The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-09-04
,sIn. tfIl nv ear, ae6ed WIN the repiti.

could teach me nothing. was as one
apart from human life-an alien from
its customs and affections-for me no
love. no brotherhood remained. The
swinging Song of the chimes Jared my
nerves. Why, thought. should the wild
erring world, with all its wicked men
and women, presume to rejoice at the
birth of the Saviour?-they, who were
not worthy TO be saved. Ifturned swiftly
away; 1 strobe iercely past the kingly
pines that, now thoroughly awakened,
seemed to note me with q stern disdain
as though they said among themselves:
What manner of small creature Is this
that torments himself with passions un.
known to us, In our calm converse with
the stars?'
was glad when I stood again on the
high road, and infinitely relieved when j
heard the rapid trot OF horses and rum
bling of wheels and saw my closed
brougham, drawn by its prancing black
Arabians approaching. walked to
meet it; the coachman seeing me drew
| up instantly. i bade him take me to the
Convento delpAnnunziata, and entering
the carriage, was driven rapidly away.
The convent was situated, knew,
somewhere between Naples and Sorren-
TO. guessed 1t to be near Castellamare,
but 1t was fully three miles beyond that,
and was somewhat long drive of more
than two hours. 1t lay good distance
out of the direct route, and was only at
tanned by a by-road, which from its
rough and broken condition was evil
IDENTIFY not much frequented. The build
ing stood apart from all other habita-
tions in large open piece OF ground,
fenced in by high stone wall spiked at
the top. Roses climbed thickly among
the spikes, and almost hid their sharp
points from view, and from a perfect
nest of green foliage, the slender spire
of the convent chapel rose into the sky
like white finger pointing to heaven.
Ny coachman drew up before the heavily
barred gates. alighted, and babe him
take the carriage to the principal
hostelry at Castellamare, and wait for
me there. AS soon as he had driven off,
| rang the convent bell. A little wicket
fixed in the gate opened Immediately,
and the wrinkled visage Of very old
and ugly nun looked out. She demanded
in low tones what / sought. l handed
her my card, and stated my desire to see
the Countess Romani. IL agreeable to the
Superioress. While / spoke she looked
at me curiously, my spectacles, l sup
pose, excited her wonder, - for
had replaced these Disgusting glasses
Immediately on leaving the scene of
the duel,-I needed them yet a little
while longer. After peering at me a
minute or two with her bleared and aged
eyes, she shut the wicket in my face
folr -
While l awaited her return, heard the
sound Of children's laughter and light
footsteps running trippingly on the stone
passage within.
'Fi done, Roster said a girls voice in
French; ia bonnie Mere Marguerite sera
tres tres fachee aVec tot"
"Tais-toi, petite sainte!" cried another
voice more piercing and silvery in tone
''Je yeux voir qui est la! CeSt un
hemme, je sails bien-parce que la vielle
Mere Laura rougiT' and both young
voices broke into chorus of renewed
laughter. Then came the shutting noise
of the old nuns footsteps returning: she
evidently caught the two truants, who
ever they were, for heard her expostu-
lating, scolding and apostrophizing the
saints all in breath, as she
babe them go inside the house and ask
the good little Jesus to forgive their
naughtinesS. A silence ensued, then
the bolts and bars of the huge gate were
undone slowly-it opened, and was ad.
mitted. l raised my hat as l entered.
and walked bareheaded through a long.
cold corridor, guided by the venerabI,
nun, who looked at me no more, but tolo
her beads as she walked, and never spok,
till she had led me into the building
through lofty hall glorious with sacre(
paintings and statues, and from theme,
into large, elegantly furnished room,
whose windows commanded a fine view
of the grounds. Here she motioned me
to take a seat, and without lifting hei
eyelijS said:
"Mother Marguerite will wait pon
you, instantly, signor."
bowed, and she glided from
the room so noiselessly that
did not even hear the door close behind
her. Left alone In what 1 right
ly concluded was the reception room
for visitors. 1 looked about me with
some faint interest and curiosity. had
never before seen the interior Of what is
known as an educational convent There
were many photographs on the walls and
neutrality-suspicious. of girls, some
plain of face aud form, others beautiful
no doubt they had all been sent to the
nuns as souvenirs OF former pupils. Ris-
ing from my chair examined few of
them carelessly, and was about to
inspect q fine copy of Murrillo's
Virgin, when my attention was caught
by an upright velvet frame surmounted
with my own crest and coronet. In
it was portrait OF my wife, taken in
her bridal dress, as she looked when
she married me- took 1t to the
light and stared at the features dub
iously. This was she-this slim, fairy
like creature clad in gossamer white,
with the marriage veil thrown back
from her clustering hair and child-like
face-this was the thing for which two
mems lives had been sacrificed. With a
movement of disgust | replaced the
frame in its former position; l had
scarcely done so when the door opened
quietly and a tall woman, clad In trail
ing robes Of pale blue with a nuns band
and veil of fine white cashmere, stood
before me. l saluted her with a deep
reverence; she responded by the
slightest possible bend of her head.
Her outward manner was so
very still and composed that when she
spoke her colourleSs lips scarcely moved,
her very breathing never stirred the
silver crucifix that lay like glittering
sign-manual on her quiet breast Her
voice, though low, was singularly clear
ard penetrating.
Il address the Count Oliva?" she in
quired.
l bowed in the affirmative. She
looked at me keenly; she had dark, bril-
liant eyes, in which the smouldering
fires of many q conquered passion still
cleaned.
.'You would see the Countess Romani.