San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-25

the tone OF the conversation L gave
signal for the music to re-eommence,
| and instantly the melody of slow volup-
tuous Hungarian waltz-measure fiOated
| through the room. The dinner was
now fairly on its way; the appetites of
my guests were stimulated and tempted
| by the choicest and most Savoury viands
prepared with all the taste and intelli-
| gence tirSt-rate chef can beStOw on his
work. and good wine flowed freely.
Vincenzo, obediently following my in
structions, stood behind my chair, and
| seldom moved except to refill Ferrari's
glass and occasionally to proffer some
| fresh vintage to the Duke di Mari
ma. He, however, was an abstemi-
Gus and careful man, and fol-
lowed the good example shown
by the wiseSt Italians, who never mix
their wines He remained faithful to
the first beverage he had selected-a
specially fine Chianti, of which he par
took freely without its causing the
slightest flush to appear on his pale
aristocratic features. Its warm and
mellow favour did but brighten his eyes
and loosen his tongue, inasmuch that he
became almost as elegant talker as the
Marchese Gualdro This latter, who
scarce had scudo to call his own, and
who dined sumptuously every day at
other peoples expense for the sake of
the pleasure his company afforded, was
by this time entertaining every one near
him by the most sparkling stories and
witty pleasantries.
The merriment increased as the vari-
GUS courses were served; shouts of laugh
ter frequently interrupted the loud buzz
of conversation, mingling with the
blinking of glasses and gathering of
porcelain. Every now and then might
be heard the smooth voice of Captain
Freccia rolling out his favourite Oaths
with the sorority and expression of a
primo tenore, sometimes the elegant
French of the Marquis D'Avencourt,
with his high, sing-song Partisan ac-
cent, rang out above the voices of the
others; and, again, the choice Tuscan Of
the poet Luciano Salustri rolled forth in
melodious cadence, as though he were
chanting lines from Dante or AriostO,
instead of talking lightly on Indifferent
matters. l accepted my share in the
universal hilarity, though l principally
divided my conversation between Fer
rari aud the Duke, paying TO both, but
| tention which is the greatest comph-
ment host can bestow on those whom
| he undertakes to entertain.
We had reached that stage OF the ban
Quet when the game was about to be
served, the invisible choir of boys voices
| had just completed an enchanting stor-
| nello with an accompaniment of mando-
| lines, when a stiffness. strange and I'M
/ III hn K,1V,o1
| pause-an ominous hush, as though
| some person supreme in authority had
| suddenly entered the room and COM
manded "Silence!" No one seemed dis
| posed to speak or to move, the very foot
steps of the walters were mutfied in the
| velvet pile of the carpet; no sound was
heard but the measured plash OF the
| fountain that played among the ferns
( and flowers. The moon, shining frosti-
| ly white through the one uncurtained
| window, cast a long pale green ray, like
| the extended arm of an appealing ghost,
| against one side of the velvet hangings
"a SPECTRAL effect which was heightened
by the contrast Of the garish glitter OF
the waXen tapers. Each man looked at
| the other with a sort of uncomfortable
embarrassment, and somehow, though |
|
| and thus break the spell, | was at a
loss, and could find no language suitable
to the moment. Ferrari tOyed with his
wine glass mechanically-the Duke APP
pca"ed absorbed in arranging the crumbs
beside his plate into little methOdical
patterns; the stiffness seemed to last so
long that it was like a suffocating heavi-
ness in the air. Suddenly Vincenzo, in
| &c nNi IF httt nP z
of n champagne bottle with loud
sounding pop. We all started as though
) pistol had been fired in our ears, and
the Marchese Gualdro burst out laugh
ing.
"Corpo di Baccov' he cried. AT last
you have awakened from sleep! Were
you all struck dumb, amici, that you
stared at the table cloth so persistently
and with such admirable gravity? May
St Anthony and his pig preserve me,
, but for the time fancied l was attend
, ing banquet on the wrong side of the
Styx, and that you, my present com
9 panOns, were all dead men!"
And that idea made you also hole
= your tongue, which is quite an unaC
cOuntable miracle in its way" laughed
i, Luciano Saustri. Have you neve
heard the pretty legend that attaches u
such an occurrence as a sudden silence
in the midst Of high festivity? An ange
enters, bestowing his benediction as h,
passes through"
THAT story is more ancient than tn,
church," said Chevalier Mancini 1T i
an exploded theorY-for we have ceaseC
e 70 believe in angels-we call then
e women instead"
r bravo, mon vieux gaillard!" CRIED
=. Captain de Hamal. Your sentiment:
are the same as mine, with very trAinl
q difference. You believe women to bC
/ | angels know them to be devils