Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-13

ance. It was no longer wrathful.
They saw there sorrow deep and true.
nay, more, there was an anguish in his
eyes as he turned them, first on his for
mer betrothed and then on his false
friend, that showed how bitter had been
his disappointment, and how deep the
wound he had received. Moreover.
there was noble resolve expressed in
his face that awed them into silence.
When he spoke, it was in q low. sad
tone.
Cesare, I was thinking of the day
when thou and I vowed eternal friend
ship. Thou hast broken thy vows; thou
hast dealt me blow from the effects of
which l can never recover; thou hast
taken from me the only two things that
made my life bearable,-Gigia's love
and thy friendship. Yet, in spite of thy
treachery, my vows to thee shall ever
be kept. Nay, even ask thy forgive
ness for the impulse that but few mo.
ments since would have caused me to
take thy life." Then turning to
Gigia, while still sadder tone in bis
voice showed the agony he was endur-
ing. he said: 'And thou, Gigia, whom
I loved so tenderly, whom, as [ have
told thee. it would have been the one
wish Of my life to render happy, it is
easy to see why thou hast deserted me,
l was neither handsome nor rich enough
to suit thy tickle fancy. But how came
it that knew nothing of all this Why
couldst thou not have told me, girl,
that thy love for me had gone ? Think
est though I would have all unloving
bride z"
st was afraid" sobbed Gigia.
"And Cesare persuaded thee to 60 80
far that [ should be powerless to separ-
ate you?" finished Antonio.
Their silence confirmed his suspi
cions.
I" But thy mother, Gigia, she wished
to this F.? Ah," with a glance around
the studio, 81 see. A poor artist by
the side Of wealthy young man II
was not thought of. WE'LL" with q sud
den hardness. Cesare and Gigia
Ricasoi" Che had forced himselt
to say the nance, ego and so
long as you are we'll and happy, let me
never see or hear of you. But If you
are ever suffering or in want, come to
me and I will not refuse aid. L can
never forget VOWS made to friend and
betrothed. Nay" as they were about
to speak, "Not one word. Co."
And they went:
Not many months later two pictures
stood side by side in the studio of An
ok.,
for which Gigia had posed, but the face
Of Paris was no longer blank; it was
Cesare Ricasoli who knelt before Helen,
imploring her to fly with him. The
other picture represented Menelaus at
the moment when he discovered
his wife's treachery; the grief,
the disappointment, the despair
of every feature and every line
of his figure was such that, gazing on it,
it was impossible to restrain the rising
tears. Every touch of the brush upon
the canvas had been fraught with
agony; the artist had laid bare his own
soul in painting the picture, and he had
his reward. The companion paintings
had won him name; he was the fist
artist of the day. Gold and demands
for pictures poured in upon him daily;
he was courted and sought after by all;
royalty itself had done him honor; and
the world thought he had nothing to
desire. r ...a ta
Yet, he sat one winter night by the
dying fire, with no proud, triumphant
bearing; no exultant CLEAN in his eyes,
nolook such as one would expect Fame's
darling to wear. He had sunk back in
the cushions of his chair, his fingers
were tightly lnterlocked, his eyes sad
weary, as he thought to himself:
"Mother, thou vert true prophet.
Fame has come-ay, and more than I
ever, even in my widest dreams, dared
hope for; wealth have in abundance;
but friend and betrothed are gone, and
[ am alone. ''--English Magazine.