The Dickinson press., 1893-11-18

"Are you ill, AlbeIt?' she asked in sud
den alarm.
NO, no." he responded, with chilling
air.
She looked nj him doubtingly.
why should you imagine that am lllf"
"Because you are looking so strange, so
very different from your former self.
"Indced.'
"Yes. indeed. and indeed, dear Albert
Corona" he cried, abiup'ly,, "have you
ever any qualmS of conscience"
"Abou: what?' she innocentIy inquired.
NEED you put that question to nie?'
81 know not what you mean, Albert.
Corona. he said, fixing, his stead last
YES on hers" Corona. is there any truth
be found in woman
Shelaushed. and stroked his silky nous.
tache with her long white fingers. What
ails thee, III: Albert?" she murmured very
tondly
"You are clever dissembler. Corona" :"
| he oh erved with considerable scorn.
Away with your false CarcsSeS. hate
thcm!' lie a,l'lcd. with furious burst,
She stood amazed and terrified; wholly
at Il loss to comprehend his harSh words
! and his still harsher behavior. What had
asked herself. And turning silently away
she pa sesl out OF the long window, and re-
gained the terrace She tclt wounded to
the vsry quick Never until this moment,
had her husband given her q single rown;
no wonder that she felt amazemrnt and
pain at the strange manner in which had
Just received her. She stood with her hand
what She was to do-whether she ought to
go back TO her husband, and demand
| explanation OF his late conduct towards
her. or whether she should leave the mat
matter wholly mnoticed. Her conscience
being perfectly clear in every respec:; she
1 I, 4 81, .h,,,I
tanned any jealous feelings concerning her.
She was the very soul OF honor, and she
thought she was fully trusted by him-tlat
she was trusted even as she deserved to be
trn ted by him.
She recalled his late scornful looks, and
his bitter words.
He had called her "dissembler," and had
spurnrd her caresses, ling her that he
hated them. Corona slluddered as she re-
tl"cted. Did Albert hate her caresSes, the
caresses of his wife? No! no! She had surely
misinterpreted his speech? He could MOI
have spoken to her words Of such crue
imgort, words 7 likely wat, TO stat stat
steps, Corona now proceeded in thu
d rtction OF her own chamber, where sl'
placed herself under the hands of he
skiilIul ubagail, and mechanically begal
to dress Tor the forthcoming ball.
Cornnas cheeks were white as ashes: th
terrible syllables just uttered by her hus
h nd's ] ps were Still ringing III her ears
they continued despite her every effort t,
orget them. Ab>tracted. listle>s. and un
happy, she suffered herself to be nttired
j never once passing remark, never ono
glancing at the face reflected IN her look
ing-gla>s. The ma d knew her place. an
b was nearly as silent as her mistress. speak
ing only when necessity compelled her I
dos)
Now Corona had unconsciously made
: superb toilette, and looked magnificent
But she was not bcstowing n single though
:, upon the splendor Of her appearance; he
3 husbands disdaintul gestures were beioI
: her mental vision. obscuriny every other OF
8 ject from her view.
!, The Counts face wore a fearful expre
u sion when he saw Prince Predeslaus lea
3 c ,rona forth to dance The Princes TEA
}. lures were beaming with triumph, bl
q those OF Corona were full of sadness all
onm. The count was narrowly watchin
!. their every action. but he tai ell to dscov'
ANYTHING to condemn in the demcanor
= his wi c, who moved. looked and acte
} precisely as he would have wished her
M we. look and act.
He was perplexed. But over and ov
again lie repeated to himselfthe contents
tlat terr BILE letter, until the words We
fixed on his brain. How could he possib
} nbt the testimony of such document
thi, he held? Despite her modest mel
h ar d0wncast ewes. her pallid cheeks,
8 i'll believed her to be one unworthy OF Il
we His mad ipalou v preyerted ever
tline he saw in her and that which shou
h I'VE served to prove her innocence in Il
har az 90 - W. -e''''
puo;,o,,,. ,ro,,,,;no I'm,
., iiice a,.s ilL.us''au, a.; po,.,',n,;nSSs "p,
It mieu MS ,api noan;,,oJ ,';, %,
0. thihK'hg tnaI Coroia iao icIei , 'eu us a.
p orous epistle, pald ms oeautiiui hostess u
=. utmost attehuon, whch alteht. on sue
ceived with wholly unembarrassed a.
and without evincing the slightest sign
qualification at it.
i, She saw that her husbands eye was upt
) her; but that fact did not in the least co
troll her behavior, VIII ch was exactly SUI
rs it would have been under any circul
stances, and at any time.
Presently he saw the Prince stoop a,
whisner in i.orona's ear. then he mark
her h nsh and loo, confused The Coun
n hrain was sninninr and hi, heart was lea
inc in his breast with painful motion. al
he was ready ro spriup lpon the Prince n,
j. stranple him. but he restrained his rage
G the mresent and watched on.
rhe m;o,,t La;r"eYceed;nyly warm. ma,
ot tho "nests mad snnght Fl, = terrace and
or yr,u,,,,i. nj In. ,,,i,.,.,. over wi,,ch a /,
to monm was shcdlin,, the tiond of her silye
ae be iorv
a. on ,he terrace AMONGST n score of O,
z ers. were saunteriuy together, arm-in-ar
4 Prince Preideslaus and Corona. The Coz