CHAPTER XI

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1961, 31 January 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XI

" Foi Lifa ro lcnoly \nin, ForDoath which broak* tho clmm." A BniKF announcement in the daily papera of tho marriage of Lady Dianoy and Signor Romano was a soiuce of some astonishment, and much conjecture to those who had watched the supposed flirtation between tho young widow and the famous singer. The sooiety papera tried hard to spin oat a long paragraph, supposed to be an account of the wedding ; but, to tell the troth, it had all been arranged so quietly thore was very little to relate. It was stated that only a few intimate friends were present at the wedding, owing to the illness of Miss Dering, the bride's aunt and adopted mother, and for this same reason the newly- married pair were passing their honeymoon at their own home, Disney Manor. That Lilias Dering was eeriouily ill was only too true. After battling once more with death, and this time tho " shadow with keys" was fated to be the conqueror, she was brought home to the Priory, at her earnest request, thero to spend the few remaining clays of her life. The shock of discovering in Gidia's husband her would-b8 murderer told sadly on Miss Dejing's already waatod frame, and her doctor at last broke gontly to sorrowing Mrs. Cnnninghame that sweet Liliaa had but a few weeks to live. None but God knew how gladly tho world-weary, broken hearted woman received , the tidings of her ielease, and as she prepared hereelf to meet the end now so rapidly ap proaching, one thought alono troubled her — What was her duty regarding her neice's husband ; was it right and just to let such a villain go unpunished; writ sha justified in carrying her fatal secret to the gravo, leaving Gidia in ignoranoe of the character of tho man she had married ? To do so seemed hardly in accordance with her strict sense of truth and juetice. Yet when Lilias thought of tho fair young wife, who must love her husband (strange though it seemed), her tender heart failed to summon sufficient courage to say the words whioh would bring disgrace and sorrow to the innocent, as well as the guilty. Hluwly, peacefully the gentle spirit of saintly Lilias Dorm^ e^bed away, till #ne morning the simple Kentish villagers leariit that their boloved, almost idolised mistress had passed to n brighter, happier sphere. Thus ended a blameless, unselfiih life — a life which under happier circumstances might have bleshed the heart of a husband, and proved a- noble oxample to her children ; but whioh had been remorselessly sacrificed to the ambitious vanity and ingratitude of * soulless girl, and the rapaoions cruelty of an unscrupulous adventurer. On herring of Miss Dering's death, without betraying their secret. Gidia and her husband at last breathed more frnely, and for a time deoeic and villainy, in their handsome persons, appeared to flouriah. They were now surely free to enjoy the good things their soheming and plotting had obtained for them, but,nevertheless, was a just retribution to fall slowly but flurply upon the guilty pair. After tho conventional period of mourning for the poor dead woman whom they had robbed, first of happinesH, then of life, was over, and the young couple entered onoe more into society, they had no oan^e to complain of tho welcome acoorded them. Certainly some of Sir Ralph's oldest friend 1 ! and relations stood aloof and wondered at his widow's infatuation, and amongst these was Lady Claudia's guest, who on paHsing their carriago in the park for the first time since their marriage, reoeirod Gidia's bow with a haughty, well bred stare, which caused Romano to utter a coarse oath through his clenched teeth. But gradually, after having at first fttedand flattered them to their heart's content, came a change in the world's opinion, a change whioh soon became marked. Romano, grown careless with his altered fortunes, gavo great offence by his pai rcnu coarseness and underbred arrogance. Then Gidia's changed, haggard looks were commented upon, and it became a subject for Fpeculation whether her husband illtreated her, or whether the knowledge o! his open Uason with Madame Pinoini a coujpluc at the " Faoilit^," troubled her. This woman, a huge limbed German, was helping Romano rapidly to get rid of tho money he had obtained by fraud and erimo. Zepherine Pincini's bijou residence at St. John's Wood was a miraole of gorgeous display, her equipages tho most dazzling to be mot with in town, her furs and diamonds rivalled the Empress of Russia's, oausing many an envious pang in the fair bosoms of virtuous British matrons, though they would have blushed to have boon discovered evon looking at such a shocking person. Romano did not scruple to appear everywhere with his mistress in public, and in the Park, Gidia leaning back wearily in solitary state in her barouche, would be compelled to ignore what her sad eyes saw only too plainly, as she passed her husband seated in a well known Victoria boside Madame Pincini, whose bold black orb 3 looked scornfully at tho Italian's faded wife, and never failed to make some insolent disparaging lemark on her appoaranoe. And Silvio, far from resenting the woman's impertinonoe, would laughingly shrug his shoulders, and say lazily : " Qhc vouUj vous ma hi lie ! 'II faut souffrtr pour ?tre' riche." Gidia had in truth bocome preternaturally old and faded sinoe her second marriage, ho much so that Lady Claudia, on meeting her one evening at dinner, raised her eyebrows pityingly, and felt half molined to be graciously forgiving, as she glanced at her own well preserved beauty. Since Miss Bering's death, Gidia had become morbidly afraid of her husband, which, combined with other fears, preyed greatly on her health. Romano's unfaithfulness was another source of jealous vexation and impotent rage, and aho was forced to acknowledge, clever and quiok witted as she once imagined herself, she had been merely a tool in the unscrupulous bands of the Italian who, having gained his ends, not only openly neglected and defied his wife, but even at times treated her with brutal violence. How gentle Ralph Disney's kind rule appeared now to the poor little declined sinner, oompared with the bondage into whioh she had sold herself. The girl's whole nature seemed to change under the strain. She no longer took a delight in tho pleasures and dissipations society had once atlorded, though she was too well trained to show the world what she thought, and freely dispensed her graceful smiles as before. Her old admirers, however, shook their heads, declaring her smiles were forced, her manner oonstrained. Of course, that brute of an Italian was jealous, and probably illused her, they said. At last Gidia's failing health gave her an excuse, whioh she eagerly seized, for retiring

from the life whioh had become so hatefnl. When she returned to Dianey Manor, the old retainers who had been very indignant at their mistress's marriage with an obscure foreigner, felt nothing bat pity when they saw her haggard, melancholy face, and the fright ened bine eyes, which had lost all their girlish brightnesß. Gidia came to Disney with no companion but a maid, for Romano had no intention of burying himself in a dull country-house with a Biok wife, even if she had oppressed a wish to that effect, which she had not. Perhapß he was wise in making the most of the pleasures life afforded him, for his evil, triumphant career was not destined to last ranch ongor. Romano was just stepping into his cab one evening when a telegram was put into his hand, which, however, he did not stop to read, bnt thrust oarflessly into the pocket of his coat. Something had already delayed him, and as he was bound for Madame rincini's charming little residence, he was fall of anxiety for fear he should bo later than the hour appointed, for to tell the truth Romano stood in greater dread of Zepherine's tongue than anything else in the world. His fears proved not altogether groundless, for madame's motley array of gnest3 were all assembled when ho entered the small extravagantly furnished dining-room, and squeezed himself into tho extremely pmall seat left for him at her side. The Pinoini w4s not in the beat of tempers, a fact which she mado no effort to disguise, bnt allowed her virulent tongue full swing, and her guests, an they departed, laughingly pitied poor Romano, who they knew would come in for a very bad quarter of an hoar when the Blight protections afforded by their presence waß removed. No eoaner were they qnito alone than Zepherine began to ponr out tho vials of her wrath on her lover's head, but she became slightly mollified when he presented her with a magnificent ruby braoel«t, the cost of which her experienced eyes calculated quickly at many hundreds. Romano was graciously permitted to clasp it on the large, not over white, arm, and seated himself beside her on the portion of sofa left unoooupiod by her massive form and extensive flounces. I wai beginning to imagine, mon enfant," she said, more amiably, " you had taken yourself oil to that poor puny wife of yours," and Zepherine ran her fat jewelled fingers through Romano's dark curls aH if toying with a lap dog. " Say when did you last have news from la petite ' " " Can you possibly find nothing more interesting to talk about than a man's wife, Zepherine ? " replied Silvio, remonatratingly. " I can only assure you I have heard nothing of her for many weeks. She may be dead for jill I know or care," he added, carelessly. " Oh, fie I " and Zepherine laughed incredulously. " I believe yon have a letter from her now in your pocket, neareHt your heart. I hear it rustling, traitor I " Diving her fingers into his pocket sho produced the forgotten telegram, and held it mockingly ttbovo his head. " Oh, that arrived just as I was starting to come to yon," said Silviu, cardcaslj-. " I <lj<l not wait to open it, for there is nothing in the world worth exciting oneself about, unless coming from you, my angel." "Then i will open it for yon," said tho Pincini, suiting the action to the word. " I suppose it is some stupid business connected with your piles and piles of money. You are as rich as an old Jew 1 " Then an exclamation of astonishment fell from her, as she read what was written in the pink missive, and she turned a little pale beneath the rouge. Romano, snatching the telegram from her hand, read—" Your wife is dying. Sho has confessed everything, and desires you to be warned in time." With an oath the Italian sprang to his foot, and tore wildly at his hair, terrifying Zepherine by the sudden ghastly change which came over his countenance. She rose, and laying her hand on his arm, Baid soothingly — " Courage, nwn a mi ; there is surely nolhiag so very terrible in the death of that wretohed little pigmy — if she really t« dead, and this telegram is not a foolish hoax," she added, with a jerk of her large shoulders. " But the rest, what does it all mean ? Why do you look like that, Silvio— so pale, so terrified ? " (To he cmUmcd.)