Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-02
How Da1fino Said Adieu ~
By GABRIELLE D'ANNUNzIo.
Copyright, 1908, by Daiig Story Pub. Co.,,

Copyright. 1908, by DaiiS Story Pub Col
 A LONG the coast he was known sim- "A ply as Dalfno. and the name was appropriate. In the water he looked for all the world like a dolphin, his back bent by years of hard labor as seaman, his body Drowned by the sun and sea breezes, and his head covered with a coarse bristly hair. It was a grand sight to see him throw himself from the rocky ledge at Forrini, and, darting through the air, plunge into the sea like a seahawk with broken wing, and, as he came to the surface again, his large, clear flshlike eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Perhaps 1t was a still more interesting sight to see him clinging to the ropes at the mast's top, when the wind whistled through the rigging filling the sails almost to bursting, and the angry waves beneath him ragged like infuri- ated beasts anxious to devour him.
 Dalfino was both fatherless and motherless. His mother had been dead had fallen a victim to- the sea on an awful night when the sky was dark ened by tempest breeding clouds and the winds came like raging demons from the deserts of Lybia. From that moment the wide expanse of the sea belonged to him and his life seemed to be bound up with it.. He Listened to the roaring waves as if they had something wonderful to tell him, and spoke to them as he would speak to human being. He confided everything to the sea and often dispelled the gloomy hours by singing to himself little snatches of song. - .-. ~----,
 "Father sleeps there" he said to Zarra one day, "and ] wish to go and join him. He is waiting for me, I know, for I saw him yesterday"
 "You have seen him?" asked Zarra, raising her large black eyes to his.
 "Yes, there-yonder on the point of those rocks. The sea was smooth as glass. saw him plainly and he looked at me- -*.- #. ..'
 A shudder passed through the girls body. What beautiful creature this Zarra was! Straight and slender as a mast, nimble in her movements as a panther, with a set of regular, pearly white teeth, and a bosom that rose and fell like a field of golden grain be- fore a gentle breeze.
 She and Dalfino had always been kind to one another. They had played together in the sand, captured the un- wary crabs along the shore, and waded out into the shallow water. The sun and the sea had witnessed them a thousand times kiss each other, had heard them shout in joyful glee, and join in singing the sweet little songs they knew. o, tender youth, how soon cannot the sea change such tenderness to the hardness of steel!
 Zarra always sat and waited for him in the evening when the setting sun would tint the western sky with a rosy color, and reflected from the clouds would overspread the surface of the sea with a violet hue as if wine had been poured into the water. Soon the sails of the fisher boats would appear in the distance like a flock of white winged birds. Da1fino's boat was in- variably in advance of the others, and with it's orange red sails swelling in the breeze, would approach the shore with the speed of an arrow. Dalfino made fine appearance as he stood at the rudder, firm as a granite statue.
 "O!" Zarra would cry: Good catch to-day?"
 He shouted her an answer. The sea gulls at the approach of the boats would rise from the rocks with com plaining shrieks, because they were disturbed, and y%-ke flight to a more deserted place. In little while the coast became animated again and all astir at the return of the fishermen from their days labor.
 But the sea air made them both sick. With what fascination they regarded one anQther-she standing on the edge of the boat, he reclining on the deck at her feet, the sea the while making mel low music as the waves broke upon the rocks on the shore.
 What thought is there in your look this evening, Zarra?" asked Dal- fnc, softly. Listen, declare you are one of those mythical beings with a body half human, half fish, who live far, far out in the sea, and who, when they sing, sit upon the rocks, their long glossy hair floating in the wind Some day you will be such being and