shak-
ing her head; but the heart Of the young
woman was joyful.
nv de ar child" said her mother to her.
rs this re lily all intended for me2"
MY beloved mother embracing
her sgain-~I assure you he is really
counting me again. Why, am ignorant;
but he is courting me and you also, my
mother. Notice it."
Mrs. Leland did notice it. In his con.
versation with her, Eugene seemed to
wish to link ell that was good in the past
with his new life: to forget the rest, and
prly of them to forget it also.
1t was not without fear that these two
charming women abandoned themselves
to their hopes. They remembered that
they were in the presence of an uncertain
person, they little trusted a change SO
sudden, the reason of which they could
not comprehend. They feared it was
some passing caprice, which would re-
turn to them, if they were its dupes, all
thelr misfortunes, without the dignity
which had hitherto attended them.
They were not the only ones struck by
this Transformation. Mr.. Norton and all
his friends noticed it. Even the inani-
mate things-the woods, the trees, the
heavens-should have borne the same
testimony, for he looked at and studied
them with a benevolent curiosity with
which he had never before honored them.
In truth, a profound trouble had In
vaded hlm and would not leave him.
More than once, before this epoch, his
soul, his philosophy, his pride, had re-
ceived rude shock, but he had no less
pursued his path, rising after every blow,
like q lion wounded. but uueonquered.
In trampl ng under his feet all moral
belief which binds the vulgar, he had re-
served honor like an inviolable limit.
Then, under the empire OF his passion,
he said to himself that, after al, honor,
like all the rest, was conventional. Then
he encountered crime-he. touched 1t
with his hand-horror seized him, and he
recoiled.
He repulsed with disgust the principle
which had conducted him there-asked
himself what would become OF human
society if it had no other.
The simple truths which he had misun-
derstood now appeared to him IN their
tranquil splendor. He did not yet dis
tinguish them clearly: he did not try to
give them o name, but he plunged with
secret delight into their shadows and
their peace. He asked for them IN the
pure heart of his child, in the pure love
Of his young wife, in the daily miracles
of nature, in the harmonies Of the heav-
ems, and probably already-in the depths
of his. thoughts-of God.
In the midst of this approach toward
new life he hesi ated.
Cora Elliston was there.
He loved her yet vaguely. Above all:
he could not abandon her without klnd
of baseness.
Terrible struggles sgitsted him.
After having done so much evil, would
it be permitted him to do good and grace
fully partake of the joys he foresaw?
lQ6S6 Ll6b Will tAO Paot, LAD 4oAeNAAS
acquired through his uncle, his fatal mis-
tress-the specter of that old man-would
they permit it2
And We may add, would Providence
suffer it? Not that We would wish lightly
to use, as is often done, this word Provi-
dence, and to suspend over Eugene Cleve-
land this menace Of supernatural chas-
tisement.
Providence does not intervene in hu-
man events except through the logic of
her eternal laws. She has only the sane
ton of these laws, and it is for this rea-
son she is feared.
At the end of the month Eugene re-
turned to New York and to his counting
room.
Business over for the day, before r,-
turning home, he paid visit to Cora
He had neglected her little OF late; IN
fact, had only visited her at long inter-
vals, as politeness compelled him.
Cora wished to keep him for dinner, as
she had no guests with her. She pressed
him so warmly that, blaming himself all
the time, he consented. He never saw
her without pain.
She always brought back to him those
terrible memories, but also that terrible
into1icstion.
She was never more beautiful. Her
deep mourning embellished yet more her
languishing and regal grace; it made her
pale complexion yet more fair, and 1t
briehtened the brilliancy of her look.
She had the air of tragic queen, or OF
an allegory Of night. j..
In the evening an hour arrived when
the reserve, which for some time had
marked their relations, was forgotten.
Eugene found himself as in olden times,
at the foot Of Cora-his eyes in hers, and
covering with kisses her lovely hands.
one was strange tnat evening:
She looked at him with wild tender
ness. instilling, at pleasure, into his veins
the poison of burning passion; then es-
Gaping him, the tears gathered IN her
eyes.
All at once, by one of those magical
movements Of hers, she enveloped with
her hands the head Of her lover, and spoke
10 him quite low beneath the shadow OF
this perfumed veil
We might be so happy" she said.
Are we not so?" asked Eugene.
No! I, at least, am not, for you are
not all mine, as am all yours. This ap-
.ears harder now that am free. If You
,md remained free-when l think Of it!
r. if you could become so, it would be
eaven!"
You know that I am not SO! Why
.pesk of it?"
She drew nearer to him. and with her
breath more than her voice, answered:
is it possible! Tell me-"
How" he d. msnded.
She did not reply, but her fixed look,
caressing and cruel, answered him.
Speak, then, beg Of you!" murmured