New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-26
PIETRO GHISLERI.
fPY r. MARION CRAWFORD.
Author n ''sarorinesca." The Three Fases. e'e'
Copyright. 1892. by Macmillan CO
CHAPTER

Copvrsoh. 1892. By Macmillan CO
CHAPTER l.
The relation OF two stcpslstcrs 's unusual
When the Honorable Mrs. Carlyon came To Kome
twenty years ago. a young widow ana the mo''er
OF a little girl named Laura. she did not foresee
the compcatio which her second marriage was
20 produce She was good woman in her way
and II she had guessed what IL would mean 70
be the stcpmotl,er Of Adele Bracco enc might
have hesitatcd before marrying Camille OF That
name commonly known as the Prince of Gerano
For the Prince had also been married before. ana
his first wife had left him this one child. Adele
WIN was only a year and half older than little
Laura Carlyon. No children were born TO tho
Gerano couple, and the two girls were brought
IN together as though they were sisters The
Prince and Princess were deeply attached to cach
other and 10 them both. that for many years
Casa Gerano was Justly looked upon as model
household.
Mrs Carlyon was very poor when she came to
Rome Her husband had been careless. good
huinored. and rather reckless younger son. ana
when he broke his neck in coming down the Gross
(;fockner he left his widow about as much "a men
OF his stamp generally leave to their families. 10
wit a fearful and wonderful confusion OF unpaid
debts and considerable number of promises 10
paw money signed by persons whose promises were
not OF much consequence, even when clearly set
down on paper II seems TO be a popularity Of
poor and good-naturcd men that they VIII lena
whate yer money they have TO impccunious frlcnis
In distress rather than use IL for the paying OIL
the Just debts they owe their tailors.
Gcrano was rich. II does not by any means
follow that Mrs. Carlyon married him for his
money, though she could not have married nm
without it, She fell in love with him. lie, on
his part, having made marriage oil interest when
he took his first wife, and having lei by no
means very peace full existence with the deceased
Princess. considered that he had earned the right
to please himself. and accordingly did So More
over Mrs Carlyon was Catholic. when slngu-
larly facilitated matters in the eyes OF Geran's
numerous relations Jack Caryon had been OF the
Church Of England; and though anything Dut
practising believer, if he believed in anything al
all. no had nevertheless absolutely insisted that
his daughter should be brought UP in his own
creed. On this one point he had displayed all
the tcnacity he possessed. and the supply then
eeeued 10 be exhausted so far as other matters
were concerned His wife was very con-
scientious woman. altogether superior TO him IN
character. and she continued TO respect his wishes
even after his death. Laura. she said, should
choose for herself when she was old enough In
the moan time she should GO to the English Church
The consequence was that the little girl had an
Enelish nurse and afterward an Engnsh gov
erncss while Adele was taken care OF ana taught
nv Catholics Under these circumstances, and az
tho s+ensisters were not related by blood nor even
nv racc. Il is not strange that they should have
grown I'D to be as different as possible, while
living under the same roof and calling the same
persons father and mother.
The question Of religion alone could certainly
not have brought about the events here to he
loI m bp aS
that this history is not in the least concerned
with matters Of faith, creed, or dogma, which
nrc better left TO those good men whose business
il il to understand them. The main and strlk-
ing points of contrast werc these. Adele was
barely more than pretty. Laura was all Du'
beautiful Adele a great feircss, ana Laura
had nothing or next to nothing to expect az her
mothers death. Adele was puick-witted. lively
given to exagycration in her talk. and not very
scrupulous as to questions of fact. Laura was
slow TO decide but tenacious of her decisions, ana
on the whole. very truthful.
In appearance so far as gcncralities were con.
cerned the contrast between the two girls was
less marked. Both were Of the dark type, but
I.aura's complexion was paier than Adelcs and
her hair was blacker, as we'll as thicker and more
glossy Laura's eyes were large very deep set
and dark There was something strange In their
look something quite unusual, and which might
almost be called holy, if that we've not TOO strong
word to use in connection with woman OF the
world. Spcca, the melancholy duellist. who was
still alive at that tine, used TO say that no one
could possibly be good as Laura Carlyon
looked: a remark which showed that he was
acquainted with the sayings OF great English
wit and was not above making use OF them
Probably some part Of the effect produced by
Laura's eyes was due TO the evenly perfect Willie
ness Of her skin and the straight black brows
which divided them from the broad, low forehead.
For her hair grew low, and she wore it in simple
fashion without the abundance Of little cnrls.
which even then were considered almost essential
to woman's beauty Her palor too. was quito
natural. for she had good constitution and had
rarely even had headache. In figure she was
well proportional Of average height and rather
strongly made with large, nrui, weshaped hands
On the whole a graceful girl, hut not III that
way remarkable among others Of her own age
In her face and altogether In her presence. the
chief attraction lay in the look OF her eyes, which
made one forget to notice the wcllchlsllcd nose
\ little short perhaps--thc really beautiful mouth
and the perfect teeth The chin. too. was broad
and firm-too firm, some might have said. for one
90 young Considering all these facts together
most people agreed that Laura was not far from
being great beauty
Adele was somewhat shorter than her step
sister. and more inclined to be stout Her black
eyes were set more together. and her eyebrows
almost mot while her lustrcess hair curled nat
urally in a profusion Of tiny rinelets upon her
forehead The small fine nose reminded one OF
. ferret. and the white teeth looked sharp and
pointed when the somewhat thin lips parted and
showed them: but she was undoubtedly pretty,
and something more than pretty. Her face had
color and animation. she carried her email head
we'll and her gestures were graceful and easy
She was fluent. too. in conversation. and ready al
I'll times with quick answer Any one could
see In spite OF her plump figure. that she was OF