San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-20

growing stronger, ano sweITng out IN
marked and even time, echoed forth
like the sound of clear-toned bells broken
through by the singing of birds. NV
heart beat furiously, my brain reeled,
nv senses swan as / felt my wifes
warm breath on my cheek; claSped her
waist more closely, / held her little
glOved hand more firmly. She felt the
double pressure, and, lifting her white
eyelids fringed with those long dark
lashes that gave such a sleepy witchery
to her eyes, her lips parted in little
smile.
"At last you love mel" she whispered
AT last, at last" 1 muttered, scarce
knowing what | said. Had l not loved
YOU at first, bellissima, should not have
been TO you what / am tonight"
A low ripple of laughter was her re-
| Spouse.
II knew it, she murmured again.
half breathlessly, as l drew her with
swfter and more voluptuous emotion in
to the vortex o" the dancers. You
tried to be cold, but l knew could
make you love me-yes, love me passion
ately-and was right" Then, with an
outburst OF triumphant vanity, she
added: 81 believe you would die for me- "
bent over her more closely. My hot,
quick breath moved the feathery gold of
her hair.
II have died for you" l said; Il
have killed my old self for your sake"
Dancing still, encircled by my arms,
and gliding along like a sea nymph on
moonlit foam, she sighed restlesslY.
Tell me what you mean, amor MIC,
she asked, in the tendereSt tone in the
world.
| All, God that tender, seductive ca
dence of her voice, how well l knew it,
how often had it lured away my strength,
| as the tabled sirens song had been wont
to wreck the listening mariner.
Il mean that you have changed me,
sweetest" l whispered in fierce, hurried
accents. II have seemed old,-for you
tonight l will be young again,-for you
my chilled slow blood shall again be hot
and quick as lava,-for you my long
buried past shall arise in all its pristine
vigour; for you l will be lover, such as
perhaps no woman ever had, or ever will
have again!
She heard, and nestled closer to me in
the dance. Ny words pleased &, her.
| Next to her worship of wealth
her delight was 10 arouse the
passions of men. She was very
panther-lke in her nature-her first
tendency was to devour, her next TO gam
Dol with any animal she met, thOaS.
her sleek, swift playfulnesS might mean
death. She was by no means exception
al in this; there are many. woman like
her.
As the music of the waltz grew slower
and slower, dropping down to q sweet
aud persuasive conclusion, | led my wifi
to her fauteuil. and resigned her to Tho
care of distinguished Roman prince
who was her next partner. Then, unoO
served, slipped out to make inquiries
concerning VinCenzO. He had gone; On'
of the walters at the hotel, friend o
his, had accompanied him and seen hin
into the train for Avellino. He haC
looked in at the ballroom be
fore leaving, and had watched me stan(
up to dance with my wife, then witt
tears in his eyeS"-so said the vivaciou
little waiter who had just returned from
the statlon-he had started without dar
ing to wish me goodbye.
I heard this information of course wit
an apparent kindly Indifference, but i
my heart | felt a sudden vacancy,
drcar, strange loneliness. With m
faithful servant near me ! had 1el
| conscious Of the presence Of a friend, 10
friend he was in his own humble, unOt
trusivc fashions: but now | was alone
alone in a loneliness beyond ali cOnceiy
= able comparison alone to DO my work
without prevention or detection. | felt
as it were. isolated from humanity, Sc
apart with my victim on some dim pOin
of time, from which the rest of the wOrl
reCeded, where the searching eye of tn
Creator alone could behold me. Onl
she and | and God-these three were q
that existed for me in the Universe; be
tween these three must justice be fu
filed.
Musingly, with downcast eyes, l RI
turned TO the ballroom. At the door
young girl faced me-She was the Onl
dOughter of a great Neapolitan house
Dressed in pure white, as all such mai(
ems are, with a crown of snowdrops o
her dusky hair, and her dimpled fac
ALT with laughter, she looked the yer
embodiment of early spring. She az
- dressed me somewhat timidly, yet wit
all child's frankness.
!, us not this delightful? l feel as If
" were in fairyland. Do you know this
~ my first ball?"
/ smiled YEARLY.
= AYE, truly? And you are happy?"
% ''Oh, happiness is not the word-it
'f ecstacy How | wish it could last 70
ia ever! And-is it not strange?-I d
~ not know l was beautiful till tonight
w She said this with perfect simplicit
If and pleased smile irradiated her ia
70 features. l glanced at her in co
r. scrutiny.
or All! and some one has told you so
She blushed and laughed little co
I'd sciOusly.
as Yes; the great Prince de Maiar