Strange and cruel destiny! When everything depended apon my firmness,

I was overwhelmed by feebleness. It seemed as if I had not before

believed that this terrible moment of confirmation would come.

And yet, if anybody could have been prepared for such a discovery,

I should have been. I had brooded over it for months. A thousand

times had my imagination pictured it to me in the most vivid

and fearful aspect. I fancied that I should have been steeled by

conviction against every other feeling but that of vengeance. But

in reality, my hope was so sanguine, my love for Julia so fervent,

I did not, amidst all my fears, really believe that such a thing

could ever prove true. All my boasted planning and preparation,

and espionage, had only deceived myself. I believed, at worst, that

Julia might be brought to love William Edgerton,--but that he would

presume to give utterance to his love, and that she would submit

to listen, was not truly within my belief. I had not been prepared

for this, however much, in my last interview with Kingsley, I had

professed myself to be.

But had she submitted? That was still a question. I had seen

nothing beyond what I have stated. His audacious hand had rested

upon hers--his impious arm had encircled her waist, and then

my blindness and darkness followed. I was struck as completely

senseless, and fell from the tree with as little seeming life, as

if a sudden bullet had traversed my heart.

In this state I lay. How long I know not--it must have been for

several hours. I was brought to consciousness by a sense of cold.

I was benumbed--a steady rain was falling, and from the condition

of my clothes, which were completely saturated, must have been

falling for some time previous. I rose with pain and difficulty to

my feet. I was still as one stunned and stupified, by one of those

extremes of suffering for which the overcharged heart can find no

sufficient or sufficiently rapid method of relief. When I rose,

the light was no longer in the parlor. The parties were withdrawn.

Horrible thought! That I should have failed at that trying moment.

I knew everything--I knew nothing. It was still possible that Julia

had repulsed him. I had seen HIS audacity only--was it followed by

HER guilt? How shall that be known? I could answer this question

as Kingsley would have answered it.

"If your wife be honest, she must now reveal the truth. She can

no longer forbear. The proceeding of Edgerton has been too decided,

and she shares his guilt if she longer keeps it secret. The wife

who submits to this form of insult, without seeking protection where

alone it may be found, clearly shows that the offence is grateful

to her--that she deems it no insult."




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