Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-05-02
MY LADYS LOVE.
An Italian Love Story in Which Figure
Countess and a Street-Musician.

sound of her voice, which had
been so gentle and sweet in its greeting,
but he only said: when shall | come
again?" She considered for moment,
then answered:
~ am at home every evening at this
time. You may-may come again to-
morrow" She waved her hand with a
careless gesture, then turned her back
on him as he left the room.
Beppo went away thoroughly satisfied.
How kind to let one little tune pay for
The two gold pieces! And then how
good she had beet to him, though to be
sure her humor had been 50 quick to
change, But then one can never de-
pend on woman's humors, and Bcppo
had not played among them these ten
years without finding that out.
But she was different from those in
the Via Mascherone-he took apeculiar
satisfaction in repeating that to himself,
though he could not say in what par
ticular, circumstantal evidence being
strong against her, for the house smelt
fearfully of tobacco; and then that big
drunken fellow who had spoken to him
near the gate-well, he could not com
prehend it all; but he would not wrong
her by so much as an evil thought.
Not only the next day did Beppo go
to the Comtesse de Charneau's villa, but
many days thereafter, and the gold
pieces were plenty, and he lived like a
Prince among his ragged comrades. Il
do not like such smell of smoke around"
he said one evening when the atmos-
phere was unusually sitting and close.
81 cannot play where the fresh air does
not come There vas not the slight
est fault to be found with the atmos-
phcre of the villa after that.
In his dull way he saw that she strove
to please him, to gain his favor and
friendship, though why they should be
of any consequence to Il great lady like
the Comtessc he could not guess, and
uiQ not trouble his head with vain inn
og.Hings. "'v'..' .. '..
One night lie was later than usual. a
noisy crowd around the Church of st.
Clement detained him, and it was past
o when he entered the small salon.
The heavy chandeliers were ablaze
with light, and she stood directly I'M
derneath them. She was clad in a ball
costume Of creamy satin with rare
Jewels flushing on her breast and arms.
Beppo paused on the threshold as that
eision of beauty met his gaze. She
smiled, and stretched out her hand &c
him, and blinded, bewildereG, !e went
slowly towards her.
lie bowed, and said bashfully:
"Ah, miladi is 50 charming" But
that was not enough for her. Deeply
in love with Beppo, she longed for the
Admiration which only love can give.
Il want to be Charming-to you" she
nurmured, and drew him to her, Sc
near that he felt her hot breath on hi:
| forehead "Why will you not under
stand?' she said, hel arm resting ca
ressingly on his neck. Caro-, caro-, why
are you blind to me-"
Never piind to her beauty-oh no
Could he be blind % her love, so freely
offered, too?
a deathly paleness came upon hi!
face as he raised it to hers and saw il
the depths Of her eyes passion such a
he could nou betie~e he was capable o
inspiring in a woman so far remove,
from him. you are playing with nj
--torturing me- he cried angrily
TRUSTING the hand from his neck ant
rtovi,'g n little distance off II am onl
a poor beggar, and you a.e 3 great lad,
and should be content with other game
and not disturb one like M, who has al
honest heart to give
His voice sank into whisper. NJ
lady came over by the fireplace. wher
he stood, and took his hand in hers.
And that is what ] want-an homes
heart, - she said boldly. Then she lai
his head upon her bosom and kissed HI
throbbing temples again and again.
All how sweet to be loved like thai
All his life long he had dimly dream
of Cupid's coming. Why repnlse
now?
So forgetful of the worldwide ditfe
ence between them, oblivious of whi
the future might bring, he gave himse
up to the delicious intoXication of tn
suddenly-awakened PASSION, and W;
nearer Paradise than he had ever Ill
agined it possible for a mortal to |
and live.
Caro-, caro-, she kept murmlring b
tween her kisses. and so Beppo toe
, courage and kissed her in his turn.
G I'VE shall live together always" 81
0 said softly "Nothipg shall ever pa
: us now. ! have IA fortune for bot
e Beppo-you will not deny me the luXu
0 of sharing that"
s but have not a scudi i'll the who
!, world!' he answered, the sense of /
). poverty falling more heavily upon hi
" than it ever had when he was almC
II starving. She answered nothing. SON
:. thing in his tone seemed to ring throu
is her heart like the echo Of voice hea
, long ago.
g You are very dear to me-" she sa
!, presently, at length, looking into /
s, face with an earnestness which son
IT what abashed him. 81 cannot hear
~, ,,,,, lowe me-" But midnight cal
as in. and she had to send him rrom nv
4. When he left she was still standi
j. by the fireplace, and she stood the
e. for many an hour after.
ID Why had she yielded to this stran
IN infatuationY Simply because he
si minded her of first love, dead n
III and sleeping in green valley by
northern hills of Italy? Because
= brought before her d shadowy reall
ton of what little child, born to
among the Tuscan Mountains so
eighteen years ago might have becoI
had he not died, as the peasant won
said, with whom she left him?
raised her head dehantly as 81
thoughts crowded on her memory a
laughed harshly, and struck her hS
fiercely on the marble mantel, and W
ed that she would marry him, CO
what would.
The desire of possessing him was
strong upon her that she mistook 1t
different love than that which Il
fully she should have for him. But
was blind then, and did not know
would not.
The next evening he came at
usual hour, but the charm of the
violin had departed, and they only