Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

14 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

- "tr5t: Original anlJ tltrttb.

^TGML STOBIES." .

THERii WAS.

THE DUCHESS.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

[NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.] THE DUCHESS. By the Author of "PSYLLIS," uldoLLy &YJf,' Mz3. GEOIVBSY," LADY BUnsKUa," ttc. [THE RIOJIT or TRANSLATION IS RMUM.1 CHAPTER XXIII. "But now the hand of fate is on tha CUltajo, And gives the seerc to light." X ti.a morning that tiresome headache is worse than ever. Norah manages to get down to breakfast, out only to with her tOaat and to refuse with a glance of distaste anything offered her. "How ill you look, darling," says Madam, some hours later, meeting her in one of the anterooms, equipped for walking. Like a little pretty ghost, lam po distressed about it: and your father coming to-morrow, too! It is dreadful; he will say I have net taken any care of you." "Who could have taken more?" says the Duchess, sweetly, slipping an arm round her neck. You have made me feel always that you lova me," H»ve I ? very pleased. Thnt is a.=: it should be, then, and only the barest truth. Every mother shook' love her own little daughter." She smiles and kisses the girl with a lingering fondness, and smoothes back the soft ruffled locks from her hot brow. You are quite feverish, darling. Do you know I am growing really uneasy about you." "It is tha headache." u But what a persistent one. Will you see Doctor Morgan ? "No, no, indeed," laughing. What nonsense, Aunt'e. I'll tell you, though, what I think of doing. Of going out, and staying out for quite ever so 1 jng. Make an excuse for me at lurcheon, and don' expect me again untii you see me. I feel as if a good dose of the strong will wind outside is the one thing that can blow there cobwebs out of my brain." "Then go, by all means, dearest. Try vour own medicine first, mine afterwards," says Madam. "But, bef,re you go-a biscuit and a glass of Madeira. Come now, I insist, and for reward, I'll tell any pretty fib you like about you at luncheon." The dull and cheerless sun, that all day long has beea making so poor a pretence at jollity, has at last sunk behind the hills. Already daylight wanes, and the heavy gusts of wind that, rushing through the fir tops, stirred the wide air since early dawn, have now gained in strength, and are roaring sullenly with a subdued forca, that speakti of a violent outburst later on. One or two heavy drops of rain fall with a quick, soft sound at Norah's feet. They rouse her from the reverie in which she has almost lost herself; rouse her, too, to a know- ledge of the fact that day is nearly dead, and that the air is full of signs of the coming storm. So busy have been her thoughts during her long swift ramble through the woods and over the hills, and thence Into unknown woods again, that to her it seems as though it is but a little while since she walked from the broad stone steps that lead to the entrance door at Castle Ventry and yet, in reality, how long has it been ? She pauses to look round her to notice for the first time how swiftly the darkness is beginning to fall; to see, too, with a vague but sharp touch of fear, that the place wherein she now stands is strange, unknown to her. Whither have her rest- less feet carried her all the landmarks by which she had been used to guide herself are now behind her, lost to her, unless she can retrace her steps to some spot familiar. A huge black cloud has gathered overhead, and is covering all the heavens. A little fine, white mist begins to fall, a shadowy sort of shower, that presently declares itself more openly, and becomes an honest downpour. Larger and larger grow the drops, darker and darker the atmosphere; and now that first mild sense of fear gathers in force and becomes uncomfortably definite. Turning, she begins to walk briskly in the way she believes she has come, but which in reality is only taking her the more decidedly from Ventry when she has walked in this direction about twenty minutes she pauses and looks around her, only to find herself hopelessly astray. Blacker grows the leaden sky above, as seen in irregular patches through the arching branches over her head. Slowly, steadily rise3 the storm; already the winds begin to rush past her with a fierceness that makes her limbs tremble. Standing still, with her arm round a sapling oak for supporti and feeling a very natural thrill of terror as she acknowledges to herself that she scarcely knows where to turn, she happens to lift her head and there on her right she sees an old broken-down cottage, or hut rather-close to a tall fir tree, that appears to bend over it as if offering protection. It will give shelter at least. Running towards it she steps quickly, thankfully, into the miserable one bare room o: which it can boast. Dead leaves blown in by many winds strew the earthen floor. A wide open chimney holds on its hearth the grey ashe3 of dead fires old and gone. The Duchess, with a sense of rather uncanny loneliness, looks with ungrateful backward glances at this spot that alone has held out to her the arms of pity. How long has it stood here a prey to ghosts? Not so long, apparently. In one corner stands a pile of rotten fir logs, and near it a bundle of twigs, or hi pdens," as the peasants call them, that suggest a desire on the part of the late tenants to light one more fire before they should leave this dilapidated home for ever. Through two large holes in the thatched roof the rain is falling with a quick steady drip, and Norah avoiding it as best she may, leans disconsolate against the open doorway and gazes with many misgivings on the dismal scene without. It must be now about five o'clock according to her calcula- tion-in reality it is considerably later-and they will all be now in the library, some gathering round the welcome tea-tray, others lounging in pretty teagowns in the softest chairs to be found. Denis, too, will have come in long ago from his shooting, and perhaps—perhaps will now be think- ing of her and wondering where she is. A little uneasy, too, it may be. She can almost see his handsome, rather melancholy face of late, with the eyes tiirning so constantly to the door. Well, well, why think of it ? He may wonder and watch, and long for her coming; but of what avail will it all be. There is no end to it but one. She will not dwell upon it. Let her rather turn her thoughts to the fact that she is imprisoned here until the storm shall cease, and that even after that she will not know what direction to take to reach Ventry. How dark it grows, blacker and blacker frown the heavens. The dimmest twilight is all that is left of the day just gone. What will they think of her at the castle ? With what a contemptuous sneer Kutherine will hit at the barbarous bad taste of those whe can plunge so unreasonably a whole household iuto a state of apprehension, for tho sake of their own idle whims! Andbesides Great Heaven! What Is that ? Only the report of a gun. But coming through the gathering darkness of the descending night, it strikes with a cold terror at ber heart. And then all at once, she scarcely knows why, that past scene upon the gravel sweep, stands out before her mental gaze once more. Once again the dog's yelp of agony sounds on the air; once again Moloney is felled to the ground; she sees him rise, and marks ag iin the deadly threat of vengeance in )')-- eyes. A fear, born of nothing, as true fears sometimes are, becomes strong within her. Her heart beats ast, her hands grow cold, her cheek pales. How if that murderous, though silent threat, has been even now fulfilled! if even now he. her soul'a beloved, lies powerless, dead, with the heavy cruel patter ng rain falling, falling always on the dull insensate body. It is but a little thing after this to picture the white, aliutjyl upiorari tae, with the <Uad staring eyes, the parted lips showing the gleaming teeth just a little. Oil, Heaven! Ob, no! Oh! no, no, Sol She shudders violently, wad flings out her hands as though to ward off the awful siglit; and as she thus stands trembling all over, again that sharp sound rings through the darkness. She clutches the doorway, and with dilated eyes stares outwards, straining sight and hearing. Again !—close at hand it now sounds-rings out the sharp crack of a revolver, and following on it the bang of a breech loader. To her unpractised ear both sounds are alike, but for all that, instinct is alert within her, and holds up a warning hand and not for one moment is she deluded by the reasonable solution of the problem that Denis on his homeward way has just knocked over a brace of cock. Conquering a sickening sensation that comes very near to fainting, she rushes impetuously out of the house, and through the blinding rain makes her way to the spot from whence the sounds havo come. To her surprise a very short run brings her to a rise in the ground that betrays her to the fact of a road that lies just below where she is stand- ing. A high bank, topped by furze bushes, hides that part of the wood where she now stands from the public way, though a dilapidated gateway lawer down permits her to see where the road runs As she draws nearer to it she becomes conscious that broken sound* are beginning to fall upon her ear; panting breaths, muttered curses, the swtsyr, ing movements of feet. In this moment she knows, as well as though she can already see him, that Denis is on the road, close to that broken gateway, and that he is fighting fiercely for dear life. All at once her faintness leaves her. A cold chill rushes through her, hardening every nerve, springing to the top of the high bank, she look? throuv' ho furze bushes, dawn on to the road beneath, and gec CHAPTER XXIV. Courage Is a sort of armour to the mind, and keeps an uuuelcotae impreasloa from driving too deep into per ception. It is Denis she sees first. He is facing her; whilst his opponent—who has grasped him by the throat with a savage grip, and is straining eVcay muscle to bring him to the ground, has his back to her. He is a powerful-looking man, and even as Norah looks on, frozen by horror, lie makes an effort to bring down the handle of the revolver he carries upon Dulaney's head, with the intent to hammer out hk brains. It is evidently a struggle that cannot last long Delaney's face is already death-like renderd the more ghastly because of the heavy drops of blood that are running down it from a wound in the forehead, and his coat hi3 torn away from one arm that hangs helpless by his side. With the other arm ho still holds his would-be murderer, and with the tenacity of his r.,e. la still holding his own, when another would bt lying spent and insensible. To Nor-iii-wlio is of his own blood, and who can see for herself that unl £ 3S succour is prompt the end Is very near—this sight gives fresh cour- age. Her spirit risen within her; she sets her teeth and looks swiftly, keenly around her. A short heavy stake, part of the broken gateway catches her eye; she loses no time, she moves quickly towards it; to seize it noiselessly, to spring once again to that high part of the bank that bring-i her right over the assassin's head and within a foot of him, takes her but a minute, and then! With all the strength of her strong young arms she lifts the heavy piace of wood well above her ehoulder.and brings it down again with unerring precision right upon the scoundrel's pate! Like a stone he drops; half dragging Denis with him, but the girl jumping into the road, catches him as he falls, and holds him upright stui with with loving arms. Even now, as insanibility at last overpowers him. as deadly stupor benumbs his every sense, he knows her. "My beloved! My own little girl 1" he breaths faintly, with but a poor attempt indeed at the old fond smile, yet with love unspeakable in his fast closing eyes. He makes a vain effort to bold out his hands to her, and then falls inertly against the bank. And now it comes to Norah to do what she never afterwards can remember doing, or understand how the had the power to accomplish it But The God of love, ah benedice, How mighty and how great a Lord is nel Surely he helps her now. Looking at him, lying there in that awful swoon, it seems to her that she dare not leave him alone with the murderer beside him whilst she runs for help. What if the man were to recover whilst she was away. What if he be not dead. Poor, little, tender-hearted Duchess! Let her not be thought unwomanly if in this supreme moment she hopes passionately that she has killed the man who would have slain her lover, and only fears that she has not done so. What if he should rise and finish his ghastly work whilst she ran blindly along an unknown road to gain that assistance sho might never meet! Moisture rises to her brow as slig thinks it all out, and then all at once sha abandons that idea of gaining help, and with one quick indrawn breath steadies herself down for the work she is deter- mined to do this night, or die in the attempt. Stooping, she encircles Denis with her arms, and presently has drawn him, hrst towards the broken gateway, then through it; through the blessed opening that permits her to drag him out of view of that cruel figure on the ground, into the safer shelter of the woods beyond. Yard by yard. Sobbing; panting; with her fear and her fatigue pressing sorely on her, yet never discouraged, she slowly and ever more slowly, as the willing arms grow so deadly weary, drags him to the protection of that lonely hut, close to the fir-tree. Even when she has got him in, and laid him softly downwards, with the poor broken arm as comfortably settled as she can manage it. her zeal for h:s welfare does not relax. Off her own tender body she strips her sealskin coat, a present from her auntie, to make a pillow for his head, and then, not thinking it high enough—careless of cold, of, discomfort, nay dead to them—she slips off h'r flannel petticoat and adds that to the coat. Not until site has one all this does she permit herself to kneel beside him and look into his face! Is it his face, that calm, still, motionless mask, all streaked aud dyed with blood, blood still flow-- ing? She has been so Engrossed hitherto with her terrible task of bringing him here, that the idea that her labour might be in vain—that death might, already have robbed her of what she most values upon earth-has not suggested itsolf; but now it comes, and a very agouy of despair takes posses- sion of her. Nearer she leans over him, still nearer; her miserable eyes clinging to his deathlike face. What a horrible pallor is that upon his cheek I how sunken are the eyes within their sockets, how cruelly calm the mouth! Is—is ha dead ? Oh! no, no, no! Not dead! Hurt, hurt nigh unto death, if it must be, but oh 1 not dead, indeed! Her very soul upliftsitself in supplication. Maimed, suffering, broken let him be-but grant tiiat life still lingers within his bruised body. Oh Thou loving Lord! by whom all prayers are heard; hear mine. Softly, tremulously, she entreats; and now with nervous fingers she loosens his coat and feels for the heart that should beat beneath. And after a minute (who shall say what ages lie in it?) a faint pulsation rewards her. He livesl As yet, at least, the vital apark is in him. But how to keep It there? Deftly aha tears first her own handkerchief and then his into stripes, and binds them round his brow. The search for his handkerchief has brought to light a small flask which, to ber joy, contains brandy; but though she tries, even with her fingers, to get some between his lips, she fails to make him swallow it. And now again terror drives hor Almost wild. Can she do nothing! Will no one ever come to his aid! She runs to the doorway, with a vehement determination to rush through all the blinding storm in search of help. But as she crosses the threshold she looks back, and, seeing him h ing there so quiet, to all appearance so lifeless, her heart grows weak within her, and her courage fails. Alas, too, even if she were tor venture forth, whither could she go? The place is strange to tier; she would not know which way to turn; and if she were to wander too far in this gathering darkness and fail to make her way back again, what might not happen to him before morn—in her absence, alone, untended, deserted-l Oil, no, she cannot leave him. A vague hope that they will be rescued later on by messengers from Ventry gives her some waver- ing comfort, but in truth her present fears are so many that comfort in the future is quickly ousted. It is so cold, too-so bitterly chill. She looks longing at the dry sticks lying on the hearth, but even though she knows that by tho aid of the vosUs she has found in his pocket when looking for the flask, she can set fire to them, she shrinks from doing so, a cervous horror lest the smoke shall betray his resting-place to hisenemv restrain- ing her. Sho takes one of his hands in hers, and feels it 1b cold as ice-itis very lips, as she lays her fingers on them. seeia frozen. She draws off her sole'remain- ing petticoat, and wraps it round him, with des- 'pair fast gathering a her heart. Oh, to light that fire! And now a determination enters into her that is only part of the great courage that has all through supported her. Silently sha leaves thj cabin, and cautiously, with her heart in her throat, steals down to that high bank that overlooks the road. Some faint light shows fcayond the depth of the wood, and cautiously she peers through the furze bushes to that spot whereon the man had lain. It was Moloney, she knew, at that first, awful moment, but now she looks for his stalwart frame in viiin. No man is there! She casts her eyes quickly up and down the road for many yards—as far, in- deed, as her eyes can pierce the gloom, only to find that it is empty. It is plain then that she has not killed him! He had evidently recovered sufficiently to enable him to make his way home, and terrified by the thought, tijitt succour in some unaccountable fashion had come to his victim, had hidden himself away as far from the spot of his attempted crime as possi- ble. With a lightened heart, Norah runs back to the cibin, and seizing the matches, sets fire to some dry leaves, that easily igniting presently coax the luge bundle of sticks iuto flame. Cheerily they bhze, throwing out a delicious glow that wartlii whatever it touches. She draws Denis as close up to it as prudence will permit, and once again tries to forco the brandy between his lips—this time with some success. And at last, at lost, he moves a little and sighs, and finally opens his eyes. You, my love! he says very low, with a faint, smile, a.-id as though not at all surprised. So nen i- to the gates of dealli has he been brought, that all emotions, save the one absorbing passion of his life, are forgotten by him and; indeed, so weak is lie that almost as she believes she has gained him back again from the portals we all dread for those w" love-even as she tries to answer him—he faints again, leaving her once more to watch out the long dark hours of night alone. CHAPTER XXV. I feit a tightness grasp my throat. As it would strangle me.' It is now far past midnight, and Still the storm rages overhead. Heavy bursts of thunderous rain dash against the walls of the cabin, and through the open doorway the inky blackness of the night looks in upon her as she sits cowering, shivering, by the hearth, her eyesever fixed upon the motion- less figure beside her. Every now and then she rises to chafe the un- injured hand, to listen for the faint breathing, to í wash away the marks of blood upon the wan face. Little by little she has made him swallow most of the brandy the flask contained, and now with a sad heart sha sits watching for the dawn. Will he last till then? And even then is she sure she can make her way home in a hurry ? And- and—when she gets there what will her welcome tx. what will she suy-how give an account of her- self ? How is she to tell them that she has spent the night—the long, long, teriible night, alone with him in this hut? Katherine's face rises before her once again—the bitter scorn of it-the cruel con- tempt—the wicked meaningl A thousand times she assures herself that no one can dare say a word to her prejudice when the truth, in Denis's shattered person, lies before them and yet for all that she knows that unkind com- ment will be made, and shrinks from- the thought of it with a rather undue horror* In this dark hour she remembers how Katherine is mistress of her secret; remembers, too, little meaning, kindly smiles, and inueudoes from Nancy aud Lady Glan- dore, and knows full well that her unhappy affec- tion for her cousiu, if not shouted, has, at least. been whispered on the house tops. Yes; it i<s ill over. This melancholy night spent here in this desolate cabin will never be forgotten by li!!r world—never! It seems to her in the morbid state into which she now has fallen, that for the futuVo she will be a sort of outcast, an Irish pariah as it were, amongst her tribe. One little drop of comfort falls into her cup of misery. To- morrow—nay to day, her dad is coming to Ventry. To this thought, which is the very sweetest im- aginable to her sorely troubled spirit, she cliuga eagerly; in it, she has indeed "great store of bli,s "-for when did her ulld ever thinl, evil where no evil wa3 ?—and if all the world were against her, would not that be, to him, one reason the more for declaring himself more openly up on her side; dear, darling d.d! A heavy sigh falls from her, and moving uneasily upon her seat—(a heap of sticks)—she suddenly becomes aware that Denis has his eyes open and is looking at her. is that you, Duchess ? The voice is low, so faint indeed as to be half in- audible, but "lovers ears' are sharp to hear," and jSorah rising, bends eagerly over him. "Yes. I am here," she whispers tenderly. Sh& kneels upon the ground beside hiin, and soltly, lovingly, lays her cool hand upon his forehead. It is throbbing violently; but the wet bandage has evidently been of some us. as the blood has ceased to flow. Feebly lifting the uninjured arm, he draws down the little comforting hand uutil it touches 1115 lips. My beloved, this is a bad thing for you," lie whispers wiLh difficulty. Can you not go home? You are giving up too much for me." Nut so much as you imagine," whispers she back, smiling. I have lost my way, do you know? I can't go, so you fed I am not doing very much for you after all" I know better than that," the words come slowly, disconnectedly, and as if the utterance of them hurts him. But I shall explain. rit make them understand if I last till ttien-if He breaks off with a heavy sigh that is almost a groan, andmakesa vain effort, that is very pitiable in one so strong, to change his position. "You are ill paia im suys Norah, ipisevably. Ko. But tired—tired," murmurs ho wearily Then 6eeitig her about to rise, he clasps her hand- closer. Don't go. Stay with me. Oh! darling, if I am to die now—after this—with the knowledge that you love me, it will be hard—hard! Do not try to talk," entreats she, raising him with all her strength, and so turning him that lie will find relief. Do not, you are only wasting he little power left you. Now, are you. better, more comfortably." I am happier than I have ever been in all my life. Oh! Duchess, what shall repay you—not I —I cannot. But— He pauses, as though he I has lost himself, and a sad, wild US.UT gwws within his eyes. "You should not be here. You must go-go-or else she will have her libel-lier sneers—she—slie Ho has wandered again, but mercifu'ly those cruel imaginings soon came to an end, as he sinks once more into the old lethargy, and lies as if dead, save for the faint breathings that make themselves heard now and agnin. Beside hiti), her hand still clasped in his, Norah sits quietly, her head bent upon her knees. And presently on tired thought kindly sleep descends, and conquers it, and soon all is forgotten. 011,. blessed, health-giving unconsciousness, where would the tried ones of the earth find rest if thou wert withdrawn! It is dawn, as with a pang of acutest fear sho wakes. Nay. more than dawn. Tho day is well awake, and on the mountain tops the first line clouds of coming morn are dissolving beneath the sun's warm rays. Springing to her feet Norah turns a terrified glanco upon Delauey, to find that he still breathes, and with a rush of thankfulness she bends over him and presses the last few precious drops of brandy between his lips. She knows perfectly the task that now lies before her, and having heaped the few remaining sticks on the still glowing embers, she prepares for departure, and a return to the place where a severe cross- ex- amination, as she believes, awaits her. At the door sho looks back, and something—is it tho helplessness of his attitude or the utter forlorn- ness of him—touches her? In a moment she is by his side again she is leaning over him; softly her loving fingers brush back the short hair from his brow long, long she gazes at him, as one might upon their dead, with, in her case, an inten- sity born of the fear that it may be for the last time. Those wretched ones whose beloved are already dead, may be counted happy in comparison with those who still wait upon their driug, fighting each minute with the Tyrant who conquers all I things;—love and hate, and pride and lust, and jeaiousy and envy and all such uncharitableness. Norah, kneeling beside him, feels as though indeed this were a 1 ast farewell, and at tho thought her heart fails her, and she bursts out crying. She dares not believe the teriible idea that so obstinately forces itself upon her, or else (she knows) sl.e will never be able to summon the courage to leave him; yet go she must, for his sako. She presses her lips to his hand, and then, em- boldened by his unconsciousness and strengthened by tho innocent love she bears him, (it is, after all, but a little the more), she stoops and gives him soft, gentle, loving kisses upon cheeks and hair and forehead, and, at last, after some faint honest hesi- tation, his lips too! Cold, unresponsive lips! but all the dearer, because of the sad reason for their colùnaas Then, now bitterly weeping, she runs out of the cabin, and gaining the road, turns, without know- ing why, to the right. AU roads, indeed, are alike to her, so great is her ignorance of her locality, but fortunately instinct, if one may call it so, has in this instance led her aright. It has stood to her so well, that half-an-hour's brisk walking brings her within view of the gilded vane of Ventry, glittering gaily in the morning sunlight. (To 6. continued.) J !J —————

UNKIND.

A SCREAMER.

'A SHAYING-SHOP SKETCH.

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LIVERPOOL'S HERMIT MILLIONAME.