Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-06-13
to that blond
ter-so you can pay O.

youhS Iaoy.
''No, no! I Ike brunettes best. 1 pre-
fer widows. They are more piquant
Come I beg of you. Think that your
compliance may perhaps decide my
whole life. ~
We'll, take my lodging" sighed the
young lieutenant with affected resigna-
ton. "Go and warm your heart in the
presence of the Marchesa Gamberti, and
toast your boots at the fireplace of her
parlor.
Then Te-,biani rushed to hunt up his
valise; next into one of the rooms Of
the inn, where he worked complete
nretamorphosis in his apparel; changed
his fatigue Dress frayed and discolored,
for brand fire new uniform, and with
out re-enteri.lg the dining room went
to ask some directions of the landlord as
to tho pcoa where Casa Gamberti was.
''Ah, you are quartered there? Ex
cellentP' approved the fat landlord
after having looked at the lieutenant
from head to foot to make sure that he
was worthy OF such place. Then he
added:
VI yOl A1QfO Ouu LOW oOSps
to take because the Palazzo Gamberti is
almost opposite here, that house, you
see, where there are so many lights.
The officer went toward the house
pointed to him. It was an antique
building of rich and elegant stye-a
pearl among lentils in comparison with
the other houses.
cChn 1,oo 1oI sc,fo DO -
said Terbiani to himself, not only at
seeing her home, but also at the aspect
of the servant that came to open the
door.
"The signora marchesa is at the Villa
di Givioso," said the domestic, show
ing the lieutenant into a drawing room
furnished in antique brocade, where a
great fire was cracking merrily in the
porphyry chimneypiece. The servant
added:
eff the signor tenente wishes to read,
on that table are the newspapers, in that
bookcase some books. If the signor
tenente wishes that I should prepare
him some tea or coffee, that bring him
some liquors -
ono, thank YOU, replied the officer
absentmindedly.
perhaps the signor tenente would
like to go to bed?"
''No, no; thanks, repeated Terbiani.
81 never go to bed before midnight. "
This last phrase was uttered in the
hope that the marchesa would come
home before that hour.
''Here is an apartment kept as like
to see one, and domestic worthy to be
the envy of many q master, was the
mental approval of the officer as he
stretched himself in wide, low and
deep armchair before the glowing fire
He opened q newspaper, read without
article, which was upon the foreign pol
icy. Then little by little he forgot his
reading. He began to watch the fame
that arose in tongues, blue, golden, red,
and ended by absorbing himself i'll a
thousand dreams more luminous
strange, many colored and capricious
than the flame itself. They lasted un
person entered the room little after 10
o'clock
She was much prettier, to look at her
closely, than Terbiani had judged her
at first sight.
"Welcome, lieutenant, said the lady
with the ease OF a perfect woman Of the
world. 81 have just met at my moth
er's house one Of your companions, and
from him learned that you were here,
SO I'm come home in great haste to full
fill the duties Of hospitality.
The young man bowed deeply, at
once subjugated by those bright eyes
that looked mischievously at him and
by the subtle smile of those red lips
which addressed to him words SO gra-
cious-without suspecting, poor fellow,
that he himself was the cause Of that
mirth held within bounds only by ex-
quisite politeness.
In fact, that indisoreet Bompane, in
formed by chance few moments after
his arrival at Givioso of the existence
and perfect health of the Marchese Gam
berti, had not been able to restrain his
hilarity, and invited to explain it by
the family into which he had been re-
ceived he had related the change of the
billit Of quarters, the enthusiasm and
the matrimonial hopes of Terbiani
Such was the true motive of the ready
return of the marchesa, who, delighted
with the opportunity which presented
itself for the exercise of her wit and
her good humor, had hastened to come
to take her part in the little comedy.
DO not let my presence hinder you
from retiring, lieutenant" said the
lady, with coquetry. "You must feel
great need of rest after this fatiguing
days march in the snow"
And he gallantly:
"Oh, signora, there is no WEAKNESS
that could make me renounce thesa mo-
ments Of your charming conversation. "
AS to the charm of my converse
tion, - she said, laughing, permit me
to make you observe that you are not
yet in a position to judge of it. AS for
me, instead she quickly added. deter
mined to appear coquettish, sit seems
too good to be true to chat with per-
son who does not belong to my family
and whom l do not see every day I as
lure you that one has quite enough of
solitude after whole long winter PASS
ed in this forsaken little place"
81 can believe it, signora marchesa.
But why condemn yourself to this Sc
clusion?"
"Ah, this is it. The physician has
known how to persuade my family that
this rest was absolutely necessary for
me, and have preferred to subject my
self to the doctors advice rather than
to the scenes of tender reproach that my
refusal would have provoked At all
events, I have gained the color of
peasant, for it seems that to be bored is
good for the health. You can't imagine
the impossible length of winter day
in this place and how hard it is to oc-
cupy the endless hours that compose it. "
II Understandable, l understand"
repeated the young man, pulling his
pointed lnustache.
The dialogue thus begun ran success
lively over the whole ground where it
could be carried by O man and q wom-
an Of good society who meet for the first
time. They talked Of literature, art, So
ciety, and discovered that they had sew
eral mutual friends at Rome, Milan and