The Morning herald., 1876-12-11

Aluu CuOuSn W PAS'sv uASj ~~s sAASA~ "~ w.
20 fond of me that whatever I did was
right"
Brandon was silent for little while.
"Lang ghetti was fond Of your he repeated
interros.tively. and in voice Of singular
Nv. stney.
"Veyy," returned Beatrice nusingly.
"Hs always called me 'Bice-somstimes
'Bioe.a,' 'Bicinola,' Eic'na;' it was his pref
ty Italian way. Eut oh, if you could hear
him play! He could make the violin
speak like human voice, He used to
think in musib. He seemed to me to be
hardly human sometimes.'
"And he loved to hear you slog?' said
Brandon, in the same voice.
"He used to praise me,'' said Beatrice,
meekly. "His praise used to crafty but
it did not deceive. am not conceited,
Mr.. Wheeler"
"Would you sing for me?" ssked Bran
don, in accents almost Of entreaty, looking
at her with an iuploting expression.
Beatrics's head fell. "Not now-not
yet-pot here" she murmured, with a mo-
ton with her hand wait till we PAS
beyond this ocean. 1t seems haunted"
Brandon understood her tone and ges-
ture.
But The weeks passed, and the menths,
and they went over the seas, touching al
Man ius, and afterwards At Cape Town
till Ir alp they entered the Atlantic Ocean,
and sailed North. During all this time
their associations and continuous. In her
presence Brandon sofened; the sterness Of
bis features relaxed, and the great purpose
| of his life grew gradually faint.
One evening, after they had entered the
| Atlantic Ocean. they were standing by the
| sern Of the ship looking at the waters,
| when Brandon repeated his request.
"Would you be willing to sing now?"
he asked, gently, and in the same tone Of
eat, eaty which he had used before.
Beatrice looked at him for moment
| without speaking. Then she raised her
face and looked up at the sky, with deep
abstraction in her eyes, az though in
| thought Her face, usually colorle,s, now,
| in the moonlight, looked like marble; her
dark hair hung in peculiar folds over her
brow-an arrangement which was antique
| in is style, and gave her the look ola sia'
tu. Of one of tho MUSES.. Her straight
Greciaa features, la,ge eyes, thin lips, and
well rounded chin-all had the same clas-
sic air. and Brandon as he looked at her,
wondered if she knew how fair she was.
She stood for moment in silence, and
then began. 1t was a marvellous and
memorable epoch in Brandon's life. The
ocean spread afar away before them till the
verge of the horizon seemed to blend sea
and SKY together. Overhead the dim sky
hung, dotted with innumerable stars,prom'
inent among which, not far above the hor-
izon. cleaned that glorious constellation;
The Southern Cross. Beatrice, who hesi-
for a moment as if to decide upon her song,
at last caught her idea from this scene
around her, and began one of the mos
magnificent Of Italian compositions:
II cielli immensi narrsno
| Del grand Iddio la glo.sa."
Her first notes poured forth with sweet
ness and fullness that arrested the atten-
ton o. all on board the ship. 1t was the
6rst time she had sung as she afterwards
said, since Langhetti had left Hong-Kong,
and she gave herself entirely up to the joy
of song. Her voice, long 81 lent, instead Of
having been injured by the sorrow through
which she had passed, was pure, full, mar
vicious, and Unwilling. A glow like some
divine inspiration passed over the marble
beauty of her. classic features; her eyes
themselves seemed to speak Of all that
glory of which she sang, as the sacred fire
Of genius flashed from them.