THE MANIAC'S BRIDE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3425, 2 April 1879, Page 3

THE MANIAC'S BRIDE.

AN EXTRAORDINARY DREAM.

It was at London-on-the-Sea I firsj saw him. I was alone, walking on tho Chain Pier ; but although I was alone, there was a orowd of well dressed, fashionable people there beside myself, and wo were all listening to a band. How came Ito be there alone ? Ah !

that I have forgotten! Perhaps I never knew ; but I, a pretty girl (as many an admiring glance told me), was alone. Of that, at least, I am quite sure, and I am equally certain I hat I was observed. As I walked and listened I became aware, with a strange, creeping sensation, that someone's shadow had fallen upon mo. I wanted to turn round and see who it was that could thus make me feel his, or her presence, but somehow I couldn't do it. Perhaps I was ashamed thus to face my pursuer, from maiden modesty, but the feeling which I remember was almost fear. At length, however, having got to the end of the pier, I was 6bliged to retrace my steps. 1 took an "Admiral's sweep." My shadow friend must have done tho same, for I was still pursued. Still tho unknown figure walked behind. Was it a man or a woman who exercised over me this magnetic power ? I felt that I was being lookod through, and that every secret of my heart was being read by the shadow eyea. My only comfort in the matter was that they would have more difficulty in desciphering ib all backwards, and might make mistakes upon certain points, which, though young and innocent as I was, I preferred remaining in my own keeping. The band played on ; the musicians never seemed to wish for rest, but wont on mechanically, as I had never known them to do before ; and wherever I went my shadow friend followed me — always followed me. It mußt have been a tremendous exercise of will, for I broke tho spell, and turned sharply round. I suppose it was tho suddenness of the movement, for I became giddy, and felt as though I should fall. I stretched out my hands for support — for help —and clutched naught but the air; and then I gave a cry — I think it was only a slight one— and someone touched mo. I felt as though strong arms had held me, and yet I did not know who had been my helper. I must have been faint for a few moments, for when I aroused myself I was sitting on a long seat beside the pierwall. The eea breezes were kissing my cheeks ; the sun Bhone out with a sudden beam, and I looked about me. There was no one near but one gentleman sitting at" the further end of the Beat, and he was looking at me intently. I felt that he was the shadow who had puraued me, not that he was at all shadowy now. He was a large, powerfully built, well-made, extremely handsome man, as dark as night ; but neither then nor after could I have catalogued his features. To me he was summed up in one thing only— Eyes ! I saw his eyes and shall ever remember them Always. Thej were the darkest of dark eyes ! Eyes that you felt ! Eyes that gazed with an intensity of feeling from shadow-land. I gazed, returning tne soul-absorbing look of th,e dark wondrouß eyes that held mine captive, IJow long I sat thus enohaated heaven only knows.

It might have been hours, but it felt like days, months, years ; yet as the gun still shone, and I knew neither hunger nor thirst, we will say it was houre, though possibly the time might have been counted by minutes. The power of judging was lost, absorbed in the only feeling I was sensible of. A thousand internal convulsions were ab work within me, bufc none were definitely shaped. Nothing was certain but t hose eye*, which still looked so yearningly, so mesmericaily into mine, while I felt my soul melting in re plj» gazing my answer in silence ; and thus I was drawn, against my will, closer and closer to those eyes, still under their power. Once only he looked away, and I -was free ! I started off, but knew that he followed me ; and I went on and on, always pursued. This lasted for days and weeks. Where I "boarded" he must have "boarded" too, for my life was never free from him. His eyes seemed even to follow me in ray sleep. I could not shake off the influence that they had attained over my will. By degrees the wish to do so ceased, and I felt those eyes were my world, my life, my being ; that I should fade as a flower without water if they ceased to follow me. And thus things went on between us. We were quite intimate, but we had never spoken. We wero friends, and yet our hands had never met. Wo wero lovers, yet had we never kissed. I was alone, yes, alone upon the cliff, standing upon the unprotected edge, looking down with that curious sensation of attraction which is sometimes felt when gazing from a height. A chilly feeling was creeping down my spino, a mist came over my eyes. I seemed as though a cloud of dizziness had crossed my brain, and as, if I moved at all, it must be over the precipice to destruction when I became subject to another attractive power— those eyea were upon me. In another moment I was gathered from the danger by a strong arm, which held and retained me, and my face was uplifted to his. A triumphant expression gleamed from his dark eyes ; they sparkled like a thousand brilliants. A glad beam illumed his features.

"You are mine, you are mine!" he cried, with almost fierce joy ; " I knew it from the first. You are my predestined bride; the proof has come. I have waited for it; I have watched. I have been silent ; I have been patiunt. I could not claim you till your life was mine ! You would have fallen from the cliff had I not saved you ; therefore, that life is no longer yours, it is mine !" He was bending over me, looking into my eyes with his, which always chained me.

" Say you arc mine !" he cried, drawing me yet closer.

" Yours !" I murmured, faintly, yet feeling a placid contentment in leaning my* weakness on his strength; he gathered me to his breast, and kissed me. And all the time I felt the power of his eyes. And now that I had given myself over to his keeping, I felt, too, that it was as he had said—" predestined "—and let him take me whither ho would. " Let him," did I say? What power had I to restrain his willP I felt I hai none whatever. 1 was being taken, I knaw not where, but I did not resist. Wo Mere going to be married, that was all I knew about it; but I was satisfied, or my senses we;v benumbed by his mesmeric power. Eiflicultiea and objections flitted vaguely through my mind, but left no permanent impress. In the meantime we were travelling on, always in haste, driving through the air, walkingoiit of breath, running, steaming, rushing through space. But I was dreamily content. My lover's eyes rested on me, and gave me strength with the intensity of their gaze. I knew no fatigue while he was rear me thus. While at tho fastest speed, the train stopped suddenly. Oh, what a crash 1 There was an accident. Was I hurt ? I hardly knew. I had a general feeling of discomfort j a difficulty in moving ; an inability to collect my thoughts ; a sensation as it: I had fallen heavily ; a dull, dead, universal pain everywhere, but nowhere in particular. No doubt I was, as tho newspapers say, "much shaken," but my lover was by my side, glorious as ever in his strength and power. He lifted me up in his arms and carried me along.

Wo wandered thus for hours, never seeing a, habitation, never meeting a living soul to speak to, or to ask our way of. On, on, and on we went, over hill and dale, along roads, down narrow lanes, between hedgerows, across fields, into a wood — quickly, oh, so quickly, my lover carried me at first till we came to that wood. It is a long lano that has no turning, but even a small wood is endless if you don't know the way out of it. We did not know the way out, and I grew weary of the trees, nothing but trees — trees upon trees. My lover, who still carried me, must have grown weary too, for his steps became less elastic ; he held me in a powerful grasp in his own distress, but still he carried me. I felt I was a dead leaden woight, but had no power to improve the situation. His steps grew weaker and fainter. He stumbled more than once, and at length fell. I felt that we had fallen in a conglomerated mass — that it waß hard to tell which benumbed limbs belonged to him, which to me j then there was silence, and I knew no more till I was on the top of a stage coach, and the breeze was tingling against my cheeks. A strong fierce wind was blowing, and my golden hair was tosaed ruthlessly about ; but it was exhilarating, and my spirit rose with the wildness of the scene. Clouds scudded overhead, so close that I fancied I could catch them were I to

try. The horses woro at full gallop. They dashed along proudly. Nothing stopped them. I felt as though I were ilying. It came into my mind how pleasant a thing it must be to be a witch, and rido flying through the air on a broomstick ! My lovor was by my side. Ho foresaw the danger. I felt his arm about me, and I saw his oyea — nothing but his eyes — as ho gazed with painful eagerness into mine, and his grasp grew tighter and tighter, his eyes nearer and nearer.

The horses were galloping at lightning speed down the steepest hill I had ever seen faster and faster, faster and yet faster — and then there came a crash ; but it sounded far off, and nothing hud harmed mo nor my lover. Again we started, mounted on two fiery horses, which wo had procured from heaven knows where ! I had never ridden before, and I was afraid. I felt as though I were going off all round. On tho right, on the left, forwards, backwards, always, as by a miracle, recovering my balance ; but those eyes were upon me, and I could not express my fear. They repressed even terror, and kept mo quiet. Still I suffered, though silently ; and the path grew narrower and more narrow. Wo could ride only in single file. I felt that if I were in the rear I would slip from my horso and remain behind alone ; anything sooner than ride on in tho agony of silent terror which oppressed mo. The horses' eyes were red and fiery ; their dilated nostrils sent out smoke as from a furnace ; they stretched their long necks, and seemed to grow taller and tailor as the dangers grow thicker.

Tho road had ceased, and wo were riding along a narrow ledpo by the edge of a cliff ; whilo hundreds of feet below the sea dashed

in impotent fury to break its bounds beneath. One false step and wo should be in eternity ! A deathly sweat came over me, and I should kayo fallen, bringing upon myself tho very fate, tho terror of which had so unnerved mo, when a sudden cry arose from behind me.

"On, on! quicker, quicker! forward, forward !"

I had no power to question. Tho horse I rode caught tho contagion of excitement, seeming to understand, which I did not. And my lover's horse followed close behind. I felt his eyes even at this moment of terror, and the horse's eyes felt hot like his breath upon my neck. Madly, madly we rode on upon this rooky ledge, where a false stop meant death ! My lover's voice urged the steaming beasts on yet faster, and then, thank God t once more we were upon the green turf, away from that cliff edge. The horses again were side by side going whither? They seemed to know their way, for they needed no guiding; and then before mo rose a building. A castle? A house? What shall I call it? Ifc was a largo place, a mass of masonry, an incomprehensible mixture of every sort of architecture which ever existed Bince the Israelites made bricks for men to build with.

The house — or mansion ifc may be called (as it undoubtedly had a back staircase)— had been built with care, and had evidently had much money expended on it. It was largo and curious, surrounded by a high wall, upon which was sharp, broken glass, and other things to k^ep " thieves out, and rogues in." "It is my own design," said my lover in my ear ; " this is your home, dear wife." " We are not married yet," I said, trying to laugh-a laugh which sounded hollow, and suddenly left off unonished. The sound of my own voice was so strange that I repeated what I had said before — it seemed so far off. " Wo are not married yet."

And was it fanoy, or was thero a mocking echo from the house ? There was no one visible, no one to welcome us. " \\V shall be immediately," said my lorer, placing his hand on my horse's bridle nnd cJ rawing me closer, while he gazed fondly in my face ; he then sprang to the ground and opened & gate, through which he led my lu-rse, his own following unbidden. At the entrance door he >il>ed me in his arms from the snddle and placed mo within the hall ; the horses moved off together towards the garden, and my lover took me by the hand. " Welcome home, bride of my destiny," he said ; and there appeared a woman servant. "Gentilla," said he, addressing her, "adorn my bride for the church." And I was led silently to a room, where I was robed in white, and a veil thrown over my head. Neither '' Gentilla" nor I spoke while this was being done, and I followed her into a small chapel, where the light was mellowed by richly-painted windows. The organ was sending forth low, touching sounds, as of the human voice ; now sadly sorrowing, now rising above the cares and trials of the world in richer, fuller strains ; and I sank down before the altar and wept as though my heart would break. A storm of passionate sorrow brake over me, dying down into sobbing sighs and silence, and the organ taking up my calmer mood, rose into more cheering tones. And then my lover knelt beside me, and I heard the words — "I, Roberto, take thee, Ella ;" and I swore to " love, honour, and obey," while ail the faces in the chapel, cub in stone though they were, changed, and laughed at me fiendishly. Mendelsshon's " Wedding March," like an ocean wave, rushed into my life and understanding ; it seemed to eiigulph me ; rocediug from me with a surge and deafening roar, leaving me faint and giddy ; and I clung to my Roberto's arm. The tiny vestry was full of young women ; they were all dressed in white. They were perhaps the brides-mai-ls come too late. They greeted me with mock solemnity. I signed my name for the last time " Ella World," and then with a feeling of suspense I looked for his signature, as it came upon me with a sudden pain that I had not even asked the name of the man to whom I hud given myself. " Roberto il Diavolo." I sprung up 'with a bitter cry. I had sold myself to the Devil ! T/ie girls all joined in a chorus of mocking merriment — (how they appeared to rejoice in my sorrow!) — performing fantastic war dances before my weaning eyes ; changing partners, and on, on again with fresh mirth at my expense, and then my husband (with a shudder I remembered that ho was my husband) took my hand and led mo away ; I used all my force to remain behind, but I might as well have tried to resist death itself 5 ho did not even seem to understand or know that I was making any effort to escape from him, and he led me on ; he took me with him into a room, where were seated an old man and an old woman, and a 3*oung man.

" I have brought you my bride," said my my husband, with a triumphant glance at my blushing face.

" What, another ?" shrieked out the old woman, in a shrill, cracked treble; "what, another !" and then tho three joined in a trio of cruel mirth.

" Ella," said my husband, " these aro my father, mother, and brothor, therefore they are yours ; kiss thoai child."

I looked at them as I stood bofore them, their cruel eyes lit up with mockery. Ono of them laid hold upon me, I never knew which and I saw tho others leer and heard their laughter. I shrieked aloud, " Roberto, Roberto, take me away ; I am afraid of them !" And then I saw those eyes, they wore fixed upon mo, and I was silent repressing tho fear I could not overcome.

And then it came upon mo that till their eyes had the same expression as they looked at me — four such pairs of eyes ! I could not bear it— l could not! I burst out, "Roberto, tako me hence, or I Bhall go mad !" " Mad !" they shrieked, " mad ! Why, we are all mad here ; of course you will go mad ! We have all gone mad in our time, and you are the maniac's bride. Ho is our captain, our chief; ho is dangerous. Don't offend him, my dear, or he may injure you ; as long as you pleaso him ho will bo all right. Now perhaps you would like to see his other wives?" said the mother, with a malicious grin.

" Other wives !" I repeated, faintly gasping :or air.

" Oh, yes, my love, our captain lias a harem of beauties. They were all predestined brides. lie saved the lives of them all, in one way or another, and held it to bo lub duty to bring them home."

I shrank from him, and an angry frown camo over his face. I had not seen tho expression before, and a terror fell upon me. I throw myself at the mother's feet.

"Save me, save me!" I cried; "you are a woman, pity a woman's sorrow! Only lot me go away, I will never bo your son's wife — never!"

Oh heaven, those eyes ! She never answered mo, and then I found I was alone with Roberto — with tho man I had married. I was on tho ground whore I had lain at lub mother's feet — his eyes gloamed fire upon me.

" Take care," said ho, in a suppressed tone j " go in there, and learn of tho others." Upon which ho drew mo up roughly from the floor, and thrust me through a door ho had opened into another room.

I looked around bewildered at the sudden transit — there were a dozen or more of young girls, the came who had been present in the vestry when I had Bi'gned my name. " Oh !" cried one, " you are early. Wo did not expect you so soon."

" Nevertheless, you are welcome," said a second, " perhaps you will give us your story, and then we will tell you ours."

'' Indeed I will," said I, and I told them my tale in a few worda as I could, and paused for theirs.

'•Another predestined bride!" they cried together ; "wo have all been predestined brides in our time."

"Are you Mormons, I asked," a gleam of light upon this mystery seeming to break through my imagination.

" No," they answered ; "wo are mad, all mad. It comes upon all predestined brides, you know. r lhey are all married to the devil! " and they burst into demoniac laughter.

"Lot mo go! let me go!" I cried, making ineffectual efforts to get away from them ; but they all surrounded mo in their white dresses, and hemmed me in. There was no

escape.

" You oannofc leave hero till you are mad," they said, crowding round me, " when you are one of us you will be allowed to do as you please."

"Tell me your histories, then, some of you," I said, determined to throw them off their guard, and I settled myself down on a soft rug to listen.

" I was anaotreßs," said one, "and Roberto gained my life by saving mo from tho fire which broke out j I swore to give myself to tho Devil himself if I could only escape from it, and Roberto came and saved mo."

" I was very misorablo," moaned a darkfaced girl; "I was jealous of the man I loved, and I poisoned him," upon which she glanced furtively round with narrow eyes ; " they would have hanged mo, but Eoberto saved me and brought mo here. I was weary of life, and drowned myself, but Roberto pulled me out again. lam weary of this life still, but I must wait yet awhile, for thoße whom ho savoß , are hiß servants, his sluves, and no one dare disobey him." " I loved the world, and all tho pleasures of it," said a fourth, gaily ; " I loved Roberto for himself, and he brought me ; here to cave me from — I havo forgotten what, my dears — but I am mad like tho rest of you, so you will excuse mo," and she laughed, and because she laughed we all laughed, yet I did not know what I was laughing at. And then wo called upon the others to relate their stories, but they had all fallen asleep, and I lay quiet among them, my heart beating with painful eagerness to know that slumber had fallen upon each one individually, that I might escape. But aa fast as I saw that one slept another aroused, and when she fell asleep I saw the eyes of a third open. And so qll these brides of destiny could not be lulled to rest.

I felt as though tho curse of madness which was shed on them was creeping on my brain also — that I must escape or become mad myself, and I determined to escape— but how ? A fter many futile endeavours to get away unseen, J gave tlio idea up in despair. The eyes of these girls kept opening and looking at me. At last I made a sudden dash to tho door. The women in their white clothes clung about me— their arms wore entwined around my neok 3 I felt nearly suffocated, but I fought right manfully, and at laßt, with a mighty effort, I got free — free from them them all. I heard a noise and confusion as I rushed along j but, as far as I could tell, none pur-

sued. I remembered the road we had come by, Boberto and I, in the morning, and I retraced it as fast as my legs could carry me. I had run across the grass land, and was on the narrowest ridge of the path in the cliff, when I found Boberto himself right in front of me. " Roberto," I cried, " let me pass !" He grasped me by the arm. He looked at me with eyes now fearful in their suppressed fury. "Will you come back, EUaP" he asked, between his clenched teeth. " Never," I gasped ; "let me go." "You are my wife," he cried; "we will never part!" He rushed towards me to clasp me in hit arms. With a shriek I started from him. Great heaven ! too late ! "You are the maniao's bride," he cried, exultingly, as with a demoniac laugh he sprung over the cliff with me in his arms. He held me tight all the time. He never loosened mo from his grasp, and we fell, through space — down— down — down ! A fearful sickness, as of death, passed over me. I felt as though nothing but the shell of me was descending, and the whole of my members, including my nervous system, had remained, at the top of the cliff, or were still floating in mid ah* ; and then I arrived at the bottom with a horrible smash, and an exceeding bitter cry, never to bo forgotten, while all the vitality was crushed out of me ; but, thank God ! I was AWAKE AT LAST !

My dear friends, do you ever have the night-mare ? If 8 0, you will perhaps understand my dream. I can trace the source of it all now that I am awake. I have, during the last few days, been to a ball, a wedding, several journeys by train and coach. I have been learning to ride, and last, not least, I have been over a lunatic asylum ! And whose eyes were they ? you ask. Ah, that is a secret you must allow me to keep to myself. I have told you my dream.— Abridged from Charing Cross.