Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-07-10
CHAPTER VIII.


light on the massive furniture, the
gilded cornices, the great mirrors. and
the hangings and tapestry of rich
Venetian stuff. All around breathes
of luxury and refinement. 1t was in
deed an abode fit for II princess; but
nevertheless Francesca. amidst all this
splendor, was very wretched.
MY mother" she murmured TO
herself. what can have happened to
her? My heart migivcs; and my soul
is weighed down with dreadful fear
of impending evil. "
Ever and anon she arose from the
velvet covered couch on which she was
resting, and going to the window,
looked wistfully, sorrowfully forth.
IL was on one of these occasions,
while peerng vainly out in the fond
hope of discovering the approach of
her for whom she waited, that she was
startled by a noise behind her
Naomi.
She turned, and saw at n few PAGES
distant only Rudiga the Jewess-the
Woman in Red.
A cry of terror escaped her.
Fear not, daughter said the mys-
FERROUS woman; Il shall not injure
YOU
What want you. woman?" cried
Francesca Indignantly, and now re-
covering her self-possession; what
means this intrusion
What want l?n said the Jewess,
half soliloquizing. "she asks me what
want. What wants a mother of her
only child-her dearly loved one her
long-lost Naomi? Oh. Naomi, Naomi,
is it possible the voice of nature is dead
within you? Does not your heart ycarn
for me, your mother, a. does mine for
you. my lost beloyed?'
Her voice rose and quivered with
emotion rs she spoke. standing with
clasped hands and gazing passionately
at francesca.
Mother daughter Naomi" NUT.
tered Francesca to herself; what car
she mean?'
Presently a light seemed to break in
on her.
"Ah, she thought, II see now the
woman is mad.
MY poor woman" she said, APP
preaching her, and kindly taking her
hand. you are i'll, excited. fevcrish
and know not what you say. Go home;
| will send some one to accompany
YOU
The Jcwess OWNED the meaning of
her plying words, and snatchcd away
her hand, gazing at the same time in
the young girls face, with singular
expression, half-loying, Multiplying,
half-sorrOwful
And 80 YOU think me mad? that
what | say i but the wild raving of
delirium? II is not so. Listen, my
daughter, TO me.
There was an air of solemnity and
earnestness in the words and manner
| Of the Jewess which powerfully inn
pressed Francesca.
you think. daughter, that you are
| the child of the Count and Countess
Donat j. it not SOP
GLOW mean YOU. woman9'
Il mean that YOU are not the daugh-
ter of the Countess whom YOU call
| mother.
Not her daughter muttercd Fran
cesca, turning away. and communing
with herself; "can there indeed be
aught in what this terrible woman
says? Her manner seems as though
she was speaking the truth, there is
that in her air and mein not akin to
falsehood. My poor, fond mother
| for mother YOU are, and always will be
To me.-my heart misgives me, The
story of this woman forebodes much
misery. | will question her.
Then turning to Rudiga. and sum.
moning all her self command, she said
Good woman, your words are OF
| strange import. You say | am not the
| daughter Of the Countess. Donati,
| What reason have you for 50 saying
| and if | am not her daughter not
| Francesca Donati-who. then. am lP'
~ have good reason for what | say
more than good reason certain
knowledge Oh. Naomi, is natur,
dead within YOU? Do YOU love thi.
Countess Donati whom you call moth
er?'
''Do | love hertz cried Francesca
with tender passion clasping hel
hands. and turning her beautiful eyes
aloft ooh, yes, dearly love her my
| kind, gentle motherP' Her hanC
soothed my pain when illness was upor
me- her voice Gained my troubled
thoughts when aught yeXed me; hei
tender care brought me up from child
hood; and her all pervading love ha'
shielded me and guarded me from cvi
from my earliest days ill the presen
time. And you ask me if | love her
Aye, though she were not my mother,
should love her still. "
A terrible conflict of emotions rackeC
Rudiga's breast. Her breath came il
quick gasps, and her whole fran,
trembled with emotion, as She listened
to the impassioned words of Fran
cosca. Presently she mastered hei
emotion, and spoke in tones husky anC
trembling:
you would love her stll. ever
though YOU were not her childp An'
what of the poor mother from who's,
breast YOU were torn in early infancy
Have you no pity for her misery
her broken heart and blighted life
Have you no sorrow for her tears, he
lonely existence, robbed by violence o
her only child? Have YOU felt no sor
row for the bitter wrong done to thi
poor. broken-hearted woman? Do yoi
not owe her love-duty?'
ooh, yes, y cried Francesca; "if il !
indeed as YOU say, ! deeply pity tn
poor woman; grieve for her sorrows
and would gladly alleviate them if
could. But how can profess TO bca
love TO one whom | have never seen
should your words indeed be true,
would cause me deep grief for al
though / should still bear love to he
who has been from infancy a mothe
| In mo | should owe duty 10 my natu