The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-28

l2dy asked me II i could recommend /
her apartments to any friend OF mine |
such another as myself she was good |
enough to say-Miss March was goingto |
leave, and the landlady thought she
would prefer taking gentleman Ii her
place.
[ felt certain this was countermove
of that old bag Teresa's. She had cast
chances at me when we pass
ed each other en- the stairs; had respond
ed surlily when l asked her if she had
0uite recovered from the effects of her
accident-in a word. | knew she was my
enemy: that she had discovered my feel
ings toward Pauline and was doing her
best TO keep US apart. had no means
of knowing the extent OF her power or
influence over the girl, but / had some
time since ceased to regard her as moth
ing more than a servant. The lntelll-
gence that my fehow-lodgers were about
10 quit showed me that to bring my
love for Pauline to successful issue.
must in some way make matters straight
with this unpleasant old attendant.
That same evening, as / heard her
coming down the stairs, | threw open
NV door and stood face to face with her.
'Signora Teresa" | said, with high
flown poiteness, VIII 1t please you 10
step into my room? l wish to speak to
you"
She gave me aquick suspicious glance,
but nevertheless complied with my re-
quest. l closed the door and placed
chair for her.
Your poor knee-is it quite well?" /
asked alphabetically, and in italian.
1T is quite well" she replied laconic-
ally.
~Will you take a glass of sweet wine?
/ have some here"
e s,,,r, 11i 10
tons. made no objection, so l filled
glass and watched her sip it APPROX
inglv.
is the Signorina-Miss March well?
I have not seen her to-day"
@She IS we'll"
1T is about her 1 wish to speak to
you-you have guessed that?"
Il have guessed it." As she spoke
Teresa gave me a sullen, defiant look.
Yes" l continued, your vigilant,
faithful eyes have seen what | have no
wish to conceal. l love the Signorina
Pauline"
''She is not to be loved" said Teresa,
sulkily.
"One so beautiful must be loved.
love her and will marry her.
she is not to be married"
Listen. Teresa. | say | will marry
her. | am agentleman and rich. have
$1,000 lire Year"
The amount of my income, magnifi-
cent when reduced to her native coin
age. was not without its expected effect.
Ii her eyes, as they met mine, were as
unfriendly as ever. their look of aston
ishment and increasing respect told me
| was appealing to her tendereSt feeling
-cupjdity.
Now tell me why I should not marry
the SignOTlna! Tell me who her friends
are that | may see them and ask her III
marriage:"
"She IS not for marriage"
This was all 1 could get from the old
woman. She would tell me nothing
about Pauline's family or friends. She
would only reiterate that she was not
Tor love or for marriage.
l had but one chance left. Teresa's
eager look when | mentioned the in
come possessed had impressed me. |
must condeScend to the vulgar act of
direct bribery; the end would justify
the means.
AS | was so often travelling it was my
habit to carry a large sum OF money on
my. person. l drew out my pocket-boOk
and counted out a hundred pounds in
new crisp notes. Teresa eyed them
hungrily.
You know what these are worth?" /
said. She nodded. L pushed a couple
of the notes toward her. Her skinny
hand seemed twitching with the desire
to grasp them.
Tell me who Miss MARGINS friends
arc and take these two notes; all the
rest shall be yours on the day we are
married"
The old woman sat silent for awhile.
but knew temptation was assailing
her. Presently l heard her murmur-
ing, 80, 900 lire! so 600 lire a yeari" The
spell worked. At last she rose. Are
you going to take the money!" | asked.
I cannot. | dare not. am bound.
But"
But what?"
i will write. 1 will say what you say
who is the doctor? l can write to
him or see him"
Did l say il dottore? 1t was a slip.
No, you must not write. l will ask
him and he must decide"
You viii write at oncef"
AT once" Teresa, with a lingering
glance at the money, turned to leave
me.
You had better take these two
notes." l said, handing them to her.
She buttoned them in the bosom of
her dress with feverish delight.
Tell me, Teresa" l said coaxingly,
"tell me if you think-if the Signorina
-Pauline-cares at all for mer"
Who knows" answered the old wo-
man, testify; Il do not know-but again
say to you she is not for love or mar
riage."
Not for love or marriage, l laughed
aloud as | thought of the old woman 8
absurd and oft-repeated assertion. If
on the earth there was one woman more
than another made for love and mar
rage it was my beautiful Pauline I
wondered what Teresa could mean:
then remembering the fervor with
which she prayed in San Giovanni l de-
clded that, being an ardent Roman
Catholic, she wished Pauline to take
the veil. This theory would explain
everything.
Now that had bought Teresa look
ed forward to the enjoyment of Pau
lines society without espionage or in
terruption. The old woman had taken
my money, and no doubt would do her
best to earn more. If | could persuade
the girl to let me pass several hours of
each day in her company need fear no
hlndrance from Teresa. The bride had
been accepted, and, although | blushed
at the eXpedient to which I had been
compelled to resort, it had been success
full.
was obliged to defer any further at
tempt at love-making until the next
evening, as an important piece of bust
ness had to be attended to in the morn
ing. 1t kept me away from home for
several hours, and when at last I re-
turned to Mazda vale | was thunder
struck to hear that my fellow dodgers
had left the house. The landlady had
no idea whittier they had gone. Teresa.
who 1t appears always acted as purse
bearer, had paid her dues and had de-
parted with her young mistress. There
was nothing more to tell.
threw myself into my chair, cursing
italian guile; yet, as / thought of Itai-
ian cupldity, not altogether hopeless.
Perhaps Teresa would write or come to
me. | had not forgotten the eager looks
she cast upon my money. But day aft
er day passed without letter. or message,
/ spent those days, for the most part,
wandering about the streets in the vain
hope of encountering the fugitives. 1t
was only after this second loss that I
really knew the extent of my passion. /
cannot describe the longing I had to see
that fair face once more. Yet l feared
the love was all on my side. If Pau
line had felt even passing interest in
me she could scarcely have left in this
secret and mysterious manner. Her
heart was yet to be won, and l knew
that unless l won it no woman's love
would to me be worth having.
/ should have returned to my old
lodging in Walpole street had it not
been that feared to quit Mazda vale,
lest Teresa, If she should be faithful to
her engagements, might miss me. So
fingered on there until ten days went
slowly by; then. just as I was beginning
TO despair, letter came.
1t was written in delicate pointed
italian style and signed Manuel Ceneri.
1t simply said that the writer would
have the honorof calling me about
noon to-day.