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% EVEN UNTO DEATH;
THE SUNNY SOUTH.
—OK THE-
M ' stery of Monk’s Tower.
by hose asiieeiuii.
or Non Hi I'aiolinn.
Author of ‘ l Ilis Other Wife,” “7Vic 117
olv's Wages,” etc.
CHATTER XL.
the haul's valedictosy.
It is an hour }>ast midnight. In the prison
cell where he has passed the heavy days, and
weeks, and months of his captivity, t he Earl
>f <'reveldt sits near a coarse oaken table.
frenzy, and then consented to become my
wife. I was eager to return to England, and
1 would not leave her. We were married be
fore I quitted her father’s house. We set
out on our return by the way of St. Peters
burg to liuuior a caprice of my bride. I was
for the Ii:st time to learn my wife’s place in
the social world of her own land. I had not
thought of nor eared for anything save her
beauty and personal fascination. Sheni.ight,
or might not be, known and admired else
where; that concerned me not at all. Not
until we reached the Russian capital by
slow stages (for I was still feeble) three weeks
after our marriage, had I any opportunity
to contemplate the alliance from the stand
point of caste. That she was the daughter
of a niercli nit prince, and a year or two my
senior, while i was a peer of England and
heir to an old line of proud nobles, were farts
of small moment to a young soul inebriated
m Which an oil lanij) is burning. Sheets of : witl ‘ sucl1 im infatuation as mine. Wear
paper closely written lie spread out I
him, and yet bis hand toils on.
It well may, for on the morrow its labors,
both good and evil, are, by the law's stern
decree, to Ik 1 for ever ended.
He is condemned to die at noon of the fast
approaching day.
“Greater love hath no man than that one
shall give his life for his friend.”
Such a love has this mail bestowed upon
bis friend.
It is the 'ast act of a strange Tfe that he is
consumating as lie wiites.
He is transcribing from the chequered page
of his heart some portions of its history to
leave as a legacy to the woman for whom he
is about to die. In his calm face is no sign
of trouble, of shrinking, or regret. On the
contrary, one reads there the deep repose of
a soul at peace with itself. .Scarred and
seamed in the bitter conflict with “the world,
the flesh, and tlie uevil,” as his massive
physiognomy is. they are the traces of old
wounds that have long ago ceased to bleed.
The grave, sweet eyes shed a mournful but
not unhappy expression over his entire
countenance, like the after glow of sunset on
a tiel.i of slain warriors.
\\ hatever his past sins and sorrows have
been, they lie at rest now in the sweetly-
tempered radiance of a final act worthy of
the aintliest soul.
It seems a simple enough thing to the
Spartan earl; for he would despise himself
had he been, for one instant, capable of any
different conduct.
The heroism of his grand devotion has no
place in Ill's thought, li nns the one thing
for him to do, and lie did it ui'h the quiet, revelation stopped my pulses. I forebore to
imritm)MoniNii^ rhivnlrv oi hk niitim*. ; question my 1'nt‘iid furUi.*r, but
but Unit tln*iv may i•«* noi ei-n. anguish on another maimer of investigating the mraii-
and despair Jett ill the soul of her for whom j„g of lbs remarks, still forcing myself to
In* :s to perish, he is leaving for her perusal believe he had made some foolish mistake by
a record that will turn her unavailing grief . confounding the person of mv wife with
aside to let her see that he has but laid oil'a ,hat of some other woman whom he called
\\<\ir\ load oi \n in *li iu* Imd been many a ■ q|n* Bullion.’
time sick unto dea'h, and • nly carried be-! ■ 1 was on my wav to the English consulate
.•aiise he was too brave to fling it dov.n un- When 1 reached the ambassador's house, and
bidden by a higtier law than that of his own ( while waiting to be received, I asked of a
luiiTi. , i young Russian noble, whom 1 found among
Let us, dear r. ailer, bend reverently over | others in the ption rooms, if lie could
the pages that tell Ills storv. and n ail from i tell me who ‘the I’uhlen’ was. lb* laughed
them the won un te soh.tr of this brave ),millv, and answered:
combatant in the arena of hie. It runs thus; | “*Arf thou a stranger in the land, and
“Iieah Fhiend and Xom.K L\dv —When ; * iast I "’ t ' beard story of the beautiful
vour lovdv i-vcs shall look upon these words | <‘»shtnemii tlanseuxe/ The Court was wild
the spirit that dicta'es them shall be smiling ,,v, * r h* r lor a t mu*, but by some freak she
down upon you from some happier star than sllddenl - v ret!red <ni "> ,ll “ hoards after h tv-
this he glaiih leaves for vour sweet sake >'ig made a fortune. She was reported to
If it shall seem to vou that he has done a have * ,ewi Ulh >l>tnl by one Adolphus Kaiiien-
little on your account, and if you would re- I However this may be, she uascertainly
eep no re * resided with him in the
rived at one of the grand hotels of S’. Peters
burg without ostentation. A few hours
after 1 was met upon one of the promenade
corridors of the hotel by an old acquaintance
of mine—a young Belgian.
“He took niy arm, and said, m itli a curious
smile:
“ I observe, ray lord, that you are travel
ing with the famous Pahleii! Take care.
You are inexperienced in such affairs, and
she has ruined older men with larger fortunes
than your own.”
“I could not at once take in the horrible j ^
I oi i port i it his remarks, but imagined that | all, to bid a calm adieu to this stage of
“No matter now whether you can or no.
I leave the question for you to solve after
you shall know that 1 am released from this
and every other vexation of mortal life; and
am caliuiy, patiently, hopefully waiting to/
the coming of your gentle spirit to the land ' her sin
where uniramineled souls may choose their j
ways among the myriad paths of the empvr- :
ean fields. *-
“B** thou happy here, and, seeing thee so,
1 shall he happy there.
“Never, never forget that to you 1 owe my
blest transition from weariness to rest.”
The feverish hand of the noble prisoner
laid aside the pen, ami folding together the
sheets of ; aper, enveloped them, and placed
the package with several other documents,
all Ilf which he wrapped, and sealed with his
signet ring—addressing the whole to his at
torneys.
This done, he rose and crossed his cell to
where a barred casement overlooked the
paved court of tin* prison. The first haggard
light of the new day struggled i.hrougu the
thick clouds of vapor that lay, fold on ful l,
between the earth and the pure face of heav
en. It was a gloomy morning for his exit
from tiie world, but the earl thought it in
keeping with the general tenor of his life.
He turned his eyes from the wan skies to the
chili barrenness of his surroundings- A smile,
half mournful, half-sarcad ie, crossed his
beautiful, sad mouth,as he said aloud;
“It does not require much s'theism, after
placed .1 >an’s body on a wooden settee, near
bv, and said:
“Bhe has been dealt with, gentlemen, and
her punishment has surpassed * the utmost
severity of the human law. It has matched
To be continued.)
my friend was under some erroneous impres
j sion concerning me. I said, simply:
] "‘You are talking nonsense, my good
fellow, lam travelling with mg wife, the
beautiful Aiexowna, daughter ami heiress of
, Adolphus Kamenski of Sebastopol.”
| “He gave my arm a convulsive jerk, then
, droj ped it, ami uttered a blasphemous ejac
ulation under his breath. His face had lost
its color, and th *re was a look of horrified
J amaze on it that made my flesh creep.”
j “He was thoroughly a man of til-* world,
and seemed to eonipi eliend the situation at a
.glance. He opened his lips to speak, but
. closed them again anil walked away from
I me. 1 followed him and demanded an ex
planation. He flatly refused it saying:
j “‘Were I to tell you uoir what 1 meant,
and what 1 know, you would have no choice
: but to kill me. ’ ”
('ll \PTER XLL
A ( (INTIM ATION OF THE EAKb'S HISTORY.
“A (iiiii consciousness of a dark impending
being, in which, at the best, we groped:
way like blind insects feeling for the ligitf:
that never coui’*s. Nor need one be very old
to know the strong soul-ye irning to draw |
asi ie tin* mystic curtain, anil behold of a
t i'ii111 the aim ami eml of this ‘brief'ca
lamity.’ ”
With a weary gesture, Lord Or -veldt pass- i
ed his ha id over his features, as if to smooth
on I compose them; th *:i arranging his dress ;
wiili the scrupulous elegance he would have
inployed on any State occasion, he
himself once more near the lamp, and opened
a volume that lay upon the table.
The pages unclosed at one of those triumph
al songs of the King of Minstrelsy that are
set like a iiara of diamonds among the less
resplendent jewels of the Oid Scripture,
glowing with th * splendid imigerv of the*
Oriental poesy, and veined through ami
through with 11 mi * tinge 1 fervor that the
colder worship of m idem religionists wholly
lack.
As he read the oft conned lyric of the sa
cred bard, an exultation of feeling put a
faint flush into the in irhle cheek of the earl,
anil re kindled the tire in his eyes hat weari
ness and anxiety h id dimmed sotn iwhat.
The glory of his early years seemed once
more to gather about his m ijastic head and
>/
TIIE FORTUNES
or
Esther, the Jewess
ity l!in*4l B>ti!»c.
CHAPTER XL
Bigthan and Toresh, the two chamberlains,
who hart been concerned in Art ib-uius’ eon
spiracy and hart sworn to bi n to revenue his
rte »th, .*J.*nt nightly in the same ro »m «•!' *. lie
]) rtace with Mordecai, the Jew, and at firs::
regarded him with suspicion and fear. But
from his seeming listle-sness and stupid a(>-
stractiou ot mind, they became at length to
esteem him more an oid dotard than an ob
ject of dread, and often conversed together
with a total indifference to his jn es nee. It
was on a night succeeding a severe repri
mand froin tiie king, tiin the t .»*«> eunuchs
opened a wuisporing conference, as they 1 ly
together on th<*ir couch, heiglireiied in its
tone by their vindictive resentment, so as to
be distinctly heard by Mordecai.
“vVe rciiJy merit the outrage we have
suffered tin's day from that usurp ng king,
and tiie disgrace we li ive b«>r.;<* beior * overv
scullio i of ihe palace,” s.id Big iian, “for
our cowardly sloth m keeping our oath to
Artubanus to sacrifice the tyrant.”
■‘Then we will no hunger be restrained by
^ j k timid, temporizing policy,” replied T< leoi,
“ * * I lilt L.*( l»1 l.’il 1)1-1. ft . ft , ft ft ft I. ( 1!.. .... 1 4 ...1 I_.
pulse through his limb:
(hie would h
ward him for it.
dear ladv, weep no re ■ ?’ 1Ul > ll “ 1,1 the severe
gret ful tents about his fate, but ra ! in*r I<*t * ,)s * <>,,n ■ ,K * ar Sebastopol
seclusion of
for over a
your heart be glad that by so honorable a
pathway be has been allowed to leave the
sreno of his errors and of pains that no ni.iii
would be sorry to ti d release from.
“To-might, tin* chasm of time, since tiie
fateful day we stormed the tierce redoubts
of the MaJakofl*, seems to have strangely
narrowed i s yawning gulf of years, or else
my fancy spans it with a rainbow of bright
thoughts.
“It appears on]
colu
n-sterdav flint T led mv
~ (Vi riiui^i J
year, culls herself by his duimt, passes for
his daughter, and is, I understand, more
beautiful than ever.
“ ‘Doubtless she is preparing herself for
some new and still more brilliant career. A
more notorious one she could hardly achieve
in any role. But what ails you, my dear
sir?”
“I had no doubt betrayed in my counten
ance the pain and fury that devoured my
si ml.
. *'•(;* cJo'in any.rerdv. 1 w.*jxr s ruight-
■ iii* in* in tu? i vi niiu^i r :u: \ (•**(•] v. 1 M'.prs r.ngtit-
the lmt September skies, when I wa y (f ‘ v he Presence ot the woman ... wn....
... .tly
linn up to trn n
guns, uin’
all the winds came to us heavy with the
damp breath of the Putrid Sea.
“The oft-ti>ld tale requires no repetition.
You must know it well. My name came
back to England in the death-roll, and for
months I Mas at lost to the living world as
if indeed the fiery rain had beaten down my
corse M-ith those of the valiant slain that
rilled up the trenches under the frowning
fortifications, over which the English banner
waved when night stooped down to fold Jiv- ,
ing and dead, viet.*rand vanquished, under! ,, ,. . , .. . , , -
her dusk M ings. Not then nor for weeks to I call >' as "“““"S h'im m could induce her to
come M-as I aware tliat i had any existence ! relaas , 0 . Ine trolu t!H ‘ marriage contract,
here or elsewhere. It is only since that.lark j " f <i,<1 n . ot n . eed t() Im ‘ assured of this twice
morning, a few mouths gone, that 1 have j looking in her eyes ;ls she said it.
ceased to lament m v survival of those lirave I
fellows who slept their last sleep at Bellas- I
topol. But m hen 1 knew that mv life had i
these things were said, and confronted her
with them. She laughed at my rage with
soft, oon;eni]> , and said, sweetly:
“ ‘My dear hoy, you need not get into a
passion over them now. You should have
done that before M’e were married! Bat the
M orld Mill soon forgive, in the Countess of
Creveidt, the sins of i’halen.'
“The scene that followed cannot be record
ed. i M as mad with rage and desp vir. She
preserved the coldest good temper, and
begged of me to look at. the affair ptiilosophi
been preserved to shield you. all regrets per
ished, and 1 have been content, |
“1 waked from the Ion} oblivion in Mhieh
I lay, m bile my deep wounds threatened to j
let out every drop of the life !>!o,d, to find
myself in a rich chamber, deftly protected i
from the light by f, .ids of pale green silk that cruelty ,,!l
turned the midday rays to a spectral
twilight. Near my couch, and Maying over
me a fan of ostrich' plumes that gently-stirred
the air and dropped a vague'sweet scent
upon it, was a Moman that seemed, to my
confused ideas, a vision of Judith when she
decked herself to ravish the barbaric semes
it Huh denies. Much as the sM'art-browed
general might have looked on the Hebrew
woman, looked I upon this radiant daughter
of the Tauric valleys. I Mas young then,
and all the glamour and the passion of an
exuberant manhood enfolded my being, and
still the fresh mists of a pure and continent
youth veiled mv senses. 1 M'as an easv jirey
ini’ I In* toils ot a si ireeress like the one whose
faultless arm gleamed in the faint light like
sculptured ivory, M'aving the perfumed
plumes. 1 tried to speak, but she laid a
warm finger on my mouth and forbade me.
The splendor of her eyes made me dizzy. I
closed my lid
I forgot everything but that she was a
woman, and I the pitiful dupe of my own un
reasoning passion. 1 detenu ned on desper
ate measures to save my noble mother’s life
from misery, and our proud name from the
foul indignity that my folly h id put upon it.
1 made this false woman w!io had betrayed
me to this ruin understand that fortune and
independence should be the reward of iier
me condition only—that she in
stantly renounced my name, and kept our
marriage a secret, as she very well could.and
that the moment she violated this condition,
her lib should pay thi- penalty of her crimes. :
“She saw that she had to deal M'ith a des- |
perate man. and she loved her radiant beau
ty M'ell. Life M as even dearer to her than
the rank she had bought by treachery.
“She compromised on a magnificent estali- ;
iishment M-ith a suitable annuity, and an :
assumed name.
“I returned to Selr st ipol, as fast as steam
and imrsc speed could take me, in search of ,
the villain Kamenski. He had disappeared I
utterly, and left no trace of himself.
“1 spent three years in hunting him. M-ith j
all tin* aid I could command. The search is
have said lit* had hut no*v
ed the zenith of manhood.
The heavy tread of a turnkey along the
vaultel stone gillery approached the “con
demned cell.” L >r,l C -eveldt m *t the
troubled face of that functionary with a c.ihn
look of inquiry.
“My lord, a l.-i-ly dom m is. a moment's au
dience with you 1 told her your injuncti > is
that no one could be admitted. She insists
with -licit impission *1 appeals—leclariug
that she com es on a mission of life n"d death
—that I have come to know your M ill.”
The one farewell lie h nl parp >-ed to mike
—that M-ith his mother—was over, a id the
earl could not imagine what “la is" e mid !.,*
seeking him so importunately. Miss R >ches-
ter was the only wont in after the U c.io ess
of Creveidt, who had any right, or was like
ly to hive any M-ish for an interview, and
s'h<*. he knew, lay ve y seriously ill at R >-
ehelle. After so ne hesitation, he sai i:
! “I M ill see her.”
i “Let nte have half an hour alone with him,
for the love of God!” pleaded the voile i visit.>r
! piteously of the gaoler, as ho h il'oil before
the cell door, and placed in the otli *or's hand
a ring of immense value,
i "l require no bribe for a simple act of hu-
; nianity, madam,” said the man, returning '
■ Then Keep . *- o YYo Y -V N'r-'dror-- -
Tiie next, moment, the door unclose * and
she stood alone with the prisoner, up in whose
honor the gaoler relied iu thus infringing a
in w of the prison.
! There M-as a silence for tiie space of a min- j
ute, during which the wont in leaned for snj.
port upon the back of a chair, h iving no i
, strength to uncover her face.
L .rd Cteveldt's eye travelle 1 fas" over the t
, slender, delicate form that seein *d aimost too
■ slight for th it of a woman, yet to > tall f*>r a
child's.
i He rose, and placing his o wn chair for her,
\ said, gently;
“You seem faint. Sit here.”
Without hee ling him, sh** c ist n.T the ceil-
. e.l bonnet and voluminous long cloak.
but strike like men, boldly and fearlessly,
let, what will 11/How. We are shamed too
much already by our delay and will at once
accomplish ihe deed ue have so lung con
templated, and revenge tic M od of our uu-
, successful confederates. Let him learn,
I when too 1 ite to profit by it, that ilagg.-r
which could reach Xerxes, can also p.erce
the bosom of hfsson.”
"But Ictus so manage his death," said
Bigth.au, “as to c cipe if possiiilo th * penalty
of the deed.”
| “i'hat pi-ecaution is already secured,” re
plied his confederate. "In honor of this up
start queen, who fur the present has caught
the fmey of tiu* capric.ous t; rant—like a
bauble or trinket pleases a Mayivard child—
there c mi *s off a mighty feast, l’risuuers
are to be set free, criminals pardoned, and
M'hiile jirovinces released front the accustom
ed tributes, to give eclat to the occasion.
‘Now in the confusion and uproar of this
grail 1 debuuchriy, when from excess of wine
no man shall he master of his wits, but eactt
one feel as tu.giity as a king, we Milt conceal
two trusty slaves behind tiie statues, in the
bridal bed-chamber, wnich you knoM- are to be
clotn *i in spbeu.iid robes, to seem I ke I ving
ministers tending on their inn j sties. Ai
night mv Mull prevail on this accursed Morde-
cai to keep the door, M tiile m\* pretend, by
orders ot the king, to marshal to their sever
al places of repose the drunken nobles of
1’ersia. i'hus M'nen l>ot!i king and sutijccts
shall li ■ weighed d avn with steeja and mine,
my faithful ministers shall steal softly from
their concealment and plunge their daggers
iu the tyrant’s and h.s queen's hearts. Bure
work they h ive sworn to make of it, and
after the deed is done, to give us a signal by
a shrill whistle of its accompiisbmeni. Then
we must seize on the Jew, and suffering the
assassins to escape, alarm, the palace wiih
cries of treason, iiy this double stroke we
shall both crush this murderer of Ai tabanus,
and be revenged upon this Jew, w ho gave ‘
information 1 our conspiracy. To fix the
crime of this king's murder upon this Morue-
cai, 1 have le.ters ready written purporting
to be from other Jens, and urging him to
wyleed. Tnese Utters we wilt ear we
CHARTER XL1T.
THE I.AST AOIEt:
Sarely it was the M-ra'th of Joan R ichester
that Lord Creveidt looked on!
Frail an.l almost diaphanous as she was a
few weeks ago when he saw h.*r last, her then
appearance would have seemed robust beside
the thing she no w is. Toe pallor that poets
give the Hadean queen enveloped in the
shadows of her eternal night, gleamed ou
Joan's sharpened features Fiery, r* c ing
pain had eaten every vestige of hn I *
IOUll.1 uj
“Ailiniiable!” exclaimed Bigthan—“The
4 schcme is so well planned that it seems al-
Teady accomplishe t. But muo s .all M-ear
the iliailem and n onnt t ie vacant Ihrnne”’
"Can you not conceive.' " asked Teresh.
“ihere is ha. one man who will make this
s *rvice valuable to ita—aye and hut one with
a soul equal to the dignity.”
“1 comprehend you,” said Bigtham—“ Yet
that man s uiibetiiting hauceur and gloomv
> ‘Ilish ambition, are no great earnest of a
grateful memory.”
j “His fears, and a common danger Mill
, make him mindful of us at least,” continued
the o her—"a id besides, we could elevate no
other M'ith him for an opponent.”
J Alordecai listened M’itti breathless anxiety
i for tin- name of this contemplated king, flat
, in vain. \ et he felt convinced, from the
j description, that Hainan, tne Amulekite, was
! meant. Iu silent gratitude he poured forth
i Ins pi .us spirit iu prayer to the Uod of
Jacob, M-ho s emed ever near him and
, dropped peacefully to sleep. With the early
d.iMn Mordecai r >se calmly from hU couch,
and was preparing to leave h.s guilty room
in ites, when fetish remarked:
I ‘ U. l man, you are stirring early. Have
y.)U forgotten that to-day the marriage feast
o>mes off; and’ sieej
dispen.si*d his rinmnnmls to thi3 nol»]t*s about
him and looking can*le~sly around the court,
he’accidcntally c.sjiicd Mordcc.ai as he stood
cahuly and abstractedly Joining against a
column ail 1 gave a signal for >»im to approach
the throne. The crowd fell back to the ex'-
trenaily of tiie room and JMonlecai drew near
to the king.
‘•Old man,” said lie, “it has several times
entered our mind to impure whether tie* for*
: tunes of Esther, our queen, have not hitherto
| been in some manner connected with your
i own; for it seems sh3 intrusted to you the
important discovery of the traitor Artaba-
lius’ conspiracy against our person and
throne. Speak—Ilovv is it?”
‘•Great king, you have judged rightly, re
plied Mordecai; **ihe quer*n has indeed been
; known to me from an early age. Sue was
born in Babylon, where I first saw her, and
is the daughter of a widow of excellent char-
i acter and good family. Her father had died
before I knew her, and her mother .11 a Jew
! short years followed him, leaving the queen
th.it now’ is a desti ute orphan without
friends or any earthly protector save myself.
My he in was touched with pi ; y for the beau
tiful innocent and I sheltered leu* under my
own roof. She was meek, gentle and .ilfec-
t onate, and L became to regard her with tiie
fondness of a p treat. Of my bread she has
broken and under my vine and Jig tree has
she reposed; and believe me, great king, the
mi d of but few damsels are iruble <1 e.itli
such wisdom and purity. A gem sh** is, to
give a lustre to any kingly crown.”
“This report pi aises me well,” replied tie-
king, “autl adds another mot*ve to our will
to reward your virtues. While we hold the
sceptre of the Persian realm regard us :s a
con-tant benefactor, nor fear the malice of
any adversary.”
•‘That tunc would indeed be short, great
king,” said Mordec ii in a 1 >w tone, “sli »ul l
the plots ot treason prevail.”
! “Ilovv? what now?" asked the king with
astonishment.
, Mord. cai hastily narrated the dialogue of
the euuuehs without omi 1 .ting a single per
, ticular.
j “This comes of lenity.” said tli** king half
musing—“most kings would havetak.*n th**ir
heads instead of giving a reprimand for y.-.»
; erday’s offence, but it is weli; for hid they
died, their iustrunieuts might h ive p«*rp *-
traced the deed. Be .silent and let no word,
look or action b tray your kuo .vl** ig * of tnis
bloo ly-niimh**! treason. We will uam:}>k it
at a pr< *p.-r tim
T ie day was s rone a»id beautiful, a ul gay
crowds with cheerful countenances soon
thronged the p dace. Tiie royal guards 11
holyday uniform, and with arms iurightly
burnished, stood drawn up in rows before
every gate and do >r of the immense building,
and everything within bespoke u msual mag-
niiicence and splendor. Go geous cliario: s,
drawn by hoiv-es glittering in the splemlor of
their trapjdng* 4 , were se n hastening 11*0:11
every diivction through the «*r >\vd *d str** >
of the city to the royai bauq i**t, and 111 • *r-*
seemed no end to the mini >ers tha* w- re
eager to be present The hour of feasting
came and th** banquet board amidst \ lie blarz
of sparkling gems, bui*ni>li dgoid an*l massive
silver, sent forth sweet <»■■ i*»rs from such f »e«*
as kings alone can fu nish. Co an less fa<* •<
wreathed with >mil«*s bent ovmrthe burd 11 ■«i
tables and many hundred lips were op *ne l
in praise of the king's bounty and ni’.gmii-
cence. The beauteous *ju* <*u all glittering
with precious stones and wearing ili«* n>yui
diadem ua< placed next t«) tin* king, nearly
stunn d by lli** aeclainatioiis of th-* people as
they caught sight of her. The king see:n *d
highly gnt’li'd by 1 his expression of their
admiration, but E>ther, mindful of thes-diree ,
of ail her greatness, el -vated her thoughts in
prayer at that moment to her (rod, to deliver
her from the temptations of her station and
to k ep her heart free from the besetting sms
of pride and presumption.
< )ld Mordecai with a co i:it«* lau • * Ix-amiug
with satisfaciion, regarded her with all the
fond an*l tender affections of a parent wlu n
con emplating the prosp -rity of a beloved
eh Id—and was at that mo.n -ut truly happy.
O11 the other hand, H enan, the AmaOkite,
S' emed transfixi* l and alone or all th.e hiSa-
The king who kept an observant watch up
on them saw them frequently exchange
glances with each otlu-r and convey a signili
cant meaning by sundry nods and winks.
The day rolled on and evening had a
set in when the king, who Imd cautiously
taken but little wii ^ rising up from the
table, invited the lords and principal men of
Hersii to go along with him and view the
new dec*nations in the private chambers of
the palace. A throng of Persian nobility
quickly gathered about their sovereign, and
marshalled by the guilty churnberl iins, en
tered the lofty and magnificent ante rooms
with loud exclamations of wonder and ad
mira-ioM, No king, they averred, before tin*
great Artaxerxes had ever been surrounded
by splendor .so truly royal and superb.
The king, whose experience and good sense
had taught him rightly to est mate the hoi
low and despicable adulati >n of timeserving
courtiers, heeded not their 11 itlery, bin k***-p
ing a fr* quent observation upon the unsus
pecting chamberlains, said to his attend
ants:
“Our kinsman Megabysus, whose absence
we greaHy regret, has forwarded to Susa cer
tain spl(*n<lid ornain mts for our acceptance,
which have been added to tiie decoration^ of
the royal bed-chamber. These we also invite
you I o behold.”
The chamberlains suddenly givw as p ile
as marble, but tremblingly led the way. In
the roval b *d-ch imb *r tli -y were now ass»*'ii
bled and -to > \ gazing with unfeigned irnit/ s
ui *ut on its b *autiful ernb .-llis'im cits of
st-itu*--, v is-'s, gol len con-ji-s, all glittering
and sparkling with precious stones—of the
gorgeous bridal-bed, 011 a fra ne of solid gold.
stu ld‘*'l with diamonds, and with coverlets
of tin* most costly and beuriful stuff's, work
ed in flowers of silver and gold. The vaul r .** 1
ceiling seem *d a finiriin - it of brilliants,
casting their twinkling lights upon the ob
jects \ ; and to add to the sense of pleas
ure, tli" s;vi**vest odors, r ang in curling
spires fr.un censers of burning perfumes,
filled t d** w hole palace
A md time did * h * c>ur?i*-r fcbrong p*/ ir
forth tle-ir flattery into a list 1 -ss ear. Tiie
king’s a tenti »n was fix *<I up*>11 two of the
statues wii; -u hc l, like die i’es‘, been decorat
ed in tin* Persian cod true, surmounted bv
long 1! nving rub *s. I’ liming at length
>f the onir.l-
foi^nc i |)l(*nsaiitry:
“M *t!ii:i!;s tho robes
worthies,” j>*.*.*i: i *i ^ t , t
th.-m rather the uttitu*!i* *
of Giv-rk models, and -
speak to make tneir gri.
net them with sotiietui*
cliamberlains i
said,
.f tl
nth
ell
“'t'k*
lumb
s, “give
hunchbacks, than
j<- • they cannot
ance- I:no.vu. do
; more *)f grace.”
xclianged looks of
lull pale
from
‘Hd fancied myself in a dn uni, , , r . - . . . „ r . Y
still heart rig; the soft rustle of the downy I tu** M-eapon designed for linn served to save
feathers—still breathing the odor of Khoten i £'. ,ur prfccioU3 lile when it slew poor Ninon.
niMsk. 1 Hinee tln*n a noiiler mission has been given
“But the hour came when I was allowed i ,ne ' , Heaven wil1 de;d M’ith him in its own
to see, and to speak, and to hear. I learned ti! "f- a g 1 way ' . , ,
that I Mas the guest, of a great Russian I’ t .° t,K ‘ period of my fatal entangle-
niereliaut prince, to whose country house—a l ment u ' t * 1 tin* traitress Aiexowna, my life
palatial residence on the lovely slopes of the ! was ( 'Uan and my soul was pure.
Tehatir dagh mountain range I had been i “ i ”i ,l< 'e then, alas, perhaps the Morld has
carried insensible from one of the field bos- i -‘-omccause to speak evil of me.
pital-. It is unnecessary to mention the “Bin wears a coinelier face to the man M*ho
causes which led to ihis event in my history. . ("orever with a loathsome skeleton at
Suffice it that Adolphus Kamenski. for !'!” ' i,dt '* , " lie craves most is to forget
reasons of his dm n. removed three woitnded i ' sl ias **ly cninjianion i-i any phase of excite-
soldiers of the English conquerors t" his ' ? ,e,,e . t * ,afc “ warm his blood against the
rural seat. I Mas one of them. Before I * U'eczing touch of the phantom. But I make
came to my senses the others hail improved i "° j ,ls Hfl‘-i»ti'>n of my errors. Jly virtues,
so much as to be aide to
and their people.
her hair had faded away from the
b inds that M-ere drawn sui )othly
her brow.
“Joan—Joan!" broke from the Ctrl's lips
in accents of pity to supreme that they
sounded like the wail of love over some rain
ed shrine of the heart; and even as th w fell,
her as if to g .th-
nents. -She waved
ball that M-as intended to rid 'the earth of , 1,a ” b . a » d cried out in a sharp voi. e:
such a viper day and night since that time, ! “Ho not touch me. 1 dare not ie u you un-
failing sure be would be given to my hand. 1 until
is not likely i>» press
. ,, - , , . ( . u ! jour eyc-li-Is t il nearly anothei dtwn?"
out of the rail-parent sir I it once glorified, j “Tln-re is a time for all things inner the
-.ot the eyes ol a womtui, but tne su „, ;l s w-dl as 'a tint ■ to be born and a *ime
tear-huuuted orbs ol a lost spirit shone out to die,’” replied Mordecai
from her face. Even the ru l.ly s;.! uidor of j “Nor do Me know wiiile 'we sp >rt the words
upon our lip., —continued the eunuch M'ith a
not over yet—that will end only with mv i he ^‘-etched out his hand to het
life. I have carried di.-e to my heart the i fK »{> a '* s '' vo .f ha fragments
“Until what, my poor Joan : Ah, I did
not dream it M as so bad *.viiii you as all this.
Child, why .should you grieve yourself into
the grave for one like me !”
“I have lost my soul for you—u-hy not my
body too !”
“This is madness beyond ail measure,
Joan.”
“Do I not know it f Have I not known it
ever since 1 saw you throw your heart into
her eyes that night at Rochelle : And am 1
not still more sure of it now that you are
about to die to save her life t Dug what
avails the knowledge of one's madness;.gainst
the inevitable fact f”
“Is it for this that you have com*), Joan :
Is it to harrow my last hours with the old
leer of mocKery winch did not es'\op * Mor-
, decai’s eye — ‘"li-.iM' nearly our own hour may
have run its sands.'’
i “\ erily Me do not,” answered Mordecai
emjihaticully, as he n alk.-d away.
| "1 am half in doubt," said Bigthan,
I “whether deep pulley or stolid insensibility
I more predominates in the composition of
; that oil Jew. lo-day, at all events, we
i must oe can Hulls of him. That he can uu-
, derst.md a plot an I mar it too, tile death of
Artubanus fully attests.”
[ "Jut, cut, replied his conipaniou, cm.
I teiu(ituously, “.here Mas a girl in the case,
. who t>y t it* carelessness of Sophrou discover-
I ed the plans of Artabauus and acted as
prompter to the Jew. The wretched old
driveller left to his om-u M-its would not smell
treason an inch from his nose. It makes me
laugh that Miide Ue saunters forth s.cureiv
ti u ding in his (iod s prtit*.*ct ion. our mesh'-s
are already spread, and th.ui In- and his
accursed people are walking bliiidl’ Jd *d .a-
to them.”
I rovoxe not his (1 >1,” said Bigthan with
a shudder: "Vasitli, it i< said, defied h m.
and behold sic* is fallen before him.’
"Vasil t
,.*”"--tft ■ i , - ^ 1 ■- — - —a , prated l’ere-h M'ith a sneer,
return to England such ;is 1 may possess, are my own; my vices, upbraidings that you are hero !” j the vain and weak woman who openly-
! the offspring of that unspeakable pain that | The inexpressible pathos of the earl's face ; withstood her tyrant lord! Why what had
has fed upon my proud heart till 1 wonder , and voice, as he thus questioned her, seemed ; the God of the Jews to do u-ith her downfall!
th*'re remains a drop of blood left to nourish to cub- up the ghost of the angel in this wo- , Surely a child could tell you that Artaxerxes
tiate monster. : man, which had so long lain dead. But* filing j was the God who wrought that feat. Your
st my deliverance—and, if God ■ herself on her knees at Lord Creveldt’s feel, . superstitious fear almost persuade me that
my sweet atonement—is to be ue- and clasped her poor, emaciated anus around j you are half a Jew yourself. Nebuchadnez- obeisance and profuse acknowledgements to . The Epsom races were established about
C °!Hc i r ■ them as she sobbed out: : zar might have taught you what this God of I the royal pair, bowed before them and kiss- 1711, and have been held annually since lf.yo.
" eei1 ' assure \ 011 further, dear signora, ! “No, no, no! Not for that. God knOM-s; ■ the Jews is to be valued at against well-eon- ing the hems of their garm *ats, retired to iiis ['| Je mineral springs Mere famous a hundred
thatto me you have la't.ni the bright evangel but to cleanse my wrecked soul by coafes j certed 111 asures. Behold his temple plunder- place. ' years earlier.
the ii
“But at
“I remained on the hospitality of Kamenski
and his daughter Aiexowna, the dream-'aced
woman whom I found beside my pillow.
“Bhe told me afterwards that she hail in
sisted on taking the nurse’s place in my sick
chamber, because the surgeons had declared
that the crisis of my fever would arise dur
ing that day, and that she did not wish any , , , .... - —„• • —j j --- . .
less watchful or intelligent person than her- 1 ‘‘ a hutier i‘*ligioii, a happier destiny, than sion here at your feet, and leave inyselt at , ed and burnt—Ins altar
self or the attending surgeon to have charge I 1 'b’e.uiicd could come to me : From tiie first ! your mercy, to be forgiven ere l die, or ex**- priests made bondsmen
would be I <’»>• pure and candid interchange I crated by you forever, as I desarve to be! J “Yet it is said,” continued Bigthan “that
ot thought, a neM- star seemed to have arisen , In a very, very feM- moments more tin* grip Nelmcha hiezzar feared the God of the Jews
on my path ; and all the calm and the glory j of Justiee will close upon the real crimin il in ( and openly ascribe l his victories to him.
of a true M oman’s influence upon the impet- j this dreadful tragedy, and you will go forth ; One Daniel, too, a Jew, more knowing than
in the matchless panoply of godlike man- j all the u is * men of Babylon, interpi-eteil a
the joyoas inspiration that rung in peals
me. lament around him. llis countenance
when In* first looked upon Esther greM-deadiv
p de, and his eyes starting from tile.r sockets",
gloM eil M'ith a strange, M-ild glare of conster-
nati *n. Again he looked at her, and trem
bling, almost started from t: s scat. At
length his eyes encountered that of Esther,
but. she Mas prepared for the en. uunter and
glanced listlessly from him ro th - ■ urrouud-
iug eroM'ds without flu* slightest visible edi
tion or sign of recognition.
“The saute countenance and voice.” mut
tered Hainan, greatly relieved by Esther's
well-dissembled manner, “yet not tin* same
person—that is imp ssibie. ’A ires'll in vain
sought for her alter tie* report of tier esc ip ■
from the ashes. She is surely dead. Besi i is,
the king Mould have spurned a daughter of
the accursed Jews from his presence, iicl im
pudence so ineoiiceiv idle prompted one to as
pire to 11,rones and diadems It is but a
, freak of nature forming two women M'ith
one countenance, or is that tormenting d,‘Ia
si *11 of the imagination that makes sub
stances of shadows and frights the anxious
mind with fancies and shapes merely ideal.
Yet I can never bear to look upon that face.
It shakes my inmost soul M'ith something
dreadful, yet inexplicable. It is uell w*>
--ii *11 meet but seldom,” continued he. pas-dug
his hand over h:s clammy brow, “for 1 must
conquer such sensations and carry myseif us
befits a lord of Persia.”
’Flu* king tt'.w tilling a cup with sparkling
M ine, turned co ii nifin an 1 said alou E
“My well beloved and trusty Human, a
, he d h to the qiu-eu.’’
With a boM- of low humility, the coni' mil 1-
e l courtier in vain .summoning courage to
his aid, raised the goblet in a trembling hand
to his lips, upsetting half the M ine upon his
bosom as he did it, and M'ith a quivering
voice said:
“Health, hapuiness and dominion to Persia's
great queen—the niistre-s of the world.”
“You seem unwell, my friend,” said the
king, regarding M-ith sympathy Hainan's pale
countenance and troubled manner.
“A mere faintness, great sovereign, to
which 1 aui sometimes subject,” replied Ha- !
man. “It Mill soon pass away.”
“DraM- near,” continued flu* king.
II 1 man obeyed more in the manner of a
cr’miiial than an honored gm-st.
“Esther, our beauteous q leen,” said the
kdig, “this is our well beloved servant, Ho
man—the nearest to our person and the most
esteemed. He is a pure and steadfast pillar j
to our throne, and it is our pleasure that he j
be the highest in your favor next to the
king.”
At this unexpected mark of distinction
from t!it_* kin# and the security ii promised,
Hainan's countenance .suddenly Brightened
up and his fears dissolved lik«» nrst before the
bright rays of th* sun. He was now fully
blmself again, and exulring ill th * full e*\st isy
if self satisfied amhition, lie with a graceful
>beisatic*3 and pn»fuse acku ) v]e«fgeni uts to
cons mi it ion. hut neither hud the presence
oi mind to atte npt a j». event-ion of th© drea*l-
ful dis'.*ov«*ry. Tiie guanls «>l» v *d an 1 rais
ing tho nr/ *.s of the statues, recoihd. with a
cry * *i h • it >r.
“Wii.it ? ske*l t *e king with a smile, “Ins
the in iM* . in-,ijire l with (ir -ri tn hatred, re-
‘'i>T**«I the tone:* ef a Persian ?”
“Trees*>;i, great king!" ex *iuim *<l th *
guard, seizing on the tr<*uihling ass.a.ssins and
drawing them from beneath the flowing
rober. Ast uiisliment and alarm filled the
eoun'onniir■.* of all <»xcept the king, who
>*oo •! 1 and collected amidst the gaping
crowd.
“H *\v is this, iny friends ?/ asked he, turn
ing t«> Bigthan and T-uvsh. **Know you
th <•« uiteirmct? of tnese bol*l intruders
Both, with ho:'ri l imprecations on their
he n!", pr > esi. *d th *ir in:i > *en**e.
**Wretches * sai l the king, “ad l not* per
jury fo ;/:/* crime oi regie.* !•* —seize and scared
th**ni.'
Th** gu.iris in t a: ly s ar**hing the guilty
culprits, dr-*w from *h *ir p *rkets iefc^rs ii'ir-
porti'ig t<» be wri ten by certain Jews to
M"i*de ‘ai, urging him to murder the king,
who.-'** i crrt tin prophets they informe 1
him had 1 uretolrt would he rtisastr us to the
Jews.
“Thus shall it h if»pe;i to every trait* u* wh o
may rise against th * person and ihron * <»f
Art lxerxes,”sai*l the king. “Know,wretches
when too late, that we carry a charme I life.
Tiie walls even wii whisper th * p! its tre i
s *n in our ears. N*»t satisfied with abetting
one no ii tive msp racy again, t 'iir thr-'ii”*.
you must needs hea«l a secern* 1; but see v**ur
guilty prac!i<*'*s reb >un I at length upon your
own ii** els Take them hence,’ 5 continued he
i to the guards, “and wring from them by
tortur-* the name of tin* slave they i lly
thought to place upon our throne, then rhr«* *•
them m tli*-* tower of ashes.”
The criminals and their iistrum *:its, mute
and confound©], were led to the dreadful
tower and as they entered it, Bigthan sai i,
with a shuddering horror to his no less terri
fied associate,
“This comes of defying the God of the
Jew-; for n me may do it and live.”
“The Jew—that accmsed J *w—Mordecai”
—replied Teresh, grinding his teeth. He
has lb* n a spy up.m us. E**' Hainan look t<>
himself, yet we will bear all they can inf] et
l ather than betray him, and thus cut off all
future prospect of revenge.
“All Persia cannot ward off’ the blow al
ready uplifted against him, even in the
midst of all his greatness,” persisted Bigthan
firmly. “He has cursed and defied tb* (i >*l
of the Jews, and sworn to pursue His people
with vengeance. T erefore, he will fall in
despire of all his cunning.”
Their conference was here broken off , when
being questioned ns to the names of other
consj)iraters and refusing to answer, they
were put to the most excruciating torture,
but persisting in their obstinacy to the last,
they were plunged, when life was ai uost • x-
tiuet, into the abysss oi ashes mil quickly
sm*» h wed.
The kmg, in comm nnoration of Mordecui's
fidelity,commanded the book of the chn »:iicl*s
«>f Persia to be brought and formal entry * f
the whole transaction to be made in his
presence.
(To be continued, i
Historical ilotes.
Cuess is oldoi* titan the Christian era.
New Orleans m.is founded iu 1717 under
the regency < t the Duke of Orleans.
Tin* Hin loo era begun ?ioi before Christ,or
about 70 years before the deluge.
Sebastian Cabot,M-ho discovered Newfound-
laud in I097. called it Frima Vista.
NeM- Mexico was added to the United
State 111 1N4S, and organized as a Territory in
I-Njo.
Flores, or the Isle of Flowers (one of the
Az n'es 1, M as discovered in I },!'.) ;unl settled
by the Portuguese in riqS.
Locusts formed a prevailing plague in
Egypt a thousand years or more before
Christ came upon this earth.
The Bastile. Paris, was built by Charles
V., king of France. 13119, for the defense of
Paris against the English. It afterwards be
came a prison.
overthrown and his
of me at a period so critical. It
sheer egotism on my part were 1 to dwell
minutely on all that transpired during the
H ecks that succeeded while I remained a
helpless guest in the house of Kamenski.
My recovery M as as slow as my illness had
been pr itraeted and dangerous; and all the
M-hile that health came coylv back into my
exhausted frame, life pas.-ed in a kind of
dreamy rest. It was sweet to lie in the gold
eu balm ot the southern autumn, with M'inds
front the Asian coast laden M'ith tropical
richness u liUpering tales of fable-land, and
the beautiful face and ravishing voice of
Aiexowna completing lie* sensuous charm.
“ihe old, old story, that began with the
creation, and will end M'ith humanr y, was
repeated. Nothing less than enchantment
can express what my condition was.
“Ami never did sorceress weave so cun- !
iiing a spell as the fine-spun Mel, in which i
Aiexowna entangled my brain. I felt I 1
should go mad if fate denied her to me. I '
tol 1 her my heart's desire with the impetu- i
ous determination that belongs to my nature. •
.She, by hesitation, teased my passion into *
nous and passionate nature of man Mas re
vealed to me. I could have knelt and kissed
the prints of your feet upon the sand, as you
passed before me like some fair spirit of light
in the grey mist of that morning after our
long vigil in the sea-cave. For there you ’
had spukeu to me as never woman spake be- j
fore. M-ith the fervor of your innocent soul !
hood. All the details i crime are in the
hands of the law's authorized agent- You
will know them in due time. For the pres
ent. Ah, heaven!”
dream the king had had and iorgotten fore
telling, as in truth it happened, that tin's
mighty conqueror should become as : lie irra-
tionai beasts, and go groveling in the du.-t joyous eye caught themes for pleasure eve. y
The king was not yet satisfied M-itli the
honor done his l'av u-ite. but ruDi ig his voice
to the assembled crowd, Ue proclaimed th it
all the subjects of his realm should bow
down before Hainan and do him reverence.
Hainan's cup of joy w is now nearly filled,
and his prou I heart exulted witu iusuppressi-
ble delight. The feast that had jus: been to
him so tasteless and insip d, seemed now ,»
banquet spread for go ls, and h s quick and
Cricket is an ancient English national
game, played in the fourteenth century. The
rules of the game as now played M-ere estab
lished by a lommittee of noblemen in U74.
Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canter
bury, was murdered at the altar,Dec*. “9,117o.
His bones were enshrined in gold and jewels
in l22 1, but weia burned in
Henry V LII., I539.
the re ign of
M-rench itself free from its desecrated temple
ere the confession of its Moful deed could be
on your lips, the starry whiteness of your ! uttered.
The earl raised the shuddering form in his
arms. A red stream flowed over the thin
spirit shining on me through your eyes. The
loves of the angels seemed 110 longer a vain
romance of the fancy. 1 felt it might be
come a thing of holy truth even upon earth
“Oh, signora, can you picture the anguish
of my heart when between your heaven-like
face and my sight, arose the spectrum that
I™* wA.-b.is; j ~ I ^SV?»^S:SiSf^U.*S?se:ss
of June. i.;No, that the royal Spanish inquisi-
>i"u was founded. The plan originated with
Cardinal Mendoza, was ratified by the diet
of Toledo, and accepted by Ferdinand and
Isabella.
But neither that D.iui.fl you prate of n ir "his : but the momentary delirium idgrmifiiM am- I ‘''"k J?. - ^mlt v of "'** th K\
•'« <»• '• I Wtion pans fag for awhile on the fl attering g hot afterhe^ of thev^oM-'
es: places, of her grade, in America.' The
white lips, and m ule a strange scarlet neck
lace round the woman's throat!
Her face hung lifeless over Lord Creveldt’s
arm. The heart that lay for the first and
the last time against his breast was all un
petite M-,i_,h grass. ' _ ! sorrows are more the offspring of the mind
fish, exclaimed ieresh with vexed im- than of external objects. But in the mind of
latience, that old king became restless from i Hainan there *.vas no abiding (dace for peace,
naction and greM* mad us many others have because no M’ell regulated constraint iver
been anil as you and i may tie,—and told evil impulses—no subjugation of headlong
strange stories and played 111 tny idle pranks. ' awl criminal passions The joy he felt was
; God had more to do with it than
i De** the Jews God blunt the knife raised over {height already surm* canted, to lit driven 011
... - . , , - 1 — — this Artaxerxes bosom, or' make his heart by the burning and consuming lust of power
set my life apart from you anil every other j conscious of the resting-place it had dreamed impenetrable to its point, and then preach of to strii'-de for a higher an t yet higher |iosi
sacred hope ot J >y ■ of so long—striven for so hard. his power as loudly as you will. j tim, till no heights sh mid nine tr no o e him.
Can you tancy the utterness of my de-| The earl was holding the dead woman so j In the meantime the king had ascended his His su bleu ex itt iti >:i, h > v >Y *r, was heard
s|)air when 1 remembered that I must seal . M-hen the gaoler with two officers of the law throne and was surrounded by the courtiers ! in silence by the king’s subjects a id seemed
iny lips and let you pass on your bright way entered. of the palace for the transaction of business ■' to impart pleasure to none save the tu-o eu-
to the love of some more fortunate man • j Lord Creveidt shook his head sadly as he of s:ate before the hour of feasting. Having ' uuchs, Bigthan and Teresh.
u- yy.'.YV
Havana (Ktn Cristobel ile la ilabamv dates
i from t.>!6 19; and M, xico is but the contiim-
atton of tiie Aztec Tenochtitlan, which Cor
tes took, in 15> 1. It was on the 6th of Janu-
arv, 1535, that the Christian capital of Peru
was founded, or its site selected, bv Francisco
rizarro.