The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-04

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that looked like Pruseian soldiers under
arms. followed the daily imprecations
against fortune. destiny, fate and other
| impersonal beings incapable Of resent
ing them. thousand fantastic plans
were created. discussed. and then ~
iected. Carlo would have liked to elope
with Maria. but his father allowed him
no money. and II would have been diff
cult to put together the nine lire and
fifty centesimi for two tickets for the
journey to Naples: they thought for q
moment Of suicide. but found that 1t
would not solve the difficulty. Then, in
the long run. their love became syste-
matte. the imprecations were always the
came. and they could not go to their
beds without having poured forth upon
the faithful paper the, fullness Of their
grief"
In the town nothing was talked Of but
their unshakable love and their tor
ments; they were the objects Of general
interest; If Neapolitan arrived, the
townsfolk took him to see the ruins Of
the amphitheater and related the case Of
Carlo and Maria. Therefore the young
people, fiattered in their amour propre,
assumed the behavior fitting to the cir
cumstances Maria was always pale,
with melancholy air, never smiling,
always talking to her girl friends about
her joyless days, refusing TO amuse her
self content to resemble in all respects
one Of Mastriani's heroines.
Carlo took lonely walks, was always
deeply depressed; at balls he never
moved out of corner, content that they
murmured around him. Poor young
man, that unfortunate love affair sad
,dens his lifer' In society, at small fes-
tiyities, in visits. with the rnwearyin3
monotony Of the province. the discourse
always returned upon the subject of the
two lovers. Carlo and Maria bore with
dignity the burden Of their popularity.
Finally, after don't know how many
years-four or five, it seems to me-of
this continual struggle, of daily weep
ing, Of long, long love maintained alive
by dissensions, the aspect of things
changed. There was worthy person
there still are such who with many eff
forts of eloquence persuaded the parents
that by the lawsuits they were losing
property, and much of it, as witness the
two advocates who had grown rich at
the expense Of their clients; that those
two young people were pining and would
go into decline because of that thwart-
ed love: the houses were side by side
and the estates contiguous; Christ for
gave and they must forgive, If they
wished to find forgiveness. He said SO
much and SO many other persons, moved
by the example, interposed, that the
questions came to a compromise which
had, as its first chapter. the marriage Of
Carlo and Maria.
Here, surely, every one viii suppose
that the young people were greatly con-
soled, and will suppose truiy-but my
obligation as sincere story teller con-
strains me to say that In their first free
colloquy reigned a great embarrassment.
They were accustomed to see each other
at distance, by stealth; to speak from
q first floor window down to the street,
in the darkness, Disgusting or smother
ing their voices; they found themselves
quite different, perhaps little ridicu-
lous: they had no subjects Of converse
ton, they were often silent, fastening
in their thoughts the hour when they
should quit each other. There were no
more ilnprecations and tears to be
mingled with the ink; they no longer
wrote to each other.
Everything was free, smooth, easy for
their affection; they were not obliged to
think Of subtleties by which to eyade the
vigilance of their elders; they took no
more pleasure in murmuring few words
in secret; they made no moro daring
projects for the future. They would be
married prosaically, without obstacles,
like so many other silly couples. The
townsfolk no longer took thought of
them; the wonder and the comments on
the marriage once over, Carlo and Maria
no longer awoke attention; were no
longer talked about; their behavior was
noted no more; they ceased to be pointed
out as an example of fidelity. Now all
eyes were fixed upon the wife Of the
pretor, who was accused Of too great
Partially for the vice attorney serious
piece of business.
The two lovers felt themselves for
saken; great GOODNESS arose between
them. Carlo found that the virtues of
his fiancee, those virtues which shone in
her letters, were dimmed by the atmos-
phere of home; Maria frequently thought
that Carlo was rather commonplace in
his tastes, and that to end with stupid
marriage, 80 tempestuous q love was un-
worthy of reader Of Mastriani. few
lively remarks passed between them in
regard to illusions contradicted by the
reality" about ''mirages, optical de-
lusions" and similar pin pricks; squared
ensued, then two, then they became q
daily occurrence. One evening Maria
said with an irritated tone:
''Carlo, let rs leave it of.
"Let us" he replied without hesita-
ton.
And the next day he set off ON jour
ney for the improvement Of his mind,
Maria went to Naples, to the house of