Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-08

inately and finely shaped. He asked her
where she came from, where she was
going, who she was, in phrases gentle
and courteous, for he was already
moved by her tragic beauty. She listen
ed without making a sign and did not
answer. He repeated his question, say
ing he troubled her only for her own
good. She remained silent, and it was
evident his words conveyed nothing to
her.
Perhaps she doesn't understand
French" said friend.
"She understands nothing at all, :"
said Pontus sadly. 81 fear she has lost
her mind in the horror of the catastro-
phe. But it does not matter. She has
fallen from heaven, and she is at home
here, mad or sane God sent her to me,
and will guard her." And he kept
his word.
Days, months, years, passed. The I'M
known lived silently, without words
and apparently without thoughts. She
loved to be out of doors and mixed with
other people, seeming by all exterior
appearances to be like them. At the
table Of the marquis, in the family of a
refined ancient race, she carried herself
with the grace and dignity of one ac-
customed to a similar world, and Pom
tus often said, "This child is great
lady,"
In spite of the most thorough investi-
cations not a ray of light, even the
faintest, pierced the mystery. 1t could
not even be conjectured what the boat
lost at the coast had been or who
this woman was who accepted placidly
the care of strangers, showed neither
sadness nor joy, had no desires and
lived unconsciously the life of beau
tiful white bird in cage of gold. Lit
tie by little the marquis grew attached
to her. His house was large, and he re-
fused to have her confined in hospital,
repeating that she was his charge and
sacred to him above everything. And
sometimes when he watched her walk
ing in the park of the chateau Pontus
would grow very sad and murmur, eff
this beautiful girl had a soul, how
would love her!" And Pontus, who was
then in his thirty-sixth year, refused
obstinately to marry-on account of the
unknown.
And SO he grew older, and with the
years came a deeper melancholy. How
ever, in his voluntary seclusion there
was some sweetness. The woman seemed
to like to BIZ near him, though her man
ner was like that Of petted animal.
She ran to him when she saw him and
looked at him with her clear eyes, in
which shone fugitive light Of recogni-
tion and devotion, but the next moment
she would run away again, often into
the woods, where she wandered about
all day, returning always at dusk, for
she had great dread of the darkness.
One stormy night in November she
shuddered at the sound of the wind from
the sea and groaned softly, with her
hands clasped to her breast in an atti-
tude of deep sadness. A little later she
uttered hoarse cry and fell to the floor
unconscious. 1t was just IL years since
she had come to life in the chateau.
Pontus, very much alarmed, hurried to
the village for help. A doctor was sum-
moned and returned with him in great
haste. The patient was examined and
the case diagnosed as quick consump-
ton. She had carried the germs of the
fatal disease in her system for some
time. Pontus was in despair.
One morning in the winter the I'M
known passed quietly away in the arms
Of the marquis. At the supreme moment
the mysterious sick woman seemed to
regain her reason suddenly. She looked
about with eyes frightened but compre-
hensive, which seemed to say: "Where
am 1? Who are these mem" She opened
her lips to speak at last in her native
language, but death, jealous of the
mystery, sealed her tongue with his icy
touch.
The marquis, inconsolable, had en-
graved on her tombstone the epitaph,
"Tacita transit. TRANSLATED For Gin
cinnati Tribune.