Page:Adventures of Rachel Cunningham.djvu/33

 secured and caged with her in her private apartment, it can be very easily imagined what there transpired to fix him in attachment lo her, which led to at horrible events in the sequel as ever yet disgraced and blackened the human character.

It was now that his fate seemed to have left him totally without a choice or will of his own to act: he was now wholly lost to all social obligation and every moral tie, that should have bound him to the rectitude of natural and common duty, was broken and set at naught. From that moment Rachel Cunningham's ascendancy over him was proudly absolute and uncontrollable; he became, from that hour of his being ensnared by her, the abject slave of her caprice and the very drudge of her guilty machinations. Her influence was the active principle in all he did, and her hellish instigation the sole director of his steps to the last and most appalling of crimes!

This connection, and the imprudent criminality of it, in the adulterous share pertaining to the sheriff, became the general topic of conversation and severe censure: he sacrificed himself and his time entirely to her society in riotous revelries and lewd debauch?

The adulterous connection still continued in wastefull profusion, in blushless lewdness of dissipation, and shamefully immodest profligacy.

Under the severity of suffering and smarting with the jealous pangs his cruel conduct inflicted on his wife, she, whenever they met, naturally vented on him the most poignant reproaches. On one of which occasions, slung with the force of just reproof, he afterwards, while with Rachel, evinced unusual disquietude, when, on seeing it, she inquired the cause, as she fondling hung upon his neck with wheedling kisses seemingly to sooth his uneasiness; on which with a sigh he replied:

"Nothing, my dearest love! but,—that I wish to heaven that woman, that plague, my wife, was dead."

Rachel, eagerly catching at that wish, for that, that wish was really hers, hastily replied, "that wish then completed can be your's; and speedily."

"Ay; but then" said he, "there a fearful—"