The record-union., 1895-01-05

sought tno DlO0Q reV6ngeT' sno again
passionately pleaded.
Il would hate him for an enemy to Cor
sica and the human race!'
IF woman-a sister-a daughter ?"
she faltered brokenly.
II should loathe her all the more be-
| cause she was woman"
If she were dear to you-if she adored
you-could you love such woman ?''
She said this as though her mortal fate
hung on his answer.
~ should loathe her until"
| "Until?-"
Why" said the goatherd lifting the
maiden to his knees and soothing her
| tenderly, 81 truly could not but loathe
her and fear her bloody heart, until she
mad shown by some act of wonanly ten
derness, say like forgiveness, or striving
to remove the ban from the slayer. that
she was worthy to be clasped in the arms
of one who truly loved ~
| In such nature wilds, with such wild
natures--the ne banned by law, the
other plunglng madly until now toward
| the laws ban-an hour or day is as
years to other humankind.
marco intensity of longing for human
co1npanlonshlp and the measureless idol
lZatlon on the part of the maiden, brought
the nerds and the hearts together on
Monte Rotondo's nights; brought the
! nVes, SO strangely met, into compassion
| ate and loving unity.
| :, Inc couch OF Agnese was spread within
Ine inner cavern; that of Marco, beside
MS gun, at the open door. If danger
menaced by day or night, they stood SEN
IlneI pehlnd the rocks together; and to-
| gether they led their herd into wilder and
wilder canyons or climbed with it to diz-
Zlest nights above
| Inough the herdSmen at the craggy sta
ton below, missing the voice which once
seemed TO pour forth from the mountain
top exultant liquid melodies alike for
banned and free, now shrugged their
shoulders and muttered, The gun of the
sblrrl has stllled it at last" it was not
lost 1t only sank into the lower, ten
| derer cadences of love.
marco sung to and for Agnese alone.
EcstatIcally precious as was this DALI
ance to her simple and untutored soul
the very passion which fed ravenously of
It's flrst fair feast Of light and love. awak-
ened also the bitterest pangs of womanly
regret; Ior 10 woman love comes with
| supreme victory when with it are the
SHINING laurels OF admiration and of
pride.
"Ah, l am murderer at heartr' she
| would moan upon her couch in the still
ness of the night. HE would Ioathe me,
could he see it's blackness of the past.
has ne not said: Until l forgive, until
remove the ban of the slayer, 1 am not fit
TO be clasped in the arms OF him who
truly loves?"
At last, moved by this great agony, she
arose In the darkness and was gone.
Corsican homes still resound with
praises OF the wild, skin-clad thing from
the mountains who came to Lucciana,
Basta, and at last to Ajaccio, and pleaded
Tor pardon OF the slayer OF Fabiano. her
lather; pleaded desperately, until the par
lsn pleaded with the canton. the canton
with the Commune, the Commune with
the Department Council and Prefect, and
| these with the President OF France him
self.
To all inquirers she would dazedly and
pltlfully answer: ':He is little and dark
and speaks hoarsely and uncoutnly. He
| wears Gu bes of gold in his ears. and walks
widely, like the tailors of Bastia. He is
called Batlsta Casio, L am told. He was
the slayer of my father. l forgive. And
shall not Corsica also forgive?"
Thus ever and ceaselessly until the peo-
pie and the council had forced the un-
| willing pardon from the EIysee itself.
| Then, wan. emaciated, the wrath of her
former self, she sped to Marco who, with
the last link between him and life broken
by her mysterious flight, had sat mute
and songless among the goats, and
spreading the priceless paper before his
eyes cried out:
pardoned! Is thy Agnese now worthy
of love?"
Holy Virgin! Agnese, it is 1 who
must crave forgiveness now. For am
he-Batista Casto-who struck the fatal
blow ~
With the smile of a saint in her hag-
gard face, she received him in her arms.
The news had spread over the island to
the very shores OF the encircling sea. As
Batlsta and Agnese descended the noun
tam together, "Evvivasn' from the lips
OF herdsmen and bandits, made daring
by the thrill which ran from valley to
mountain, burst upon them as blessing
from every glen and crag. Men from
Lucclana and men from Borgo, embrace
ing as they came, met them where the
golden rain of autumn chestnuts was
IaIllng IN the sunlight of the upper val
Ieys; and as they stood together upon the
shoulders of the multitude which carried
them through Borgo to the little market
place OF Lucciana, hosts who then Joined
IN the loud huzzas still rememb Der how
they gaZed upon this triumph of love
through binding and joyous tears.