Number 119 [pp. 117-125]

1873.] NUAfRER "9. 121
ly to and fro. In less than half an hour, awake the artist, and, imploring them to
I heard a carriage drive up, saw Ralph say nothing, begged them to go back to
step out, and then assist a lady to alight, the hotel and wait for him.
who slowly followed him up the steps. As soon as they were gone, he and I
She shivered as she entered the par- examined the portrait. It is by me now.
lor, and, though she wore a heavy black Poor lady! I do not wonder at the shock
veil, her ghastly pallor was visible even it gave her. I have never shown it but
through its heavy folds. As she enter- to two persons, and it affected them so
ed, the artist began to draw, and I watch- painfully that I keep it carefully hidden.
ed him, fascinated by what grew beneath It is the face and figure of a man about
his fingers. As soon as the lady drew fifty; but the expression-imagine the
near the table, she trembled violently, head of horror by Angelo, with a living
and in broken tones gasped out: "Par- human soul in the eyes, in which glow
don-pardon! For the love you once hatred and wrath. The vest and shirt
bore me, have pity!" I noticed that are torn open, and one hand rests on a
her eyes were turned in the same direc- wound in the breast, while the other
tion as those of the artist, and she never points at the looker - on. That picture
once moved them; she seemed spell- haunted me for days. As Ralph would
bound. There was silence; though her not take it, and it seemed best not to
lips moved, no sound came forth, and destroy it, I kept it. In horror it surshe clasped her hands in mute entreaty. passes his, though the faces are the
We could hear nothing, but it was evi- same; but in mine one almost hears the
dent, from the expression of their faces, curses, which, from the glare of those
that both she and the medium were lis- intolerable eyes, the mouth must be uttening intently. He afterward said, that, tering.
although he could hear what was spoken, While Millicent attended on the lady,
he could not understand it, and the lan- Ralph told me, that, knowing the hotel,
guage was probably Spanish, as were he went directly to the room, knocked,
her answers, which, as Ralph and I knew and she opened the door.
the language, we could understand. Aft- "She is beautiful, Harry; but whater awhile, she said fervently, "I swear ever this terrible secret may be, it is
it, Jos~," and, sinking on her knees, re- slowly killing her. I never saw greater
peated an emphatic formula; then arose, anguish in any eyes than in hers as she
and gazed and listened as before. Again, saw the address. She bade me enter
after another pause, she said the same, read the letter through, then, with a
only adding, as she rose from her knees, heart-broken sigh, passed into ~n ad"Spare me, Jos6; for heaven's sake, joining room, and in a few minutes respare me! I will do as you say; but 0, turned, ready to accompany me. In uthave mercy on me!" A third time she ter silence we were driven here. I wish
swore, and piteously asked, "Must I we were out of this horrid business,
look? - is not this enough?" Then, though I don't see but that I must bear
evidently obeying some command, she the burden of it for years yet."
walked up to the artist, and glanced As he finished, the lady entered. In
over his shoulder. The pencil had just a low voice she spoke these words: "I
dropped from his hand; as she looked, a am no longer needed, and would like
suppressed moan broke from her, and to go back." Followed by us, she reshe fell heavily forward. We raised her, entered the carriage, and in silence the
and called for Millicent. Ralph, hastily drive was taken. Ralph and I went to
concealing the picture, bade the medium my room, and there met the medium and
VOL. Xf.-9