San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-30
ghe 1aily Eight.
S>
SATURDAY, MAY 80, 1891.
lmpossnble!"

little compliment, certainly."I answered,
amused at the suspicious that evidently
tortured his mind; land | accepted it as
it was meant in kindness am we'll
aware what battered and unSightlY
wreck Of man / must appear in her
eyes when contrasted with you, Sir An
tinousr'
He flushed warmly. Then, with half
apologize air. he said
well, you must forgive me il / have
= seemed prescriptions. The ConteSSa
Is like "a sister to me: 81 fact, my late
friend Fabio encourages d fraternal al
lection between us, and s,w he is gone
feel it more than ever my duty to protect
. really clever woman can always stes-
clear of SANDER if she likes"
Contemplate ruffian! thought, glanc-
ing at his handsome face aad Squire witr
scarcely yelled contempt. With all his
advantages of education and mis- we'll
bred air he was yet ruffian to the core
as low in nature, If not lower, than the
half savage tramp for whom no sociaI
law has ever existed or will exist Bur
merely observed:
at is easy to see that you have thor
ough knowledge CT the world and its
ways. l admire your perception. From
your remarks judge that you have NO
sympathy with marital wrongs?"
Not the least" he replied drily, "they
sre too common, and too ludicrouS
The 'wronged husband as he con-
siders himself in such cases, always cuts
such an absurd figure"
"Always?" | inquired, with apparent
curiosity.
We'll, generally speaking, he does.
How can he remedy the matter? He can
only challenge his wife's lover, A due,
is fought. in which neither of the oppon-
ents are killed; they wound each other
slightly, embrace, weep, have coffee
20 together, and for the future consent TO
share the lady's affections amicably."
.'Veramente!" l exclaimed, with .
forced laugh, inwardly cursing his de-
testable flippancy; that is the fashion
able mode of taking vengeance"
Absolutely the one respectable way
of doing it," he replied; lit is only the
canailIe who draw hearts blood in earn
est
Only the canaille! l looked at him fix
eddy. His smiling eyes met mine with .
frank and fearless candour. Evidently
he was not ashamed of his opinions, he
rather gloried in them. AS he stood
there with the warm sunlight playing
upon his features he seemed the very
type of youthful and splendid manhood;
an Apollo in exterior-in mind Silenus
My soul sickened at the sight of him. !
felt that the sooner this strong treacher-
Gus life was crushed the better; there
would be one traitor less in the world at
thnnuht nf my hnr
just purpose passed over me like the
breath of bitter wind,-a tremor shook
my nerves. My face must have betrayed
some sign of my inward emotion, for
Ferrari exclaimed
You are fatigued, Conte? You are
Ill? Pray take my armn
He extended it as he spoke put it
gently but firmly aside.
1T is nothing" | said coldly; "a mere
faintness which often overcomes me, the
remains of a recent Illness" Here l
glanced at my watch; the afternoon was
waning rapidly.
IF you will excuse me-" continued,
81 will now take leave of you. Re-
garding the pictures you have permitted
me to select, my servant shall call for
them this evening TO save you the trouble
of sending them"
at is no trouble" began Ferrari.
pardon me-" l interrupted him;
'you must allow me to arrange the
matter in my own way. l am some
what self-willed, as you know
He bowed and smiled-the smile of a
Courtier and syCophant-a smile hated.
He eagerly proposed to accompany me
back TO M hotel, but | declined this
offer somewhat peremptOrily, though at
the same time thanking him for his
courtesy. The truth was, had had al
most too much of his society; the strain
on my nerves began to tell; | craved to
be alone. | felt that if | were much
longer with him | should be tempted to
spring at him and throttle the life out of
him. AS sit was, | babe him adieu with
friendly though constrained politenesS:
he was profuse in his acknowledgements
of the favour | had done him by pur-
chasing his pictures. waived all
thanks aside. assuring him that my sat
iSlaclion in the matter TAR exceeded his.
and THAI l was proud TO be the pOSSessor
of Such valuable proofs Of his genius.
He swallowed my tlattery as eagerly as
a fish swallows bait, and we parted on
excellcn; terms He watched me from
his door as walked down the hilly road
with the slow and careful step of an
elderly man: once Out of his sight, how,
ever, q,.ickened my pace, for the temp
est of conflicting sensations within me
made it difficult for me to maintain ever
the appearance of composure. On en-
tering my apartment at the hotel the
first thing that met my eyes was large
gilt osier basket, filed with fine frui
and flowers, placed conspicuously on the
Centre-table.
l summoned nv valet. "Who sent
this?" / demanded
MADAME the ContesSa ROmani,
reDlied Nincenzo with discreet gravity.