Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-11-02

that. once among them, | found some
difficulty in making my choice. Hence.
| missed the train; and, rather than
walk about until the next, returned
to my studio incensed by the delay.
A letter for me had been just de-
liyered. 1t told me that on the previ-
GUS morning Berthe had married my
brother.
| could have welcomed pistol shot
Gregoire's wife! l reiterated it, said
it over and over, was stricken by it
and yet, | could not realize that ac-
tually it had happened.
Oh, l made certain Of 1t later, be-
lieve mel was no hero of feuille-
ton, to accept such intelligence with
out proof | assured myself of her
perddy, and burnt her love letters one
by enc; tore her photographs into
shreds-strove also to tear her image
from my heart.
A year before / should have rushed
to the cafes for forgetfulness, but now,
as the shock subsidized, l turned fever
ishly to work. For months l persist
ed, denying myself the smallest re-
spite, clinging go a resolution which
proved vainer daily. Were art to be
mastered by logged endeavor.
should have conquered; but alas!
thought could compel myself to paint,
could not compel myself to paint
well. / had fought temptation foI
half year, worked with my teeth
clenched, worked against nature, work
ed while my pulses beat and clamored
for the draughts of dissipation, which
promised speedier release. | recog-
nized that my work had been wasted,
that the struggle had been useless
broke down.
need say little of the months that
followed-it would be a record of de-
gradations and remorse; alternately, /
fell, and was ashamed. / shuddered
at the horrors I had committed.
One afternoon when l returned to
my rooms, from which | had been
absent since the previous day, | heard
from the concierge that visitor await
anticipation. My thoughts were slug
gish, my limbs leaden, my eyes heavy
and bloodshot. My visitor was Berthe
l think nearly minute must have
passed while we looked speechlessly
in each others face-hers convulsed
by entreaty, mine dark with hate.
Forgive me-" she gasped, Il have
come to beseech your forgiveness! Can
you not forget the wrong | did your
do l look as if l had forgotten?
Il was inconstant, cruel, | cannot ex.
cuse myself. But, Oh, Silvestre, in the
name of the love you once bore me,
have pity on us! Reform, abjure your
evil courses! Do not, l implore you
condemn my husband to this abyss OF
depravity; do not wreck my married
lifeI"
Now I understood what had pro-
cured me- the honor of visit fom
this woman, and l triumphed devil
ishly thatsI was the elder twin.
Madame, = answered, Il think tina.
owe you no explanations, but / shall
say this: the evil courses that you
deplore we're adopted, not vindictively
but in the effort TO numb the agony
that you had made me suffer. You
but reap as you have sown."
"Reform." she sobbed. She sank OF
her knees before me. "Silvestre, in
mercy to US, reform!"
Il shall never reform I said in
fexibly. Il will grow more abandon
ed day by day-my past faults shall
shine as merits compared with the
atrocities that are to come. False
girl, monster of selfishness. you are
dragging me to the gutter, and your
only grief is that he must share my
shame! You have made me bad, and
you must bear the consequences-you
cannot now make me good to save
your husband"
Humbled and despairing, she left
me- At this stage began deliberate
ly to contemplate revenge. But not
the one that / had threatened Oh
no, I bethought myself of a ven
geance more complete than that, She
should be tortured with the torture
that she had dealt to mel would
make him adore another womanl
1t was difficult, for first must adore
and tire. of another woman myself
az the passion in me faded, his woulc
be horn. / swore, however. that
would compass it. For some wGnin1