The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-27

entered-a lady and a gentleman.
Both wore the dresses of that
period to which | have assigned the'date
of the furniture, and both were Young.
Like the objects around them. there
was nothing IN their appearance ghost
like or supernatural. Their limbs look
ed as firm and round as my own. 1t was
some little time before could take my
eyes from the girl. She was supremelv
beautiful-tall aud fair, with delicate,
refined face; and the robe she wore
plainly showed the exquisite prppOr-
tons of her figure. Her companion was
handsome. but his features wore an eN-
preston of melancholy pride. l noticed
he carried under his left arm violin.
and something told me he was French
man. With great courtesy he led the
girl to 4 seat. and. as If in obedience to
a request of hers. commenced PLAYING
the instrument Still the same sweet
strain fell ON my ears; but stranger
thing than any | had vet noticed was
that, as he played, the sound seemed to
come from his violin, and Luigi's was
dumb. And as he played, the girl look
ed up at him with admiring eyes. He
ceased at last, and Luigi'S fiddle imme-
diately resumed the melody. without a
mOment'S 5 break. Then | saw the phan-
tom place the violin and bow in the
girls hands, inStructing her how to
hold them: and / knew that. during the
lesson, his voice as well as his eyes made
ayOwal of his passionate love. | saw
his fingers lmger on hers as he placed
them on the strings: | saw the blush
deepen upon her cheek. the lashes droop
over her downcaSt eyes, and then l saw
him lean over and press his lips to the
fair white hand which held the bow;
while the music near me, sinking al
most to silence, and tTemulouS as if a
mans future lay en- those vibrating
strings, told me he sought his fate at
her lips. He threw himself at her feet
and | saw the girl bend over him, and
placing her arms around his neck, kiss
his forehead. while high and loud rose
the song of sweet triumph from those
impaSSioned chords, doubtful of her love
no longer.
Again the strain changed-a song of
love no longer; a few notes of warning
melting into a strain that foretold and
spoke of sorrow. Again | saw the door
of the apartment open, and. with a
hasty step. another man entered. He.
too, was young and powerfully built,
with an intensely English face Yet [
could trace in his harder features a re-
Semblance, such as a brother might
As he entered. the lovers sprang TO
their feet; then, covering her face with
her hands, the girl sank upon a chair,
while her companion faced the new
conner with an air as naughty as his
own. and words of scOrning. of con-
tempt, of shaming, of defiance, were
hurled from man TO man. True, / heard
them nOt-all the phantasmagoria came
before me in dumb show; but the varied
tones of the violin told me allthat pass
ed between the two men as truly as
though their voices smOte upon my ear;
and. as the wild music eliminated in a
fierce creSceRdO of thrilling power, the
two men grappled in their rage, and the
girl sprung to her feet and ran wildly to
the door.
For a moment all grew misty, and the
phantom actors of my vision were hid
den from my sight. When they reap
peared, | saw the young Frenchman
quitting the room, with blood trickling
down his pale cheek; and as, with a
look of undying hate on his face, he
closed the door behind him, the room
and all faded from my sight.
But no pause in the music; still those
weird notes weaving the mystic spell
that chained me. Leaving me no time
to reflect on what | had seen, but en-
forcing my attention TO hedrama acted
before me, the fiery creScendO sank in a
dull sullen theme, almost colorless when
compared with the foregoing numbers;
then, as with dissolving views, where
one scene grows through another that
fades, [ began to realize that | looked
into another room-one very different
from the first.
1t was evidently. from the slanting
roof and small window, an attic, and its
contents spoke of poverty. A bedstead
with threadbare hangingS occupied one
corner, and in the center, at a square
table Uttered with sheets of music, sat
the young Frenchman. His brow was
contracted, and the wound yet fresh on
his cheek. Hewas writing, and through
the medium of the music | knew the
purport of his epistle as well as if | had
looked over his shoulder. 1t was chal-
lenge-a challenge which, he stated, his
late antagonist dare not decline, as the
writer was of even more noble family
than the man who had inSulted him.
Having written the letter, he rose and
paced the small room. deep in thought
As his steps went backward and for
ward across the limited space-as his
thoughts grew black with hate as he re
membered the insult he had suffered, ,oI
grew bright with love as he pictured tht
fair girl who had pledged herself to hin
so truthfully did the delicate grada
tions of the music harmOniZe with then
that | could feel every emotion stirring
his heart. at times almost identifying
myself with him-making his JOY, hi'
sorrow, mine.
After what seemed to be hours, III
took up the violin that lay on the table
near him, and commenced playing. Al
before, / say, whether Lulgis hands
produced it or not. the sound camr
from him; and as he played, the music
at first fierce, stern and harsh. gradually
toned down until it became dreamy ant
Iulling-until at last he threw himsel
on his poor bed, and Luigi's violin re
sumed the Strain-the soft. soothing
measure have before mentioned, tell
| ing of placid sleep.
Another change-hard. sharp. Staccat
passages. | was now looking-it nigh
| be from a windoW-on a wide eXpans
of smooth green turf. AS before, tn
scene was so real, so material, that
might have stepped out onto tue sward
| There was nothing in the locality whicl
/ could identify. y wall and some pal
| ings. l remember, were on the left hand
a belt of trees on the right. AsI looked
| saw figures at some little distance.
Two men in their shiTt-Sleeyes weri
engaged in deadly duel. They wer
not so far away but | could plainly dis
| tinguish their features: and | knew the
were those Of the two men whom | hai
| seen grapple in the room. AS thei
slender, flashing blades twined in AN
| out like seTpents-as they thrust an
| parried, advanced and Tetreated-th
! mysterious music entered fully into tn
| fray, accompanying every stroke, unit
| as the arm of one of the combatant
sank by his side, helpless-pierced b
| his antagonists blade-it swelled TO
strain Of exultation.
| 1t was the Englishman who wa
| wounded: and as the sword droppe
from his grasp, his opponent with diff
| Guilty checked the impulse urging hiI
| to drive his weapon through HIS unguarC
| ed breast: then, seeing his foe was qui1
| unable to renew the combat, bOwe
| with cold politeness. .sheathed his swoTt
| and turned away, leaving the wOunde
| man to the care of his second. As I'll
| Frenchman vanished from my sigf
| among the trees at the right hand, II
scene grew blurred and faded-only tt
spell of the music continued ever.
The dismal measure and the dismi
garret once more. AS / look at Il
poverty-sticken room, the music, ell
quent as before, in some hidden MAJ
ner makes me aware that months hay
passed since / last looked at it. III
young Frenchman is present. Indee'
/ begin now to understand that no seer
can come beneath my eyes unless he
an actor in it. 1t is his life, his love, Il
violin in its own marvellous tongue r
lates. wait with interest now. / haI
no time TO wonder at or speculate upo
what / have seen; no time to endeavC
to explain the phantom scenes and a
tions which the song of the Stradiva
Jus has brought before me. / feel 1