Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-21

Turning toward Giraldo, She saw him fret
ting his puckered browIWith his hand and
brain to understand MIide Merosailles' let
ter. So she was very SORRY for him, and.
knowing the sudden hpt1temper to which
s%ftiy across te sna Ws
pered: Escape and hide Hide for a few
days. He will be furious now, but he will
soon forget. Don't watt, now, but escape,
signor. Some harm Will happen to you
she laid her hand on 5hiSiarm and looked
up in his face with impioring eyes. But
he looked at her with dszfd. vacant stare,
then q Wistfui smile eamsI on his face and
he thrust the letter toward her. saying,
Madame, will you read II for me?" And
at that moment they heard the king swear
an angry oath, for he had seen the mad
seech chi Giraido. mot now, signor. nor LIS
ten, the king is angry! Escape now, and
we will read the letter afterward." And
him and was praying him to save himself
for the sake Of her love. And he looked
into her softened eyes, and suddenly CIV
ing little cry. as II great joy had come
likelihood. he dropped M. de Merosailles'
letter and sprang to where his brushes lay
on the floor, and selling them at his pal
cite, he gave another swift glance at the
began to paint with marvellous dexterity
and dizziness and with the swift confidence
of a man inspired to the work AS he
worked his brow grew smoother, the ten
sion Of his strained face relaxed. happi-
ness dawned in his eyes and a smile broke
on his lips, and Osra watched him with a
tender, sorrowful gaze. Still he painted
and he was painting, when the king burst
in from the other room, in a great rage
and carrying his sword drawn in his hand,
for he had sworn by Our Lady and St.Petcr
to kill the rogue who had done the princess
such wrong and SO slandered her beauty.
And his gentlemen came in with him. all
very ready to see Giraldo killed, but each
eager that the king should leave the task
to him. Yet when they entered and saw
Giraldo painting as though he were wrapt
that had passed, nay, even their very pres
ence, they paused in unwilling and con-
strained hesitation, and Osra raised her
hand to bid them stay still where they
painting. For now she desired above all
things on earth that he should be left to
finish his task. For he thought he had
read more than pity and more than ten
see love there, and thus he had cried out
in joy, and thus he was now painting as
never had even he. for all his skill, painted
before. His unerring hand, moving lightly
delusive vision to the canvas, SO that the
eyes of the portrait glowed with wonderful
and beautiful love and gentleness. Pres
emily Giraldo began tossing very softly
peasants sang to peasant girls in the fields
outside his native Verona on summer even
ings. His head was thrown back in tri-
umph and exultation as he sang and work.
ed, tasting the luxury of love and glorying
in the tribute that his genius paid to her
whom he loved. Thus came a moment of
great Joy to the soul of Giraldo, the paint
er; for a mans love and a mans work
tn nf all
things the sweetest, and their union in one
his life's contamination.
1t was done. He laid down the brush
and drew back step. looking on what he
slowly, as though attracted against her
will, and stood by him; for she saw that
this picture was now, beyond all compare,
the most perfect and beautiful of all that
and she loved him for thus clarifying her.
But, before many moments had gone by.
a sudden start and shver Fan through Gil
RADIOS body. The spell Of his entranced
terpece that he had snadei and wandered
to those who stood about him-to the gen.
tlemen who did not know whether to won
der or to laugh, to the angry face of the
last to Osra, whose eyes were still on the
picture. And his exufation vanished, and
with 1t went. as 1t seemed to them. his
madness. Reason dawned for a moment in
his eyes, but was quencIled in an instant
by shame and despair For he knew that
all had seen that Other picture, and they
knew not what he had done; and suddenly,
with a stifed cry. he flung himself full
length on the floor at, Osra's feet
Let us wait" said she gently. He will
be himself soon."
But the king was too angry to listen.
He has made us fools before half Eu-
rope" he said angrily, land he shall not
live to talk of it. And you-have you seen
the picture yonder?"
Eyes, I have seen it," said she. but he
does not now think that picture like me,
but this one" And she turned to the gen.
tlemen and desired them to raise Giraldo
and lay him on a couch. and they oheyed.
Then she knelt by his head; and, after
a while, he opened his eyes. seeming sound
Of sense in everything except that he be-
lieved she loved him, that he began to
whisper to her as lovers whisper to their
loves, very tenderly and very low. And
the king, with his gentlemen. stood little
way off. But the princess said nothing to
Giraldo, neither refusing his love nor yet
saying what was false; yet she suffered
him to talk and to reach up his hand and
gently touch lock of hair that strayed on
her forehead. And he, signing in utter hap
piness and contentment, closed his eyes
again and lay back very quietly on the
couch.
Let us CO." said she, rising. II will
send a physician And she babe one of
the gentlemen lock the inner room and give
her the key, and she and the king, and
they all, then departed, and sent his ser
wants to go tend Giraldo; and Osra caused
the kings physician also to be summoned.
But Giraldo did no more than linger some
few days alive; and for the most of them
he was in high fever, his brain being
wild; and he raved about the princess,
sometimes railing at her, sometimes prais-
ing her; yet once or twice he woke calm
and happy, as he had been when she knelt
by him, and having for his only delusion
the thought that she still knelt there and
was breathing words of love into his ear.
And in this last merciful error, in respect
of which the physicians humored him, he
one day, a week later, passed away and
was at peace.
Then the princess came, attended by one
gentleman in whom she placed confidence,
and she destroyed the evil picture that
Giraldo had painted, and having caused
fire to be made, burnt up the pieces of 1t
and all the ruins of the pictures that Giral-
do had destroyed. But that on which he
had last worked so happily, and with such
triumph Of art, she carried with her to the
palace, and presently she caused copies to
be made of 1t and sent to each of the
princes by whom Giraldo had been COM
manded to paint her picture, and with 1t
the money he had received. the whole of
which was found to be untouched in cab
net in his house. But the picture itself she
hung in her own chamber, and would often
look at it. feeling great sorrow for the fate
of Giraldo, the painter.
Yet King Rudolf could not be prevailed