The herald., 1896-02-16
THE SWORD AND THREE

/ find word to comfort her.
"'Knowest thou,' said I, what thy
father sai0!'
".Oh, surely cried she, surely,
Nicolo! l Icannot bear to tell thee the
word; he has promised me at Candle
mass
81 feared to hear it, but in this city
of republicans, mon ami, name buys
much. GiraIamo was Capello, great
man among the Ssrenissima; he bad
place, position, all that a father may
seek in new son. Why, then, should
not Orio prefer this man for his daugh-
ter before the glassmaker, Who had
naught but the blunt speech and the
willing hands? Nay, knew that he
must; and l trembled for little Chris
tine.
"'Pretty child said I, raising her up
to me, there are two months to Can
dlemass. Who can say what two
months may bring? And every day
thou shalt see Paolo in the shop thou
lowest, promise thee
"'And thou wilt save Paolo's life?
she asked. ...4
II laughed at her childish fancies.
"'Why should Paolo have need Of
me?' cried I.
"'Because Girolamo has sworn to kill
him. Oh, dear Nicolo, thou knowest
what he is; thou has crossed swords
with him. Paolo will surely die.
"'Little Christine, said /, 'dost thou
then forget that thy lover has stood
before me, son of Andrea? Dost thou
forget that shaped the blade he wears?
There is no finer in Venice; no quicker
eye than Psolo's, no truer nand. Who
shall kill him, then? Not Girolamo,
the lumberer; Girolamo, the horse;
Girolamo, the buffoon. Body of
Bacchus, I would worst him with a
cane
"My raillery comforted her, but upon
the next day, Paolo being away at Tor
cello, as she said, she was not with me
at my forge; and at sunset. the light
being red upon the sails of ships and
the whole lake shining as with tide
Of blood, she called me while l was yet
long way from my house; and her
distress was made plain to all that
passed by.
"sCousin Nicolop was her cry, dear
cousin, they have killed him. Oh,
Paolo. he is dead; / have seen him.
He is dead in the garden of Manin the
painter. They took him there that
they might kill him. l have seen his
bleeding body. Nicolo! thou nearest
me; thou art my friend. Nicolo! thou
wilt not let him die
with such wild words iu her mouth
she continued to run to and fro upon
the riva before my garden; but 1,
thinking that she had walked from some
feverish dream, made no answer until
1 had dra WI her to the shelter of the
little arbor, and there | sat her down
and began to question her.
"'Christine,' said l, what dream is
this? Thou sayest that they have
killed him.?
''She stifled her tears. and looked up
to me with face very worn and full of
suffering.
"'Oh, dear Nicolo. it is the truth; /
have seen him with, my own eyes. He
went there at sunset; ! watched him
from my window. An hour ago Luigi
carried me in the boat to the garden
gate, and | saw him at Giralmo's feet.
He is dead. Oh, God help me, he is
dead
''She spoke the words, and such q
torrent of weeping came upon her that
l troubled her with no more question
ing; but carried her to my gondola
which lay still at the steps. It was
then quite dark; yet 1 feared 50 mucf
! to find the story as she had told to me
that 1 waited for no lantern, but bade
my boatman make straight for the
! house of Manin, which lies near by the
canal of the Zitelle. And we had come
up to the riva of the garden before
had begun to think in what way the
cunning swordsmgn Paolo had fallen
before the blunderer, by what means
he had been lured to the nest of his
enemies.
"At the sight Of the bronze gates of
Manin's house, through the bars of
which the leafy walks and avenues of
the garden were plain to our view, little
Christine started up from her weeping
and took my hand in hers.
"'Seest thou the lantern swingine
| beneath the great lime tree, Nicolo.
It was there he lay; saw his body
upon the grass, Oh, my tears blind
me-
"'Prsy God thou dreamest, child,
said l. aud with this 1 sprang from the
/ boat and went up to the gate. There
was no sign OF any lamp yet lit in the
! house, nor Of any persons occupying
1t, lAuOcu, II was COlI Will bllllue5S
and but for the one lantern set upor
/ the bench it had been without any
/ token of human presence. Nor cou!C
/ I for long time get any answer to my
kuooking-not until l had rung twics
| the great bell behind the pillars, anc
| heard hundred echoes over the water
At the last a crone with very yellow
! face and wicked little eyes came hob
| bling from the garden; and when she
had held Up her lamp that she might
| see my face she cried:
"'Chi xe?'
"sAmici,' said /; and that she might
! not nisund erstand me l added, and i
! you do not open the gate quickly, gooC
dame, Will surely blow your brain.
| out
"She gave harsh little laugh ant
put down her light.
"'rhou art Nicolo! Well I know
thee ogckled She; 'and he was one o
| thine! Madonna mia, that thoushoulds
find me with his blood upon my hand
"She opened the gave with this harst
croak of apology, and | pushed by her
snarching the lamp from her hands.
"'Where are your masters? | asked
as she faWned before, Gha flicker of tht
| yellow rays strong upon the cracked
face.
my masters? What are they te
thee? Belize they seek priest, Nicolo
who can say? Thou wouldst not have
thy friend want shift-one OF thin,