Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-21
rHER1cHMoND DsPArcH--sUNDAY. MA 7 q. 1899.

pearance may cause you. TO tnanA soa
for your considerations since we nav
been together. and TO congra'uiule 80
on being well rid of so foolish nus
band" r,,.,
There was sllerce for a moment. in.h
the stiffness became so poignant .naI =.
Ibora no longer played with the dice-oox,
but looked at his wife. She was 50 q"'0'
that he wondered II she understood.
.She has no heart" he thought.
as IL true" she asked at length, WIN
n strange ring In her voice which ne ora
not recognize, you have lost every
thing?"
"Everything," he answered. But there
Is still your jointure; you will have
"Ahw she cried, and her voice was that
of a joyous child. you think care for
thatl Is. then. Paris and the court and
gaming so necessary 10 you that II you
cannot have them you must go ana be
killed far away? File on you. Raouil For
my part, l do not want to see the Court
any more!"
He dared not understand.
..Ahv' he answered lightly, "lt Is well
that there is no need for you to give
these things up
He shook his head. The journey |
take Is a very long one he said, ana
| must take it alone
She had risen to her feet, and now
came step nearer TO him. There was
strange mixture of timidity and great
holiness in her manner as II her Wo-
mans nature shrank from what some
masterful feeling impelled her 10 say.
Twice size essayed 10 speak, ana twice
she stopped. Then. like At torrent trent W Hes
pressed tightly on her bosom as IL 10
still its tumuituOuS beating.
"You shall not go alone! swear ~ lie
II to tho ends of the earth. VIII tolOW
YOU. for YOU are mine, mine! given 10
me by Godi by holy Church. by your
own VOW i'm His sight You do not love
me. | am nothing to YOU, l cannot dihusc
you or please you; l know H. Goa pity
me! / know it too well! But 70 DC hear
You. TO see you. TO sometimes near your
voice-that Is my right, and no one shail
take ii from mel
she fell ON her knees, her fair head
resting on the table, her race Durlcu AZ
her hands, her slender body shaken with
deep sobbing. -
He forgot everything. forgot that he
was ruined, forgot that life was over
for him, in the great JOY her Worus
brought HIM The affected GOODNESS o,
manner slipped from him liko looscil ls' u
cloak. and STOPPING down ne gathefeu
her to him with strong arms. Wnle tucls
lips met in a long embrace again anu
again renewed.
"If you could know how I have longed
and prayed for this day" she murmuteu,
her tear-stained. flushed face very close
to his. while you were rich ana happy
could not have told you. Ana you loNe
me? Tell me so. Raoul. / want TO near
it said -.
Il love you, dear one, he said, slnply.
Then a great terror fell upon him. Tor ne
But She did not see his face, for she
had slipped down on to a low footstool
beside him. and was holding one OF MS
hands against her wet face. III,
my husband" she said softly, You WIZ
not 20 from me now. No, do not dldW
your hand away; listen. In the pSau'ii"
Loire country near Bots is the old chd-
teau where my childhood was passed. II
lies in great woods, with mere ana theIc
n GLIMPSE of the river. and there IS an
old stone terrace with roses climbing
everywhere and peacOcks haunting III IN,
hot sun Il is mine; let us so there
Raoul. And my father shall speak TO me
King and ask that you shall be maze
happy there | wOnder-with meF
Her voice sank to a low whisper at the
last two words and her husband pressed
his lips fondly on her brow for answer.
In truth he dared not speak. He knew
that her dream could never come true,
that this new love of theirs, so mex
pressibly precious so cruelty sweet, was
already whitening under the cold touch
of death. But. because 1t could only be
so short. he resolved that for the BRIEF
hour or two that remained she at least
should enjoy It unalloycd; that her just
opened hoard of love should not be
snatched from her before she had rea
! lied its possession. He would do this II
| he could, hiding i'm his own breast the
| haunting knowledge that each half hour
! as the silver chimes of the clock beside
| them rang out marked another stage ac-
! cOmplshed in the swift approach OF the
| Grim Separator who was sool 10 come
! between them.
Hand in hand they sat in the great
| brightly lit room while Paris surged on
] its noisy way outside the windows.
In the heart of Aglae dc st. liars there
| were no conflicting emotions. She was
| loved and that sutticed her, she felt her
! self clothed with love as with garment.
| plunged in it as in a stream, penetrated
| and changed by IL in every fibre Of her
| nature. Now she would sit in silent hap
! Diness too great for words, then she
would speak i'm low. vibrating tones or
the future and her hopes then her hap
| piness would well over with the inno-
| cent merriment of child. And each
| change of mood added fresh fuel TO the
furnace-hame In which the heart of her
! silent husband was whitening.
Suddenly she spoke again OF the old
! chateau. Could they not start tO-mOr-
row? And when he shook his head and
tried TO stop her mouth with a kiss, she
still insisted.
Then the next day, Raoul Surely the
| next day."
The time when he must tell her was