The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-11-16
CHAPTER IX.
TIE MARZOCCO INN.

tried every available means could think
of to obtain employment, to no avail, and, in
the intervals Of my frutlcss search for work,
haunted the streets and gardens, with the
hope of obtaining another glimpse Of An
piola, but without success. Inch 10y inch
my resources diminished. until they bc.
became NO small that n blind hcggar would
have hardly thanked me for the gift OF
them. lived in constant dread Of Ccci re-
appearing TO demand the sum ] owed for
my rent, but he did not come. lie was evil
dcnt,y giving me time, starving me out to
surrcnderto his terms. used to see him as
went in and out, sitting IN his office like
spider. yet he never even lifted his head rs
I passed. | hated, almost feared, going by
that door. Bitterly did regret not havinG
left Florence when was able. II was now
impossible to do so, unless as dcfauitcr, apd
the weight Of my paltry debt oppressed me,
M II cannon ball were slung around my
neck. ! could not leave until ] paid II, and
Of doing this there seemed no prospect. l
bad parted with my cloak for money to buy
food. but the last copper Of that was gone,
and was now pcnnilcss. For two days
had not eaten anything but morscl OF
bread, aud on the morning Of the third day
rose desperate with hunger, and prepared
to 10 to any lengths TO satisfy IT, ! ate nv
self.cstccm and made another attempt te
sec la Palisse, Int was denied ndmittancs,
and when ! came back ] actually hcsitatc,
before tho door Of Ceci's Office, and almost
| rindc up my mind to yield aud say would
| do his business for him. II required an cf
| fort, so low had sunk. TO rouse my pride
| At last II ilarcd up, aud, with a check hot
| at my weakness, | sought my chamber and
| there passed the day. The pigeons that
| lived under the caves opposite my window.
and to whose soft cooling so often listened
| with pleasure before, now aroused Other
thoughts within me. Ii ! could only lure
one within reach! But il was impossible,
| aud I glarcd at them. as they iluttcrcd and
| ilrted with each other. with the hungry
| eyes Of cat balkcd of her prey At last
gave II up and with curse flung myscli on
| my bed. Fool that I was! Fivcand thirty
| years should have brought Inc wisdom. Ihad
stayed on in Florence, allowed my chances OF
revenge to get more distant, in fact, reached
n stage OF mind when was doubtful IL I
could rightly exact vengeance. driftcd into
abjcct poverty, and, worse than that, was
continually thinking OF n woman, who, when
| had rendered her a service, treated me with
contempt, who had no doubt forgotten me
by this time, amidst her duties. ii she had
|
she had store. So the evening came amidst
my reflections and sclf.rcproachcs, and, IL
being dusk, decided to go forth again, AMI
snatch a purse, IL necessary, to obtain food.
| IA ! rose an impulse | could not control
made me unfasten my moncybelt, and
search if by chance there was a coin within
| Il. OF course there was not brown copper,
hut my fingers, in running up tho belt,
touched something hard, and pulled forth,
attached to its tag Of red ribbon, my cross
| VI st. Lazarc, which, It will be rcmcm.
bcrcd, l had placed therein for safety the
night was imprisoned in the Villa Accolti.
| had clean forgot Il in my troubles, and now
II lay In my open palm, with the diamonds In
| il winking In my face. My whole frame
trembled with excitement. Here was the
means Of freeing myself from debt at once.
and of obtaining funds to quit Florence, nay,
Europe. At the lowest computation its
worth could not have been less than forty
crowns, and this at present was wealth to
me. What with the effects oi the want Of
food. and the sudden discovery Of the cross,
I began TO feel weak oil over, and, ilinging
the badge on the table. sank down into u
chair before It TO compose myself. The
room was almost dark, and sat staring at
the jewels aud ut the diamonds on 1t, which
sparkled through the gloom. That little
trinket was linked with the one great event
Of my life. AL the past came vividly before
my excited brain. | was again in that dcs,
pcratc retreat Of Charles OF France up the
valley Of the 1aro, with the army OF the
League in full cry behind us. The old boar
Trcyulzio commanded the rear guard, dis.
puted every inch Of the road. and now aud
again stood boldly at bay, and gave taste oi
his tusks to the duke Of Bari, and the line
gentlemen Of Venice. II was nt this moment
that Rodcrigo Gonsaga made his dash for
the height above the junction Of the Como
and the Taro. Trcvulzio saw the movement; |;
he was powcrlcss to help, and knew that II
Il succeeded all was lost. All the time was
nj his bride hand.
"Ride Tor your lie" he said, "and tell the
king-thGt." lie pointed to the black line
Of the infantry OF Spain moving towards the
heights, ! was oil ut once, waiting no sec
ond bidding.
| fro pn cosriNurp,l