Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-09
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
GIRL AND FATHER
BY GEORGE ELIOT

The voice came from the farther end
OF long, spacious room surrounded
with shelves, on which books and anti
Quittes were arranged in Scrupulous or
der. Here and there, on separate stands
in front Of the shelves, were placed q
beautiful feminine torso; headless
statue, with an uplifted muscular arm
welding o bladeleSs sword; rounded,
dimpled, infantine limbs severed from
the trunk; inviting the lips to kiss the
cold marble: some well preserved Ro-
man busts, and two or three vases Of
Magma Graeeia.
A large table In the center was
covered with antique bronze lamps and
small vessels In dark pottery. The
color of these objects was chiefly pale
or sonber; the vellum bindings, with
their deep-ridged backs, gave little relief
to the marble. nvid with long burial;
the once splendid patch of carpet at
the farther end of the room had long
been worn to dhnneSs; the dark bronZes
wanted sunlight upon them to bring out
their tinge Of green. and the sun was
not yet high enough to send CLEANS OF
brightness through the narrow windows
that looked on the Via de- Bardi.
The only spot Of bright color in the the
maiden Of II or Is, who was standing
before q carved "leggio," or reading
desk. such as is often seen in the
choirs of italian churches. The hair
was or q reddish-gold color, enriched
by an unbroken small ripple, such as
may be seeA In the sunset clouds on
grandest Autumnal evenings. It was
confined by black flllet above her
small ears. from which 1t rippled for
ward again. and made . natural veil
for her neck above her square-cut
gown Of black "rascia," or serge. Her
eyes were bent on q large volume
placed before her. one long white hand
rested on the reading desk and the
other. clasped the back Of her fathers
chair. ...
The blind father sat with head up
lRssdaughter, as If he were looking at
her. His delicate paleness. set of by
the black velvet cap which surmounted
his dropping white hair. made all the
more preceptible the likeness between
His aged features and those of the
young maiden. whose cheeks were also
the same refnement OF brow and nostrii
In both, counterbalanced by q full
though firm mouth and chin. which
gave an expression Of proud tenacity
and latent impetuousneSS an expression
carried out In the backward poise OF
the girls head and the grand line Of
her neck and shoulders. It was type
Of face Of which one could not venture
to say whether it would inspire love
or only that unwilling admiration which
Is mixed with dread; the question must
be decided by the eyes, which often
seem charged with o more direct mes
sage from the soul. But her eyes were
bent on the book from which she was
reading aloud.
The passage she was reading told OF
the Greek youth of classical antiquity,
who when he CHANGED to behold the
vas stricken blind-for it Is law that
no mortal can behold god and sur
tive unpublished Action, another
youth. called this young man happy
though blind-for he had beheld a
goddess in her bath. and he still lived
and could carry her image in his men,
Dry. though he could no longer see;
At this point the girls father asked
her to get his copy of the Greek classic
which contained the expression of thu
Romola-for that was her name
walked to the farther end of the room
with the uueenly step which was the
simple action of her tall, finely wrought
frame without the slightest conscious
adjustment Of herself.
us it in the right place. Romola?'
asked her blind father. who was per
petually seeking the assurance that thu
outward fact continued to correspond
with the image that lived to ths
rninutest detail in his mind.
Eyes, father, at. the west END OF In
room, on the third shelf from tht
bottom, behind the bust Of Hadrian
above Apollonius Rhodius, and Calf
machus, and below Lucar and Siliui
Italicus"
AS Roniola said this, a fine ear woult
have detected in her clear voice af1e
distinct utterance q faint suggestion
of WEAKNESS struggling with habitua
patience. But as she approached mel
father and saw his arms stretched out
with nervous excitement 70 seize tht
volume her hazel eyes filIed with pity