Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-06-02

pushing along the wall, l heard some
one calling me by name. l turned and
looked; tall man in red domino and
mask beckoned to me. The moment
I approached his companion left
him
g.. Sit down near me. 1t is with diff
iculty that we have met, said he. But
why do you look at me so? Is it possi-
bic that you do not recognize my voice?'
"'Thcre is something familiar in it,
the hit ], but still it is strange and
unusual
well, if you do not know me, then
10 continued he, raising his mask.
%. started back involuntarily; my
hea sank from fright, My Godl this
is Iorin, these are his features-oh,
Ger -ainly this is he; but as he will be
when lying on the table, when the Last
service is sung over his body. But now
no. no! living man cannot have such
a facer thought I.
3. Well, asked he with certain
strange smile, do you not find that
have changed?
Oh, very muchr
Then why do. you say that grief
changes man? Not grief, but posi-
bly, joy
4" 'Joy%
Yes, my friend. If you knew how
happy | am! Listen continued he, in
IN undertone and looking around tim
idly; 'butfor God S sake let no one know
of this She is here
" She? Who?'
"Lauretta'
us it possible?'
Yes, my friend, she is here; and,
oh, how she loves me! She left her
dear birthplace; she exchanged an
ever blue sky for our cloudy and
her relatives, warmed by the sun Of
happy Italy, she bloomed like beauti,
full rose: but here, among people as cold
and lifeless as our eternal SHOWS if she
herself does not fade she will ruin her
gift, she will outlive her glory. She,
accustomed to breathe the warm air Oh
the South, was not afraid of our split
ting frosts, of our wintry tempest, she
forgot rything, left every thing, and
has lain down alive in this broad cold
tomb which we call our country; and
all this for me-
/" DO you not glorify this act over
much?' asked !, interrupting my friend.
1T is not so warm here as in Italy; but
we have spring and summer as well as
there Perhaps it is pleasanter in Ma
pies than here; ] must say, however,
that Moscow does not look like a tomb
your Lauretta is not the first Italian ar
tiste whom we have seen here; and il
she will give concerts
Yes, one and the last. have con-
sented to this Let her enchant all
Moscow, warm up for a moment your
icy souls, and then die for all men but
me-
g so she intends to remain here%
- Yes; now do you see how she loves
me? But in return, | also-oh, my love
is not feeling, not a passion-no, my
friend, no! / cannot tell whether you
will comprehend my happiness or un-
derstand me. | belong wholly to her.
She asked this of me; she wished this
Here Zorin bent forward and whispered
in my ear: Il gave her my soul; now l
am entirely hers-do you understand,
my friend?-entirely.
well, it has happened to me often
TO give away my soul in words; and
what young man would hesitate n mo-
ment to tell u woman he loved that his
soul belonged to her, that she possessed
it? This is an ordinary, everyday
phrase in the language of love. But
still l cannot tell you with what terror
and repulsion heard the confession of
my friend. The mysterious voice in
which he spoke; the wild fire of his
cleaning eyes; this uncontrolled, mad
enthusiasm; these words of joy; the
pale, withered face of corpsel
30 brother!' said |, with vexation,
how can you talk such nonsense? The
soul does not belong to us, and cannot
be given away. Love your Italian ar
tiste; marry her II you like; give her
your heart
'Heartr repeated my friend, in a
tone of ridicule But what is the heart?
Is the heart immortal like the soul?
VIII it not rot in the grave? A splen-
did gift, n handful of dust! Whose
gives his heart, promises to love only
while it beats-and it may grow cold,
If not to-day, tomorrow; but whoever
parts with his soul, gives not one life,
not hundred lives, but all his endless
eternity. Yes, my friend, if you give
gift, let it be real one. Lauretta has
nothing TO fear now; the soul is not
like the heart-it cannot be buried in
the grave
d" show me this enchantress, this
Armida, said i; this seductive demon
who is hlehing away your soul
" 4 do not know myself, where she
lives