Page:The London Magazine, volume 8 (July–December 1823).djvu/145

 tence for it, that act was now beyond the possibility of reparation.

For a long time, the pious clergyman refused all belief to Schroll’s narrative; but being at length convinced that he had a wounded spirit to deal with, and not a disordered intellect, he exerted himself to present all those views of religious consolation which his philanthropic character and his long experience suggested to him as likely to be effectual. Eight days’ conversation with the clergyman restored Schroll to the hopes of a less miserable future. But the good man admonished him at parting to put away from himself whatsoever could in any way tend to support his unhallowed connexion.

In this direction Schroll was aware that the dice were included: and he resolved firmly that his first measure on returning home should be to bury in an inaccessible place these accursed implements that could not but bring mischief to every possessor. On entering the inn, he was met by his wife, who was in the highest spirits, and laughing profusely. He inquired the cause. “No,” said she: “you refused to communicate your motive for coming hither, and the nature of your business for the last week: I too shall have my mysteries. As to your leaving me in solitude at an inn, that is a sort of courtesy which marriage naturally brings with it: but that you should have travelled hither for no other purpose than that of trifling away your time in the company of an old tedious parson, that (you will allow me to say) is a caprice which seems scarcely worth the money it will cost.”

“Who then has told you that I have passed my time with an old parson?” said the astonished Schroll.

“Who told me? Why, just let me know what your business was with the parson, and I’ll let you know in turn who it was that told me. So much I will assure you, however, now—that the cavalier, who was my informant, is a thousand times handsomer, and a more interesting companion, than an old dotard who is standing at the edge of the grave.”

All the efforts of Madame Von Schrollshausen to irritate the curiosity of her husband proved ineffectual to draw from him his secret. The next day on their return homewards she repeated her attempts. But he parried them all with firmness. A more severe trial to his firmness was prepared for him in the heavy bills which his wife presented to him on his reaching home. Her expenses in clothes and in jewels had been so profuse, that no expedient remained to Schroll but that of selling without delay the landed estate he had so lately purchased. A declaration to this effect was very ill received by his wife. “Sell the estate?” said she: “what, sell the sole resource I shall have to rely on when you are dead? And for what reason, I should be glad to know; when a very little of the customary luck of your dice will enable you to pay off these trifles? And whether the bills be paid to-day or to-morrow—cannot be of any very great importance.” Upon this, Schroll declared with firmness that he never meant to play again. “Not play again!” exclaimed his wife, “pooh! pooh! you make me blush for you! So then, I suppose it’s all true, as was said, that scruples of conscience drove you to the old rusty parson; and that he enjoined as a penance that you should abstain from gaming? I was told as much: but I refused to believe it; for in your circumstances the thing seemed too senseless and irrational.”

“My dear girl,” said Schroll, “consider—”

“Consider! what’s the use of considering: what is there to consider about?” interrupted Madame Von Schrollshausen: and, recollecting the gay cavalier whom she had met at the inn, she now for the first time proposed a separation herself. “Very well,” said her husband, “I am content.” “So am I,” said his father-in-law, who joined them at that moment. “But take notice that first of all I must have paid over to me an adequate sum of money for the creditable support of my daughter: else ”

Here he took Schroll aside; and the old threat of revealing the murder so utterly disheartened him, that at length in despair he consented to his terms.

Once more, therefore, the dice were to be tried; but only for the purpose of accomplishing the sepationseparation [sic]: that over, Schroll resolved to seek a livelihood in any other way,