The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-28

of you can only be for his wife. 1 will see
that your little matter shall be settled be-
fore evening. Good morning.
Hardly had the door closed after the
tradesman when the warehouses, with an
expression of disgust, threw the bill upon
the table and opened Il desk which held her
pin money, gold, bank notes, silver pieces,
in all about 5000 lire! Then she sought
her husband in his study.
''You, Adelinap he cried, startled by her
look. He seemed sgitated, and looked old
and haggard.
~ MarquisP' she said, icily. Last even
ing you said casually to me that you were
ruined; l come on purpose to tel you that
a great calamity has befallen me. Ny
daughter has typhoid fever, and the doc
tors fear the worst. Ny husband has
proved himself man destitute of honor,
faithfulness or truth; all Naples is talking
about the charming cause Of his ruin.
They point thi- fingers at ne, the deceived
wife, and soil my name with that Of the
famous dancer who giOries in being a sue
cessful rival for the favor of my lawful
husband Ny trust in your honor, Mar
Cuis, my esteem for your character as a
gentleman have been transformed into con-
tempt and disgust. Tell me yourself, sir,
can anything be worse than this for a
wife?"
The marquis stood as if he had under
stood, and in truth only one thing was
clear to him: his daughter lay at deaths
door. ''Marie-Merizcar he murmured.
and tried to leave the room. Wildly ex-
cited, with gesture like Juno, the mar
chioness barred the way
stop, sir! Do not dare to enter the pres
ence OF my daughterl You must blush be-
fore her innocent look! II cannot permit
that, fer you are her father-as l must do
my utmost to save you from open shame
and ridicule-since bear your name"
A short, quick breath, and then she laid
an envelope on his writing desk:
"Never!" The marquis pushed the en-
velope far from him. 1t fell to the floor and
lay upon the carpet.
sit is done, sir Could you, perhaps,
have raised the amount today? If the
jeweler were not at once pacifed, then to-
morrow should be the laughing stock of
the world. Besides, it was not hard to part
with the jewels; they were mostly presents
from you"
Enough, enough, madame" said the
marquis, again recovering his self posses
sion. 81 must pass all ehis in silence, be-
cause have been wrong and you are right.
But one thing must be said: You are not
quite innocent of my downfallP'
The marchioness opened her eyes wide.
She looked as If she heard something in
credible.
Look back, if you please, over the twelve
years of our married lifel What offering
have you brought to our common welfarei
What have you done to make the hearth
stone attractive to me? Have you ever shown
me spark of feeling? From childhood &C
customed to live in admiration, did you
know any other object in life than to be ad-
mired by all the world, and by me most Of
all? And in truth, madam, you are worthy
of admiration. "a bow-an ironical SMILEY
Nature has lavishly bestowed upon you all
that makes a woman beautiful and at
tractive; only-no hearth But 1t is just
that which will hold a mans love for his
wife, just that which every man looks for
in his wife, and which l have not found. !
am man with manLke weaknesses, de-
sires and needs. One day / awoke with
the thirst for love-the longing for hand
that | might dare caress without touching
8 glace glove-the demand for lips that
would answer my kiss"
"And you found it, sir, in-that dancer"
ayes, madame"
A slight pause. The roses on the cheeks
Of the marchioness are visibly paing, but
her manner is unchanged in its proud self
Sir she said, in measured tones, az
see that | have no right to complain
From this time you have only one plaintiff
and one judge-your conscience and your
daughter"
Midnight. In the deep stiffness no sound
except the short, painful breathing of the
sick child.
The lamp behind the Japanese shade
sheds soft light in the spacious room,
while the bed, with its silken covering fall
Ing to the floor, is in shadow.
On the white lace trimmed pillow rests
the dark curly little head, over which in
gnawing anxiety the beautiful face of the
mother is bending. The marchioness is
over her little daughters fever
sh slumber.
From time to time she glances at the
watch set with diamonds on the table. The
,risis may come at any moment. A hectic
Iciously she lies there, with half closed
Eyes, only moving her head uneasily on the
pillow.
The door opens softly. The marquis, en-
.irely dressed, enters the room. The beau !
5iful woman at the bedside in long, white /
light dress noiselessly leaves her place to
withdraw to the window. She bestows /
Ipon the newcomer neither word nor look. |
The marquis huTries to the bed.
"Marie-angelo Moi" he whispers, while 1
lie presses the child'S burning hand to his /
)row
She opens her eyes and recognizes him.
'Babbino carol-You?" she breathes, the /
,leam of smile passing over the mouth /
lrawing its difficult breath.
Are you staying with me7 Mamma is /
.way-at the ball-Ahl she is the most |
beautiful of them all, is she not, Babbino?" /
The white figure at tEe window moves 1
lightly.
Marie mia-darling! See, mamma is
lere! She is not going away; never, never /
gain viii she leave you alone"
Doubtfully the child3s unnaturally brill /
ant eyes fasten themselves upon her. |
Then she turns to the place where her .
ather is standing. He is gazing agitatedly .
lpon the expressive, beloved features. 1t .
Gems to him that change is taking place /
u the face
The crisis!' he murmurs after a little /
inc, and, taking the small hand with its
apid pulse, he falls upon his knees
On the other side of the bed the mar
is sitting. She also does not move .
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