The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-01-08
BLOOMSBURY, PA. FRIDAY. JANUARY 8. 1886.

Sicilian, whose tongue ratified against
his parched lips with the click of cas-.
tanet
Sarcany's only reply to this observa.
ton was shrug of the shoulders
They then took the first turning tn
the left, and reached the bank of the
canal near the Ponto Rosso--a swing
bridge. This they crossed and went
along the quays, where vessels of light
draught were busy unloading. Here
the shops and stalls looked much less
tempting. When he reached the church
OF San Antonio, Sarcany turned sharply
to the right His companion followed
him in silence. Then they went back
along the Corso and crossed the old
town whose narrow streets impractic-
able for vehicles as they begin to climb
the slopes of the Karst, are so laid out
us to prevent their being enfiladed by
that terrible wind, the bora, which
blows icily from the northeast In this
old town of Trieste, Zirone and Sarcany.
the moneyless, found themselves more
Mt home than among the richer quarters
of the new.
1t was in fact, in the basement of a
modest hotel not far from the church of
Santa Maria Maggiore that they had
lodged since their arrival in the Illyran
Capital. But as the landlord, who re-
manned unpaid, might become pressing
ns to this little bill, which grew larger
from day to day, they sheered off from
this dangerous shoal, crossed the square
and loitered for few minutes near the
Arco di Ricardo
The study of Roman architecture did
not prove very satisfying, and as moth
ing had turned up in the almost deserted
streets, they began the ascent of the
rough footpaths leading almost to the
top of the Karst, to the terrace of the
cathedral.
Curious idea to climd up here I"
muttered Zirone, as he frightened his
cape around his waist.
But he did not abandon mis- young
companion and away he went along the
line of steps, called by courtesy roads,
which led up the slopes of the Karst.
Ten minutes afterwards, hungrier and
thirstier than ever, they reached the
terrace.
From this elevated spot there is a
magnificent view extending across the
Gulf of Trieste to the open seas, includ-
ing the port with its fishing boats pass
ing and repassing, and its steamers and
trading ships outward and homeward
bound, and the whole of the town with
its suburbs and farthest houses cluster
ing along the hills. The view had no
charm for them! They we're thinking
of something very different, of the many
times they had come here already to
ponder on their misery! Zirone would
have preferred stroll along the rich
slopes of the Corso. Perhaps the luck
might reach them here which they were
SO impatiently waiting for
At the end of the steps leading on to
the terrace near the Byzantine Cathed-
raj of Saint Just there was an enclosure,
formerly cemetary and now q museum
of antiquities. There were no tombs,
but odds and ends of sepulcharal stones
lying in disorder under the lower
branches of the trees-Roman stela
medieval cippi, pieces of trigylphs and
metopes of different ages of the Renais-
sance, vitrifed cubes with traces of
cinders, all thrown anyhow among the
grass.
The gate of the enclosure was open.
Sarcany had only to push it. He en-
tered, followed by Zirone, who con-
tented himself with this melancholy
| reflection
"If we wanted to commit suicide
this is just the place!"
"And if some one proposes it?' asked
Sarcany ironically.
II should decline, my friend Give
me one happy day in ten and 1 ask no
more"
at shall be given you-and some
thing else. "
May all the saints of Italy hear you,
and Heaven knows they are counted in
hundreds.
Come along! I" said Sarcany.
They went along semicircular path
! between a double range of urns and sat
} themselves down on large Roman rose
window which had fallen fiat on the
ground.
At first they remained silent. This
suited Sarcany, but it did not suit his
| companion. And after one or two half
| stifled yawns Zirone broke out with
This something that we have been
fools enough to wait for lis long time
coming"
Sarcany made no reply.
What an idea," continued Zirone,
"to come and look for it among these
ruins | am afraid we are ON the
wrong track, my friend What are we
likely to find in this old graveyard?
| The spirits do not want it when they
have left their mortal carcasses behind
them. When 1 join them l shall not
worry about n dinner that is late or
| supper that never comes Let us get
| away"
Sarcany deep in thought with his
| looks lost in vacancy, never moved.
Zirone waited few moments without
| saying anything. Then this habitual
loquacity urged him to say:
"Sarcany, he said, do you know in
what form l should like this something
to appear? In the form of one of those
cashier people from Toronthals with o
| pocketbook stuffed full of bank notes
which he could hand over to us on behalf
of the said banker with a thousand
apologies for keeping us waiting SO
| long"
"Listen, Zirone" answered Sarcany,
knitting his brows "for the last time L
tell you that there is nothing to be
hoped for from Silas Toronthal."
| care you sure of that ?"
"Yes, all the credit have with him
is exhausted, and to my last demands he
gave me definite refusal.
"That is bad"
| Every bad, but it is So"
Good, if your credit is exhausted, A"
continued Zirone, lit is because you
have had the credit And to what is
that dueS To your having many times
placed your intelligence and zeal at the
service of his firm in certain matters of
delicacy. Now, during the first months
of our stay in Trieste, Toronthal did not
show himself too stingy in money mat
ters. But it is impossible that there is
not some way in which yon have hold
over him, and by threatening him"
"What was TO be done has already
been done" replied Sarcany, with n
shrug of his shoulders land you cam
not 20 to him for meal No! / have
no hold over him now but may have
and shall have, and when that day comes
| he shall Day me caDital and cOmDound