Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-27

THAT is to go to Avellino, eccel-
lenza?" he asked, with more alacrity
than he had yet shown.
Yes l answered. You will
place it in the hands Of the good Sig
nora Monti, for whom l have a great
respect. She will take care of it till
return"
Your commands shall be obeyed,
signor," he said, rapidly, as though
eager to atone for his past hesitation.
After ALL and he smiled, sit will be
pleasant to see Lila; she will be in
terested, too, to hear the account of
the eccellenza's MARRIAGE
And somewhat consoled by the
prospect of the entertainment his I'M
lCoked-for visit would give to the
charming little maiden of his choice,
he left me, and shortly afterWard [
heard him humming a popular love-
song softly under his breath, while
he busted himself in packing my port
manteau for the honeymoon trip-a
pCrtmanteau destined never to be used
or opened by its owner.
That night, contrary to my usual
habit, I fingered long over my dinner;
at it's close I poured out a full glass
of fine Lacrima Cristi, and secretly
mixing with it a dose of a tasteless
but powerful opiate, called my valet
ana babe him drink it and wish me
joy. He did so readily, draining the
MIR 10, to l,a ~
tempestuOus night; there was high
wind, broken through by heavy sweep
ing gusts of rain. Vincenzo cleared
the dinner-table, yawning visibly as
he did SO, then taking my outdoor
paletOt on his arm, he went to his bed
room, a small one adjoining mine, for
the purpose of brushing it, according
to his customary method. | opened a
book, and pretending to be absorbed in
it's contents, [ waited patiently for
about half an hour.
At the expiration of that time [ stole
softly to his door and looked in. It
was as [ had expected; overcome by
the sudden and heavy action Of the
opiate, he had thrown himself on his
bed, and was slumbering profoundly,
the unbrushed overcoat by his side.
Poor fellow! [ smiled as l watched
him. the faithful dog was chained, and
could not follow my steps for that
night at least.
| left him thus, and wrapping myself
in thick Almaviva that muffied me
almost to the eyes, [ hurried out, for
tunately meeting no one on my way
out into the storm and darkness, to-
ward the Campo Santo, the abode of
the all-Wise though speechless dead.
| had work to do there-work that
must be done. [ knew that if I had
not taken the precaution of drugging
my too devoted servitor, he might,
despite his prOtestatiOns, have been
tempted to track me whittier | went
AS it was, | felt myself safe, for four
hours must pass, | knew, before Vim
cenzO could awake from his lethargy.
And l was absent for some time.
Though | performed my task as
quickly as might be, it took me longer
than 1 thought, and filled me with
more loathing and reluctance than [
had deemed possible. 1t was a grew
some, CHASTITY piece Of wOrk-a work
of preparatiOn-and when 1 had fin
ished it entirely to my satisfaction, I
felt as though the bOny fingers of
death had been plunged into my very
marrow. l shivered with cold, my
limbs would scarce bear me upright,
and my teeth chartered as though /
were seized by strong ague. But the
tiXity of my urpcse strengthened me
till all was dOne-till the stage was
set for the last scene of the tragedy.
Or comedy? What you will l know
that in the world %owadays you make
a husbands dishonor more of a
whispered jest than anything else
you and your heavy machinery of the
law. But to mel am 50 strangely
constituted-dish is a bitterer
evil than death. If all those who are
deceived and betrayed felt thus, then
/ justice would need to become more
! just. 1t is fortunate -fOr the lawyers
that we are not all honorable men!
When I returned from my dreary
walk in the driving storm I found
Vincenzo still fast asleep. I was glad
of this, for had he seen me in the
plight l was, he would have had good
reason to be alarmed concerning both
my physical and mental condition.
! Perceiving myself in the glass, | re-
coiled as from an image of horror.
saw man with haunted, hungry
eyes cleaning out from under a mass
of disordered white hair, his pale,
haggard face set and stern as the face
of a merciless inquisitor of old Spain,
his dack cloak dripping with glitter
ing rain-dIops, his hands and nails
stained as though he had dug them
into the black earth, his boots heavy
with mire and clay, his whole aspect
that of one who had been engaged in
some abhorrent deed, too repulsive tC
be named. l stared at my own reflec-
ton thus and shu6dered; then
laughed softly with a sort Of fierce en-
joyment. Quickly I threw of all my
habiliments, and locked them out Of
sight, and arraying myself in dress
ing-gown and slippers, 1 glanced a
the time. 1t was half-past one-alread
the morning of my bridal. l had beer
absent three hours and a half.
went into my salon and remained Their,
writing. A few minutes after twt
O'Clock had struck the door openet
still very sleepy, appeared with an ex