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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1885-3-20, Page 2TIE EARL' BY BERTHA 11T,. CLAY, .aUtthor or "Thrown 00 the tvoe j' '•.^Y minuted Ida," e(00 bring you face to face with her." Tho. woman loved 111111 -her faro changed, paled, grow crimson, and quivered; her eyes !hawed and dark surd. Lord Kelso, who had quidrly re- covered his self-possession, !lolled to -!ler with a bow, 011Xll six mon ;R I. "This is your v-cllgemue0," ho sail. "Yes," she replied, "this is my venge- ance." "Will you auswer 8om0 questions, Lord Kelso," sho said, "questions which I shall ask on your honor as a gentle - luau 7" He looked contemptuously at her, but made no reply. "Is the story told of you and Lady G- true or not 2" she asked. "Of what cousequonce can it bo to you 2" ho replied. "I would not eon - descend to answer you." "No1 I felt sure that you would speak the truth; if not, Lord Penrith, who wishes to know the truth, had better put the question himself." "Is it true ?" asked Lorcl Penrith, with a dark frown. "I am ashamed to say that it is per- feed•- true," he replied. It. • ,.s a horrible crime, but if any. thir;; • . redeem it, it was tho frank, manly !,.onion in which ho owned it. "You etre that I was right 1" cried Z'alone, iu triumph. "Nov let him deuy, if he can, that he deceived ono of the most innocent and beautiful girls in the world : that be made her believo in some wretched attempt at a niock mar. riage. nud took her away with hint to Swiiicrlard,whero she lived with him i for some time. believing herself to bo Lis wife. 1, this; true?" Ile look. d at Lord Penrith as though the outstiou came from him. "'Po my eternal regret, sorrow, and condemnation," ho replied, "itis true." There was a dead silence for one half minute, then a muttered curse fell from the white lips of Lord Penrith, and again Valerie cried, in triumph. "You seo now that I have spoken the truth." CHAPTER LXVII. DOOMED TO A LIFE-LONG SORROW. Lord Kelso was not a hardened man -1m recoiled with pain when Lady Pourith turned laer white face, haggard with misery, to him, "Why have you clono this to my Bea- trice ? W hat has she done to you that you should spoil her life? 011, Heaven ! who is to tell her, and sho preparing for her weddiug-day 2" Lord. K.elso's voice was full of emotion as he Bald: "Lady Penrith, Ido not know in what words to answer you. I wish that I had becu dead before I had brought this trouble to you and to Beatrice. I wish, indeed, that I had died. Will yon listen to me for a few minutes ? I cannot mako any excuses for myself; 1 do not wish to make less of my sin, but let mo say this much for myself -if 1 bad my life to live over again I would act differently. I say it, with tears of sorrow and contrition, that I havo never studied anything except myself and my owls pleasures. Only Heaven knows whether it will bo any excuse for ma to say that I was never tangbt. I was born the Their to great wealth, and I always thought I could do as I liked. I aha not all bad. I believe that if any ono had ever said to mo that 801f -00n - tool and self-restraint were noble, I might -harm tried to ho noble. As it was, quite naturally, I thou"ht of uothing but my own pleasure. I have never done what the world would call a mean thing, I have boon generous -I may even say charitable -bit have not rospootod the claims of women. I an, doubly ashamed to say it in tho pre- sence of such a amnion ea Yeti, Lady Penrith, but I am afraid I have merely looked upon theca as toys. I have found out my mistake -they havo tho virtues of angels tho vices of devils. I loco Bea. trice, I feel that my lips aro not worthy to mention her name, I love Ilei because she is like an angel." Ho turnocl to Val0rio, "Y011 0011 say what more you will," he said, quietly; "you havo had your l0veugo." "Yes, I have had it, and thio taste of it is sweet to my lips," she said. Lorin Kelso tnrncd to tho uwLappy parm,ts, "11'hatovor you have to say to lam wait until this woman has gond. She has 1,0 her vengeance; let her go." "I have 1nor to say 1lef0rc I go," said 1alerio. "It is easy to de0tivo 0foolislh woman -it is easy to betray in1100Cn00 or simplicity -hut it is not so (msy to deeeivu and betray ,a French noble' woman. I toll you my revongo should last soy life. Every time you attempt to mato any Wonsan hollow its you, or attempt to make any woman marry you, 1 will repeat what I !save dono this time," He nada no au5wor-a contemptuous smile curled his lips. A woman's threats would novor move him. "I will not rotaliato upon a woman," he said, "or I might, in my turn, make certain tovelations not very pleasant for llladenloisello D'Envers to hoar. Out of contemptuous pity I will keep her se. mot. Sho has told you ;aria of the truth, but sho has not told you what a snake in the grass she proved herself to the girl when sho drove to her death. I tell you houestly that I loved that girl with my whole heart, and I would have THE BRUSSELS POST. ninon 20, 1885, wb.. ........., ..... ....,-."mom..ne•MxtegcAr2a.r.atesrt.s..sxec.nvaovz,.ars. w,. .m wH,,.,,r„ .=.n.., ,tmrens ravr uase.".v,,,rtr.,m.n.va,z,,r, matter is 0ndod, and forovor, My Strongest conclouuultiuu and rctprobatiou rout with von. You havo wronged Heaven and man, Y0(10 Soul wants wash. ing in tears of peuiteuoo, your life re- forming ; e- for'hnhng; but wider 110 Oire111nstanees whatover eau yon 1>e permitted to see 13eatfico again. The pr0p0r and manly course will be for you to leave Pourith at once," Even ho, in his righteous anger, was struck by rho keen pain on 0110 hand- some fano before him. A low ery came from the earPs lips. little love 1" he said to lticnself. Iso lo0kod up at Lord I'unritb with hag- gard eyes, "1)o you icu0w," he cried, "that 1 loft her half an 11001' ago with loving words on her lips, and that she is waiting for mo, tiho malted me not to ho long, and 1 promised to lnu'ry hack to her, You cannot he so cruel as to say that I must not see her again, my little, loving lovo 1" and the strong man -the man who had thought so little of the sufferings of others--c1verecl his flee with Ills hauls and wept alo0tl, ;moll tears as mon weep 0111y onc0 in lite, and that is when their rloarest hope is slain. Evan those 10110 were in eluted against bin) bolt sorry for him at that Hour. "I roust see her once mor„ 1" ho cried. "I shall go mind if you forbid it. Jest onto -oh, Lady Peorit', you Have a woman's heart, and it must bo a kind ono, lot hale see her mice -only once 1" Lady Penrith held up her hand. "I shill look upon you always as my chill's murderer," she said. "Beatrice will never bo happy again," "But you will lot me Boo her 2" he pleaded. "Once -only mace ?" "It nest rest with Lord Penrith," she replied. It must rest with Beatrico herself," said Lord Penrith. "if it will lo,'sef her sorrow, and she wishes to say 10013. ley to you, slue may cru so, but -it most 1,5 ,,Ood.hy. What do you propose la do 7 I wish you to leave my house at ralc1,' ":thy punishment is Lard," cried Lord 110!;0---"l(arder than I eau bear.' married her logally and properly lou;; ago but that 1 \vias ashamed to lot bar Immo that! had deceived her before, 1f that woman with lair horrible 0000011107 haul not came botwceu 112, hl all 110n11a- 1,11ity vt0 811011d havo boon married, I Moo 110(160100 110021160 sho reselubles in Lor parity, her 111110001100, and 1(00swoet gayety the girl (011001 this woman 111110• dared with lalso words," "Hush 1" cried Lord Pourith, "You roust 110':er molltfoa lay daughter's name agaiu." Lord Kelso'; handsome face grow timidly pale. "Is it so?" ho said. "I cannot tom. plain. YOU 81,0, - mademoiselle, your work is clone -your rovmlge is vary com- plete. You havo doomed a bright, hail. 'y, loving girl to a life-long sorrow. Sho whose Immo 1111ay 110ver more mention netts never have known of my wrong- doing ; hundreds of 1)100 have douo the same thing, but t11oy ]lava sot0loti down afterward, have married goad women, 1111,1 Have Se 1,00011(4) good mens I might 1,'1TO dont, Om same -living with 0110 Se R1,014l and pure would have ruado a good noun of me. I could Lave p1050 od Ler' 1. .10 all evil, and havo 11(0110 1100 very 11:111y-." The recollection of what she ha boor saying when iJO loft I(4')'. ('(lac 611, i( L. ilial, his vo;01 faltered, and i Dim t,: 1l ea11)0 to. his e), "1.111) 1 -are had ir.1. Prng,'11m,e, maGet eis,'lit•' 1 -emit III 1, 1aiia111, 1f you wird! to know t,LctMA you havo succoeded in making me snd'er, yos, you have dono so -I du suffer, and I shall suffer all my life. You need nob be proud of the feat you have accom- plished. Lord Penrith, when this per- son has ;;one, wo will speak together." Lord Penrith made no answer; think- ing of Beatrice, it was with groat diflr. catty that he refrained from taking the man boforo him by tho throat, and end- ing the life that to him seemed accursed. Lady Penrith read his thoughts iu his agitated face and trembling frame. "Nay, dearest Hildebrand," she said, "that will but malco matters worse. 13o calm and patient. -blind, hot raga will not help us." Valerie made a sweeping bow. "My mission is accomplished," sho said. "You !mow, Lord Penrith, if any 0110 attempts to win your consent to this marriage what will happen. I shall be there. I shall stand by the altar and the priost to denounce him, and your 1111,1110 shall bo associatedwith the great- est scandal that has ever been known even in this land of scandals." "Threats would never deter me from doing what I thought right,".said Lord Penrith. Then, without another word, ho open - 001 the door and held it -a hint that no person could mistake, "I must express my opinion of you," ho said to her. "Lord Kelso does not shine in rho stories you havo told, but the most contemptible person I know or have heard of -is yourself." Lady- Penrith said no word as the woman who had marred her da0g11ter's life passed out of sight; but she stood there with a look on her face that lmrt Lord Kelso more than anything else in this world. "Who is to comfort my child ?" she said to her husband. "Who is to toll her?" Than Lord. Kelso wont nearer to her, and bowed his head before her. "Lacey Pantitb," ho pleaded, "will you listen to mo ? Need this cruel (lead be douo ?-noes Beatrice be told? My follios or sins were all over before I over saw her. Since I have known hor 1 havo been true to her in thought, word, and deod, just because sho is so sweot and innocent. I would respect hor iu- nocence, and shield her with Sho best strengths of a lean. Could you forgivo me ?" The passionate sorrow in" his voice touched her gentle heart. "I could forgive you," sho said ; "bit I could never give you my beautiful, loving child." - "Think better of itl" ho cried, with passionato enorgy. "I own my orime- I havo done wrong; I am heartily sorry for it; I would undo it if I could; I would make any atonement I could-uo man can do more." "This is true; but what you havo done quite unfits you to be my daughter's husband. I shouldnever rest for think- ing of her -I should never be happy about her. I am one of those who con- sider tho destruction of tho soul as far worse than the ruin of the body." Lord Penrith looked at Lord Kelso. "If my wife would give my daughtor to you, I would not. I would soonor a thousand times seo leer lying dead!" Lord Kelso uttered a cry of despair. "10 8001118 unmanly to plead against your decision," he said, "13th do, for Hoavon's sako, stop and think. If you sand mo away, you inalto Beatrice sulTor for my sins. What hasBoatrico clone?" "Nothing -that is tho cruelest part of it," said Lord Penrith. "Sho may suf- fer, and sho will suffer. Bettor that, than to link her life 101011 such m lifo as yours." "You aro too hard," groaned Lord Iiolso, "I do not think so," said Lord Pon. rith, Then they were silent, while the ear- riago vvlhools of rho woman who had comp down upon them liko a whirlwind rolled down the avenue. "We have to oousidor our name," said Lord Penrith. "Even If my wife and mysol£ were willing now to give our dauglltor to you, you 00me11111Or what that woman said --that she would do- nou1100 you boforo the priest and rho people, and that suoh a scandal should hong round your name as has never been hoard before -you remember." "Sho would not darn to do anything of tho kind," ho cried, indignantly. "Sho would both dare and do," said the earl. "No stroll soandal must at. tech itself to my beloved child, Tho FOR SALE. The undersigned will sell or axohange for Farm Property PARD LOT 1, BRUSSELS, CO1TAUND2G 20 AMUS OF 1,A1DD 00 which there is a Good Brick Dwel. ling and Frame Barn. For particu- lars apply to JOHN GGEWAB, 46 BRUSSELS, ONT. -NEW STOCK OF - Buffalo Robes, Rugs Horse Blankets' "I wish you to leave at once," said Lord Penrith. "I will send word to my daughter that you have been compelled to return to London on particular busi- ness. Do not give either Lady Ponrith or myself the pain of looking upon you again." But you will lot me see her once again to say good -by ? You will not re. fuse mo ?-it is the dosperato prayer of a dosporate man." "I will consider it. If my daughter asks !rte I shall not refuse her, but I shall take her out of England at onto." In silence Lord Kelso quitted the room, CHAPTER L'li.VIII. TEE TATTLER'S 1:XPLANATION. Every fashionable newspaper in Lon don had the sante paragraph : "PasTPONENENT OF TITh MARI(IAGE OF THE EARL OF KELsO.-Tho marriage of Lord Kelso is postponed owing to the very serious illness of Miss Penrith, whose condition is a source of great anxiety to her relations." Those row lines did not tell much of the tragedy which had taken place at Penrith Castle, but that told all the outer world ever know. In one of the grand old rooms overlooking the rivor with its rush of waters, and the woods -a room, largo, bright, and lofty -a young girl lay, doing hard battle with death, lay liko a bruised flower, liko a broken lily, her fair head tossing wildly on the pillow, a wistful, hunted look in her oyos,as though the pain were too great. Sho longed to die, while all iu rho hottso moved with silent fo0tatops, and the sound of a laugh was novor hoard. It was as though the sun had set, and everlasting night reigned. That bright, beautiful Beatrice should be lying 011ore, the golden hair all down, the boautiful face either white or worn or flushed and fevered; sick unto death -with that one fever for which there is no cure. She looked at the doctor who came to attend her. "Do not try to cure mo," she said to him. "Let me die 1" -that was the burden of her song -"let mo diet" She had not said much when they told her. Sho listened to all, and when Lord Penrith had finished, she cried out: "You say I must give him up. I can- notl I cannot I" She wrung her hands with a low my, a despairing gesture. "I cannot 1" sho repeated. "I am sorry ho has not boon a good man ; but, good 01' wicked, I love him, and I cannot give him up." ;rho listened with a ghastly faco, while Lord Ponrith told her tho story, in the bolt and kindest words ho could find. "If his own sins did not lis liko a groat gulf botwoon you, Beatrice," ha said, "you could not marry him. That fair young Tame of yours must not be blaokonod with calumny, and that IVO. man will keep her word. You must try to forgot him." "Forget him, papa 1 I will -when hay heart forgets to boat and my eyes forgot to see. I will forgot him -when the sun is darkouad and the moon gives 110 light, when my body forgets my soul, and Hoavon forgets mo -than Twill for. got my earl -my earl 1" "My Beatrice," said bor father, gontly, "you aro too good, too noble to love a wortbloss man. "He is not worthless," she repeated. "Ho may havo been wicked, ho may havo dons all therm terrib1s things you say, but ho is not worthless." She listened to him with a face so ghastly, and with trembling hands, with such anguish in her oyes, that Lord Ponrith said to himself it was worse than slaying her, Evory now and then rho white hands were clenched, as if rho jq/q'ONSY TO LOAN, n,rh•uln Puuda. Ah1'11' nt 1h111t'sST ('01111011• ins House. 38.1 THOS, FLETOHER, 000 tl('lI 113'000Imuakcr 11ncl Jew'elel . Geld '(1081(0)8(4)1(81' D'bsted "Ware, Sliver YYntcnos, ('IarDts, 0)11,1 Mewl. I Imop 0,21 lin, of gouda u108lly ]rapt 111 a (rat-eb,a13❑o'olrystor,. Galland exnmino,no troul,111,1 ,1".t1' Clouds, Zotluar o, 0n0501.ago S.Scoxarcc. Agent for Ocosl Tlohata,Arnortenn Lx'ros Company and (Treat Nortlt western talegrnpn Uompany. OUR CUSTOMER I wish to inform all that I Lavo rented the WINGHAM WOOLEN PILL 11=7 O Till I get the BrurBcJs mill in opera- tion nud will 00140 in Wool hero in " Trude nu usual. I intend to take in All Kinds of Manufacturing here, ;at '- the 01(1 Woolen krill Stand, such as I have moved to my new brick store and. am prepared to wait on all my old custom- ers and many now ones, HARNESS ! HARNESS 1 ! Light and Heavy Harness made to order on short notice of the very bast tnatorial and superior workmanship. I havo in Stock 1ARNE S S, WHIPS, CURRY CONDE, BRUSHES FLY NETS, DUSTERS, ETC. A SPLENDID ASSORTMENT Or TRUNKS, VALISES, SATCHELS, ETC„ ETC. H. DENNIS. MONEY TO LOAN. M6noy to loan 011 farm property nt L0.1\ EST RATES. PRIVATE ANC COMPANY FUNDS w. B. 7hcrsox, Solicitor, Brussels, Ont. INITERESTING TO E V]RYD ODYI Stoves, Furniture &c. Tho Sterling Cook Stove just the thing for farmers use. IIas a largo oven, takes 27 inch wood and weighs over 400 lbs. The Marquis, one of the most oonven- iont and handsome town Cook Stoves over offoreci to tho public, also in stook. GALL AND el'EI; 00114 "DAS" HMG d 1 G'iiR,C I E, Itis Simple and Durable and does a larger range of work than any other machine in the market. A PULL SUPPLY OF UR NIT URE, -00N818T1NG OP -- CHAIRS, BUREAUS, BEDSTEADS, LOUNGES, MATTRASSES, &C, O11NTRALLY ON DIANA. Next door to J. knee hardware atom, W. J. Jackson, Rall Carding, Spinning, Weaving, Fulling, do., ,Ind Guarantee to Give Good #Balis/ueti07t. -ALL KINDS OF - Knitted Goods Made To Order, -SUCH AS - Jackets Sears;, Stoeki]1L I have it large et0ek of gooda on hand, (1tela as Bed Blankets, Horse Blankets, Shadings, Union Flannels, All Wool Flannels, Toa Shirts, of variolas kinds, Under Shirts and Drawers) an Excellent Lot of A11 Wool Tweeds both Fine and Coarse. l PLI'1ASII GI N1,1 ME A CALL Blx'oltla SELLING 'rum WOOL 1:LSEwi1I;DtE, ,.l G o Tawe, llgONEY TO-L1+7ND, Any amount of It1oney to L083 011 Farm or Village property at 6 A 6i PE1I CENT. YEARLY. Straight Loans with privilege 01 re- paying when required.' Apply to A. HUNTER, Div. Court Clerk, Bru55012. WHAT TI132 LADIES' SAY 1 • We all held anlectin' and argued it warm And voted ler koepin' Ilia ;moo on rho farm, And so 'twas oonol lcd, and settled up clean That 01,o vvilmui)1 should 11800 11 new sow111' mac1(1I0, %hatnight wo concluded, the 0inu0in nail 1110, To go tho next clay 011 n puro1aain' spree, We'd heard our friends toll of a iirst.olass machine That beat all 1110 other 5011230115, Slick and oloan. We went into town, and it didn't take long To 1111(1. rho maehino that'll hover go wrong, The wimmin deol(ro that they never hey soon Sieh n Light rumlin' smooth vv011(10' 55)0111' machine ; It must bo tho best, for I hoar em all say That "Tia 13ATD1oan" is the n10511i110 of the day. -CALL ON- r r &Mo. LO V ]Dy ARil5SOi,S, ONT.