CHAPTER XXXV.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 222, 1 October 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXV.

C i:UTlUTDl'''s SACRIFICE. Oh, should sho n»vcr sharo his fate, JMoro daik that fate \\ ill prove, His Karl nioro deeply dcsolato Without her perfect love ; Bo! sho must sutler for his sake, li Uiib relief she brmp, .As lo\ ing lips would die (o lake TiC \ enom from a stinjr. T. 11. Bayly. (liuriu iii: garni at Fitzgerald in mute amazement. Sho had hoard all his words, and <-ho had understood their full meaning, yet fhe lould ntilhoi believe in her own healing or credit her own understanding. INleanwhiie, standing before her, sad pale, am' iii iii, he hold hei little plump hand.-! clasped in in-- hands with a strong grasp, ai.d Ik Id the meek biow n eyei riveted on his eyes by hw -teadfa->t gvtzc. "Do \ on hear me, my child? Do you compu hend what I say to you ?" heeageily inquiii.il. '_ uing intently down into bhcpiuo depths o ( lid-c soft dark eyes, which she Ikhl no power to withdraw from his. "I lelljouthal at this moment 1 am a fiec man, but ' I may be in the next an exile or a -Li\ l,' unless you save me. lam on the blink <.f a gult of peulilion, from which onh \oui hand can snatch me. Will you ilati> to ghe me this little hand, (Jeitnu.e ' Will you dare to be my Aufe, and that within this hour?" "I w iii dare to do whatever you wish. I only want to do your will," she answered, in a low \oico \ibiating with her soul's deep luio( ; >>n. Sho a-ki d no que,Mion?, laised no difficultio-. cxpie^-scd no doubts, made no conUnions wit h him who was to be her hutband, livi faith in him was as strong as Ikm low Km him wa^ [jure, and both were bound!!- Then and theie, at his asking, she otleied up her young heart a puie and poifou -aci itlee. He b.r.l bib stately head down lower I' \\a u- i u 1u 1 eame-t little face, and gazed iVepu into the depths of her brown eyes, and t'u'.i lie lepeated his question : ''Will \ou really be my wito within an hour tie! Undo .' " vv < i , i r } ou w ill," .she answered, softly, s-'caihh. " \u Tnacter what anyone may say in opp~i<itmn lo your doing so?" he asked, tight v i). >it his clasp upon her hands. " ".(-in utu what anyone may say in opposition to my doing so,' " she solemnly ie])iied, as it l-epai'ing the woids of some litual. '• And you will nut fear to do this-, my •^tUi child.'" he tender!}', pityingly iuqiiin d. * f will not feai , by jour side," said (Jert' iul-\ in a low tone. '• Thi. n \ou are, indeed, my own ? Hen\en lil'-- -~ \'in. -wcet gill ; ami, oh, may Heaven h^P hk to be hue to you, and to make >ou happ\ ' he fcMenrly breathed, as ho drew hei tti !<i-, bosom and pressed a kiss upon her puie brow. " WlllW 1 11 ! upon my wonu — AXD KOyOL'K'" Tib eM;lamation came from Pat FitzC'.nild. whohadjuit opened the door and ii'i\\ .-tood on the thie^hold aghast. <!ci.»''l Kit/geiald did not tor an instant lo^e h 1 - - r lf-pn— e--.ion. He turned and :iiew tliehindot ln> blushing companion within I'naim, and holding ib piotectingly tlieie, - iid : " i\KH>d morning, my merry cousin. Can you t 11 mo whoie I -,hall iind Dv. Tloodwin '" /■V.>, mi ," flashed Pat. " You can iind hi:n 'ioi' n<^ up and down the fiont pa-i-tugt fiiitmg and fuming becau-e it is j.iomn, ! ite a I'd he cannot get his young j. l ! '(-'.m 1 ].i_i to go tj (-Sioenwood to join 1 v t_ddi'. i ' -there i- m here you will find him L" >o.i > aL : to look foi him. But will you tdl up \. Ii it in the old iSciatch has biought !"i< ("i thi^ }ou mariiage morning, m ■ o ighc to !?e at Oiecnwood ? ' '■ j wj'i ' v.ll Dr. (ioodwin, my dear girl, and tlia' '\ ill be moie to the purpose,'' "said (•(.laid JV geiald, w ith a smile. '• Mi ' mi who \iill tell (Jeraldine of this \I-it ' Y» hen she heai-3 it I would not be in \w,r boot- for a fa-t horse !"' exclaimed l\it. Maliciously. C')ljik.l L'it/gti.ild did nofc reply; but \ ith (I'.Liudu's. hand held caie-singly ■\,it!iin In-, aim, he mo\ed towards the door, but „.I^, pi<\ented fiom lea\ing the room ]'V the. sijddon entrance of Dr. Good win, v iL'i b- Lie iNla} Faiie on lux arm. " \\~"ll, now, lli.negotall throe of you vjun^ FlilibeitigibbeU together, I >uj)pos" \e iiui> sta-t— What 1 you here, Colonel Fit/^eiald ! For Heaven's sake, vhat has Lai)p . ul ? ' exclaimed the doctor, indi-may n* ( ! i-o\ering the biidcgroom on his v, i' ldinu-daj r so far from the neighbourhood A hi-, biide. "For Heaven's sake, v h.it c m have lui}>pened ?" " Xochiug ha* happened, my dear Doctor, Lut \\ 'i ii might ha\e l^een expected. The inaiiitgc engagement heretofore existing bjtw-.i'i Mi^ Fitzgerald and myself was ve-.t>j day broken ofi'by mutual agreement,'' i^-P'k (I <le. dd Fit/geiald. in a \ oice steadkd Oiil> hy his- own sttong will. " ll'iMpa ' humph ! humph !*' grunted Va gotjf' doctoi, slowly sinking into his old :o ,n chair and quite getting over his huny it be ofi. "Yes, il mi^ht have been cx\K':l<A. Ye>, cvi tainly it might have been c.[)ccti 1. But you must ha^se become ac0 t^o.ncd to that sort of thing by this time, ('ol-)iicl And now! Tfave you ridden o . ci h.i o thi- morning to ask me to mediate ? Because, if you ha\e, my boy, I won't do it. 1 v, ouM not do it the lasb time, and I don't <:o it tin-, time. A pair, let me tell you, \, ho ,u e always quarrelling before mariiage v, ill ne\ ( ;r agree afterwards. The bc-t thing yoa and Uoraldine could do would be to s.Lpai aie for ever." " 1 think so too, sir, and — " " Only jou won't do it " " I wa-> about to add, sir, that the separation iv now a final one." '• Oh, yes, iinal until Geraldine writes you a. note oi sends you a message, when you will go back to her to ha\e the same trouble repeated again and again— how many times ? I- this misery to lasb for ever, Gerald? -\ c - your oldest lhin^ friend, I ask you." " What would you have mo to do, si>- ?'' sluewdly inquired the colonel. " You say tha' your engagement with Cer.'ildme Fitzgerald is broken ofl by mutual consent "r" said the doctor. '•Ye~, sir." '•'And you are nob in honour bound to her '!' " No, .-ij-, I am nofc." " Then enlist for a soldier ; ship yourself for a sailor. Oo on an exploring expedition. Fi.id the IToith Pole, or the source of the Tsile. i^ufc as many leagues of sea and land as po-sible. between you and the beautiful eiichantie.ii who rules and ruins your life," said the good minister, with emphatic carnc tncis. J " I .s'iaii do belter fl ian that. Mr. I shall d

Gerald Fitzgerald, as Ire pmsed the little hand of Gertrude .and raised rfc to is lipe. " Why, what do you mean by that, Gerald ? And what on the face of the earth arc you doing with my ward ?" exclaimed Dr. Goodwin, who seemed to be awakened for the first time to the consciousness that duri all b this conversation Gertrude had stood ng he side ot Gerald Fitzgorald, with her h n dresting on his left arm and clasped ii: his righo hand. "Ihavcjust asked Mis* Tladdon to bo my wife, and shohas made me very happy by hor consent/ said Colonel Fitzgerald, with grave dignity, as ho looked proudly and fondly down on the shy, earnest girl who stood by his side. "Eh? What— what— what? Bless my soul alive ! This cannot be true !" exclaimed the astounded doctor. "And I bring her to you to ask your blessing on our union," continued Colonel Fitzgerald, ignoring the interruption. "Gerald, you must be raving mad! That beautiful fury must have at last succeeded in unseating your reason !" exclaimed the doctor. "No, no; on the contrary, she has brought me at length to my senses, and I ha\e resolved to put an impassable barrier between mo and heiself. '' " You would put an impassable banier between )ou and herself i You would make that poor girl's heart the barrier !" indignantly exel limed Dr. Goodwin. " Thi*- hweet girl has given me her heart, and I w ill shield it with my own. I will de\otemy life to hor happiness," calmly replied Fitzgerald, as he carried her hand to his lips. "Gertiudc, what have you to say to all this V" demanded the doctor, starting up from his chair, and beginning to walk uneasily about the room. "Is this true? lla\o >ou consented to marry Gerald Fit/gciald?' Geitrude lifted her largo, daik eyes to her destined husband s face with a look ot self-forgetting, worshipping love, and then answered his question. " Yes, it is true." '•You would q;ivo yourself to this rejected biidegroom, fresh trom lm bride's lvpuKion ?" almost scornfully demanded the doctor. " Yes, since lie wants to have me," meekly but steadily replied the girl. " Do you love Geiald Fit/gerald, you poor, unhappy child, that you would tlnow your young heart away on a disappointed, embittered, revengeful man, who maiiies yuu in wrath, but not in lo\e ? (I beg your pardon, Gerald, but thi- is the tiuth, and I must tell her «o)," said the good doctoi, suddenly pausing and standing before the couple. '• Oh, by all means ! Put the case to her strongly— as strongly as you can. She will not forsake me ! She has told me so !" exclaimed Fitzgeiald, looking confidently down on the blown eyes that were again upturned in such deepieveience to his. "Geitrude, my child, tell me truly : J)o you love Gerald Fitzgerald ?" inquired tho minister. "Ye*, I lo\e him," said Gertrude, meekly. " And how long since, you poor child ?" " Ever since I tirst saw him. I could not hdp ir., and indeed I did not want to help it," she answered, in a low, timid, yet eai nest manner. " And you would marry him ?" " Yes.'' " lint, you poor, unhappy gill, he does not lo\e you. He doe« not e\en pretend to love you. He has not even told you so. Why, then, do you consent to be hi.-, wife ?" inquiied tho doctor, as the tears arose to hi honest eyes. " Oh, child ! why do you marry him ?" Again (iertrude, clinging on Fitzgerald's arm. lifted her meek, appealing blown eyes to his face ere she answeied her guardian. "I marry him because he irills me to many him ; and I love to do his will." "Are you answered, reverend sir?" inquired Colonel Fitzgerald, triumphantly. Then turning to Gertrude, he said : "Fear nothing, sweet child. I will soon -how them all whether I love you." "And when i> thN mad marriage to come oil'?" inquiied Dr. Goodwin. " Within this hour — and half of it has al ready passed away. Dr. Goodwin, here is om mai i iage license, taken out by mo this morning from the Wildovillo Regi->tiar's oiliee. Will you lead the way to the church and pronounce tho mairiasc benediction upon us?" gia\ely inquired Fitzgeiald. " Stay, stay, stay, stay ! we are not all lunatics together ! You must have felt reasonably sure of winning this young gill's consent to have got your license out,'' taid Dr. Goodwin, in amazement. "No, I did not. 1 only felt that theie might bo a chance for me. It cose but little to take out the license, and so I took it out to save time before coming here. Now, Dr. Goodwin, thirty-live minutes of the hour have parsed away. " Gertiude, n^ dear, do you really wish to many this gentleman so suddenly?" questioned the doctor. "Yes, sir; since he wills it," meekly replied the girl. " Gertiude, if I had the power to prevent or defer this marriage, I would certainly exercise it in youi interests to-day ; but oh, J haAO not! Your grandfather's unwise will has made it possible for you to marry whensoever and whomsoever you will. Yet, Gertrude, as your oldest and best friend, I would counsel you to beware of this hasty, reckless marriage -this mad man iage — contracted on ono side in wrath and for revenge, on the other an inordinate affection and blind idolatry. Geitrude, let mo implore you to pause and reflect before you take this irrevocable step," earnestly pleaded the doctor. " Dear guaidi.tn, I have promised, and I will keep my promise," said the girl. " Fitzgerald, 1 adjure you as a man of honour and a gentleman to release her irom hei promise," urged Dr. Goodwin. " J must decline to do so, reverend sir,'' smilingly replied Fitzgerald. " Guardian, I do not wish to be reloaded from my promise," added Gertrude, loyally. Oh, foolish, foolish child ! I would that your giandfather had not made such an unwise will, leaving you to your own devices." "Oh, how X thank and bless tho memory of my dear grandfather that he left mo free to give my heart to whom I chose !" murmured Gertrude. " Free to break it upon a rock, you mean, poor child !" sighed the doctor. "Reverend sir, but twenty minutes of the hour in which Gertrude promised to marry mo is left," suggested Fitzgerald. "Do you persist in throwing yourself away upon this unresponsive man, poor child ?" inquired the minister. "I persist in giving myself to him because he wills to have me," answered Gertrude, in a low but earnest tone. " Suppose I should refuse to perform the marriage ceremony between you, what should you do then ?" Gertrude lifted her large dark eyes to Fitzgerald's faco, and then replied to her guardian : " I would go with him wherever ho should wish to take me, to be married." "I .should take hor to Wildcvillo and marry her there," added Fitzgerald. "Heaven help her, then! Ah well! since I have no power to prevent this mast j riago, i must at least take precautionsr-z J

have it legally performed. Gerald Fiito I geraVl, GeiM-ticfe H addon, follow me to- the church. You fcwa- young ladies come also with us. Yoia, wfll be wanted as witnesses," said fclxe sector, lending the way from- the parlour, efosely attended by the' bridal pair. " May Faire !" exclaimed Patricia Fitzgerald, rubbing, her eyes in a state of uttoiv bewildeKiaent-— " May'Faire ! are you sleeps ing with mo-?. Pinch me Jiard— hard ac ever you can ! 1 never was so sound asleepin all my life, and never dreamed such an. divil of a dreamt! 1 I am dreaming that little Gerbude Haddon, poor lamb ! is going OIF to bo married to Gerry Fitz ! / know it is a dream,, of course. But, oh ! do* wake me up ! Pinch me hard —hard as ever youi can. Stick a pin into me— stick it up to fche head. Wake me up at any price before 1 dream that they are really man ied. "You are not asleep or dreatring, Patricia, "answered tile-sober-minded, matter-of-fact little fairy. " You are wide awakej and this strange thing is really going to* happen, though I can scarcely believe ib myself. Come, Patricia. Dr. Goodwin will be waiting for us/ "All wronp ! I'm dreaming I'm coming, since I can't wake up'!'' answered Fat, drawing the arm of the golden-haired fairy in her own ; and walking.out of the parlour, they made their way to > the church. The two girls pattering up the middle aisle noticed this groupot four poisons at the altar. Within the chancel stood the rector, in his white surplice. Before him stood Gerald Fitzgerald and Gortrudc Haddon ; behind them, loaning on his ivory-headed cane, was old Luke Marcy, the grey-haired sexton. The rector, seeing tho entrance of the two young girfc, beckoned thorn to approach. They hurried on and joined the group at tho altar, Patricia placing herself om the left of Geitrude, and May on the left of Patricia. Then the ceremony commenced, tho' rector reading from his prayer-book. The reading went on slowly and steadily on the part ot the minister, and was listened to with attention and reverence until tho reader came to these grave words : " ' ff any man know just cause why they may not lawfully bo joined together, let him now speak — ' " Hove tho minister made the usual pau.se, a meie matter of form, since not onco in a million of cases does anyone " speak " to forbid the marriage. But just as the voice of the reader ceased, the open doorway of tho church was darkened by the entrance of a huge negro man, who entered reverently, came up the aisle and stood near the biidal party, respectfully waiting and holding hit, hat in one hand and a sealed letter in the other. "It is Goliah, from Greenwood," whispered Patricia to May Faire. "My dream is getting- wor&e and worse. I shall cry out presently." The minister regarded tho intruder in silent uneasiness, and he paused longer than usual, as in expectation of hearing something from this messenger* whom he daied net interrupt the solemn ritual to question. " Reverend sir, will you be good enough to oo on with tho coiemony ?'* said Colonel Fitzgerald, in a low voice. The minister sighed, cast his eyes down upon his book, and tesumed his reading in the^e words of awful adjuration : " ' I require and charge you both, as ye shall answer at the dreadful day of judgment, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined together, ye do now confess in ; for be ye well assured thab if any persons are joined together otherwise than as God's Word dofch allow, tmj:ih maiikiaiie is not LAWFUL.'" Dr. Goodwin pronounced these last words with the most solemn and sorrowful emphasis. But they found no echo in the hearts of those to whom they were addressed. Gerald Fitzgerald, with all the wilfulness of his reckless mood, was taking to himself this young bride, and she with all the deep religious fervour of hernature, with the joyful assent of her whole being, was giving herself away to her husband. The minister suppressed a groan and continued the ceremony. When ho asked the momentous question : " 'Gerald, wilt thou take this woman to be thy wedded wife?' ' etc., the bridegiooiu's response came forth, low, stern, emphatic — more expiessive of determination than of affection : "I will.*' When the like question was put to tho biiue : " ' Gertrude, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband ?' " and so on, no one, perhaps, except the biidegroom and the minister, heard her voice ; but, oh, what a completeness of self-surrender breathed in her low-toned response : "I will." " Who givcth this woman to be married te this man ?" read the minister. "}Ic!" squeaked the little, old, greyhaiied sexton, who had evidently been impressed and brought hither for this very duty. He set his cane up against a pew, pushed forward to the front, took tho hand of tho bride, placed it in that Of the bridegroom, and backed out again. ( " My dream is growing more horrible and I grotesque every instant," whispered Pat- | rici-i to her companion. "I have just j dreamt that we came through the churchyard to the wedding, and now I am dreaming that the sexton is giving the bride away, and I shall dream of taking off' her glove so that Gerry Fitz may place the wedding ring 1 upon her finger. There ! I told you so !") Tin-, last exclamation was caused by a sign from the minister, in obedience to which Patricia, as bridesmaid, drew oft" the little lavender kid glove of the bride. And then the ring was placed upon the bride's finger by the bridegroom, who, holding it there, repeated after tho minister tho tinal and most sacred marriage vow that bound Gerald and Gertrude together in a union that could only be broken by death or by crime. Tho last prayer was said, the last benediction was given, the last awful adjuration pronounced : "Those whom God hath joined together LKT NOT MAN VUT ASUNOI3H." Gerald Fitzgciald stooped to salute his bride, and met her meek bnwn eyes upturned to his face, with the beaming look of a child who has just clone something to please one whom sho profoundly loves and reverences ; her eyes full now of a soft radiance of an angel's pure delight. "What a mere baby sho is," he said to himself ; "so pleased at the novelty and importance of being married. Well, poor little one, I must try to make you so content that you may never repent this reckless ' leap in the dark,' " he added, with a sigh, as lie gave her the formal kiss that custom demanded. But the three friends who had witnessed the marriage were now pressing forward to offer congratulations. t / "Colonel Fitzgerald, you have ' married in haste. Still, it rests with yourself alone to decido whether you will ever have cause to * repent at leisure. ' In thisjdear, trusting girl, whether you know it or not, you Lavo secured a treasure. I wish you both all the happiness thab I know she so well deserves.

aaadi Dr.. Goodwill aa lie shook hands with the newly- wedded pair. ""I thank you, reverend sir, in the name of Mrs Fitzgerald and myaetf," replied the bridegroom,, with' 5a Ikw. "Gertrude, old chap/ said Patricia, coming- slowly forward and rubbing her eyes— "l am, q,uit& conscious that tins is all ai dreamy but I can't help ifc ! T have been, dreaming the most grotesque things aboub you — dreaming: bliat wo walked through a- church -yard fco se& yon married to Gerry Fitz,. my warlike cousin, Gerry Fibz, andi that the; ©Id s<Bxtoa gave you away, ! Whew ! what a ' gwobious ' dream ! And how lam dreaming fclteib I am wishing you joy ! Well',, sleeping &c waking, old , fellow,. I do wish you J©y with all my hearb !" added Pat, giving the bride a l'onsing salute. "Colonel and M»3 Fitzgerald, I wish you both 1 much happiness and prosperity," said the formal little blonde- beauty r May Faiie, offering fust hen liand to the bridegroom and then her lips to the- foirsde, who both uesponded in kind. "And now, air and madaia, I hope you will; not disdain am old main's good wibhes, seeing lie was Had up> here to take part in these solemnities,." said the old sexton, (joining forward with a deep' bow. %c Many fchanks> Marcy, from Mi's FiUIgerald and myself.' for your kind wishes and ! valuable services. Will you do us the j honour to- receive this trifle in. acknowledgjinent of them?'" said Colonel Fitzgerald, !as lie .slipped a small roll of notes into the j sexton's hand. 1 The old man bowed profoundly and , backed out again. , "We will, now adjourn, tcv the vestiy, j and. register our names/ said the rector. : " Beg pardon, marse minister," said the 1 dark intruder, who, for the labb few minutes, j had been utterly forgotten ; "•! beg a t'ou I sand pai'dons ; but here I has been a-stan-j dtiii' wid dis lebbeu in my hands a-waitin' for de chaaice tO' 'liver it to its right owner, , which,, now, if you. please,, noarster, I would like for fco do it." i "Well! deliver it, then. I Who is the I right owner? ' demanded Dr Goodwin. " Colonel Geral' Fitagerl', sar, 1 which 1 dunno, nudder, as it's any use to 'liver ob it now, sar_" ' ' Jf the letter is for me, it can wait my : leisure," said Gerald Fitzgerald, grimly. I " Come, reverend sir,, if yon please, we v\ ill go immediately into the vestry and complete this business by registering this mar- ' riAge. We can attend to our dark fi iend afterwards,," he added, as he drew the aim of his bride through his own and lod the 1 way into the vvestryy v followed by the rector, !' the sexton,, the two witnesses, and last of ' all by the negro messenger. The great volinme of the parish register was opened^ and the names of the bridegroom^ bride, icetor, and witnesses, with the residences of each, and the clay of the mouth, and year, weie duly signed and iecorded.