The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-12-12
BROTHER BASIL.

|
save that there is sickness and death in it.
That there are prisoners and those doomed
to execution. We are sent to help these at
times. OF the rest-of the happy, the gay,
those who dance, who marry and who are
given in marriage-we know nothing We
are blind to fair womens faces, or should
be. Don't SMILE
| Once no one liked those strange creatures
better than |. Once no one was better
liked by them. That was before | was
Brother Basil.
| am thirty-and-five now, and I have
lived i'll this convent ten years. | desire to
die here, since | must die.
| write my story down, and leave it be-
hind me as a warning to others. | will
write it down that no one may trust false,
fair face and false, dark, devilish eyes, as
did-eyes like a gazelle's. But oh. she was
beautiful-beautiful as women seldom are
though she was not lady, and | was
gentleman.
was Don Basil then, and lived with my
gray-haired father,-a proud naughty man,
and very rich one, in our handsome
house. She was beautiful, as | have said,
and | fell in love with her. Nay, why
should Brother Basil have any pridee He
has abjured it. will tell you.
She was washer-woman, and no more
She brought home the washed linen once
week, in a basket on her head But when
| Sunday came and I saw her cross tI,a MIA "a
on her way to the cathedral, her mantilla
shading her hair, red rose Just behind the
ear in those great black waves that glitter
as no jet does, a fan in her hand glove
upon it-''surely,' | used to say, ''she
looks like lady. Were she rich, no one
could do more credit to fine dress and
jewels And then | said, Il will marry
her, and make her lady" Brother Ba-
sill does not blush for Don Basil then. Per-
haps | might have done as rich men often
do,-wooed the poor girl, and left her like a
broken toy when | got weary. Instead |
gave her honest love. spoke to her. and
she did not deny me; she said she also
loved me. But my father-well, / knew
/
would do-how he would feel
The night before my wedding he said to
me:
''Basii, have never besought favor of
any man, but | beseech you to save my
heart from breaking. Do not marry this
girl who has beguiled you. Give her mo-
ney-all she asks for-and return to me.
If you make her your wife | shall die of
shame Basil! Basil! you are very dear to
me, and | deserve something at your
hands. -
Tears arose to my eyes | bowed my
head before him, but | could not do his bid
ding.
"Then one thing remains" he said.
Listen to me- You know always mean
what | say. The hour that you marry this
woman you are no longer a son of mine;
you leave my home and | legally deprive
you of all right to my estate. See, he
spread before me parchment, ''the deed
is drawn; it only needs my signature. I
will not sign it until you are her husband,
for it is my own deathwarrant. But when
the ring goes on her finger | put my name
here" He struck the parchment with the
back of his hand, and thrust it into his
bosom.
SAT the last moment you may draw
back, he said My lawyer will come to
me when the ceremony is completed, not
before
''Father, said, ''your fortune is your
own; but you married the woman You
loved
Il married lady," said he. ''When
you marry this washer-woman | sign the
deed that disinherits you"
That night told Pepita all
'sLet him keep his pride and his money,
said she, and her eyes glittered. And,
though believed my father would do as
he said, | made ready for my bridal next
day. The door of my fathers room was
still made fast He gave me neither curse
nor blessing.
In the church | met Pepita. She had
neither relatives nor friends. We stood
alone before the priest; only, leaning
against great column, saw Il iuaii wrap
ped in cloak, with a sombrero drawn
over his face.
1t was Guliam, the notary, sent knew,
to bear tiding of the ceremony to my
father.
AS the priest pronounced the benediction
the notary left the church.
| We were married. took Pepita on my
arm, and we passed down the aisle, and
out into the street. As We crossed the
plaza. man. bareheaded, and with hair
floating in the wind, rushed toward ms.
''In the name of God and all the saints,
Don Basil-you father-he is dead-mur-
dered. | went to meet him by appoint
ment. | found the servants alarmed by
his long retirement in his room, and we
broke down the door. He lay on the bed,
strangled with his own handkerchief -
''Suicide, perhaps" said Pepita. HE
was angry with Don Basil for marrying
me.
The notary looked at her. I'VE all
make mistakes" he said, 1--WE must not
blame him for this; he is dead.