It was the quite end of evening. The moon was now lording over the Earth and she did so with a quite calm and authority as she spread her beams over the grassy fields, the gravel paths, the silent trees and everything else in sight. All of Staunton was now under her watchful eye. This night as with any other, there were creatures of the night singing their songs away into the vast black sky. Once in a while the breeze joined in on their song as she made her passage through the leaves of trees.
It was on such a night as this that Gerald sat on the railing of the old bridge just outside town. He alternated between staring at the moon and its majestic reflection in the clear waters of the river below. It filled him with a strange sense of peace which however was soon lost again in the uncertainty that was hanging around his neck. He was not always like this. He was once a bright cheerful lad who was well known in town for his agreeable manners and his handsome countenance. His parents were also well known. His father, Mr. Roenall was one of the most respected elders of the town council and his mother was a well known florist. Many a girl had gone up to Gerald in hope of winning his heart, but he was like the fresh smell of summer flowers-always in your senses but never what you could call exclusively your own. He was by no means a flirtatious lad, it was just that he thought himself unable to fully give himself to one girl; hence he stayed away from them all. A well intentioned, if not a little odd thing to be doing!
Now the mayor of the town, knowing what good in-laws the Roenall family would make, approached Mr. Roenall to arrange for a wedding between Gerald and his daughter, Rachel. Mr. Roenall was delighted at this prospect and agreed to the wedding almost immediately. Now Gerald himself wasn’t too sure whether he wanted to marry at all and for a few days he was very silent. However in the end he decided that it would make his parents very happy and so he agreed to the wedding. Rachel too was very happy. She was also well known in town for her good manners and of course she was one of the prettiest, if not the prettiest woman around town. Soon all preparations were made and they were to wed in three months. Everyone was happy, except maybe a few heartbroken girls who had hoped for Gerald.
One fine day, Gerald was on his way to the neighboring town of Imnesvale. He had just landed a contract with a publishing firm in Imnesvale to get his collection of poems published and he was on his way there to meet the head publisher. It was during this journey that he saw a girl lying unconscious by the road. She was bleeding profusely and it was clear that she had been attacked by wild dogs- an ever present problem those days. Gerald picked the girl up and mounted her on his horse and he rushed her to the doctor’s clinic in Imnesvale. There he told the doctor all about the incident and also agreed to pay for the girl’s medical care. The doctor told her he knew who the girl was and also gave his word that he would do his best to help her. Gerald then left the clinic with a promise that he would return the following week and check on the girl.
Gerald had to visit Imnesvale regularly from then on with matters concerning his book, so the next week, after his work was done, he went to visit the girl, being directed to her house by the doctor. When he arrived there, he saw that she was busy cleaning up her living-room. The moment he introduced himself she embraced him and thanked him for his help with tears of joy. Gerald just smiled and told her that he was only too glad to help out. She told him that her name was Tiffany. Both her parents had died when she was fifteen and she had been working in the local bookshop since then. She also told him that she had gone out that day to pick wild flowers before she was attacked by the wild dogs. She was beautiful, with rosy cheeks and long golden curls and a beautiful heart-warming smile. There was no evidence of any injury to her face and Gerald was glad. After having tea, Gerald took his leave and headed home.
The friendship between Gerald and Tiffany grew and soon their meetings became regular. One fateful day, Tiffany, unaware of Gerald’s engagement to Rachel declared her love for him and asked him to take her away. Gerald was taken aback. He had not realized until then that he too had already fallen in love with Tiffany. He felt their souls had already become one. He felt confused. He could not break off his engagement with Rachel. He could not bear to think of the shame he would bring to his father. Their wedding was only three weeks away. But then he couldn’t bear the thought of losing Tiffany either. Finally he asked Tiffany to give him some time to think about their situation. Tiffany told him that he could take all the time in the world as she would always be rightfully his. She also told him that she was willing to do whatever it took to be with him. With that Gerald left for home.
That was eight hours ago. Gerald should have been home by now, but as it turned out, he was still sitting on the bridge as we met him in the beginning. He sighed and said, “So it has come to this. Anyway it is clear to me what I must do now. I cannot marry Rachel for I can love no one but Tiffany. Tiffany, I am afraid there is only one way for us to be together. When you receive that letter of mine, please do as I tell you. There is no other way. I shall be waiting here my love. Till I see you again, know that I will always love you.”
Having said so, he lifted the millstone tied to his neck, sighed and jumped into the river to await his true love.
“Torn is the man whose heart,
Between two loves does lie.
Wretched is He who must die,
His very soul torn apart.
Alas sad mortal, farewell to thee,
Only in death can you be free.”
