St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-18

out pointless, the Wit WAS insipid and
meaningless.
Let US search for the WOMAN in the
case" said his feminine friends; "Ce-
sare is conquered, Ccsare is in love.
They were not deceived. There was
woman in the ease: young girl
good, modest, but little coQaettish.
not striking in appearance, graceful
rather than beautiful, pleasing rather
than pretty. not especially accom-
plished, not too learned, educated in
the ordinary fashion, with no nonsense.
in d way to make her q good mother OF
a family.
He had fallen in love with her with
out explaining the fact TO himself, with
an affection which came from the heart,
not from the head. almost uncon-
sciously, in talking with her, in seeking
her company, battling with her by
means of jests, impertinence, biting re-
marks. lie loved her in his own way,
irritating her, provoking from her hard
and pungent replies; but he sought TO
see her as eftcn as possible, creating
opportunities; and he spoke to her in
manner sometimes humble and plead
ing. sometimes hard and cutting, keep
ing near her always, following her
everywhere, until he became tiresome
to her.
Should he speak to her? But how and
when? Better write 10 her. Better
trust to q sheet OF paper. where every
thing can be said and we'll said.
he had talked with her that evening
at some length, but had known how TO
say nothing to her, nothing OF all that
was in his heart, if not upon his lips.
He was to sec her again the next day TO
give her book, novel, that she hau
asked of him.
He reached home at late hour OF the
night with his heart bounding in his
breast. lie felt sitting sensation. He
opened the balcony window. A lumi-
nous sky. perfumed and caressing air.
He was lonely, sad and prcoccupied.
He, too, had the rightto little happl-
ness: his desOate sadness must come
to an end; that sadness in which he
was drowning himself: into which he
had plunged all his youthful enthusI-
asm.
The die was cast. lie took a sheet of
paper. and in q minute, Irregular hand-
writing began:
SignOrina--I am approaching thirty
years of age, and am aware that L seem
SIIlI OiUGI. lit AOulI VI iiSoiO ~
mains unchanged, although the prema-
ture wrinkles Of my face give me sor-
roWful air, like that of a weary and dis
appointed person. Going over the past
| do not find ray Of sunlight, not
flash of ioyfulnesS i'll my life. 1t is a
very discouraging record, that chllls to
the bone. l cannot even say that live
in memories. Where, what are mine?
l cannot trust to the future; but ii the
past has served me i'll, if the present is
a fleeing atom which can never larry,
how, what shall | hope from the tor
menting enigma of the future? VIII
YOU accept the part of her who shall re-
animate adead soul? Will you assume
the generous task?
do not know whether you love me?
I do not ask. ! know that love you,
and | tell you so because l can no
longer keep silent to you who occupy
all my soul. If pride has a place in you
DC proud of having torn this confession
from me.
If You knew how much love you, if
you knew how much | adore you!
CEsARE.
lie passed an Internal forenoon. The
more he tried to drive away the thought
OF the signorina Ida the more she was
DiCcSIO w mum 'pbOS az WY oiiNg 'O'
occupied his fancy and his heart. How
brilliant were the joyous visions OF love
that he had always until that time
driven afar from him; how much better
he felt himself to be; how he recognized
that he had been longtime deceived. He
never had been OF strong mind: he had
believed himself SO because the &C.
caslon to display all his weakness had
never presented itself. To have de-
ceived himself so grossly shamed him
before his oWn conscience. He must
come forth from uncertainty; he must
travel the whole way that was traced
out before him.
Now he loved: he. too, loved. He
needed to repeat it TO himself. AS If to
convince himself, as il to repulse the
last attacks Of his argumentative
philosophy. against which he now re-
VOlted.
"Oh. Ida will have perceived my
love. She will have noticed my atten-
tons, my emotions, my Temptations
Wheu she merely turned her gaze upon
me. NV constant preference tor her
| and for all that pleaSeS her cannot have
escaped her."
| She dominated, uncODSclOnSly, the
| spirit of C;esare! What a whirl of sentl-
mcnts and of gentle images! What
| joyful recalling of broken phrases, SAID
| by her to him in half voice, almost
stammeringly, speaking to him with
doWncast eyes. so as not to look him in
| the face, not to become more confused.
| She was little cold with him. that was
| true, but what did he expect? Would
he have wished her to show herself in
| love with him, when he had not spoken
clearly, had not explained himself to
her, remained reserved, undecided in
all his actions; When,on every occasion.
he repeated to her that he did not feel
| himself called to matrimony?
Night was falling. He had been for
some time absorbed in his fancies. lie
must go to Ida, to free himself from
such uncertainty, to find peace. AS
cending the stairway OF her dwelling, a
great emotion Overcame him. He took
courage, he tarried on the landing to
regain breath. She, perhaps, would
come to open the door for him. He
| must not lose courage. he must give her
the letter, and wait calmly. But calm
was precisely what he lacked: perhaps
also spirit. He was child again. timid,
irresolute. Cesare was conquered.
He knocked. She came to open the
door for him, singing softly. She was
smiling: great JOY seemed diffused
over her pearl-white countenance. She
had little bunch of violets in her hand.
"Will you give them to me?'' be asked
in low voice. 81 am sorry. cannot;
it was gift to me-"
Who could have given her those
flowers? Some young man, perhaps.
"Who gave them to you?" he impru-
IDENTIFY asked her, with a culver in his
voice.
"Why do you wish to know? What
does it matter to you?"
What does it matter to me?' he in
terrupted, looking at her tiXedly. But
have you not seen, then?"
/ He was suddenly silent. He feared to
say too much; defeat now terrified
| him.
lie took courage, seeing that she,
having closed the door, was preceding
him into the parlor.
"Signorina, stop Il moment. l must
give you something"
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