Passion and Principle, Part II [pp. 270-282]

Passion and Principe.,
gloried in showing you the triumph of love
over misfortune."
"Pshaw! you talk to me of love witkthat Fentence on your lips? Had you really
loved nie, could you have forsaken mei,l
pmy hour of keenest sorrow? Oh Cornelia,
Cornelia, have you too deceived me?
Henceforth I shall never believe' in the
love of woman."
A tearful tenderness beamned from her
eyes, as she raised her head and said: " Ih
youL have l oved mor e deeply than 1, God
have mercy on y ou, on us both."
He raised his hand to his he art, and
stood a moment, as if in thought, then he
turned to Cornelia and gazed into her face,
a spasmodic expression passed over his
own, a thrill shook his body. He threw
his armis around ter, and whispered wild
incoherent words of love. Scle quiver ed
in his embrace, like the frail bough in the
wild tempest. She tried to tear herself
fi'om his grasp, but he held her more tights
ly to his bosotn. ~:.:
" Cornelia, darling, I will not, cannot
give you up!"
Hysterical sobs burst from her. She
calimed herself, al-d said:
": Philp, it must be done."'
He let her go and tottered to a seat
across the room. After a long silence;
without raising his head or looking at her,
he said:
" Cornelia, are youi resolved?"
" I al,ly' she answered.
'Loving has never brought me anything
but misery, hencefiorth I renounce it. Once
perseverance brought me sorrow and disgracei then I resolved no woman should
ever hear that story a second time from my
lips."
"Cornelia, you haye come back to unsay'
those hard, cruel words?"
She shook her head, while tears blinded
her eyes. Sihe dared not trust her voice to
speak.
"Cornelia,"'he-, said passionately, ": will
you (drive me from you? You have said
you were not happy. I have to!d you my
life was misery, ultil I met you, and now
you talk of giving me up! "OiOh, Cornelia,
lhink what we might be to each other!
There is no law to forbid you being myy
wi fe." h r o
'" None of man but of God," she answer
ed. s.
(No, no. no;. read your Bible again, you
will see that I am right."
(' Oh, Philip!" she cried, it would be
wrong; I cannot be your wife-the thought i
of her would always be between us." |
'f Cornelia, why will you talk so? there
is no sin in our love. It is condemned neither by the law of God or man."
She (lid not answer him, and he continued. "Some of the basest crimes the world
hlas ever known, have been committed
in virtue's name. I,ook at the wild fanatics that have filled the world with blood in
-,irtue's name; do you think God is pleased with such sacrifices! It is the same
that you are making. You are breaking
my heart, and your own."'
She raised her head and looked into his
face, as if she longed to believe him, then'
said: "No, Phillp, my conscience tells me
this is wrong."
(Our conscience will sometimes deceive
,Us," he said.'The hea-hen who lashes
hiis child under the lacerating wheel, and
tortures his owlf'body, thinks he obeys conis. Pence."
"It is all thhe gouide I kavei and it terlls
mie I had better die than commit such a
sin."
He rose and walked to a candle. "Look
here, Cornelia. if it is pain like this for nute.
to keep silent, you shall never hear love
from my lips again, Andl he heli his lI,anrt
in the blaze until it was red, and blistering
with the heat.
Cornelia started towards him, but he
turned from her, and with,out another word
left the room. The next morning lie was
gone.
Soon Sandy went away too. Hle toldh
Cornelia he was going to work. le would
lIre a boy, and anridler no longer. After a-..
He turned from her and said bitterly,
"Where are the boasted sacrifices you
could make for the mran you loved? The
"?ou- of trial ha s come, and otou are f ound
wanting. Yolk shrink lest the world should
utter in your lhearing,~, that word divorce."
:t l do not hleedl tle world's opinion, but
I dare'Io t stilltat voice in miy own bosom. Oh, Philip, if it could have been
an-..- sorronw but tlhis,:ow I woJhl(t -'have
280
FATAT
4