The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-24

must have nothing more to do with him. As a matter of fact since their great success together, Anzoleto had become filled with mingled emotions with regard to Consuelo. He saw only too plaintly
 that her success had been greater than
 his and though he was man he was
 jealous He could not bear the thought
 that the girl was his professional supe-
 rior On the other hand, he was jealous
 of the count. who paid altogether too
 much attention to Consuelo, he thought.
 Gorilla the deposed prima donna, began
 the intrigue. using the weak will and the
 selfish vanity of Anzoleto for her pur-
 poses He was often with her now.
 Consuelo felt that her lover was changed
 but trusted him blindy still As for the count armed in virtue she neither heed
 ed nor dreaded his advance.
 One day old Porpora said to her: .sCome child, it Is time you were done with this sort of thing. Anzoleto is false to you. The count seeks your ruin
 What. You will not believe me? Be 1t so. Come to my house tonight 1 will
 give you proofs" That evening the old
 maestro led Consuelo to little balcony
 which commanded a view of the interior
 of Corlas apartments. Standing like a
 statue, the girl looked down into the
 lighted room and saw Anzoleto at the feet
 of Gorilla.
 "Oh, my master!" she cried "Never
 shall my feet tread the boards of another
 theatre. I must leave Venice at once.
 Yes, r must go away somewhere. You
 are right, Anzoleto is an infamous man.
 The next afternoon when Anzoleto
 sought Gorilla she met him with out i stretched arms. Great news!' she cried "Consuelo Is off. She has gone to ! Vienna, where Porpora has sent her, and
 whither he will soon follow her. She has deceived us all, the little cheat. She was engaged for the Emperor's theatre, where Porpora intends that she shall appear in his new opera.
 Gone without a wordr cried Anzoleto.
 By all the furies, you have gained your point. but you have taken my life along
 with it." And he swooned away on the Persian carpet of the false Gorilla. But Consuelo not in Vienna. In the western range of the Carpathian
 mountains, which separate Bohemia from Barvaria, there stood an old country seat of immense extent called in consequence of some forgotten tradition the Castle of the Giants. There reigned the lords of
 Rudoistadt. The head of the family was Count Christian, whose aged sister, the Canoness Wenceslawa, had presided over his household since the death of his wife. With him stopping now his brother.
 the Baron Frederick intent only on the chase-a bluff and hearty nobleman. And the Baron Frederick had brought to the castle his beautiful daughter, the Bar oness Amelia, in order that she might be
 married to her cousin Count Albert, the Count Christians son and heir. To this castle had Porpora sent his pu- pill Consuelo, for he was an old friend of the Rudolstadts. The Baroness Amelia
 had asked for a music teacher. not that she wanted to learn music, but the dreariness of the old castle was moro than she could bear alone. The count had applied to Porpora and the presence of Consuelo in the castle was the result. No guests of the surrounding gentry visited the castle of the Giants in these days. The family lived lonely existence.
 keeping within their breasts and screen ing as far as they might from he public the singular character of Count Albert. This young man had an intelligent face; but there was something repellant about him. something that frightened. He spoke hardly once in twentyfour hours; and when he did the eyes of relatives and domestics were turned upon him and there was apparent on every face a deep anxiety painful and affectionate solici- tude. The young man was subject to fits of catalespy; and at other times he would disappear misteriousy from the castle for days or weeks at time, to reappear again as suddenly and misteriously, calm
 and serene as if nothing had happened. In short, the Count Albert would have been pronounced mad by most people. On the evening of Consuelo's arrival she sang the Spanish hymn in honor or Our Lady of Consolation, which begins with the words "Consuelo de mi alma" econ solation of my soul). Suddenly the door opened and Albert appeared. He fell on his knees, and, raising toward her his large dark eyes swimming In tears, he exclaimed in Spanish: "Oh, Consuelo, Con- suelo I have found thee at last. "Consuelo"' exclaimed the astonished girl. Why do you call me by that name?" Well might she ask, for she was known to the family only as ''the Por- porma,' an adopted daughter of Por- pora.
 Because" returned Albert, "a consola- ton has been promised to my dark soul, and you are that consolation which God has granted to my solitary and gloomy existence Saying this he fell to the floor in a swoon and the servants were called to carry him to his apartment. Consuelo frightened, but as the days passed and she saw what a hold she had upon the mind of Albert she gradually began to believe that she might draw him from the abyss of utter mad ness on which he lowered back to a sane and rational life. Although the Baroness Amelia had protested against marrying hen cousin. she was rather piqued now at fhe attention he paid to Consuelo. She insisted that her father take her away. and the bluff baron, always dutiful to his beautiful daughter, obeyed.
 The Canoness and the Count were alarmed. Albert of Rudolstadt marry with an unknown singer? The sixteen quarterings on their shield quivered at the idea. But if she could restore him to reason. They were willing to sacri- flee anything for that
 When Count Albert made the next of his mysterious disappearances Consuelo discovered the way in which he did it.