Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-11-05
Derwent in especial would haye been Z

Derwent in especial would have been
quite positive that there was nothing
Of the kind for him in those magic
days-days of literal as well as meta
phorical sunshine and flowers When
ever he recalled them. he would see the
deep sapphire sky looking down. he
would hear the musical plash of form
tains and inhale the fragrance of opening
blossoms. Pictures would rise before
his eyes. now OF cool. shadowy rooms
with Shining floors and arabesqued
walls, now of the courts with their pill
Jared arches and the oriental looking
Fervants who glided back and forth. of
the sladOwy vistas of the gardens. Of
the rich splendor of the chapel. and amid
all these varied scenes one central figure
always visible-a graceful, gracious fig
ure, with noble. princesslike ways and a
hand ever open to help and to give.
For this may be said for him. that it,
despite his valiant resolutions. he was
soon hopelessly in love with Dona Zarifa
it was less with the enchantment of her
beauty-though this grew upon him day
by day, as only real beauty does-than
with the deeper charm of character
which was revealed TO him in her life.
like the open page of book full of no
bic thoughts and poetic words. He had
never imagined anything at once so sim
pie and so elevated as this character APP
peared. The communicating Influence of
the world seemed hardly 10 have breathed
upon it. and the lowering standards Of
the world had no place in mind which
nad been trained in the highest school of
thought and feeling indeed. somewhat
to his surprise. he found the whole at
mosphere OF the house unworldly in the
extreme. Ii was evident that to Don
Maurizio his great wealth was chiefly
valuable for the power it gave him OF
doing much good-how much it was
only through chance references of Padre
Francisco that Derwent learned-while
Dona Zarifa seemed to give no thought
whatever to her brilliant social position
with regard to the opportunities which
it offered for pleasure and adnlation
The pride, almost verging ON hauteur,
which had struck him as expressed by
her face when he saw it first was. he
found, not that ignoble pride which is
allied TO vanity. but the higher pride
that. dwelling in elevated regions Of sen
timent. can stoop to nothing lowering
or even frivolous.
And yet how simple and charming
she wasl Trained chiefly by her father
and accustomed, therefore. to more lib
erty than falls to the lot of most Span
ish bred girls. she was frankly and
entirely at ease with one whom she re-
garded as a stranger with a special
claim upon their kindness from the fact
of his having come to harm at their
gates 1t was kindness that not even
a man Of duller perception than Der
went could for moment have misun-
derstood. and he had no desire to lnisun-
derstand it. = am fool. he confessed
to himself ruefully, when the conviction
of how it was with him dawned fully
upon him. "but no one save myself shall
know Of my folly. will simply enjoy
this ideal life as long as may, and
when 20 viii at least have the mem
DRY of one perfect woman to carry with
me through life A man should be
grateful to have known such creature.
even though he can only worship her
from afar.
Meanwhile. with happy faculty Of
living in the present and forgetting all
possibilities or certainties Of pain that
the future might bring, he enjoyed her
presence and the sunshine Of kindness
which every one at Mirahores showered
upon him. When he grew stronger
Don Maurizio placed horse at his dis
posal. and then his dream of riding with
Dona Zarifa found such realization as
not many of our dreams do. 1t was true
that they did not ride alone Don
Maurizio always accompanied them.
or, to speak more correctly, they accom-
panied him, together with a mozo OF
groom. But there was nothing in this
companionship to detract from Der
vents enjoyment. More and more every
day he liked and admired his genial host. 4
and while listening TO his graphic ac-
counts OF the country and its people. he
could look at Dona Zarifa. as she sat
erect and square in her saddle. her habit
correct enough for Hyde park. but wear
ing broad. sombrerolike hat to shield
her face from the rays of the tropical
sun. Never. he thought. did she look so
beautiful as on these rides. when. after
long. stretching gallop across the mesa /
she would turn and say. with laugh |
like child. "Was not that delightful" /
while pomegranate flush came into her
cheek, and her eyes shone like dark dia- /
monds under their silken lashes
Then there were times when Don (
Maunzio would leave them. when he /
would bid them ride on while he paused +
with group Of laborers in the vast
fields. or stopped to discuss the condi-
ton Of his colts with their tall. dark
browed trainer. although when II was "A
question OF anything so fascinating as
horses neither Doua Zarifa nor Derwent
was always willing to be dismissed
Miles Of pasture on the green hill stones