Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-27
CHAPTER XXXIV.

anu sent Ine WH1Uo clOuQS ScuQdlng
rapidly, like ships running a race,
across the blue fairness Of the sky.
The air was strong, fresh, and exhil-
araung, and the crowds that swarmed
into the Piazza. del Popolo, and the
Toledo, eager to begin the riot and
fun of Giovedi Grasso, were one and
all in the highest gocd humor. AS
the hours advanced, many little knots
Of people hurried toward the cathe-
dral, anxious, if possible, to secure
places in or near the Chapel of San
Gennaro, in order to see to advantage
the brilliant costumes of the few dis
tinguished persons who had been in
Vlted to witness my wedding. The
ceremony was fixed to take place at
eleven, and at little before half-past
ten | entered my carriage, in company
with the Duke di Marina as best man,
and drove to the scene of action. Clad
in garments Of admin able cut and fit,
with well-brushed hair and beard, and
wearing a demeanor of skillfully min
gled gravity and gayety, L bore but
little resemblance to the haggard, fer
OclOuS creature who had faced me in
the mirror 4 few hours previously.
A strange and secret NTH too pos
sessed me, a sort of haIf-frenzied mer-
rlment that threatened every now and
then to break through the mask of
dignified composure it was necessary
for me to wear. There were moments
when l could have laughed, shriekea
and sung with a fury of drunken
mailman. AS it was, L talked inces-
sanity; my conversation was favored
with bitter wit and pungent sarcasm,
ana once or twice my friend the duke
! surveyed me with an air of wonder
ing inquiry, as though he thought my
manner forced Or unnatural. My
cCachman was compelled to drive
rather slowly, owing to the pressing
throngS that sWarmed at every corner
and through every thoroughfare, while
! the yellS Of the masqueraders, the
gambolS of street clowns, the firing of
| toy guns, and the sharp explosion of
cOlored bladders, that were swung to
and fro and tossed in the air by the
merry pOpulace, startled my spirited
horses frequently, and caused them to
leap and prance 10 a somewhat dan
gerous extent, thus attracting more
than the customary attention to my
equipage. AS it drew UP at last at the
! door of the chapel, | was surprised to
se9 what a number of spectators had
collected there. There was a positive
of
and middle-class persons Of all sorts,
who beheid my arrival with the ut
mos interest and excitement.
In accordance with my Instructions
a oh crimson carp5t had been laid
DOWN from the very edge of the pave
ment right into the church as far as
the altar; a silken awning had also
been erected, under which bloOmed a
miniature avenue of palms and trop-
zeal flowers. All eyes were turned upon
me curiously as l stepped from my
carriage and entered the chapel, side
by side with the duke, and murmurs
OF my vast wealth and generosity were
audibly whispered as [ passed along.
One old crone, hideously ugly, but
with large, dark piercing eyes, the
fading lamp Of a lost beauty, chuckled
and numb ed as she craned her
skinny throat forward to observe me
more closely. "Ay, ay! The saints
know he need be rich and generous
power uomo to fill her mouth. A little
red cruel mouth always open, that
swallows money like macaroni and
laughs at the suffering poor! All,
that is bad, bad! He need be rich to
satisfy her!"
The Duke di Marina caught these
words and glanced quickly at me. but
l affected not to have heard. Inside
the chapel there was a great number
of people, but my own invited guests,
not numbering more than twenty or
thirty, were seated in the space ap-
portion d to them near the altar,
which was divided from the mere
sight-seers by means of a silken rope
that crossed the aisle. l exchanged
greetings with most Of these persons,
and in return received their congratu-
lations; then | walked with a firm de-
liberate step UP to the high altar and
there waited. The magnificent paint
ings on the wall round me seemed en-
dowed with mysterious life-tha grand
heads of saints and martyrs we're
turned upon me Sc, though they de-
manded-"Must thou do this thing?
Hast thou no focgiveness?"
And ever my stern answer, May; if
hereafter | am tortured in eternal
flame for all ages, yet now-now while
I live, I will be avenged"
A bleeding Christ suspended on His
cross gazed at me reproachfully with
long enduring eyes of beautiful ar
guish-eyes that seemed to say, oh,
erring man, that tormentest thyself
with passing passions, shall not thine
own end approach speedily?-and
what comfort wilt thou have in thy
last hour?'
Ana inwardly I answered, None!
7 No shred of consolation can ever again
be mine-no joy, save fulfilled re-
venge! And this 1 will possess
, though the heavens should crack and
, the earth split asunder! For once a
womans treachery shall meet with
: punishment-for once such strange un-
common justice shall be done."
: And my spirit wrapped itself again
in somber meditative silence. The
sunlight fell gloriously through the
stained windows-blue, gold, crimson
and violet shafts of dazzling radiance