The morning call., 1892-03-11
THE MEMORANDUM.

express prohibition OF his even 10 speak 10
that stick dressed in the uniform of a ber-
sagliere-AJtilia, when he learned this,
neither laughed nor despaired. He shrugged
his shoulders and continued to play atten-
lively his game Of chess, a game much
more serious and interesting than the love
IF COnstanza had been. Olly instead of
arising to 60 away at Q o'clock, as he was in
great fortune that evening, he played until
quarter before 10.
At 10 o'clock he went home, thinking 1t
over More than anything else he wonld
have been anxious To see her anger alter
uselessy waiting him for an hour. En-!
she would wait longer? That game had
nothing new to attract him. She was the
seventh, perhaps; aud there would be 9TH
ers, for, after all, the great boredom OIL HE
finds no other relief than that. and the
sweetest music was the same words re-
peated By soft voice.
He went home smiling, and would have
gone to bed, but that lie expected letter.
At IL o'clock it arrived. Ii was COstanZa
who wrote. He smiled, pleased with his
perspicacity. With the mode by which he
had studied and found her deceit, her
habits. her ways. He did not even open
the letter, for he could almost repeat 1t
mentally. And as he thought of her as OF a
remote remembrance, as everything was I'M
doubted at end with her, he went 10 get all
the ether letters and papers he had OF hers.
put the last, still unopened. with them, and
tied them together with ribbon.
Il was late, and he was sleepy. He went
10 shut up the package IN the common
grave, as he called the bCX containing his
too many souvenirs.
So, without tears or prayers, that love
was hurled and without flowers. Looking
into the open box. he felt like singing in
mnckery the song Of 1Grick's graye-dlgger
in Hamlet" And instead Of a skull. he
ne l-pd IA hp0 riDNs
an old mem0randunl-b book Of years before,
that appeared 10 him like skeleton OK a
prehistoric age.
But, with his sh0rtsghted memory. he
did not read it easily: Every page was a
day, every day note; broken phrases, SEN
teuces cut short, names. date, great pencil
mark crosses and little dried flowers. Not
word that he could comprehend any more.
Not an emotion that he felt any longer. OF
these which he had believed indeliOle and
had supposed were fixed eternally by date,
by q Word. Sometimes prodle. dress,
returned TO his mind, sometimes an entire
episode. But all the subtle and strong plot,
the beautiful story made Of kisses and PROM
ises, he found them no more. That was the
year that they had loved each other, Blanca
and he; the love that had come nearest TO a
passion. a frail passion, If il had been able
70 ED so soon, SO utterly! But they had
believed ia ii, the only time, perhaps! Aud
why WAS 1t broken, then? Nothing. The
year; the last one spoke Of an excursion TO
be made the following day to a not distant
river. Did they go then? The next page
was blank. And blank the others. Moth
ing more. He remembered that that love
was ended for a silly punctlio; and they
had not met again. one waiting for the
other 10 recall him. the other waiting for
his return. A question OF methods that.
tool And he had cOmprehended her ways.
They had met no more.
Among the many pages he met one which
bore the date OF The fourth day OF October.
And he read in her handwriting:
Tomorrow | shall be IS years old Few.
as yet. are they not? But they will become
many, and | shall still love you the same,
my love. Tomorrow you must 0rug me
FIVE little white carnations, grouping them
in your buttonhole. / shall replace them
with a rose, whereOn l shall have laid a
kiss. If | cannot give it 10 you otherwise
BE- content and do not sadden NY day. At
9O'cleck.
Alilio laughed aloud. And he quickly
wondered at this OStentati0n with himself.
Tie tiuth was in that yeloWish old page,
in these faded words written in pencil,
there was an accent which he had heard no
more since then. and which he had not
even tEen understood as in this moment.
Bnt ii was an Instant He laughed and
thought of returning to Blanca the next
day. He was so lonely and bored! And so
much time had passed that neither his pride
nor his heart ran any further risk; from 81
to 26 is more than llfetimel The small
town where he was on the Tyrrheue sea-
coast was the most beautiful autumual site,
and NO villeggiatura had been so happy as
tie one of that year. Who knows il Blanca
was there still? So much the better if he
could hear something about her. And bet
ter still if he could see her and convince
himself, with his own eyes, once more that
all hearts forget and that memory is for
misfortdnes only. A love, however ended,
is never misfortune
When they announced, at Casa Giusi, the
Signor Attiio Despi, almost all those new
prople took on an alarmed look, as toward
every new person who makes bis way into
agrOup OF friends who have had long un-
Outstanding among themselves. Who gave
little ely of surprise and joy was Blanca
and she ran to meet him as if she had no;
seen him for month only, to the wonder OF
everybody.
But seel You here among US! And on
my birthday"
Never had splendid promise come tl
fuller perfection. Blanca was become a
superb young creature, wonder of beauty,
marvel OF grace, irresistible in charms
Her wide black eyes looked frankly, and
shone; her laughing mouth was all be-
witchment. Attilio could only repeat the
customary phrases of arrival. That mouth
Was that really the mouth he lad formerly
kissed?
But do you know that you are become a
savage? IL / had seen you in these five
years l would not have permitted you the
growth of that little beard, still very rough,
nor to take on that air of suspicion and fear
Signor Despi"-she went round, presenting
him to every one-'an old acquaintance OF
ours, who comes to see US from far away
and doesn't know how to choose anything
but five poor little white carnations to offer
to Signorina Blanca? Here, take instead q
q fr - no
and she chose among them until she carried
one, the most beautiful, to her face, breath.
Ing It's odor-"this rosep'
Five years had passed only to make hel
more beautiful, Attic more in love- /
seemed to him that they had seen each othel
only yesterday. and that she, if she could
would later give him the kiss otherwise thar
upon the rose.
"AprOpos, Signor Despi." she said, call.
ing him from distance, do you know thai
fashion has judged in y0rr favor, after
ward? Curls on the forehead are not worn
according to your wishes. But | was The
last woman TO be resigned to iti'
Attilio looked at the wide white brow tina
he formerly uncovered only with a caress
He remembered that they had not seen eact
other for yeas on account of that trife
that he did not wish her TO make little curl:
on her forehead!
.
Three days later was the time appointed
Tor an excursion to the neighboring river
and Attilio found that excuse 10 remain
and take room meanwhile in the town. II
truth, his distrnst had been too long, and b,
bad not been able to leave it off in an hour
although she had seen him return so deepI,
In love, although he had not heard of or per
ceiyed any other love Sf hers. The oh
served each other. scfutinized, and ex
changed badinage. And, as before, they
waited.
The day OF the excursion they were Still
at that point, only she had taken his arm
Tor the river was distant and the way rough
The company went together, noisy. hilari
Gus and festive. The landscape was NOR
and more enchanting But who CAV
q thought to the landseape? In vain tn,