The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-29

with the younger members of the society
His age was one-and-twenty. They were
close companions and devoted friends, and
generally to be found together. They were
a handsome pair, and noted for their purity
and uprightness of life. Count Denaro had
been to them friend, and in some respects
mentor and guide. In him they had re-
posed entire confidence, as one who could
never betray any trust reposed in him. And
through the Count they mad been thrown
occasionally into the society of the Marquis
Steff no FarneSe.
Henri" said Paulo, when he had as
sured himself that they were beyond the
hearing OF others, II wish you would not go
back to that box. cannot endure that fell
low"
al am not going back. The Count does
not expect u. Did you not see him speak
to me aSides"
Yes. saw; but knew not what he
said"
He babe me good night, and sent the
same to you; and then he said to me plainly,
that if preferred not to return, he would
cheerfully excuse us BOTH
BLESS him for true friend. Tell me,
Henri, how can he bear to associate with
such manl Can you imagined"
YES, l can Imagine it very easily. may
say know. If tell you the secret you
will keep It'll"
Certainly"
well, there are two influences which at
tach the Count to that brutal fellow, for
that he is brutal do not hesitate to affirm.
First, you must remember that Giuseppe
Denaro is deeply in love with the Princess
di Varona. He loves her pasSionately; and,
do not doubt, would almost give his life for
her love in return. He fancieS, / have
thought, that Steffano wields considera-
bic influence over her. and that whatever
he can do to help him will please her. At
all events, the Marquis is related to her,
and she would naturally desire that he
should prosper; so the Count feels it to be
policy to promote that prosperity if he can.
There is another influence. Our good
Duke feels deeply the effect of his brothers
behavior upon the public mind. 1t is be-
coming scandal that gives him much
! trouble and unrest So, do you see, by
helping to win Stehano away from even a
| few of his evil courses, Giuseppe is earning
the Dukes gratitude; and, he hopes, will re-
ceive the benefit of his influence with the
Princess. Personally-at heart-the Count
despises the fellow, and only as a matter Of
policy does he put up with him. He GER
tainly would not wish that we should asso-
ciate with him."
Henri" said the other, after a brief
pause, during which he had been profound
ly thoughtful, ''of course it is not for me to
judge; yet, l cannot help thinking that
with regard to the Princess the Count
makes mistake. If have read the beau
full girl Alright, she is the very soul of truth
and honor, and she cannot witness Denaro's
course toward the Marquis without seeing
its duplicity."
THAT is hard word, Paulo."
81 know it, but is it not true? | know
the Counts good qualities. He has been a
true and loyal friend to you and me. Yet,
| can see his weaknesses, and this seeking to
win the favor of such a woman by the
sacrifice of his own peace and comfort is
one of them. Do you think the Princess
loves him"
mo. She does not. She respects him,
and is kindly disposed toward him, but as
yet she has not given him her love-
Then she never will"
"Why do you think som
perhaps l ought not to say.n
"Surely you may say it to me-"
"You will think me lacking in gratitude
to the Count for all his goodness to us.
mo, no, Paulo. Have no fear of that
kind Mercy do l not know how true and
J loyal you are! Tell me, why are you so
I sure that he cannot win the love of the
! Princess lsabelp
Alavado bent his head for little time in
Thought; then he looked up and said:
| Henri, we are speaking now as brother
| W as you W Ills n IeW HILL
utes since, so l now say to you: If / tell
you my thought you will keep it, But |
| know you will. | want not your word.
| Let me ask you: Have you, in your inter-
| course with the Princess, marked the quail
: ties of her mind, the natural bent of her
impulses and her keen and sure percep-
| tion2"
eyes, Paulo, think l have; but, upon
my word, | could not have stated it as you
| have DONE"
"Ah dear Henri, you never knew my
sister Lucie. During the last half of her
| life-she was two years older than I-she
never went out. A malady beyond the
power of mortal physician to control con-
| fined her to her own apartments. She was
never SO beautiful as is the Princess; yet she
kresembled her; and she resenbled her
Yin more ways than one Not
only was she truth and honor and faith
fulness combined and personified, with
| soul born to purity of thought and life, but
she was ntellectual-profoundly so. What
little l know beyond the snlattering of our
schools / owe to her; and it may be that my
abhorrence of falsehood d deceit gained
from her; though she tried to assure me
that it was mine at birth in the germ.
But enough of that 1 have spoken
| thus of my sister because the resemb ance
to which have alluded led me first to study
| have claimed for the sainted Lucie.
| Especially must | allude to her rare intel
lectual qualities. If there is one thing
more than another that she enjoys in social
intercourse 1t is the conversation of truly
| intellectual and well-educated man /
marked her particularly when, on two oc-
| casions, | saw her sitting by the side of the
old professor, Fra Anselmo. suppose he
is, without exception, the most learned man,
possessing the widest range of useful infor-
nation, and, withal, gifted with the most
silvery and eloquent flow of language in
the expression of his thoughts, of all the
learned and eloquent men Of our beloved
Italy.
my soull How the Princess hung upon
his words. Not all the amusement Of the
younger people; not all the music of voice
and instrument; nothing, in short, could
draw her away from Fra Anselmo's side
while he spoke. She is marvel. | doubt
if there is another girl in Parma--perhaps
not in Italy-who possesses the same
amount and quality Of intellect; and /
think she is as eager to improve as
she is fond of knowledge. Then, again,
her deep passion for art. Fra Anselmo is a
painter of no mean capacity. He has been
rated by some as equal to Angelica | list
ened to her conversation with him, and l
was astonished at her knowledge Of art and
artists, and at her keen discrimination.
"And now, my dear Henri, perhaps you
begin TO see what | am coming at. What
+. a. ~