New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-22
EMILIA

Of nv sin Of untruthfulness was indeed to be
aTbe stranger-who gave his name as
| Count Antonio Glucci-tOok such an appar-
cnt fancy to me that he invited me to his
aWhen we reached Florence we drove
strajqht 10 the Count S palace, magnificent
vet drcarv building, and were received IN
great state by a rctinuc Of bowling domcstcS.
| In accordance with the Count S commands,
his majordomo took me to my room
most palatial apartment, paneled with dark
oak Ny luggage speedily followed me- ana
the majordomo left me alone.
AS have said before, 1t was gorgeous
room. and the countless candles that hgnVeu
il were set in silver scOnccS OF most exquisite
Workmanship. All the furniture was antique
| and costly: and over the heavy OAK ihdilloi-
piece there was portrait let into the pailel-
| ing-thc portrait Of the most bedutiul Wo,
man have ever seen. ! had never bcheid
such beauty before; | have never DeheId
such since.
Emmic gazcd at her father with that sur
prise which we all feel when we discover
in q house with which we consider ourselves
thoroughly familiar-a room that we nave
never seen before.
at may seem strange to you, Emilia
| and 50 strange 10 your mother that ! "ould
not for worlds ever let her know anything
abou, it-but the beauty Of that portrait
grjppcd me as had never been gnppcd be
| fore In short, to use an expression tiiaI
would greatly shock your mother, when !
fear is hardly fit for the ears Of a young girl
| like yourself i fell in love with 1t.
ENl\ITE'S heart beat fast at the cztraor,,
II binary rclcyation. But she UNDERSTOOD
her father at that moment inexperienced
maiden though she was better thdn hcr
thlrtv-vcar--marricd mother ever could nave
understood him. The daughter knc" more
about the promised land OF love that was
closed 10 her than did the mother VINO had
entered in and possessed It.
The old man continued his "reminiscences
yes Emilia, strange as 1t may seem 70 you'
| | fell in love with mere beauty, quite apart
from, any thought Of intellectual companion
ship or moral worth. And | was 50 intoM-
Gated with the beauty Of that portrait that
| had hardly completed my toilet Whcn tne
maior,lomo returned 10 conduct me TO the
dining room for our evening meal fol-
| lowed him along stately corridors and down
| 2 magnificent marble staircase into what
was banqucting hall rather than dining
room. In one Of the windows Of this gorgeous
Iapartmcnt a round table was laid for one,
and on it | found note from the Count,
saving that he had been suddenly called
away on political business and would not be
back until very late; but he hoped to see
me at breakfast on the following morning,
| and he knew that his servants would give
me good dinner Certainly his promise OF
a good dinner was amply fulfilled; and I'M
mcdiatclv the meal was over ! retired TO my
own room, giving the excuse 10 the steward
that | was weary after my long journey,
the real reason being my desire to be alone
once more with that exquisite picture.
son seeing it again fell more madly IN
love with it than ever, and could hardly
do anything for looking It. But presently
was conscious Of a strange feeling that my
gaze was returned, and that the eyes OF the
portrait rcciprocatcd my glanccs Of love and
| longing: Whcrcupon my passion increased,
and could hardly take my eyes away from
the exquisite sight. Gradually, however the
fire and the candles burnt low, and the Ia
tgllc~ Of the long day made themselves tclt;
SO that al last threw myself, dressed as |
was upon the magniiccntly carved four
post bed But Just as ! was falling asleep |
| thought heard a soft voice whispcrln Italian,