Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-24
Continued.


of the vault the night previously
Dazzled by the glare after the intense
darkness, she did not at once per
seive the nature of the place in which
she stood l watched her, myself still
wrapped in the heavy cloak and hat
MAT SO effectually disguised my fea.
lures. What a sight she was in that
abode of corruption! Lovely, delicate
and full of life, with the shine Of her
diamonds cleaning from under the
folds of rich fur that shrouded her
and the dark hood falling back as
though to display the sparkling won
der of her gold hair.
Suddenly, and with a violent shock,
she realized the gloom of her sur
roundings-the yellow flare of the
waxen torches showed her the stone
inches, the tattered pals, the decay
ing trophies of armor, the drear shapes
Of worm-eaten collins, and with a
shrek of horror she rushed to me
where / stood, as immovable as a
statue clad in coat and mail, and
throwing her arms about me chung to
me in a frenzy of fear.
Take me away, take me away" she
moaned, hiding her face against my
breast. "'Tis a vault-oh, Santissima
Madonna!-a place for the dead! Quick
quick! take me out to the air-let
as go home-home-"
She broke off abruptly, her alarm
increasing at my utter silence She
gaZed at me with wild wet eyes.
"Ceasare! Ceasare! speak! What
oils you? Why have you brought me
here? Touch me-kiss me: say some
thing anything only speak,"
And her bosom heaved convulsively;
she sobbed with terror.
] put her from me with firm hand
I spoke in measured accents, tinged
with some contempt.
Hush, 1 pray you! This is no place
for a hysterical scene. Consider
where you are! You have guessed
arjght-this is vault-your own
mausoleum, fair lady!-if I mistake
not-the burial-place of the Romani
family"
At these words her sobs ceased, as
though they had been frozen in her
throat; she stared at me in speechless
fear and wonder.
Here" | went on with methodi-
cal deliberation, here lie all the
great ancestors of your husbands
family, heroes and martyrs in their
day. Here will your own fair flesh
molder. Here" and my voice grew
deeper and more resolute, here six
months ago, your husband himself
Fabio Romani, was buried"
She uttered no sound, but gazed at
me like some beautiful pagan goddess
turned to stone by the Furies Hav-
ing spoken thus far l was silent,
watching the effect of what I had
said, for l sought to torture the very
nerves of her base soul. At last her
lips parted-her voice was hoarse and
indistinct.
You must be mad!" she said, with
smothered anger and horror in her
tone.
Then seeing me still immovable, she
advanced and caught my hand half
commandingly, half coaxingly. I
did not resist her
Come" she implored, come away
at once!" and she glanced about her
with a shudder. Let us leave this
horrible place; as for the jewels, if
you keep them here, they may stay
here; | would not wear them for the
world! Come"
| interrupted her, holding her hand
III fierce grasp; l turned her alb
ruptly toward a dark object lying on
the ground near us-my own coffin
broken asunder. drew her close to it.
Look" | said in a thrilling
whisper, what is this? Examine it
well: it is a coffin of tiimsiest wood,
a cholera coffin! What says the painted
inscription? Nay, do not start! 1t
bears your husbands name; he was
buried in it. Then how comes it to
be open? Where is hep
| felt her sway under me; a new
and overwhelming terror had taken
Instant possession of her, her limbs
refused to support her, she sunk on
her knee. Mechanically and feebly
she repeated the words after me
Where is he? Where is hep"
"Ay!" and my voice rang out
through the hollow vault, it's passion
restrained no more. Where is he?-
the poor fool, the miserable, credulous
dupe, whose treacherous wife played
the courtesan under his very roof
while he loved and blindly trusted
her! Where is he? Here. here!" and
l seized her hands and forced her up
from her kneeling posture. at prom
ised you should see me as am! i
swore to grow young tonight for your
sake-Now keep my word! Look at
nae, Nina!-look at me, my twice
welded wife!-Look at me!-do YOU
know your husband?"
And throwing my dark habiliments
from me, 1 stood before her undis-
gu1sed! AS though some defacins
disease had swept over her at my
words and looks, so her beauty sud,
denly vanished. Her face becam
drawn and pinched and almost old
her lips turned blue, her eyes grew
glazed, and strained themselves from
their sockets to stare at me; her very
hands looked thin and ghost-like a.
she raised them upward with {
frantic appealing gesture; there wa.
a sort of gasping rattle in her throa
a she drew herself away from ms