San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-23

looked as II he would never die. The
plague touched him in the tnorning--bc-
fore sunset he was nailed up and put
down in his big family vault:-a cold
| lodging, and less handsomely furnished
than his grand marble Villa on the
heights yonder. When / heard the news
told the Madonna she was wicked. Oh
| yes! L rated her soundly; she was a
| woman, and capricious, a good scolding
| brings her to reason. Look you! am a
friend to God and the plague, but they
both did stupid thing when they took
Count Fabio Romani"
| started, but quickly controlled my
self into an appearance of indifference.
Indeed" l said carelessly. "And
| pray who was he that should not deserve
to die as well as other people?"
The old man raised himself from his
STOPPING attitude, and stared at me with
his keen black eyes.
'Who wa he? who was he? he cried
in shrill tone. ''Oh, he! One can see
you know nothing of Naples. You have
not heard of the rich Romani? See you,
/ wished him to live, He was clever and
bold, but did not grudge him that-no,
he was good to the poor; he gave away
hundreds OF francs in charity. / have
seen him Often-I saw him married."
And here his parchment face screwed it.
self into an expression of the most ma
lignant cruelty. "Pah. | hate his wife
"a fair soft thing, like q white snake! l
used to watch them both from the cor
ners of the streets as they drove along
in their fine carriage, and l wondered
how it would all end, whether he or she
would gain the victory first. | wanted
him to win; would have helped him to
kill her, yes! But the saints have made
a mistake this time, for he is dead and
that she-devil has all. Oh, yes! God and
the plague have done foolish thing for
once"
l listened to the old wretch with deep
ening aversion, yet with some curiosity
too. Why should he hate my wife? l
thought, unless, indeed, he hated all
youth and beauty, as was most probably
the case. And if he had seen me as often
as he averred he must know me by sight.
| How was it, then. that he did not re-
cognize me now? Following out this
| thought, | said aloud.
What sort of looking man was this
Count Romani? You say he was hand
some-was he tall or short-dark or
| fair?"
Putting back his struggling grey
locks from his forehead, the dealer
| stretched out yellow, rlaw-like hand,
as though pointing to some distant
vision.
"A beautiful mani" he exclaimed; "a
man good for the eyes TO see! AS straight
as you areas tall as you are!-as
broad as you are! But your eyes are
sunken and dim-his were full and large
and sparkling-yOur face is drawn and
pale-his was of clear olive tint, round
and flushed with health; and his hair
was glossy black-ah! as jet black, my
friend, as yours is snow winter
| recoled from these last words in a
sort of terror: they were like an electric
| shock! Was | indeed so changed? Was
| it possible THAT the horrors of a night in
| the vault had made such dire impress
| sion upon me? Ny hair white?-mine!
l could hardly believe it. If so, perhaps
| Nina would not recognize me-She might
| be terrified at my aSpect-GuidC him
self might have doubts of my identity.
Though for that matter, | could easily
prove myself to be indeed FabiO Ro-
mani-even if | had to show the vault
and my own Sundered coffin. While |
revOlved ali this in my mind the old man,
unconscious of my emotion, went ON
with ms mumbling chatter.
"Ah, yes, yes! He was fine fellow
| a strong fellow. used to rejoice that
| he was so strong. He could have taken
the little throat of his wife between fin
ger and thumb and nipped it-sO! and
she would have told no more lies. |
| wanted him to do it, waited for it. He
would have done it surely, had he lived.
| That is why | am sorry he died"
Mastering my feelings by a violent
| effort, forced myself to speak calmly
| to this malignant old brute.
"Why do you hate the Countess RO-
| mani so much?" ! asked him with stern
| ness. Has she done you any harm?'
He Strengthened himself as much as he
| was able and looked me full in the
eyes.
See you!'' he answered with a sort
| of leeIing laugh about the corners of
| his wicked mouth. II will tell you
| why / hate hcr-yes-I will tellyou, be-
| cause you are a man and strong. | like
| strong men, they are sometimes fooled
by women, it is true, but then they can
| take revenge. was strong myself
once. And yOu-you are old, but you
love a jest-you will understand. The
| ROmani woman has done me no harm.
She laughed once. That was when her
! horses knocked me down in the street.
| was hurt, but saw her red lips widen
and her white teeth glitter, she has a
baby smile, the people will tell you, so
innocent! was picked up, her carriage
| drove on, her husband was not with
her, he would have acted differently.
But it is no matter, / tell you she
laughed, and then l saw at once the
| likeness"
| The likeneSS!" | exclaimed jmpa-