14. XIV.
She had played her part to admiration — she
had completely deceived her husband. She little
dreamed of the evils which spring from all deception
— even where the end seems to be most innocent,
and where a superficial thought esteems it
praiseworthy. She wished to know his griefs —
she persuaded herself because she could then the
better administer to and heal them. This was
her duty; and so regarding it, she entirely forgot
that obedience, in the inferior mind, is a duty also.
Albert was perfectly convinced that Anastasia
was dissatisfied no longer. That conviction
brought back his cheerfulness. His was a peculiar
destiny; and to be thought happy by her, and
to make her satisfied with his lot, by perfect happiness
in hers, was, according to the terms of that
destiny, the condition of his own happiness. Believing
and confiding, with renewed and increased
fondness, he leaned over her, as she seemed to
sleep, and sweet and long was the fond kiss which
he pressed upon her parted lips.
She did not sleep — she was watchful. With a
pertinacity that did not suffer fatigue or pause, she
kept resolutely awake until midnight. Remembering
the kiss upon her eyelids which her husband
had usually given her, and to which she attributed
the deep slumber which always seemed
to have followed it, she contrived so to dispose her
arms as to throw one of them effectually over her
eyes, and thus to prevent the possibility of his lips
pressing upon them. She found the position an
unpleasant and tiresome one after a little while;
but, bent upon her design, she determined to suffer
the annoyance rather than forego her purpose.
When a woman once sets her mind upon any thing,
it is no small matter which is to divert her from it.
Midnight came at last, to her great satisfaction.
She heard the clock of the castle toll forth the
hour with a solemn emphasis, and she could scarcely
restrain the deep sigh of her heart from forcing
its way to a corresponding sound to her lips.
But she did restrain herself, and in a moment after
she distinctly felt a cold wind rush through the
apartment. At that moment Albert half rose in
the couch, and bent over her. She felt his breathing
distinctly lift the lighter curls of her hair, and
with a keen ear he listened to her respirations. He
tried with a gentle finger to detach her arm from
its close place over her eyes; but the arm seemed
all at once to have become most obstinately rigid,
and he failed in his efforts, in which he did not
persevere for fear of awaking her. As if satisfied
that she slept, he seemed to turn away; and the
arm, so obstinately immoveable before, was now
slightly lifted, without being removed from her
eyes, and only sufficiently to enable her to give a
single glance around the apartment. As she had
seen before, she now distinctly beheld a shadowy
outline at the foot of the couch, in whose massive
brow a bright pale star shone fixedly and soft. A
moment more had elapsed when the form of Albert
became suddenly convulsed, and she could
scarcely forbear the fond impulse which prompted
her to forget every precaution, and clasp him in
her arms; but the secret stirred in her mind at that
moment, and she maintained her position and silence,
though several convulsions, each successive
one more severe than the preceding, shook his form
as with so many dreadful spasms. They were
scarcely over when a cold breath of air seemed
to pass above her neck, and she distinctly felt the
body of Albert sink down helplessly beside her.
Her heart beat impetuously — she could scarce
suppress her breathing, and nothing but the most
resolute determination enabled her to forbear
shrieking aloud. She did forbear, however; and
once more venturing to look forth, she now distinctly
beheld two shadowy forms glide through
the apartment, with each a red and similar star
shining brightly upon his forehead.
