The herald., 1896-02-16

Woman, where is the sword of
Paolo who is murdered?'
"As we'll as she might, for / went
nigh to choking her, she gasped:
"'What do [ know Of that, thou brag-
gart that beatest womenY
"'Hag,' said l. my rage overmaster-
ing me, if you do not tell me what I
would know, surely you shall chokep
with which word l 80 squeezed her
throat that che gurglsd for her breath,
and her face was near to being black
with the blood in it. When L loosened
the grip of my finger there we're min
utes before she could bring speech to
her lips.
'Nicolo,' she stammered at last,
thou hast devil in thee. What wilt
! thou pay me for the word?'
"'What is it worth to me when
spoken?' l answered her.
SAT least let me open to thee
"'If it please you
"'But J. choke
"srhe better reason that you open
quickly
"Observing that 1 would not loose
my hand from her neck, she made shift
to open the gate; and still holding to
hor, I suffered her to draw me to the
dark place Of the garden.
"'Now,' said 1, answer me, woman;
what did you do with the sword of
Paolo?'
"'Why should answer thee when
thou knowest?'
Indeed, know well,' said l, that
while he sat at meat, his sword lying
by the tree, you took it to the fire and
then to the water; was it so!'
"'Even So
"'Who paid your
"'Who should pay me but the one
who wished his DEATH?
"'Girolamo Capello, was the money
his?'
"As you say
"Fiend,' said l, now seeing it all,
what wage had you?'
"To this she made no answer, only
seeking to struggle from my grasp, and
raising her voice until it rang over the
water in echoing shrieks. So sudden
was it, and so fearful was her Cry, that
j came near to telling her go; but some
good instinct kept my hand upon her,
and seeming to feel that danger lay be-
hind me, l swung her around with all
my force, 80 that she came between me
and the gate. Scarce was the motion
made when three swords flashed in the
light, and then buried themselves in
her body. She had received the thrusts
aimed at my own back, and she fell
shriekipg at the feet Of the men she
had served.
"Dim as the light was, dark as the
secret place of the garden, / saw the
men, and there was a burning of blood
in my veins when named them.
"'Signor Girolamo. an old man greets
you,' said l, while my blade leapt from
its scabbard; and you, Signor Manin,
| and my old friend Lorenzo. Ho! ho!
merry company, and a fine night for
little play, gentlemen. 1t is l, Nicolo,
that makes the blades of wood
Before had done with this saying
we had got down to our work. 1t
seemed to me that the three of them
sprang at me together; but Manin the
ainter caught his foot in the robe of
the woman, and fell headlong upon the
grass. OF the two that remained, SO
unshapely was the play of the one
called Lorenzo that thrust him deep
in the throat, and he died without a
cry.
"'Oh, Master Lorenzo! Master Lor.
EMO! cried l; often have taught thee
the parry for that thrust, and now
thou must learn it in paradise, where
thy friends go luick to join thee
"'Boasting fool, look to your words,
said Girolamo. for him they called
Manin had now come up with us.
Look to your words and save your
breath, since your blood must soon
run out from youf body
"'Signor Girolamo,' said I, had you
cut over into sixte and lunged. 1 had
been dead man; but see, now there
are two of you, and one must so lose
his blade.'
"For thus it was. l had struck the
blade from the painters hand, and
while it went singing through the air,
felt his flesh running like silk over my
steel. An exceeding joy was it to me,
though the sword of Girolamo ran
through my shoulder as J. struck and
my own blood flowed out upon my
cloak.
"'Well donei oh, we'll done! Master
Girolamo,' said /, for the pain was to
me like the spit Of cat; wrongly, in
deed, have 1 called you blunderer. Oh,
we shall have a merry night, Master
Girolamop
"He could make no answer to me; so
quick he draw his breath and thrust
and parried, thai his tongue, l doubt
not, was cleaving to his palate; and we
fought as men blindfolded that read
thoughts upon their blades, and an
swer by instinct of touch, which is the
swordsmans surest gift. Twice round
the garden I forced him, and twice he
stood before me as had never looked
to see him stand; twice L touched him,
and yet was the touch no more than q
scratch, for my eyes were troubled and
my strength was waning.
"Such an admission, dear friend, is
enc may make to you alone. Let me
tell you plainly that there was mo.
ment in the passing Of that bout when
looked to die; moment when felt
his blade speaking upon mine, when
knew that he said, the man is old and
] am young; fsltering, and l am
strong;' moment when even the
thought of Christine's tears could not
bring me to that opening | had played
for so long. Nor do think to this
day that any ekill of mine would have
prevailed in the end had not the God
of all our justice come to my helT
when I needed help SO sorely. But
thus it was, and thus that 1 live tc
write again with all the JOY of an old
mans victory.
when the thing befell we had
worked round to that part of the gar.
den where the body of the hag lay
Retreating before the new fury of his