The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-06


hand. But Osra would not kneel; she
! stood upright still, and cold, as though
she neither saw nor heard anything
of ssss.rat passed; she would not pity nor
| forgive the woman. even if, as they
seemed to think, she lay dying. But
| she spoke once, asking in a harsh
voice:
rs there no physician in the house
or near?"
None, madame" said the prince.
! The bishop began the office, and Osra
stood, dimly hearing the words of coT~s-
! fort, peace and hope, dfmly seeing the
smile on the lady's face; for gradually
her eyes clouded with tears. Now her
| ears seemed to hear nothing save the
sad and piteous sobs that had shaken
the girl as she hung about LudWig'S
neck. But she strove to drive away
her softer thoughts, tanning herself
when it burnt low and telling herself
| again of the insult THAT she had suf-
fered. Thus she rested till the bishop
had performed the office. But when he
had finished it, he rose from his knees
and came to where Osra was.
ut was your duty" she said But
1t is none of mine'
She will not live an hour" said he.
For she had am affection of the heart
and this shock has killed her. Indeed
| think she was half dead for grief
before we came"
WHO is she?" broke again from
Osra's lips.
Come and hear" and she followed
him obediently, yet unwiIlingly. to the
couch and looked down at the lady.
Inc lady looked at her with wonder
Ing eyes and then Ihe smiled family.
pressing the princes hand and whis7
pering:
yet she is SO beautiful" and she
seemed now wonderfully happy, SO
that they three all watched her and
were envious, although they were to
live and she to die.
Now God pardon her sint' said the
princess Osra suddenly, and she fell
on her knees beside the couch, crying
Surely God has pardoned herr
Sin she had none. save what clings
even to the purest in this world" said
the bishop For what she has said
to me l know to be true"
Osra answered nothing, but gazed in
questioning a the prince, and he, stfll
holdlng the ladys hand, began to
| speak in a gentle voice:
do not ask her name madame. But
from the first hour that we knew the
meaning Of love, we have loved one an
! other And had the issue rested in
my hands, [ would have thrown to
the winds all that kept me from her
remember when [ first met her-ah.
my sweet. do you remember? And
from that day to this in soul She has
Deen mine and l hers in all nv life
But more could not be. Madame. you
| nave aVked what love is Here is love
Yet fate is stronger. Thus I came here
to WOO, and she, left alone, resolved to
| give herself to God"
How comes she here, them" vhis-
! pered Osra, and she laid one hand tim
IDLY on the couch, near the lady vet
not so as to touch even her garments
She came here" he began, but sud-
! Denly to their amusement. the ladv
who had seemed dead. with an effort
raised herself on her elbow and spoke
IN quick, eager whisper, as if she
feared time and strength would fail.
He is a great prince" she said: che
must be a great king. God means him
TOT greatness. God forbid that / should
be his ruin. Oh, what a sweet dream
he painted! But praise be to the bless
ed saints that kept me strong. Yet at
the last 1 was weak. I could not live
without another sight of his face. and
$3.50 l came. Next week [ AMI was
TO take the veil. and came here to see
him once again. God pardon me for
II. But | could not help it. All. ma
Dame know you, and l see now your
1 beauty. Have you known love?''
No, said Osra, and she moved her
hand near to the lady's hand.
And when he found me here, he
prayed me again to do what he asked.
and [ was half killed in DENYING if
But prevailed, and we were even nj fban
! parting when you came Why. why
80 7 00~-N@?" And for a moment her
voice died away in a low soft moan.
But she made one more effort. CLASH
ing Osra's hand in her delicate fingers.
she whispered, Il am going. Be his
wife"
NO no no." whispered Osra. her
face row close to the lady's. you
must live-you must live and be han
py,' And then she kissed the ladv's
lirs. The lady put out her arms and
clasoed them round Osra's neck: and
asaIn she WHISPERED so:1y in Osra's
ear. Neither Ludwig nor the RfshOn
heard what she said, but they heard
only what Osra sObbed. Presently. the
IadY's arms relaxed little in their
hold and Osra, having kissed her
again, rose and signed to Ludwig to
come nearer, while she, turning. gave
her hand to the Bishop and he led her
from the room, and, finding another
room near, took her in there. where
Thus haf ar hour passed; then the
Bishop. stole softly out and presently
returned, saying:
God has spared her the long, pain
/ full path. anG has taken her straight to
His rest
Osra heard him, half in trance and
as if she did not hear; she did not
know whittier he went nor what he
did, nor anything that passed until
as it seemed after a long while. she
looked UP and saw Prince Ludwig
standing before her. He was composed
and calm but it seemed as if half the
life had gone out of his face Osra
rose slowly to her feet. supporting
herself on an arm of the chair on
which she had sat, and, when she had
seen his face. she suddenly threw her
self on the floor at his feet crying:
Forgive me! Forgive mer'
The guilt is mine, said he; "for ]
did not trust you and did by stealth
what your nobility would have suf-
fered openly. The guilt is mine" Anc
he offered to raise her. But she rose
unaided, asking with choking voice:
: "Is she dead?"
''She is dead" said the Prince, anc
Osra. hearing it. covered her face witt
her hands and blindly CROPPED her way
back to the chaif, where she sat, pant.
| ing and exhausted.
ITO her I have said farewell, anG
: now. madaye, to you. Yet do no
. think that I am a man without eye!
! for your beauty, or a heart to know
. your worth. [ seemed to you a foo
and a, churl. 1 grieved most bitterly