The San Francisco call., 1905-05-21

IL - OF MY Wl1cf o64ANB 80
"She gave 1t to your
1t Is the first time she has dared ask
q direct question concerning his dream
wife. His eyes are moist. he answers
her softly:
"She gave 1t to me-yes-it Is hers"
He Lfeaks OF suddenly.
Listen. it Is old; 1t win break soon
see; but love IT: it Is mine. mine. II
is her spirft-nsten.''
He draws the bow and plays a sweet.
quavering melody, entirely feminine.
See. see. she talks to me-" he keeps
repeating. TT is my wife. Julia. Can
you hear her voice? Listen"
The Italians are by nature romantic.
The woman mods her head: she under
stands. But there Is still her curiosity
to be satisfied.
Your wife. Julia the lady in the
picture-is she dead?'' she asks. falter-
ingly.
The melody ends In discord; his lips
CULVER.
You know, then-you known Oh.
but you cannot know-no one knows
The suspicion in his eyes fades away
MY wife, julia he repeats wander
ingly, like a child playing make-be-
lieve "She is not my wife. no; but she
was to be-no-no-I cannot tell-yes.
yes; she Is dead-that is it.. she is
dead"
The woman stands irresolute, divided
between her curiosity and her remorse
at having introduced the subject. Do
menico strokes the violin with his bow
ever so softly. Its wall is that Of child
crying In the night. bessechingly.
plaintively. He quickens his movement.
changes abruptly and brings in a strain
from a famous opera He is initiating
the hutelike tones OF a woman's voice.
I my love- shall die. shall die. f'N
But my heart shall 1--we in thine Tor aye.
These are the words he interprets.
Sophia sighs softly. vaguely.
"And was she very beautiful?r she
asks finally, "and could she sing like
that?'
"Ah. ten times more beautiful than
thisl She was the flower Of all France,
and II was nothing"
did you not play for her. then7"
mo; ah, no; we were children to-
gether in Italy-and she forgot-but I.
never. 1 sent her howers-each time
she sang, clear to France-and my love
always my love II was her we'd
ding day-but not TO me-and she sent
me this-because could play a little
and then"
And them" Sophia breaks In ca
geriy.
she died." he answers simply. sane
ly; "she died with hin-on the water
in a ship that went down"
He brushes his hand across his eyes
"It was after that learned to play
so well that all Italy iistsned-svsn ths
King. the King! 1t was always on this
always on this"
He stretches forth his hands. c!asp-
ing the violin.
1T is this, this that call my wife.
JuIia-this; for she loves me now
me. met
Sophia bows her head. wipIng her
eyes vigorously.
And all these years" she sobbed,
and all these years
She breaks off suddenly ana runs
from the room. A few moments later
she returns.
Dinner is served" she says un-
? evenly.
She arranges his simple meal en- a
single platter. and stands behind his
chair. serving him as she would have
: served her sovereign.
Crepe hung on the door of the little
shop, a long black cloth. fastened with
a white rose Isaacs saw it from a
distance and fastened to pay his re-
spects.
Il haf come to get hddIe-his nd
: dle,''. he informed Sophia. II pay you
II you get it, he added insinuatingly.
How much?" she asked curiously.
-Four dollars-yes?" he ventured.
watching her face.
TT is burned
} The Jew let forth shrek.
"Burned-who burned nr' he
screamed.
Il did"
You. Youl You will be arrested
put IN 1ai1 1t was real Crelnona-
Cremona. Do you hear? 1t was
worth s1ooO-and more-more,''
She looked at him pityingly.
NO. it was old and worn out. He
told me so. and he told me TO burn it
when he died. did,"
She went into the little kitchen and
brought out the charred remains. The
Jew fell upon them eagerly. despair
ingIy- He raised his hand and struck
at the woman