Year: 1873

Il
mayest come. Thy MARIA"


His not the Jealous rage OF the lover defrauded Of
his Mistress rather IL the passionate despair OF the
husband who has lost the wife he adores. For TO the
thought of Johannes Maria had always been his wife.
The lack Of the civil ceremony which they had been too
poor conveniently TO procure had signfed nothing to
hir6 His love eternalso he said TO himse-there-
fore ts rights eternal It did not at first to
him TO doubt her good faith. She might have gone INTO
service-she might be dead--who knew He could hear
nothing Of her from the old woman her aunt On the
third day. he stood IN the street. watching, always
watching he a carriage roll by and, leaning back
on its silken cushions he recognized Maria. He fol-
lowed herr he asked at the gate Of the country house
she entered, and where he saw man meet her with
lover-ke and gesture, If the master
ried and when the man answered with light laugh,
"God forbidw Johannes went away for pistol He
reasoned with himself, as suppose many another man
has done:


"Maria--what did Maria concern hint He cast her
from him as corrupt morsel What had he in common
with her and her infamyi But he would again have
right 10 the light of the This had broken into
the sanctuary of his happiness like wolf and had com
mtted terrible outrage upon HIM She In the mire;
could her soul but be washed pure again in the blood OF
had inflicted upon him such unredeemable ignominy;
treacherously had be come and might treachery be
his fatei


hour later he again stopped at the countryhouse
he had taken pistol from the room OF an acquaintance
who was not at home be had carefully loaded H. ana
pulled the trigger.


Some after he had been admitted, there was
a wild confusion, running, and tumut in the honse
shot had alarmed the quiet neighborhood faien on


S shot S sS ss secd sGs
erect deathly pale, with trembling hps; ana the Deau
tfu woman who had entered the house so brilliantly
few days before threw herself sgltaed and contte,
on the ground at his feet"


Just here perceves the true greatness of the au
thor As you discover farther she by no means re-
CARDS the Of Johannes with the liberation which
would be shown toward it by American jury 1t was


which drew after 1t the misery and disappointment
of e But she is seltcontroled enough, and this is
gift novelist to let the story tell itself We see
what Johannes did-we how he justified himself TO
his own cOnscenceand other plea is put in Tor hs
condemnation his acquittal The indignation OF the
public burst like thunderstorm upon his head Inc
young man he had murdered was universally beloved.
He had been good son. good citizen, successful man
OF business, q charming companion; and now ne was
down by this stranger this unknown, who had not
even the right OF husband TO his revenge. 1t was
thought that great mercy had been shown Johannes
when he sentenced only 10 a long imprisonment.
To him the btterest agony in the thought that Ills
incarceration left Maria unprotected He looked at her.
as she stood there during his trial. silent STILL false and
souess yet the sweetest woman he knew on earth
IAN the tshonOr OF woman now, however, awaited
her. This idea left him not moments repose she had
coSd no longer snatch her from it, What did it matter
TO him that he might, perhaps, be one day free again
Now was the moment! Like aveDging spirit an ac,
eusaon from his deed of passion and revenge and
this accusation directed against himself, that he had
her to the feeling of fidelity and honor; and now 1t was
too late, she lost There was nothing after al SO
miserable terrible, that which awaited her! Inc
civil disgrace which settled ON his own head seemed
slight compared TO it, He could free himself from II he
could raise his head again the disgrace was not IN ms
soul. But what was TO become OF herf Ihls beauty,
this voice, these eyes! This woman, who aiured 10
crime and ruin. who possessed every charm, and no
power OF resistance"


In his hepessness he wrote to Franzska, begging her
Maria for his sake and she would have counted
no toll too hard she could have obeyed him bnt Maria
had disappeared No pains could find her. At last
Johannes effected his escape. 1t was done by Franzskas
aid but this he did not know The Jaor who had prom


sed to give him messages from her suppressed them
and Johannes disappeared mysterously Maria had
| done.


Out of 65l pages 1917 have suced to tell the story
far But the motif OF the book is the development OF
Johanness strong and peculiar character through the
yicssitudes of life varied and adventurous that one
might be tempted pronounce it absurdy improbable
If in such perfect consOnance with his rest
less mpassioned headstrong, adventurous character
Not in vain did the blood of the old Vikings flow in his
vens-he was strong OF body as he was unamed Of
SOUL


Now and again upon his checkered way, he catches
some chance glimpse of Maria. Her life is the natural
career of a beautiful woman, without soul and with
out a fortune. She not betrayed by passion. Had
she married. in her youth man rich enough TO sur
round her with all the luxury her sensuous. beauyov
ing nature desired she would have been false TO
him. and luxury would have contented her; and
she neither craving heart restless imagination to
sting into dsQuet. But she beautiful and door,
and was absolutely free from all restraint OF conscience
II was ony at very close of her life that Johannes
again took her under his protecon-a poor little rain
drenched butterfly now, with broken wings, whom he
pitied infinitely but longer loved. lie found her, the
wife, at last, Of brutal man, inn-keeper who, had
married her of lovers had secured to her
IN ia
persuaded her make her will in his favor and then
was lesurely poisoning her TO death Johannes being


sklfu physician, was not slow to perceive. She ap-
peals him for projections and he literally buys her Of
her husband in order TO establish her where she be
well cared for, and die in peace. His was,
doubtless in dumb fashion, reproach to her. for
most at when he was away but just at the
last sent for and went to her bedside. Nothing
could be exQustely tender than the page which
tells how her life went out. Catholic priest in at
tendance her. and he dsqueted because he could
not make her occupy herself with her sins But must
let the author tell the story in her own way:


"It is sad said the priest turning 10 the others in
the room, what ideas and dreams occupy tho mind OF
this dying woman She will be flower she says; she
il now passing TO profound repose the flower is floating
still, clear water never again Will II bear rude
voces never more anger aud dispute no faces dis,
turbed with wcKedness; no wrnkled brows; no evil
laughter will be there to cast upon her glance
which can make her afraid From heaven ven and ana eartn %
wings and this the flower will 1--we for thousands and
thousands OF always bOODlngi ana the water Is
always calm and the holy virgin is standing on the
in the sky You understand said the priest that our
religion cannot allow human being to lose these last
precious moments II her lite has been SINFUL she should
die in sanctity and repentance


johannes begged OF the spiritual adviser not TO en-
croach upon the power OF mercy but 10 leave the sick
woman alone until she should desire his help.


"He in and took the chair at the head OF the dyng
woman. She opened her eyes, and when she saw him
she took his hand and pressed II between her and
the faded flower she holding fell from her fingers.
She placed his hand under her cheek, though she
would make 1t her pillow and she did this with true
vfad rfa int as AZ ahe Oh
right TO II.


'She not speak TO him. in word alusion OF what
aha had been how she had sinned her lips