LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 760, 27 November 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

LADY CREIGHTON. ( Concluded .) On the floor at the foot of the couch we found a tiny crystal flask suggestive of much to Colonel Elton. But save the one little word ‘ Nina,’ scratched on a book, nothing more, by which to identify the life that had been, rewarded our diligent search: and lighted by the blaze of the rising sun we slowly and sadly returned to our campingroom. There Franz met with a grief. His noble pet was dead I A fact strange as indisputable. That same day Elton and I were en route for London. * * * * *

It was one of LadyJOreighton’s grand reunions.

Colonel Elton had paid his respects, avoiding with infinite tact and grace the cordially extended hand of his hostess. Glancing at mo, he said : ‘ Lady Creighton, I have presumed upon my intimacy with the late Sir Bobert and his lovely daughter so far as to bring an old friend. Allow me to present Major Falkland,’

With shivering horror I gazed upon the woman glowing in the perfect maturity of her exquisite Italian beauty, No dress of black satin and ruddy-hued ribbons this time ; but a crimson velvet robe, palpitating opals, shimmering diamonds, and laces a queen might have coveted. Rich and mellow was Colonel Elton’s voice when he spoke again. * We are just from Germany, Lady Creighton,’ he said.

Lady Creighton paled under the eye with which he transfixed her.

‘ We left the singing Rhine for the borders of a grand old forest—the very forest your feet once skirted.’

I noted the same look of fear that swept the face under the frescoed walls. It was swift as awful, and she answered in silvery tones :

‘ That was not remarkable, Colonel Elton. I resided in Germany a good many months. My late husband’s daughter was a great invalid, and we carried her thither when other means failed to reward our hopes. It was a sad time, for Sir Robert being too feeble to leave England, all the responsibility fell upon me.’ ‘You must have found it wearing,’ my friend returned, with the same transfixing gaze. Lady Creighton had recovered herself somewhat, and her face betrayed nothing as she answered calmly: 1 1 did. But I must entreat you to excuse me— other guests I see are waiting my leisure.’ ‘ Mamma!’ a sweet voice murmured at her elbow.

‘ Ah! Here is my daughter, Beatrice Vinci. I suppose you have forgotten her, Colonel Elton ? She was but a sprite when you last saw her. ’ And her dark passionate eyes burned lovingly, as she presented the beautiful innocent girl at her side. Lady Creighton moved away, doubtless hoping to avoid further conversation with the man she had just escaped. She might as well have shunned the outstretched hand of death. Colonel Elton was her shadow. At last the rooms began to thin, but he still lingered, and Lady Creighton’s face whitened and sharpened perceptibly.! At last we were the only remaining guests. Self-possessed and inflexible, he spoke. ‘ Again presuming on old time privileges, Lady Creighton, I have remained for a quiet chat about that Germany in which we both have occasion to feel a deep interest. ’ I was prepared for hauteur at this point; but remorse had done its work, and she bowed sjiiveringly. * Germany!’ echoed the lovely Beatrice, who was hovering near her mother. * Oh, mamma ! I can’t hear it mentioned without a shudder. That terrible—terrible old ’

‘ Beatrice, go ! interrupted Lady Creighton, almost sharply. *lt grows late. These gentlemen will not detain me long, and I will soon join you,’ And again the mother-love flamed in-her magnificent eyes as she watched the girl’s retreating form. The last floating thread of white gassamer lost to her view, she dropped into a fauteuil, motioning us to seats near her. The quiet even voice took me by surprise, and also the courage with which she dashed into an evidently dreaded subject. ‘ Doubtless you have heard some of the sad details of our residence in Germany, though not the saddest. Nina’s madness was a family secret, kept from all save a few faithful servants, and we naturally preferred the seclusion of a foreign country for our darling to the publicity and horrors of a madhouse. In Germany we could guard her with secret as well as loving care. ’

Elton’s broad chest heaved at that startling mention of madness, which accounted for certain grated windows and iron-bound doors. He replied nonchalantly : * I heard many things, Lady Creightonsome of which I will tell you. When I was first ordered off to India, I bore with me the hope of winning a sweet girl’s love—and I left one in London who had both the will and the power to keep me informed of all concerning the lovely Nina Sir Robert Creighton’s one precious darling. Consequently, I learned in due time that old Sir Robert’s heart and hand had been won by a peerless Italian widow—that Nina had been gifted with a mother. ‘ Trambling all obstacles under foot, I returned for a brief visit. I returned to find that my wild idolatry had gained the coveted reward—Nina’s love was mine. Besides that, I soon found that she was far from happy—that her father’s beautiful wife was a terror and dread to her. Though sharing her fears I laughed at them - and with the glad hope of claiming, at some future day, Sir Bobert’s conditional promise, I departed for the post of duty. * Then, Lady Creighton, I learned, through the same friend, that Sir Robert had made a new will—and one which was very generally esteemed the work of his peerless wife. Since I am detailing much that you already know, I may state that this will contained a clause startling m that the vast Creighton estates were entailed to Lady Creighton’s little child, Beatrice Vinci, through bis own daughter, Nina, incase the latter should die uuwedded. I was disturbed at this item of English intelligence, for I said to myself, Lady Creighton may ’ He paused, and leaned towards the superb creature whose eyes were riveted on his by a species of fascination.' 1 ‘You look so white and horrified, Lady Creighton, that I fear you do not quite understand,’ he sneered, wi|h a cold, deadly

smile. Then he resumed, with the same smile, the same icy tones : ‘ I said to myself, Lady Creighton may be—may be —tempted ! Don’t! Pray, don’t!’ he laughed ruthlessly, as a low cry parted her white lips ; * you mar the thread of my story, which is still unfinished.

* After a few months I heard that my Nina was in delicate health, and that the peerless Lady Creighton, who was a model step-dame in the world’s eyes, had carried the poor darling to Germany, hoping something from change of scene and air. While madly chafing the bit of duty which kept me where I was, the last sad letter reached me. My friend had looked on the white, coffined face of my darling, and followed her down to the old Creighton vaults. *He knew my fears, and voluntarily assured me that no shadow of distrust might touch Lady Creighton’s immaculate name. Forcing a belief in this assurance, I remained year after year under Asian suns ; for when the doting Sir Robert followed Nina, there was nothing to draw me to England. But, Lady Creighton,’ and his voice lost the anguished tenderness of the previous minute for the clear, quiet tones which doomed her at every word, ‘ but, Lady Creighton, after ten years, something impelled me to a wanderer’s life in Germany; and strangely enough, as I told you earlier in the evening, I tracked your footsteps.’ Again he paused, leaning forward, with glittering eye and cold smile. ‘My Lady Creighton, permit me to ask you a question. Were the contents of this dainty toy quite harmless ?’ extending a hand in which lay the crystal flask. Lady Creigton’s lips parted, but no sound drifted across their whiteness, and with another biting laugh he resumed his former attitude of careless ease, and continued : ‘ The same old halls which your crimsonslippered feet once trod echoed our heavier footsteps; the same frescoed door which your delicate fingers so often touched swung back at our louder “ Open sesame ! ” The harp strings were all rusted and broken, but these fine golden strands remained, deathless tokens of the fair being whose graceful head they once adorned.’ And he suspended the shining threads between Lady Creighton’s eyes and the flaming chandelier. ‘ Oh, heaven ! Will you never be done ? ’ shudderingly gasped the stricken woman. * Soon, very soon, my Lady Creighton. Be patient. She was, I know, though ner wails and shrieks rung pitifully through those old rooms and halls, when we reached, with that ramping, unearthly crew, the little frescoed door. Ha! So you know something of that spirit gang ?—something of the tramping feet, the fiendish laughs, the shrieks, wails, and the harp strains 1 ’ he queried chillingly as Lady Creighton silently raised before her bowed head two deprecating hands with the palms outward. ‘ Elton ! Elton! Be merciful! ’ I said, grasping his arm. He shook me off without a word or look, continuing ; ‘ And, my Lady Creighton, can you believe it ?—we saw your very self there before that little frescoed door 1 Black satin, all crimson flecked from peerless head to dainty foot, you wore. My lady, do you love the colour of your deeds ? ’ glancing significantly at her velvet robe.

He rose, speaking in his own calm, rich tones as he looked down upon her pallid face and shivering form. * I have now told you something of what I have heard, and will detain you no longer. To-morrow I shall see you again. Lady Creighton must prove her innocence.’ And on that morrow he did see her.

We were noiselessly conducted into a darkened ’chamber, and up to a couch on which lay a shrouded form. The linen was softly folded away from a face scarcely whiter than that on which we had gazed the night before, but sweet and placid as an infant’s.

Lady Creighton had appealed to the highest tribunal.