Page:Violet - a vaudeville in four scenes (IA violetvaudeville00yapa).pdf/17



(with emotion). Sidney, what mysterious influence brings you here at this moment as if at my unspoken call?

Oh! Not unspoken! I was walking in the park under the stars, in Waldeinsamkeit, that communion with Nature undisturbed by man, which brings the fine inhuman essences to the surface, when some breath or spirit of unaccountable forces swayed my movements towards you without my reason taking part. As one in a dream I walked, sometimes stopping with a struggle to regain consciousness, but in vain. The mysterious influence you speak of held me, and—I am here—here, Violet—here where I would gladly sigh my life away. Here at your feet!—to beseech you not to be worried by the venomous tongues of this miserable world of ours—to assure you that nothing shall be left undone to stop the spreading of the story—and to entreat you to forgive me for being the cause of it all.

It was no fault of yours. Mine—if any fault there was.

Yours! You are not capable of a fault! or—but one, and that I dare not mention.

Oh, Sidney, it would be better that you should see me no more. Tongues will utter lies, and however correct may be our conduct, envious hearts will misconstrue our friendship. Even now, this evening, I have had bitter words with my husband about you, and I tremble to think what he may do in some moment of frenzy.