The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-12-07

two lovers. Carlo and MARIA Dole VIII
dignity the burden of their popularity
FINALLY. after don't know how many
vaars-four or five, il seems to me-oi
this coutinual struggle, Of daily weep
inc az long. long love maintained alive
bv dissensiors. the aspect Of things
changed. There was a worthy person
there still are such-whO with many ef-
forts Of eloquence persuaded the parents
that bv the lawsuits they were losing
nropertv and much of it, as witness the
two advocates who had grown rlch al
the exDense Of their clients; that those
two Young people were pinins and would
90 into a decline because Of that thwart
"a love; the houses were SIDE BY SIDE
and the estates contiguous; Christ for
gave, and they must forgive II they
wished to find forgiveness. He SAID SC
much and so many other persons, moved
by the example, interposed that tne
questions came to a compromise which
had as its first chapter the marriage oi
Carlo and Maria.
Here, surely, every one viii suppose
that the young people were greatly con-
soled, and viii suppose truly-out my
obligation as a sincere story teller con-
strains me to say that in their frst tree
coIloquy reigned q great eInbarra ssment
They were accustomed to see each Other
at a distance by stealth; 10 speak from
a first floor window down TO the street
in the darkness, Disgusting or smother
ing their voices; they found themselves
quite different, perhaps q 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 imprecanons and
tears to be mingled with the ink; they
no longer wrote to each other. Every
thing was free, smooth, easy for their af-
lection; they We're not obliged to think
of subtleties by which 10 evade the vigi-
lance of their elders; they took no more
pleasure in murmuring few words IN
secret; they made no more daring prof.
ects for the future. They wolld be
married prosaically, without obstacles,
ike 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 point
ed out as an example Of fidelity. Now
all ewes were fixed On the eyes Of the
pretor, who was accused Of too great
partiality for the vice attorneys ssri-
ous piece of business
The two lovers felt themselves for
saken-a great coolness arose between
them. Carlo found that the virtues Of
his fiancee, those virtues which shope in
her letters, were dimmed by the atInos-
phere Of home. Maria frequently thought
that Carlo was rather commonplace IN
his tastes, and TO that end, with stupid
marriage, so tempestuous a love was un-
worthy a reader Of Mastrisni. A few
lively remarks passed between them in
regard 70 illusions cOntradicted by the
reality about "mirages, optical de-
lusions7 and similar pin pricks; a quar-
rel ensued, then two, then they became
a daily occurrence. One evening Maria
said with "a irritated tone:
Carlo, let Us leave it OF.
Let us" he replied without hesita-
ton.
And the next day he set of on jour
ney for the improvement Of his mind
Maria went TO Naples, 10 the house Of q
cousin, TO fish for a heroic husband.
The families had a new falling out; Ma
ria's father had an opening made for a
window which overlooked his neighbor' S
courtyard; the latter, in order to annoy
him, built a dove cote of which the
doves ran about everywhere; imnedi-
ately there was a summons, a second, a
third, the lawsuits began again, and
this time, the advocates said, smiling,
without hope OF any compromise
Translated from the Italian of Matilde
Serao by Z. Cavazza for Short Stories.