I saw the appointed time approach with- tice, until recalled by succeeding events. out bringing any opportunity of escape. In a few days we were married, and I Sometimes too, I was haunted by a fear brought my young bride to my humblę lest Catharine's seeming sympathy might lodging. I cannot here delight the romanbe only a part of a deep-laid scheme to tic and imprudent by describing our wedcompass my unhappiness. The fatal day ded life as an unalloyed elysium. We appointed for my marriage came.-Catha- were indeed in full possession of those rine continued to feed, but had not yet ful- rarest and purest elements of happiness,— filled, my hopes. She urged me to keep harmonious accordance of temper and up the deceit, and I obeyed her, yes-obey- disposition, and calm reposal on the affeced her, even while my cruel mother deck- tion of each other, but we were not thereed me for the sacrifice. But I escaped- fore insensible to the vexing power of mipraised be Heaven! I escaped before nor evils. For the sake of a miserable pitit was consummated. Catharine pro- tance, I was obliged to leave my Charlotte cured me the slight disguise of a course for the greater part of every day utterly cloak, which I had only time to cast alone, and when I did return to her, inover my gay bridal garb, when the stead of being able to enliven our evenings long sought opportunity of escape occur- by gay or tender converse, I was obliged red. Youth and terror lent me speed, and to devote myself to the literary drudgery I had nearly reached the city when dark- which served to eke out our precarious ness set in, its friendly shroud enabling me subsistence.-Nor was Charlotte an idle to pass even the hated Harwell unnoticed, dependent on my toil.--Mistress of her I wandered 'ong through the city's thou- needle and pencil, she devised a hundred sand obscure lanes and alleys, before I fanciful little elegancies which amused could summon courage to seek a night's her solitude, and by the sale of which shelter; at length, alarmed by the lateness (though miserably ill paid) she augmented of the hour, I succeeded in obtaining my our income. These small earnings she present refuge. The following day was loved to devote to the purchase of some that on which I first saw you. dainty or luxury wherewith to cheer our "And now, generous and kind friend, evening repast, the hour of re-union after if you can resolve to wed your heart to our daily separation. Her winning playme, who may at any moment be torn from fulness had intense captivation for one, you, I shall no longer scruple to link your like me, unused to female society, and fate with mine. I know little of the laws each day developed in her some new grace of man, but I believe that they endow the of manner or charm of character that parent with absolute power during the added, if that were possible, to my affecchild's minority; and if during mine my tion. My mild, cold dream of glory had mother should discover me, I should be faded before the healthier excitement of lost to you for ever. Better than this labouring for the happiness of a beloved that we should now part, that I should object, and when, during my hours of bear my misfortunes alone, and leave you study, my gentle wife silently pursued her to the peace in which I found you. If you household avocations, I felt that the " light share in this conviction, let yesterday's whisper of her footsteps soft," was a more meeting be our last, but do not quite forget spirit-stirring music than ever echoed the lone castaway, whose latest breath will from the trump of fame. For several utter prayers for you." weeks after our marriage Charlotte seemThe intense interest with which I peru- ed quite happy. I never entered my home sed this little narrative, was only equalled that I did not find her gaily singing at her by my delight on finding that it contained work. Though I could not help suspectnothing which should delay or prevent my ing that this was an affectionate artifice union with Charlotte. I did not observe to quiet my regret at leaving her so much that her story furnished no adequate cause alone, it yet was evident that she was for those exclamations which had led me content and cheerful. All my reasonings, to fear that some duty opposed our mar- however, could not banish what I conriage. This discrepancy between her sidered her exaggerated fears of detection. written and spoken words eluded my no-She never went out, except in cases o absolute necessity, and then veiled and versation, then darted rapidly homewards. disguised herself as closely as ever.-The I followed, but though she could not have effect of such cenfinement on a naturally preceded me two minutes, I found her fragile frame was soon visible. Her soft quietly seated by the fire, all traces of her young cheek" grew sick within the rose's recent excursion banished. Resolved to just domain," and the hollow cough which watch the developement of this mystery has knelled away so many precious lives, in silence, I did not mention what I had became frightfully frequent. Then I felt seen, but, for the first time, I felt unkindly the sharpest sting of poverty: I could not towards her, and my manner must have bear my drooping bird to the pure climes betrayed the feeling, for often during the of health and renovation, but must sit evening I caught her eyes fixed upon me calmly by and see her pine to death in her with an expression of relenting fondness lone cage; I vainly tried to make her ac-that half vanquished my rising doubts of cept of such recieations as were within her integrity. The following evening we our reach. The mere idea of going to were sitting together, silently eccupied, I any place of amusement made her shiver in writing, Charlotte in drawing, when a and turn pale, and on the few occasions handsome, well-dressed man, of about on which she went abroad to procure ma- thirty years of age, entered our apartment terials for her industry, such were her unannounced. He addressed me with an panting haste and trepidation, that her air of fashionable effrontery, health was injured rather than benefitted. But I soon became aware that it was not disease alone that was preying on her life. Some new and solitary sorrow was seated in her eyes, and the lightest tread, the softest knock, made her suspend her "Are you very sure of that, young sir?" breath, and strain her sight as if for the "Perfectly. But by what right do you appearance of some terrific phantom. presume to investigate her affairs or mine?" One evening, on my return from the of "By the indisputable right and title of fice, I ran up stairs as usual to her little a husband; for know, young gentleman, drawing-room, but had nearly stumbled that if you believe yourself married to this over the prostrate figure of my wife, who girl, she has egregiously deceived you. lay in a deep swoon few paces within Let her, if she can, deny that she was my the door. On her recovery she imputed wedded wife before she ever saw your her indisposition to mere physical weak- face!" "You are, I presume, the-?" I assented. "And that young lady, in what relation does she stand to you?" "She is my wife." ness, but, from this time forward, I ob- I looked to Charlotte, expecting her inserved she always bolted the door of our dignant refutation of this dreadful charge, apartment during my absence. Her cau- but she had none to offer! Pale, convic tion arose, she said, from the carelessness ted, guilty, she sat, like a felon, awaiting of the persons below in leaving the street doom. door open, and thus exposing her to the And addressing her, the intruder conintrusion of any one who chose to enter. ttnued, "But, in consideration of your One evening, about twilight, I was on my childish years, I shall overlook the past if way home, at an hour somewhat carlier you will now return to your duty. Come than usual, when I saw Charlotte at a dis-then, my fair fugitive, my-nay, I should tance of several paces from me. I could say your-carriage waits to bear you not mistake her well-known dress, her hence." light and graceful step, though I wished But with a wild shriek of abhorrence, to dispute even the testimony of my senses, Charlotte fled at his approach, and sought when I saw her addressing earnestly and refuge behind my chair. The strange with animated gesture, a gentleman who scene proceeded, but, stunned as I was by was walking with her. At the corner of the certainty of Charlotte's guilt, I took no a street diverging towards our lodging, part in it. her companion was about to leave her, "Be it so, then, my fair dame! but, when she laid her hand on his arm with a since you will not accompany me on my detaining movement, prolonged the con-continental tour, I shall defer it, in order can do no more." to have the pleasure of procuring you a the import of which I scarcely knew.— safe and cheap passage to New Holland. The hated ring (which I soon afterwards British law recognizes such a crime as flung away for ever) was placed on my bigamy, my pretty runaway." finger, and I was then told that I was The wretched Charlotte had not yet married. Soon after I withdrew, my spoken, but she now said slowly and in mother and Harwell remaining together. hoarse and feetle accents, "Monster, Ino Then it was that Catharine fulfilled her longer fear you. You have destroyed promise, and I fled. And now, my dear my peace-you have poisoned my happi- husband, for so I will ever call you, now ness-you have broken my heart-you you will undersand the mingled joy and anguish with which I listened to the avow"I shall try, nevertheless. Therefore, al of your pure and ardent love; but bemost gracious wife, adieu. Trust me, we lieve me, I did not at first intend to deshall meet again." ceive you. Even when I began that For many minutes after his departure, lying letter, I meditated a full disclosure the silence of our department was unbro- of my situation. I believed that my enken, save by the quick troubled breathings forced marriage could not be binding in of the unhappy Charlotte. At length she the sight of Heaven, and I hoped that you attempted to take my hand, but I repulsed would not consider it so. But my courher sternly and coldly; and, burying my age failed me when I contemplated the face in my hands, yielded to all the bit-possibility of loosing you forever, by this terness of the belief that my hopes of love, confession, and I adopted the deceit that though fairer, had been falser than my made you mine. I know that you may hopes of fame. The unfortunate then fell justly doubt the truth of even this stateat my feet in penitential humbleness, but ment, from one already convicted of I could not trust my fortitude to look upon falsehood; but words uttered with dying her, and she continued her pleadings in- breath, may surely be relied on." terrupted only by her sobs and fatal con- They were relied on; long before vulsive cough. "Oh, John, beloved John, the poor patient had concluded her recihave you no forgivness for her who has tal, she was restored to my confidence, loved, and still loves you so fervently and and pillowed on my bosom. well! Listen to the whole truth, and do! She continued to explain the events of not pronounce harsher than I look for the last few days. One evening, on her from my heavenly Judge. The letter return from making some little purchases, which I wrote you was true in every par- she was discovered and traced home, by ticular but one. I was momentarily ex- Harwell, who forced himself into her prepecting Catharine to give me freedom, sence; but who, to her surprise, instead when she entered my room hurriedly, and of upbraiding her for her desertion, adsaid that Harwell had arrived, accompa- dressed her in terms of adulation, and nied by the clergyman who was to per- urged her to accompany him on a tour of form the ceremony-that he desired to pleasure which he was about to make. see me immediately, and that flight was Having discovered that what she most now impossible. I resolved to cast my- dreaded was my being made acquainted sclf on the protection of the clergyman, but with his claim, he, on her refusal to acCatharine assured me that this would be campany him, or even to receive his of no avail, as he was a person wholly visits, threatened to make all known, and devoted to Harwell's interest; but, she legally inforce her return to him. It was said, if I would submit to undergo the on the evening of this threatning visit ceremony, and thus quiet all suspicion, that I found her in the deep swoon into escape would then be easy, as she knew which she had fallen soon after he left my mother had some business to transact her. Hence her precautions for preventwhich could not be completed till after the ing any subsequent intrusions on her solimarriage. Fear and her arguments pre- tude; and hence, too, her alarm at every vailed. I was led to the drawing-room, sound that might indicate the approach of where, half-insensible, I heard some words a stranger. muttered over me, and repeated others, The evening before the present, how ever, meeting him accidentally, she, of obtain proof of it, I determined to seek an her own accord, accosted him, and ear- interview with the woman who had fa netly besought him to bury in oblivion vored Charlotte's escape. For this pur. their ill-omened marriage, and leave her pose, I went to Mrs. Ormond's villa, the to the more lowly lot which she had cho- situation of which Charlotte had often dissen. His manner left her in doubt as to cribed to me; but my disappointment the effect of her entreaties; but the event was keen on finding that she had left showed that his revengeful feelings were Ireland. I learnt, however that she had excited by her unconquerable aversion, dismissed Catharine, some time before she and made us feel that he would spare no left. This Catharine, I, with some diffiefforts to accomplish our separation and culty discovered; and her testimony banher distruction. ished all lingering dread of Harwell's Though I felt that poor Charlotte was threatened vengeance. He and his vile my wife, in the eyes of justice and heaven, accomplice had quarreled on pecuniary I yet feared that human law would not subjects soon after Charlotte's flight; and consider her as such. My marriage with Catharine then learnt, for the first time, her, I knew could be easily substantiated: that the pretended clergyman had but if, as was likely, Harwell could prove been one of Harwell's minions in disguise" his, every thing was to be dreaded from and that, even had not the ceremony his malignity. This, together with alarm been otherwise informal, it would have at he hourly increasing illness, prevented been nulified by the fact that Harwell had my thinking of Charlotte's sole fault, that already been many years the husband of of deceiving me. Mental suffering had an English woman of fortune. It was so fatally aggravated her disorder, that therefore evident that his threats had been she was soon confined to her bed. Find- employed only in order to terrify Charlotte ing it impossible to leave her alone in into his power; but mighty love had such circumstances, I resigned my situa- shielded her from a fate so terrible, and tion, and devoted myself entirely to atten- she was now mine leyond the power of dence on her while she waked, and wri- a rival. ting when she slept. I had sufficient cre- But this blessed certainty came too late dit to obtain for her all that she required, for happiness. The young sufferer's and in such a case, I did not scruple to strength wasted slowly, but steadily; and incur debt; for should I loose her, I should when, at last, death, the "pale unrelenter," have time enough, and too much, to de-claimed his dedicated bride, she recieved fray it; and should my cares be blessed his chill caress without a murmur or a by her recovery, all after privations would moan. The ancient cemetery of Clonseem light to us both. tarf contains the dust of that once beauty. Fear of the threatened prosecution, Since my Charlotte's golden head has however, disquieted every moment of our rested there, no sun has risen that has not lives; Charlotte's deepest slumbers were seen me kneeling by the green and quiet haunted by visions of trial and disgrace. grave, nor could earth offer me a hope so But when several days elapsed without dear as that of speedily joining her in that bringing any new calamity, we began to" dark paradise." hope that Harwell would fear to invite I continue to write, but no longer with publie notice to a transaction in which he the anticipation or desire of fame. The had played so disgraceful a part. springs of hope and health are broken, On calm reflection, I saw good reason and the unelastic spirit longs weariedly or believing that the marriage had been for its last repose. I write that I may only a mock ceremony, intended to de- pay my debts, and leave the world with a lude and betray the innocent Charlotte.-conscience void of offence towards menThe unprincipled character of her mother, but unable to imagine or paint ficticious the profligacy of Harwell; and, above all, woes, while my heart is heaving under the his conduct on his first visit to Charlotte pressure of its own, I have penned this after her marriage with me-so unlike record of too true a tale. that of an injured husband, served to con firm me in the conjecture; and, eager to STANZA S. I love the man who well can bear I love the soul so nobly proud That mis'ry cannot blight- 1 love that fortitude refined, Which sorrow cannot shake; I love the man who scorns to bend de bush." 66 THE WANDERINGS OF CAIN. A FRAGMENT. BY S. T, COLERIDGE, ESQ. "A litttle further, O, my father, yet a little further, and we shall come into the open moon-light!" Their road was through a forest of fir-trees; at its entrance the trees stood at distances from each other, and the path was broad, and the moon-light, and the moon-light shadows reposed upon it, and appeared quietly to inhabit that solitude. But soon the path winded and became narrow; the sun at high noon sometimes speckled, but never illumined it, and now it was dark as a cavern. "It is dark, O my father!" said Enos, A BLACK JOKE.-Blackee passing along "but the path under our feet is smooth Fleet Street, was astonished at hearing a and soft, and we shall soon come into the voice call out,-"Ilow d'ye do, massa open moon-light. Mungo, how d'ye do, Snowball," and on groan so deeply?" Ah, why dost thou looking up, observed it proceed from a parrot, in a splendid gilt cage. "Lead on, my child," said Cain, "guide Aha, me little child." The innocent little child massa Parrot," said Blackee, "you great clasped a finger of the hand that had murman here; you live in gold house now, but dered the righteous Abel, and guided his me know you fader very well, he live in father. "The fir branches drip upon thee my son."-"Yea, pleasantly, father, for 1 ran fast and eagerly to bring thee the THE HOUSE OF A WEDDED PAIR.-"If pitcher and the cake, and my body is not there is a place on the earth where pure joys yet cool. How happy the squirrels are are unknown-from which politeness is that feed on these fir trees! they leap from banished, and has given place to selfish- bough to bough, and the old squirrels play ness, contradiction and half-veiled in- around the young ones in the nest. sults"-from which the attention is diver- clomb a tree yesterday at noon, O my fated through associations that are prejudi- ther, that I might play with them, but they cial to fidelity and the tenderest affec- leaped away from the branches, even tions-"where remorse and inquiet, like to the slender twigs did they leap, and in furies that are never weary of assailing, a moment 1 beheld them on another tree. torment the inhabitants. This place is Why, O my father, would they not play the house of a wedded pair who have no with me? Is it because we are not so mutual love, nor even esteem. Is there happy as they ! Is it because 1 groan 1 a place on the earth to which vice has no sometimes even as thou groanest?" entrance-where the gloomy passions Then Cain stopped, and stifling his have no empire-where pleasure and in- groans, he sank on the ground, and the nocence live constantly together-where child Enos stood in the darkness beside cares and labours are delightful-where him; and Cain lifted up his voice and every pain is forgotten in reciprocal ten- cried bitterly, and said, "The Mighty derness where there is an equal enjoy- One that persecuteth me is on this side ment of the past, the present, and the fu- and on that; he pursueth my soul like the ture. It is the house too, of a wedded wind,like the sand-blast he passeth through pair, but of a pair who in wedlock are me; he is around me even as the air-O lovers still." that 1 could be utterly no more! 1 desire |