Year: 1865

worth living for"


Good night" he said, shaking hands
/ ''you have discretion, and to you | vii
confde something which ought to bC
known to a few when | am no more" He
then went below.


We were long becalmcd in the tropics
but at length we got slope of the trade
winds, and went on famously. Oar queer
passenger had not for weeks spoken to me,
except by fits and starts, and q began to
think he regretted having said as much as
he had. Accordingly, through feeling
Of delicacy, kept aloof from him, pre-
tending that was busy when he came up
during my watch.


At last he addressed me in very abrupt
manner:


Hickman, I am about to relate to you
my dismal history. Swear by your God
that you will never disclose it in my life
time"


| said that | never would, but he hardly
waited for my reply, and added: at will
be but brief time of rcticence"
q | could only interpret these words in
sinister way, and much moved, coniured
him to throw himself on the Almighty
with all his SORROW, and to abstain from
any act of rashness. ~ know sir"
said, "that am not fit TO advise one of
your age and learning; but | have al
ready lived to see strangely unexpected
deliyerances from misery and misfor-
tune"


He did not seem to hear me, but leans
ing gloomily on the rail, he thus began;


d" was forty years old when / married
her. & severe disappointment which I
had experienced in my early life hal
changed me much. To most persons I
seemed coldhoartcd and repulsiye but I
thought she knew mc better. Her father
was clergyman Of small means, and she
had four brothers all in the army. BY
accident | met her Our courtship was
very short. Her father was happy to see
his last child provided for, and our we'd
ding was celebrated with great pomp-
Two Of her brothers were there, and the
other two were serving in India. | took
her 70 cur secluded house in the county
Of Clare, and for a year and more, lived
life of happiness such as falls to the lot Of
few


" She was of wonderful beauty; tall, of
exquisitcIy moulded shape, with flashing
ayrns Of IrilliaDt blo .lyposs


She was much given to melancholy.
which gradually increased after the first
year Of our union / then began to fancy
that the memory of some old affection
haunted her; but she often told me that I
was the only man she had ever loved, and
that my well known learning and accom-
plishmcnts had long caused her to enter
tain for me the highest respect, even be-
fore she had seen me.


"Sereral times l came upon her uncx-
pcctedly, and found her in tears, with an
open letter in her hand On my entreat~
Ing her to let me know the cause Of her
unhappiness, she pleaded nervousness,
thought of her fathers delicate health,
and Of other fami'v matters which she
assured me | could not enter into.
troubled myself much about this
thought that my manner towards her was
not dcmonstratiyc enough, and indeed no
manner could show the boundIcss depth
of my love for her; then l thought that
the disparity of our years precludcd u
perfect interchange of feeling and sonti-
mc1lt But any suspicion of her guilt,
any thought that she was not stainless"


Mr., Aspern stopped abruptly, wiped the
perspiration from his brow, and proceed
ed


"Oh why did not die then! should
have carried in my soul to the relms of
Hereafter 4 glorious dream. But now


ave had been married fifteen months
when most unexpected news came to me
from India \ distant relative had died
there, leaving me large fortune, and my
presence was required in Bengal to ar
range important affairs.


Finding that your ship was soon to sail,
| resolved to take passage in her, and set
tied all things needful for my wife's com
fort during my absence, which was to be
for n twelvemonth. Her dependency
deepened, and l strove to 1atter myself
that my approaching departure was the
cause.


Z" had lovely garden laid out for her.
y sidewalk led down TO tasteful bridge
of ornamental wood which spanncd a
pretty stream an insignificant stream in
dry weather, but a dangerous torrent aftlr
rain In time of flood the water rushed
down with great velocity, and to prevent
the bursting Of the bridge, several of the
flooring boards were not nailed down
This bridge led into a park, Just beyond
which were the stables, and the stables
commanded a view Of our garden. Al
though there was thus short cut to the
stables from the house, none of the ser
wants were allowed to avail themselves OF
+ it; our usual evening stroll was the gar,