New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-21
PIETRO GHISLER1.
BY r. MARION CRAWFORD.
Author az "sarocfnesca. "The Three Fstes." etc.
Copuiqht. 1892 by Macmillan & 70
CHAPTER XVII.

Author Of "Saucinesca, ." 'The Three Fstes' eoc'
Copyright 1892 by Macmillan & 60
CHAPTER XVII.
Laura Arden's plans for the summer were not oy
any means settled, but she was anxious 10 leaNe
Rome soon both because travelling III the neat
would be bad for little Herbert, and because shc
wished TO leave the rather expensive apartment IN
which she had continued to live after her nus
bands death A far smaller and less pretehtious
dwelling would be amply sufficient Tor her next
,v;nter and in the mean time she intended to 90
70 some quiet town either in Switzerland or by the
seaside. and to keep as much alone possible. Her
mother might be willing to spend month or two
with her. and Laura would be very glad of her
company, but there was one else whose society
she desired She could, Of course. 60 TO England
and STAY AT her brother-n-law's house in solemn
and solitary state but she feared the long journey
for her child and she cared little for the sort OF
existence she must lead in the magnificent country
seat in the absence of the Lulworths themselves
1t would he pleasant no lead a very simple ana
Quiet life somewhere out Of the world. and as lar
as possible from the scene of all her suNcrnss
II Adele and Francesca had not appeared while
Ghiseri was making his first visit. she would
probably have asked his advice. lie had peeh
almost everywhere. and being himself fond oil soil
tude. would in all likelihood have told her OF some
beautiful and secluded spot where she could i've
In the way che desired. But in the presence oil
her stepsistcr she had not cared to speak on the
subject
After they had left her she thought long time
of Gbislcr and his story and. for the first time III
her life she wished she might see him again be-
fore long He had shown her a side of himself
which she had neither seen nor guessed at before
and she began to understand, dimy at first ana
then more clearly. the strong liking her husoahu
had always shown for him. He was capable oil
deem and earnest beliefs and Of high and generous
imnulses in spite of his contempt for himself ana
Of the irregular life he led His present exist
encc. as far rs she knew anything of it. She con-
demncd as unworthy She was not, however
woman as easily shocked at the spectacle OF eNh
in the lives of others might have been eNITcted
There was a great deal Of sound good sense IN 'he
composition of her character, and she had seen
enough of the world to have learned that periec-
tim is a word used to define what is little bet
ter than the average. What she had disliked III
Chislcri from her first acquaintance with him was
not connected with his reputation. of which, al
that time she had known very little. BESIDES.
though people called him fast and wild ana more
or less heartless he liked, on the whole as
much as any unmarried man in society. lie was
known to be honorable, courageous and very as
Greet, and the latter quality almost invariaoly
brings its reward in the end. That he shonid
have been entanglcd in more than one love ailair
was only what was to be expected OF slich q man
1t two or three and thirty years OF age ana no
bne really considered him any the worse on tha'
account. while the great majority Of women
Thought him vastly more interesting for that very
reason. Laura was not, perhaps so entirely dii-
.o,ant from the rest of her sex "a Gsler fond
OF believing Her education had not been that OF
vounc Roman girls, it is true, and the singular
circumstances of her short married life had not
deye]oped her character in the same direction as
theirs generally was by matrimony. BIT III real
womanliness she az much woman as any OF
them liable 70 the same influences and to the same
class Of cnthnsiasms. Because she had loved and
married Herbert Arden, it did not follow that she
could not and did not admire all that was brave
and generous and strong, independently OF moral
weakness and faults.
Arden himself indeed though he had excited
her pity By his physical defects. had commanded
her respect by the manly courage lie showed under
all his suNerincs She had been able to forget his
deformity in the superior gifts of intelligence and
heart which had unquestonaby been his and.
after all, she had loved him most because she had
felt that but for an accident he would have been
pre-eminently manly man. Cripple as he was,
she had always known that she could rely on
him. and her instinct had always told her that he
could protect her.
But she had never trusted Ghis!erj. lie had
the misfortune to show his worst side to most
people. and he had shown it to her. She had seen
Ynore than once that he was ready &c undertake
and carry out almost anything for his friends
sake. and she had been honestly grateful to him
for all he had done But she had not been able.
until now. to shake off that feeling Of distrust
and timid dislike she had always felt in his pres
sncA She had. indeed succeeded toerably well in
hiding il from him, but it had always made her
cold in conversation and somewhat formal in man
ner, and he, being outwardly rather formal and
pold man. had, so to say, put himself in harmony
eth her kew For the first time in their acquaint-
hnoe, and under pressure Of what he considered
necessity he had suddenly unbent, and had told
her the principal story Of his life with rankness
and simplicity that had charmed her From that
hour she judged him differently. After that first
visit he went often TO see her. and on each occa-
son he felt drawn more closely to her than before
sYou are very much changed he said to her
one day. "Do you mind my saying it p
SHOT in the least" Laura answered, with a
.mi1e sBut in what way am diferent?'
an one great thing think. You used 10 &c
worry imposingly calm with me. You never seemed
unite willing TO speak freely about anything. Now
A il almost always you who make me tax ~
making me feel that you will talk yourself lha'
d not very clearly put, is it, do not know
whether you ever disiled me If you did You
never showed II. But really begin 10 think that
Ton almost like me. Is there any truth in that :"
"Yes-a great deal She smiled again. More
Ruth than you gucss-for do not mind saying II
,ince It is all over. did not like you. and i
.sused to try and hide it, But like You now, and
II am quite willing that you should know it."
sThat is good OF you--good as everything yon
NO is. But would really like TO know why you
have changed your mind. May l?'
because have found out that you are not
what took you for
sMost discoveries of that kind are dsappoint-
enants observed Ghisleri, with dry laugh
THAT is Just the sort Of remark I used to
a,slika Won for" said Laura. The world is not
No& anti NJ 20 ohsar-