The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-17

ridden he whispered. as I moved my hand Inn
when q great man man T Se,v No to- to- come sn9 amor among k tbsm' i
For SteDhano was also OF the North and de-
spi,ei tho %cdndtl,e Of the southeastern sea.
the end OF the table furthest from me. His
hands were bound behind him; Ho looked on
seen It. shaken with emotion. 1t was gray aud
stern rather. but very quiet w,ithal.
woman. It was Maria Perrone. the dark woman
with the handsome eyes whom | had seen In the
morning. They brought her to the table end
and set her beside her husband.
She glanced up and her eyes fell upon him.
onery oh. my Loo. what have you done now !"
And she raised her arms and clasped him
about the neck. The loose. coarse prison sleeve.
saw her fingers clasp and knit couvuisively be-
hind the man's head. lie turned his eyes
eether in his eyes. The muscles OF his arms
twitched. and drew like wire bell. pulls as no
struggled to SO, his arms free. But the steel
".Marial. Mother Marial Beloved onc!' he
said. huskily. looking at her q moment
pushed 'i her gently ss tH' AWAY e,"sS VIII With f'0 = proud 90 All Title tic
sssms. Ssiov ss GRa E y no T s,%. an ssy no c cssS%S;
for the showing Of iovei"
But In spite OF these Marin Perrone wistfully
kept her eyes. on him.. But he did not look
Ill OF It, he frontcd us all defantly. and yet with
a certain grimly watchful respectfulness which
won upon me-.
Slowly the woman's hands unclasped them
selves AS she noted the uneasy shrug OF her hus-
bands shoulders under her touch. Her white
sides. She faced about, looking at us one by one.
paused before i spoke. turning over IN my
You are guilty OF this murder for which you
were condemned Z" said to the woman,
7 s Nd s% DID iTpl Iy, gully shs Anthem Of ,SS man, Sr@ death j / tn Sps
not Of what my. husband Ia accused that he
stands here bound; but. as God Is my Judge. OF
aii part IN the killing Of the soldier. Giovanni
nodded aud turned TO her husband. Tho
"" "Yo h cses w Isre y s,"aa WIFE ns ,.,,iS, . sssi s,,d to
tho man. Do you still adhere to tho open con-
fession you made 10 the Duomo tonight ?"
tho woman. turning to her husband, ''yeu made
no eonfossion-say you made no oopfessionI"
so tha, saw the apple in ri. throat arst rise
and fall; and then swell as Il 1t would choke
him; Then he began IN a broken voice, 49,,
said when the music made me cry out in agony
up In the church yondor. And now I desire
vengeance of God for the shedding of blood. |
Wish to hide the truth no longer. | will not
NJ, nSd 70 coo iS any yo more, , nor let th,s innocent one
Hold your peace; He {. beside himself. great
coming swiftly round the table before any
could prevent her and kneeling at my chair.
ssSpn%HHi w Would d have n sSru spp SSy back Sf s sSsh
motioned him to his place with my hand with
out spesaing' The woman set her hand quickly
leaving, her and she desired to recall them.
With the hurried movement all her fne dark
shining biue.blaet silk. The soldiers about the
room gasped with astonishment, divided be-
tween duty and adm ration.
her hands; He but desires to save me even at
the cost Of his own life. For. you see. he loves
would die to save mo, his wife. My imprlson.
ment has driven him mad. But listen. most
illustrious, hearken., It. was my hand: my de-
sire, my knife which slew Giovanni Lupo for
the insult he offered to the wife of Leo Perrone.
II alone did the deed. DO not listen. Excel
lency. Send me to prison and let him 20 Free
She walled rather than spoke the last words.
my hand In both OF hers and strovo to look into
my eyes TO read my decision there.
.Stephano came nearer. This was too much.
He took her by the wrists roughly and flung
them from him as though their touch had been
&c back to your place. woman" he said.
Inc woman rose without a murmur and
walked back to the side OF her man. with down.
Now, Leo Perrone. what do you say TO this ~
l asked OF the man, whose strong, piercing eyes
uwelt steadily upon my face.
"Excellency." he said. Marin. my wife. loves
meas You have, seen. She has done this for
which she never did. taken the punishment
which was mineIali because she knew that for
only imprison a woman. Maris Perrone. my
wife. did this thing for my sake. and /, crawling
rat that was. permitted II. But all the while
Duomo. He sent me a message that only In max
Ing an open confession lay any hope for my sin
the Whole f truth n3T here ' sna now my' i. wa, w q n, sG..
when l had been far away. ! returned to my
house eager to meet my wife: TO clasp the little
Margherita, the sweetest and the most innocent
lass In all the quarter OF the Hedgehog. Ash
came up the stair | heard angry volces-then a
scream OF pain, and fear from my wife,. Maria.
AT two bounds | was at the door, another
and | was within. There stood Giovanni Lupo
10 the act OF offering insult to my wife. Then
forthwith the madness camo upon me, as II
would have come, to you, Excellency. seeing
your wife thus, and your little daughter weep
at hand, on the board where she had been pre-
nmrihy lne SUPPER stun: lifted IL and-well.
more forever. ! sent him hurting to his own
Leo Perrone ceased and erected his head
about his head like a stone pine growing on a
mountain top above the sea,
Again the woman would have flung herself ut
my feet. But Stepha.o had suffered enough.
lie took her By the arm and led her into tho
middle OF the room. AZ a distance both from tho
chair. lie gave her arm a little shake. as II to
say; Tel lie or tell truth. hut tell It whore
Then Maria Perrone fell on her knees on the
polished wood Of the floor.
n. "hisl''y yi, him !, sn not hi. she @,o cried ID yet mo- more ear;
way. He has often had such seizures. ! have
seen them come upon him n hundred times.
Listen, great General. ] swear IL by my souls
upon the blessed cross, upon the relica
OF he saints. IL alone struck the blow and |
killed Giovanni Lupo." As she spoke she lifted
n cross with n fragment of iron nail. and made
the oath which to an A pulean seals eternal de-
strnction II the oath be false or broken.
l looked from one to the other. Leo Perrone
stood with his strong, stern look fixed upon mo.
Tho woman clasped her hands before her and
looked at me dry-eyed. For a moment l was at
wits end.
stephano nudged me gently.
The child, tho little Margherita,' he whis-
when he, WAS taken; She Is below at this mo-
ment. Shall ! bring her up 2"
! nodded to him. Presently between the file
of Dragons standing at attention there came,
walking. with quick, uncertain steps, n little
maid. Margherita, pale OF face, dark locks all
a.tangle about her brow. She looked very
lovely. She dashed her hair away with her
hand az Stepharo placed her between hor father
at tho tables end and her mother still kneeling
on the oaken floor.
"Margherita." | said gently, tell all you
know OF tho killing OF Giovanni Lupo. You
were there, your father tells MS"
The little maid looked from one to the other
or us. saw her mother make tho sign of 81
lonce. and from that moment was sure.
:" Look at your father" | said, more ~sternly,
Tell tho truth, Margherlta Porrone!" said
the voice OF tho self.accused at the table end.
j indeed tell all Z"