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Show 388 RICHARD IlURDJS, have slandered you when they pronm\tl~~d you the nssoci:1te of these outlaws; it is n. wnnton, a maliciOUS falscl~ood, wlLJch you can easily disprove 1 I knew it-1 t.l1ought tt from tl1c first, Clifton i and yet, when my father told me, nml told me with such assurances, with such solemn looks and words, mal upon snch cvidcnce-ah! Edward, forgive me, when I conf'css to you I could not doubt what I yet drctulc~l nnd trc~l~lctl to believe. But you deny it, Edwnrcl; yuu will 1wove tl to my father's conviction to be false; you will cleanse yourself from this polluting stigma, and I feel, I hope, we shall be happy yet. My fnther-" . •rho chilling accents of her lover's votcc recalled l1cr from the hopeful dream wl1ich her young heart be~an :o fun~y. He dat>hed tho goblet of delight from the partmg hps wluch were just about to quatr from its golden circle. ,, Alas, J-ulia, it is only too true ! your father has told you but the trutlt. Ditter is the necessity that makes me say so much. but I will not deceive you ; indeed, if he told you nll, he nn;st h~ve told you that I came of my own free will to undeceive him. My own lips pronounced to him my own fault, and, humbling as its consciousness is to me, I must dedm:e that, in avowing my connection with these wretched assocJatcs, l luwe avowed the extent of my errors, though not of my sufferings. 'l'hank Got1! ll1ave taken part in none of tl1eir crimes i I have shared in none of tl1cir spoils; my hands arc free fr~m any stain save that which they have rec~ived fr~m graspmg t1JCirs in fellowship. This, I well know, JS a stan1 too 1~uch, and the contact of my hands would only defile the .punty. of yours. Yet, eoulcl I tell you the story of wo and su~enng wln~h drove me to this miserable extremity, you wouhliHty me, Julw, if you could not altogether forgive. But wherefore should I tell yon this 1" . . "Wherefore !" was the moaning exclamation of the mmde1~, as t}1e youth briefly paused in his spcccll, ':whcreforc1-Jt avails us nothing ! Yet, I will believe you, Ohfton; I tm~st b~~ licve tl1at you have been driven to tl1is dreadful co~nmumon, Jf I would not sink unde~· the shame of my own conscJousness. I believe you, Edward-! believe you, and I pity you-from my very soul I pity you. But I can no more: let us part now. ANOTHER YICTUI. 380 LenYe m~-fly, ·wl1ile there is yet time! My father returns in the mo.n~mg, and I fear that his former regard for you wil1110t be sufhcJCnt to save you from the punisl1ment which he thinks due to your offences. Indeed, he will even be more strict nnd severe because of the imposition wl1ich he thinks youlmve prac· tiscd upon him-" "And upon you, Julia: yon say notl1it1g of that." "Kothing! because it should weigh notl1i11g with me nt such n""' momen~. I feel not ~he scorn wl1ich you have pnt upon me, Edward, Ill the loss wlnch follows it." "Blessed, beloved spirit! and I, too, must feel the loss· ancl rmch a loss ! Oh, ?lind, base fool tlwt. I was, to suffer the' pm1g and the apprchensJou of a moment to baffle the hopes and tlte happiness of a life! Ah, Julia, how can I fly 1 how can I leave you, knowing what you arc, and not forgettittg that you l1ave loved me, worthless as 1 am 1" "No more of this, Edward," replied the maiden, quickly withdwwing l1er hand from the grasp which llis own hm1 passionately taken upon it-" no more of this; it will be your policy, as it shall be my duty, to forget all this. ' Ve must strive to forget-we must forget cacl1 other. It will be my first prnyer always to be able to forget what it must only be my constant shame and sot'l'O,.,. to remember." "And why your sbmnc and sorrow, Julia1 I tell you that, i11 connecting myself most unhappily with these wretclted people, I haYe abstained from their ofl'cnccs. lf they lutvc robbecl the traveller, I ltavc taken none of their SI>Oils; if they lmvc murdered their victim, his blood is not upon my lumds. I have been tl1eir victim, indeed, rather than their ally. rl'hey forced me-a dire necessity forced me- into their communion, in which I haYe been a witness rather than a pnrtaker.'' "Alas! l~dward, I am afraid the difference is but too slight to be made usc of in your defence. Did you witness to condemn and disapprove 1 did you seek to prevent or repair 1 did you stay the uplifted hand which struck clown the traveller t did yon place your!:!elf on his side to sustain ant1 help him in the moment of his deadly nnd lnst peril1 My father would hnvo taken this part-his lessons have always taught me that such was the part always of tl1e brave and l1onorable gentleman. If |
