San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-15

are all hypocriteS."
/ laughed little coldly.
Really, signora, your words place me
i'm a very awkward position. were 10
tell you my real sentiments"
She interrupted me with touch OF
her fan on my arm, and smiled graVely.
You would say, Yes, you are right,
signOra. | never see one OF your sex
without suspecting treachery' An,
Signor Conto, we women are indeed full
of faults, but nothing can blind our in
stinct!'' She paused, and her brilliant
ewes Softened as she added gently, III
pray your marriage may be very happy
one"
was silent l was not even courte-
Gus enough to thank her for the wish.
/ was half angered that this girl should
have been able to probe my thoughts so
quickly and unerringly. Was | so bad
an actor after all? l glanced down at
her as she leaned lightly on my arm.
Marriage is a mere comedietta, y said
abruptly and harshly. I'VE have seen
it acted tonight. In few days shall
play the part of the chief butfoon-In
other words, the husband.
And l laughed My young companion
looked startled, almost frightened, and
over her fair face there fitted an ex-
preston of something like aversion.
did not care.-why should l?-and there
was no time for more words between us,
for we had reached the outer veStibue
of the theatre.
NV wifeS carriage was drawn up at
the entrance;-my wife herself was step
ping into it. / assisted her, and also
her two friends, and then stood with I'M
covered head at the door wishing them
all the "felicssima nOtte." Nina put
her tiny jewelIed hand through the car
riage window,-I stopped and kissed 1t
lightly. Drawing it back quickly, she
selected a white gardenia from her bou-
Quet and gave it to me with bewltch-
ing smile,
Then the glittering equipage dashed
away with whirl and clatter OF pranc-
ing hoofs and rapid wheels, and | stood
alone under the wide portico OF the the
atre-alone amid the pressing throngs
of the people who were still coming out
of the house-holding the strongly
scented gardenia in my hand as vaguely
as fevered man who finds strange
flower In one of his sick dreams.
After a minute or two l suddenly rec
objected myself, and throwing the bios
som on the ground l crushed it savagely
beneath my heel. The penetrating
odour rose from it's slain petals as
though a vessel of incense had been
emptied at my feet There was a nau-
seating influence in it: where had in
hailed that subtle perfume lastp I re-
mem bered-ChIido Ferrari had worn one
of those flowers in his coat at my ban
quet; it had been still in his buttonhole
when killed him!
| strobe onward and hOmeward; the
streets were full of mirth and music, but
/ needed none of it. felt, rather than
saw, the quiet sky bending above me
dotted with it's countless millions of lu-
minous worlds; l was family conscious
OF che soft splash of murmuring waves
mingling with the dulcet chords of deft-
| ly-played mandolines echoing from some
where down by the shore; but my soul
was, as it were, benumbed, my mind,
always on the alert, was for once utter
ly tired out,-my very limbs ached, and
when at last flung myself on my bed,
exhausted. my eyes closed instantly, and
| slept the heavy, motionleSs sleep of a
man weary unto death.