Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-06
Countess uarOla.
By wILKIE COLLINS.

tantly yielded to the necessities of the situa- tion and took her into the cafe. He found quiet corner ill which they could take thelr places without attracting notice "What will you have?" he inquired, resignedly. Sha gave her own orders to the waiter, without troubling him to speak for her.
 "Maraschino. And a pot of tea"
 The waiter stared; Francis stared. Tho tea was novelty Gin connection with nlaras- chino) to both of them Careless whether she surprised them or not, she instructed the waiter. when her instructions had been con- piled with, to pour a large wineglassful of the liquor into tumbler and fill it up from the teapot. T can't do it for myself," she re. marked, "my hand trembles so." She drank the strange mixture eagerly, hot as it was. "Maraschino punch-will you taste some of it?" she said. q inherit the discovery of this drink. When your English queen, Caroline, was on the continent my mother was attached to her court. That much injured royal per son invented in her happier hours maraschino punch. Fondly attached to her gracious mis- tress my mother shared her tastes. And 1, in my turn, learned from my mother. Now, Mir. Westwick, suppose I tell you what my business is. You are manager of theatre. Do you want Q new playF
 "1 always want Q new play-provlded it's a good one."
 "And you pay, if it's good one2"
 q pay iberally-in my own interests"
 "If I write play will you read i5?"
 Francis hesitated.
 "What has put writing play into your head?' he asked.
 "Mere accident" she answered. "I had once occasion to tell my late brother of a visit I paid to Miss Lockwood when was last in England. He took no interest in what happened at the interview, but some thing struck him in my way of relating it. He said: You describe what passed between you and the lady with the point and contrast of good stage dialogue. You have the dra- malic instinct-try if you can write play. You might make money That put it into my head"
 These last words seemed to startle Francis.
 "Surely, you don't want money!" he ex- claimed.
 q always want money My tastes are ex- pensive. have nothing but my poor little four hundred a year-and the wreck that is left of the other money. About e2oo ill cir cular notes no more."
 Francis knew that she was referring to the 1000 paid by the insurance offices.
 "All those thousands gone already9" he ex- claimed.
 
 "Gone like that!" she answered, coolly.
 Baron Rivars"
 She looked at him with a flash of anger in her hard black eyes.
 Ny afiuirs are my owD secret, MT. Vest wick havo made you proposal-and you have not answered me yet. Don't say no, without thinking first. Remember what life mine has been have seen more of the world than most people, pllywrights in cluded. l have had strange adventures; have heard remarkable stories; have ob- served; have remembered, Arc there no materials here ill my head for writing a play if the opportunity is granted to me4' She waited a moment and suddenly repeat ed her strange question about Agnes. ''IThen is Mss Lockwood expected to be in Venice?'
 What has that to do with your new play, countess?"
 Tnc countess appeared to feel some diff cHlty i'll giving the question its fit reply. She mixed another tumblerful of the maraschino puncl and drank one good half of it before she spoke again.
 It has everything to do with my new play" was all she said. Answer me-" Fran. cis answered her.
 Miss Lockwood may be here in week. Or, for all I know to the contrary, sooner than that"
 "Very well. If am a living woman and free woman in a weeks tine-or if I am ill possession of my senses ill weeks time (ion't interrupt me; l know what an talk ing abouD I shall go to England, and shall write sketch or outline of my play as specimen of W. at can do. Once again, will you read it?'
 q will certainly read it. But, countess, don't understand"
 She held up her hand for silence, and fin- ished the second tumbler of maraschino punch.
 1T am living enigna-and you want to know the right reading of me-" she said. "Here is the reading, as your English phrase goes, ill nutshell. There is foolish idea in the minds of many persons that the natives of the warm climates are imaginative people. There never was a grea CT mistake. You will find no such unimag native people any, where as you will find ill Italy, Spain, Greece and the other southern countries. To any, thing fanciful, to anything spiritual, their minds are deaf and blind by nature. Now and then ill the course of centuries a great genius springs up amongst them, and he is the exception which proves the rule. Now sect I, though am no Genius-I am, in my little way (as l suppose) an exception, too. To my sorrow, have some of that fmagina- ClOll "u1Cu IS SO SOAukuou dIuOItS Uu6 llSu and the Gernlans-so rare among tue Italians, tue Spaniards and the rest of theml And what is the result? think it has become a disease ill me. am filled with presentiments which make this wicked life of mine one long terror to me- It doesn't matter just now what they are. Enough that they absolutely govern me-they drive me over land and sea at their own horrible will; they are ill me, and torturing me, at this momentl Why don't resist then? Ha! but do resist them. I am trying with the help of the good punch) to resist them now At intervals cultivate the difficult virtue of sound sense. Some times sound sense makes a hopeful woman of me. At one time, I had the hope that what seemed reality to me was only mad delusion, after all l even asked the question of an English doctor! At other times, other sensible doubts of myself beset me- Never mind dwelling on them now-it always ends in the old telrors and superstition taking possession of me again. In weeks time I shall know whether destiny does indeed decide my future for me, or whether I decide it for myself. In tue last case, my resolution is to absorb this self tormenting fancy of mine ill the occupa tion that have told you of already. Do you understand me little better nowa And oul business being settled, dear MT. Westwick shall we get out of this hot room into the nice cold air againp
 fin, t,o oafo Francis roI.i