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Etext "re"ared by 3ohn Bic%er , jbic%er >te'"lar(actrix(gen(nz Bonnie -ala, and *agny, dagnyj>hot'ail(co'

VE:*ETT@ BR H9:9,E *E B@=X@!

Tran lated By 2atharine Pre cott )or'eley

*E*1!@T19:

To Puttinati, <ilane e -cul"tor(

VE:*ETT@

!H@PTE, 1 P,9=9G;E 1n the year .E88, to#ard the clo e of 9ctober, a foreigner, acco'"anied by a #o'an and a little girl, #a tanding for a long ti'e in front of the "alace of the Tuilerie , near the ruin of a hou e recently "ulled do#n, at the "oint #here in our day the #ing begin #hich #a intended to unite the chateau of !atherine de <edici #ith the =ou$re of the Valoi ( The 'an tood there #ith folded ar' and a bo#ed head, #hich he o'eti'e rai ed to loo% alternately at the con ular "alace and at hi #ife, #ho #a itting near hi' on a tone( Though the #o'an ee'ed #holly occu"ied #ith the little girl of nine or ten year of age, #ho e long blac% hair he a'u ed her elf by handling, he lo t not a ingle glance of tho e her co'"anion ca t on her( -o'e enti'ent other than lo$e united the e t#o being , and in "ired #ith 'utual anxiety their 'o$e'ent and their thought ( <i ery i , "erha" , the 'o t "o#erful of all tie ( The tranger had one of tho e broad, eriou head , co$ered #ith thic% hair, #hich #e ee o freIuently in the "icture of the !aracci( The jet blac% of the hair #a trea%ed #ith #hite( Though noble and "roud, hi feature had a hardne #hich "oiled the'( 1n "ite of hi e$ident trength, and hi traight, erect figure, he loo%ed to be o$er ixty year of age( Hi dila"idated clothe #ere tho e of a foreign country( Though the faded and once beautiful face of the #ife betrayed the dee"e t adne , he forced her elf to 'ile, a u'ing a cal' countenance #hene$er her hu band loo%ed at her( The little girl #a tanding, though ign of #earine #ere on the youthful face, #hich #a tanned by the un( -he had an 1talian ca t of countenance and bearing, large blac% eye beneath their #ell arched bro# , a nati$e noblene , and candid grace( <ore than one of tho e #ho "a ed the' felt trongly 'o$ed by the 'ere a "ect of thi grou", #ho 'ade no effort to conceal a de "air #hich ee'ed a dee" a the ex"re ion of it #a i'"le( But the flo# of thi fugiti$e y'"athy, characteri tic of Pari ian , #a dried i''ediatelyT for a oon a the tranger a# hi' elf the object of attention, he loo%ed at hi ob er$er #ith o a$age an air that the bolde t lounger hurried hi te" a though he had trod u"on a er"ent( @fter tanding for o'e ti'e undecided, the tall tranger uddenly "a ed hi hand acro hi face to bru h a#ay, a it #ere, the thought that #ere "loughing furro# in it( He 'u t ha$e ta%en o'e

de "erate re olution( !a ting a glance u"on hi #ife and daughter, he dre# a dagger fro' hi brea t and ga$e it to hi co'"anion, aying in 1talian?DD K1 #ill ee if the Bona"arte re'e'ber u (K

Then he #al%ed #ith a lo#, deter'ined te" to#ard the entrance of the "alace, #here he #a , naturally, to""ed by a oldier of the con ular guard, #ith #ho' he #a not "er'itted a long di cu ion( -eeing thi 'anS ob tinate deter'ination, the entinel "re ented hi bayonet in the for' of an ulti'atu'( !hance #illed that the guard #a changed at that 'o'ent, and the cor"oral $ery obligingly "ointed out to the tranger the "ot #here the co''ander of the "o t #a tanding( K=et Bona"arte %no# that Bartolo'eo di Pio'bo #i he hi',K aid the 1talian to the ca"tain on duty( to "ea% #ith

1n $ain the officer re"re ented to Bartolo'eo that he could not ee the +ir t !on ul #ithout ha$ing "re$iou ly reIue ted an audience in #ritingT the 1talian in i ted that the oldier hould go to Bona"arte( The officer tated the rule of the "o t, and refu ed to co'"ly #ith the order of thi ingular $i itor( Bartolo'eo fro#ned hea$ily, ca ting a terrible loo% at the ca"tain, a if he 'ade hi' re "on ible for the 'i fortune that thi refu al 'ight occa ion( Then he %e"t ilence, folded hi ar' tightly acro hi brea t, and too% u" hi tation under the "ortico #hich er$e a an a$enue of co''unication bet#een the garden and the courtDyard of the Tuilerie ( Per on #ho #ill thing inten ely are $ery a"t to be hel"ed by chance( @t the 'o'ent #hen Bartolo'eo di Pio'bo eated hi' elf on one of the tone "o t #hich #a near the entrance, a carriage dre# u", fro' #hich =ucien Bona"arte, 'ini ter of the interior, i ued( K@h, =oucian, it i luc%y for 'e 1 ha$e 'et you&K cried the tranger(

The e #ord , aid in the !or ican "atoi , to""ed =ucien at the 'o'ent #hen he #a "ringing under the "ortico( He loo%ed at hi co'"atriot, and recognized hi'( @t the fir t #ord that Bartolo'eo aid in hi ear, he too% the !or ican a#ay #ith hi'( <urat, =anne , and ,a"" #ere at that 'o'ent in the cabinet of the +ir t !on ul( @ =ucien entered, follo#ed by a 'an o ingular in a""earance a Pio'bo, the con$er ation cea ed( =ucien too% :a"oleon by the ar' and led hi' into the rece of a #indo#( @fter exchanging a fe# #ord #ith hi brother, the +ir t !on ul 'ade a ign #ith hi hand, #hich <urat and =anne obeyed by retiring( ,a"" "retended not to ha$e een it, in order to re'ain #here he #a ( Bona"arte then "o%e to hi' har"ly, and the aideDdeDca'", #ith e$ident un#illingne , left the roo'( The +ir t !on ul, #ho li tened for ,a""S te" in the adjoining alon, o"ened the door uddenly, and found hi aideDdeDca'" clo e to the #all of the cabinet( K*o you choo e not to under tand 'eQK to be alone #ith 'y co'"atriot(K aid the +ir t !on ul( K1 #i h too

K@ !or ican&K re"lied the aideDdeDca'"( K1 di tru t tho e fello# 'uch toDDK

The +ir t !on ul could not re train a officer by the houlder ( K)ell, #hat ha

'ile a

he "u hed hi

faithful

brought you here, 'y "oor Bartolo'eoQK

aid :a"oleon(

KTo a % a ylu' and "rotection fro' you, if you are a true !or ican,K re"lied Bartolo'eo, roughly( K)hat ill fortune dro$e you fro' the i landQ Rou #ere the riche t, the 'o tDDK K1 ha$e %illed all the Porta ,K re"lied the !or ican, in a dee" $oice, fro#ning hea$ily( The +ir t !on ul too% t#o te" bac%#ard in ur"ri e(

K*o you 'ean to betray 'eQK cried Bartolo'eo, #ith a dar%ling loo% at Bona"arte( K*o you %no# that there are till four Pio'bo in !or icaQK =ucien too% an ar' of hi co'"atriot and hoo% it( aid(

K*id you co'e here to threaten the

a$ior of +ranceQK he

Bona"arte 'ade a ign to =ucien, #ho %e"t Pio'bo and aid?DD K)hy did you %ill the Porta QK

ilence( Then he loo%ed at

K)e had 'ade friend ,K re"lied the 'anT Kthe Barbanti reconciled u ( The day after #e had drun% together to dro#n our Iuarrel , 1 left ho'e becau e 1 had bu ine at Ba tia( The Porta re'ained in 'y hou e, and et fire to 'y $ineyard at =ongone( They %illed 'y on Gregorio( <y daughter Gine$ra and 'y #ife, ha$ing ta%en the acra'ent that 'orning, e ca"edT the Virgin "rotected the'( )hen 1 returned 1 found no hou eT 'y feet #ere in it a he a 1 earched for it( -uddenly they truc% again t the body of GregorioT 1 recognized hi' in the 'oonlight( SThe Porta ha$e dealt 'e thi blo#,S 1 aidT and, forth#ith, 1 #ent to the #ood , and there 1 called together all the 'en #ho' 1 had e$er er$ed, DDdo you hear 'e, Bona"arteQDDand #e 'arched to the $ineyard of the Porta ( )e got there at fi$e in the 'orningT at e$en they #ere all before God( Giaco'o declare that Eliza Vanni a$ed a child, =uigi( But 1 'y elf bound hi' to hi bed before etting fire to the hou e( 1 ha$e left the i land #ith 'y #ife and child #ithout being able to di co$er #hether, indeed, =uigi Porta i ali$e(K Bona"arte loo%ed #ith curio ity at Bartolo'eo, but #ithout KHo# 'any #ere thereQK a %ed =ucien( K-e$en,K re"lied Pio'bo( K@ll of the' #ere your "er ecutor olden ti'e (K The e #ord brother ( rou ed no ex"re in the ur"ri e(

ion of hatred on the "art of the t#o

KHa& you are no longer !or ican &K cried Pio'bo, #ith a ort of de "air( K+are#ell( 1n other day 1 "rotected you,K he added, in a

re"roachful tone( K)ithout 'e, your 'other #ould ne$er ha$e reached <ar eille,K he aid, addre ing hi' elf to Bona"arte, #ho #a ilent and thoughtful, hi elbo# re ting on a 'antelD helf( K@ a 'atter of duty, Pio'bo,K aid :a"oleon at la t, K1 cannot ta%e you under 'y #ing( 1 ha$e beco'e the leader of a great nationT 1 co''and the ,e"ublicT 1 a' bound to execute the la# (K KHa& ha&K aid Bartolo'eo, cornfully(

KBut 1 can hut 'y eye ,K continued Bona"arte( KThe tradition of the Vendetta #ill long "re$ent the reign of la# in !or ica,K he added, a if "ea%ing to hi' elf( KBut it <;-T be de troyed, at any co t(K Bona"arte #a ilent for a fe# 'o'ent , and =ucien 'ade a ign to Pio'bo not to "ea%( The !or ican #a #aying hi head fro' right to left in dee" di a""ro$al( K=i$e here, in Pari ,K re u'ed the +ir t !on ul, addre ing Bartolo'eoT K#e #ill %no# nothing of thi affair( 1 #ill cau e your "ro"erty in !or ica to be bought, to gi$e you enough to li$e on for the "re ent( =ater, before long, #e #ill thin% of you( But, re'e'ber, no 'ore $endetta& There are no #ood here to fly to( 1f you "lay #ith dagger , you 'u t ex"ect no 'ercy( Here, the la# "rotect all citizen T and no one i allo#ed to do ju tice for hi' elf(K KHe ha 'ade hi' elf the head of a ingular nation,K aid Bartolo'eo, ta%ing =ucienS hand and "re ing it( KBut you ha$e both recognized 'e in 'i fortune, and 1 a' your , henceforth, for life or death( Rou 'ay di "o e a you #ill of the Pio'bo (K )ith the e #ord ati faction( hi !or ican bro# unbent, and he loo%ed about hi' in

KRou are not badly off here,K he aid, 'iling, a if he 'eant to lodge there hi' elf( KRou are all in red, li%e a cardinal(K KRour ucce de"end u"on your elfT you can ha$e a "alace, al o,K aid Bona"arte, #atching hi co'"atriot #ith a %een eye( K1t #ill often ha""en that 1 hall need o'e faithful friend in #ho' 1 can confide(K @ igh of joy hea$ed the $a t che t of the !or ican, #ho held out hi hand to the +ir t !on ul, aying?DD KThe !or ican i in you till(K

Bona"arte 'iled( He loo%ed in ilence at the 'an #ho brought, a it #ere, a #aft of air fro' hi o#n land,DDfro' that i le #here he had been o 'iraculou ly a$ed fro' the hatred of the KEngli h "artyKT the land he #a ne$er to ee again( He 'ade a ign to hi brother, #ho then too% Pio'bo a#ay( =ucien inIuired #ith intere t a to the financial condition of the for'er "rotector of their fa'ily( Pio'bo too% hi' to a #indo# and ho#ed hi' hi #ife and Gine$ra, eated on a hea" of tone ( K)e ca'e fro' +ontainebleau on footT #e ha$e not a ingle "enny,K he

aid( =ucien ga$e hi "ur e to hi co'"atriot, telling hi' to co'e to hi' the next day, that arrange'ent 'ight be 'ade to ecure the co'fort of the fa'ily( The $alue of Pio'boS "ro"erty in !or ica, if old, #ould carcely 'aintain hi' honorably in Pari ( +ifteen year ela" ed bet#een the ti'e of Pio'boS arri$al #ith hi fa'ily in Pari and the follo#ing e$ent, #hich #ould be carcely intelligible to the reader #ithout thi narrati$e of the foregoing circu' tance (

!H@PTE, 11 THE -T;*19 -er$in, one of our 'o t di tingui hed arti t , #a the fir t to concei$e of the idea of o"ening a tudio for young girl #ho #i hed to ta%e le on in "ainting( @bout forty year of age, a 'an of the "ure t 'oral , entirely gi$en u" to hi art, he had 'arried fro' inclination the do#erle daughter of a general( @t fir t the 'other of hi "u"il bought their daughter the' el$e to the tudioT then they #ere ati fied to end the' alone, after %no#ing the 'a terS "rinci"le and the "ain he too% to de er$e their confidence( 1t #a the arti tS intention to ta%e no "u"il but young ladie belonging to rich fa'ilie of good "o ition, in order to 'eet #ith no co'"laint a to the co'"o ition of hi cla e ( He e$en refu ed to ta%e girl #ho #i hed to beco'e arti t T for to the' he #ould ha$e been obliged to gi$e certain in truction #ithout #hich no talent could ad$ance in the "rofe ion( =ittle by little hi "rudence and the ability #ith #hich he initiated hi "u"il into hi art, the certainty each 'other felt that her daughter #a in co'"any #ith none but #ellD bred young girl , and the fact of the arti tS 'arriage, ga$e hi' an excellent re"utation a a teacher in ociety( )hen a young girl #i hed to learn to dra#, and her 'other a %ed ad$ice of her friend , the an #er #a , in$ariably? K-end her to -er$inS (K -er$in beca'e, therefore, for fe'inine art, a "ecialtyT li%e Herbault for bonnet , =eroy for go#n , and !he$et for eatable ( 1t #a recognized that a young #o'an #ho had ta%en le on fro' -er$in #a ca"able of judging the "ainting of the <u ee conclu i$ely, of 'a%ing a tri%ing "ortrait, co"ying an ancient 'a ter, or "ainting a genre "icture( The arti t thu ufficed for the educational need of the ari tocracy( But in "ite of the e relation #ith the be t fa'ilie in Pari , he #a inde"endent and "atriotic, and he 'aintained a'ong the' that ea y, brilliant, halfDironical tone, and that freedo' of judg'ent #hich characterize "ainter ( He had carried hi cru"ulou "recaution into the arrange'ent of the locality #here hi "u"il tudied( The entrance to the attic abo$e hi a"art'ent #a #alled u"( To reach thi retreat, a acred a a hare', it #a nece ary to go u" a 'all "iral tairca e 'ade #ithin hi o#n

roo' ( The tudio, occu"ying nearly the #hole attic floor under the roof, "re ented to the eye tho e $a t "ro"ortion #hich ur"ri e inIuirer #hen, after attaining ixty feet abo$e the groundDfloor, they ex"ect to find an arti t Iueezed into a gutter( Thi gallery, o to "ea%, #a "rofu ely lighted fro' abo$e, through enor'ou "ane of gla furni hed #ith tho e green linen hade by 'ean of #hich all arti t arrange the light( @ Iuantity of caricature , head dra#n at a tro%e, either in color or #ith the "oint of a %nife, on #all "ainted in a dar% gray, "ro$ed that, barring a difference in ex"re ion, the 'o t di tingui hed young girl ha$e a 'uch fun and folly in their 'ind a 'en( @ 'all to$e #ith a large "i"e, #hich de cribed a fearful zigzag before it reached the u""er region of the roof, #a the nece ary and infallible orna'ent of the roo'( @ helf ran round the #all , on #hich #ere 'odel in "la ter, heterogeneou ly "laced, 'o t of the' co$ered #ith gray du t( Here and there, abo$e thi helf, a head of :iobe, hanging to a nail, "re ented her "o e of #oeT a Venu 'iledT a hand thru t it elf for#ard li%e that of a "au"er a %ing al' T a fe# Kecorche ,K yello#ed by 'o%e, loo%ed li%e li'b natched o$erDnight fro' a gra$eyardT be ide the e object , "icture , dra#ing , lay figure , fra'e #ithout "ainting , and "ainting #ithout fra'e ga$e to thi irregular a"art'ent that tudio "hy iogno'y #hich i di tingui hed for it ingular ju'ble of orna'ent and barene , "o$erty and riche , care and neglect( The $a t rece"tacle of an Katelier,K #here all ee' 'all, e$en 'an, ha o'ething of the air of an 9"era Kcouli eKT here lie ancient gar'ent , gilded ar'or, frag'ent of tuff , 'achinery( @nd yet there i o'ething 'y teriou ly grand, li%e thought, in itT geniu and death are thereT *iana and @"ollo be ide a %ull or %eleton, beauty and de truction, "oe y and reality, color glo#ing in the hado# , often a #hole dra'a, 'otionle and ilent( -trange y'bol of an arti tS head& @t the 'o'ent #hen thi hi tory begin , a brilliant 3uly un #a illu'inating the tudio, and t#o ray tri%ing ath#art it length#i e, traced dia"hanou gold line in #hich the du t #a hi''ering( @ dozen ea el rai ed their har" "oint li%e 'a t in a "ort( -e$eral young girl #ere ani'ating the cene by the $ariety of their ex"re ion , their attitude , and the difference in their toilet ( The trong hado# ca t by the green erge curtain , arranged according to the need of each ea el, "roduced a 'ultitude of contra t , and the "iIuant effect of light and hade( Thi grou" #a the "rettie t of all the "icture in the tudio( @ fair young girl, $ery i'"ly dre ed, at at o'e di tance fro' her co'"anion , #or%ing bra$ely and ee'ing to be in dread of o'e 'i ha"( :o one loo%ed at her, or "o%e to herT he #a 'uch the "rettie t, the 'o t 'ode t, and, a""arently, the lea t rich a'ong the'( T#o "rinci"al grou" , di tinctly e"arated fro' each other, ho#ed the "re ence of t#o et or cliIue , t#o 'ind e$en here, in thi tudio, #here one 'ight u""o e that ran% and fortune #ould be forgotten( But, ho#e$er that 'ight be, the e young girl , itting or tanding, in the 'id t of their colorDboxe , "laying #ith their bru he or "re"aring the', handling their dazzling "alette , "ainting, laughing, tal%ing, inging, ab olutely natural, and exhibiting their real el$e , co'"o ed a "ectacle un%no#n to 'an( 9ne of the', "roud,

haughty, ca"riciou , #ith blac% hair and beautiful hand , #a ca ting the fla'e of her glance here and there at rando'T another, lightD hearted and gay, a 'ile u"on her li" , #ith che tnut hair and delicate #hite hand , #a a ty"ical +rench $irgin, thoughtle , and #ithout hidden thought , li$ing her natural real lifeT a third #a drea'y, 'elancholy, "ale, bending her head li%e a droo"ing flo#erT her neighbor, on the contrary, tall, indolent, #ith @ iatic habit , long eye , 'oi t and blac%, aid but little, and reflected, glancing co$ertly at the head of @ntinou ( @'ong the', li%e the Kjoco oK of a -"ani h "lay, full of #it and e"igra''atic allie , another girl #a #atching the re t #ith a co'"rehen i$e glance, 'a%ing the' laugh, and to ing u" her head, too li$ely and arch not to be "retty( -he a""eared to rule the fir t grou" of girl , #ho #ere the daughter of ban%er , notarie , and 'erchant , DDall rich, but a#are of the i'"erce"tible though cutting light #hich another grou" belonging to the ari tocracy "ut u"on the'( The latter #ere led by the daughter of one of the 2ingS u her , a little creature, a illy a he #a $ain, "roud of being the daughter of a 'an #ith Kan office at court(K -he #a a girl #ho al#ay "retended to under tand the re'ar% of the 'a ter at the fir t #ord, and ee'ed to do her #or% a a fa$or to hi'( -he u ed an eyegla , ca'e $ery 'uch dre ed, and al#ay late, and entreated her co'"anion to "ea% lo#( 1n thi econd grou" #ere e$eral girl #ith exIui ite figure and di tingui hed feature , but there #a little in their glance or ex"re ion that #a i'"le and candid( Though their attitude #ere elegant and their 'o$e'ent graceful, their face lac%ed fran%ne T it #a ea y to ee that they belonged to a #orld #here "olite 'anner for' the character fro' early youth, and the abu e of ocial "lea ure de troy enti'ent and de$elo" egoti '( But #hen the #hole cla #a here a a'ong thi be$y of young girl , ra$i #ith li" halfDo"ened, through #hich #hich a $irgin 'ile #a flic%ering( tudio, but a grou" of angel eated e'bled, childli%e head #ere een hingly "ure and $irgin, face hone "otle teeth, and on The tudio then re e'bled not a on a cloud in ether(

By 'idDday, on thi occa ion, -er$in had not a""eared( +or o'e day "a t he had "ent 'o t of hi ti'e in a tudio #hich he %e"t el e#here, #here he #a gi$ing the la t touche to a "icture for the Ex"o ition( @ll of a udden <ade'oi elle @'elie Thirion, the leader of the ari tocrat , began to "ea% in a lo# $oice, and $ery earne tly, to her neighbor( @ great ilence fell on the grou" of "atrician , and the co''ercial "arty, ur"ri ed, #ere eIually ilent, trying to di co$er the ubject of thi earne t conference( The ecret of the young ;=T,@#a oon re$ealed( @'elie ro e, too% an ea el #hich tood near her , carried it to a di tance fro' the noble grou", and "laced it clo e to a board "artition #hich e"arated the tudio fro' the extre'e end of the attic, #here all bro%en ca t , defaced can$a e and the #inter u""ly of #ood #ere %e"t( @'elieS action cau ed a 'ur'ur of ur"ri e, #hich did not "re$ent her fro' acco'"li hing the change by rolling ha tily to the ide of the ea el the tool, the box of color , and e$en the

"icture by Prudhon, #hich the ab ent "u"il #a co"ying( @fter thi cou" dSetat the ,ight began to #or% in ilence, but the =eft di cour ed at length( K)hat #ill <ade'oi elle Pio'bo ay to thatQK a %ed a young girl of <ade'oi elle <atilde ,oguin, the li$ely oracle of the ban%ing grou"( K-heS not a girl to ay anything,K #a the re"lyT Kbut fifty year hence heSll re'e'ber the in ult a if it #ere done to her the night before, and re$enge it cruelly( -he i a "er on that 1, for one, donSt #ant to be at #ar #ith(K KThe light the e young ladie 'ean to "ut u"on her i all the 'ore un%ind,K aid another young girl, Kbecau e ye terday, <ade'oi elle Gine$ra #a $ery ad( Her father, they ay, ha ju t re igned( They ought not to add to her trouble, for he #a $ery con iderate of the' during the Hundred *ay ( :e$er did he ay a #ord to #ound the'( 9n the contrary, he a$oided "olitic ( But 1 thin% our ;=T,@- are acting 'ore fro' jealou y than fro' "arty "ite(K K1 ha$e a great 'ind to go and get <ade'oi elle Pio'boS ea el and "lace it next to 'ine,K aid <atilde ,oguin( -he ro e, but econd thought 'ade her it do#n again( K)ith a character li%e her ,K he aid, Kone canSt tell ho# ta%e a ci$ilityT better #ait e$ent (K KEcco la,K he #ould

aid the young girl #ith the blac% eye , languidly(

The te" of a "er on co'ing u" the narro# tair#ay ounded through the tudio( The #ord ? KHere he co'e &K "a ed fro' 'outh to 'outh, and then the 'o t ab olute ilence reigned( To under tand the i'"ortance of the o traci ' i'"o ed by the act of @'elie Thirion, it i nece ary to add that thi cene too% "lace to#ard the end of the 'onth of 3uly, .E.J( The econd return of the Bourbon had ha%en 'any friend hi" #hich had held fir' under the fir t ,e toration( @t thi 'o'ent fa'ilie , al'o t all di$ided in o"inion, #ere rene#ing 'any of the de"lorable cene #hich tain the hi tory of all countrie in ti'e of ci$il or religiou #ar ( !hildren, young girl , old 'en hared the 'onarchial fe$er to #hich the country #a then a $icti'( *i cord glided beneath all roof T di tru t dyed #ith it gloo'y color the #ord and the action of the 'o t inti'ate friend ( Gine$ra Pio'bo lo$ed :a"oleon to idolatryT ho#, then, could he hate hi'Q The e'"eror #a her co'"atriot and the benefactor of her father( The Baron di Pio'bo #a a'ong tho e of :a"oleonS de$oted er$ant #ho had coDo"erated 'o t effectually in the return fro' Elba( 1nca"able of denying hi "olitical faith, anxiou e$en to confe it, the old baron re'ained in Pari in the 'id t of hi ene'ie ( Gine$ra Pio'bo #a all the 'ore o"en to conde'nation becau e he 'ade no ecret of the grief #hich the econd ,e toration cau ed to her fa'ily( The only tear he had o far hed in life #ere dra#n fro' her by the t#ofold ne# of :a"oleonS ca"ti$ity on the KBellero"hon,K and =abedoyereS arre t( The girl of the ari tocratic grou" of "u"il belonged to the 'o t

de$oted royali t fa'ilie in Pari ( 1t #ould be difficult to gi$e an idea of the exaggeration "re$alent at thi e"och, and of the horror in "ired by the Bona"arti t ( Ho#e$er in ignificant and "etty @'elieS action 'ay no# ee' to be, it #a at that ti'e a $ery natural ex"re ion of the "re$ailing hatred( Gine$ra Pio'bo, one of -er$inS fir t "u"il , had occu"ied the "lace that #a no# ta%en fro' her ince the fir t day of her co'ing to the tudio( The ari tocratic circle had gradually urrounded her( To dri$e her fro' a "lace that in o'e en e belonged to her #a not only to in ult her, but to cau e her a "ecie of arti tic "ainT for all arti t ha$e a "ot of "redilection #here they #or%( :e$erthele , "olitical "rejudice #a not the chief conduct of the ,ight cliIue of the tudio( Gine$ra, -er$inS "u"il , #a an object of inten e jealou y( te tified a 'uch ad'iration for the talent a for influence on the 'uch the able t of The 'a ter the character of

hi fa$orite "u"il, #ho er$ed a a conclu ion to all hi co'"ari on ( 1n fact, #ithout any one being able to ex"lain the a cendancy #hich thi young girl obtained o$er all #ho ca'e in contact #ith her, he exerci ed o$er the little #orld around her a "re tige not unli%e that of Bona"arte u"on hi oldier ( The ari tocracy of the tudio had for o'e day "a t re ol$ed u"on the fall of thi Iueen, but no one had, a yet, $entured to o"enly a$oid the Bona"arti t( <ade'oi elle ThirionS act #a , therefore, a deci i$e tro%e, intended by her to force the other into beco'ing, o"enly, the acco'"lice of her hatred( Though Gine$ra #a incerely lo$ed by e$eral of the e royali t , nearly all of #ho' #ere indoctrinated at ho'e #ith their "olitical idea , they decided, #ith the tactic "eculiar to #o'en, that they hould do be t to %ee" the' el$e aloof fro' the Iuarrel( 9n Gine$raS arri$al he #a recei$ed, a #e ha$e aid, in "rofound ilence( 9f all the young #o'en #ho had, o far, co'e to -er$inS tudio, he #a the hand o'e t, the talle t, and the be t 'ade( Her carriage and de'eanor had a character of nobility and grace #hich co''anded re "ect( Her face, in tinct #ith intelligence, ee'ed to radiate light, o in "ired #a it #ith the enthu ia ' "eculiar to !or ican ,DD#hich doe not, ho#e$er, "reclude cal'ne ( Her long hair and her blac% eye and la he ex"re ed "a ionT the corner of her 'outh, too oftly defined, and the li" , a trifle too 'ar%ed, ga$e ign of that %indline #hich trong being deri$e fro' the con ciou ne of their trength( By a ingular ca"rice of nature, the char' of her face #a , in o'e degree, contradicted by a 'arble forehead, on #hich lay an al'o t a$age "ride, and fro' #hich ee'ed to e'anate the 'oral in tinct of a !or ican( 1n that #a the only lin% bet#een her elf and her nati$e land( @ll the re t of her "er on, her i'"licity, the ea y grace of her =o'bard beauty, #a o educti$e that it #a difficult for tho e #ho loo%ed at her to gi$e her "ain( -he in "ired uch %een attraction that her old father cau ed her, a 'atter of "recaution, to be acco'"anied to and fro' the tudio( The only defect of thi truly "oetic creature ca'e fro' the $ery "o#er of a beauty o fully de$elo"edT he loo%ed a #o'an( <arriage he had refu ed out of lo$e to her father and 'other, feeling her elf nece ary to the co'fort of

their old age( Her ta te for "ainting too% the "lace of the "a and intere t #hich u ually ab orb her ex(

ion

KRou are $ery ilent toDday, 'e de'oi elle ,K he aid, after ad$ancing a little #ay a'ong her co'"anion ( KGoodD'orning, 'y little =aure,K he added, in a oft, care ing $oice, a""roaching the young girl #ho #a "ainting a"art fro' the re t( KThat head i trong,DDthe fle h tint a little too ro y, but the dra#ing i excellent(K =aure rai ed her head and loo%ed tenderly at Gine$raT their face bea'ed #ith the ex"re ion of a 'utual affection( @ faint 'ile brightened the li" of the young 1talian, #ho ee'ed thoughtful, and #al%ed lo#ly to her ea el, glancing carele ly at the dra#ing and "ainting on her #ay, and bidding goodD'orning to each of the young girl of the fir t grou", not ob er$ing the unu ual curio ity excited by her "re ence( -he #a li%e a Iueen in the 'id t of her courtT he "aid no attention to the "rofound ilence that reigned a'ong the "atrician , and "a ed before their ca'" #ithout "ronouncing a ingle #ord( Her ab or"tion ee'ed o great that he at do#n before her ea el, o"ened her colorDbox, too% u" her bru he , dre# on her bro#n lee$e , arranged her a"ron, loo%ed at her "icture, exa'ined her "alette, #ithout, a""arently, thin%ing of #hat he #a doing( @ll head in the grou" of the bourgeoi e #ere turned to#ard her( 1f the young ladie in the Thirion ca'" did not ho# their i'"atience #ith the a'e fran%ne , their idelong glance #ere none the le directed on Gine$ra( K-he ha nSt noticed it&K aid <ade'oi elle ,oguin(

@t thi in tant Gine$ra abandoned the 'editati$e attitude in #hich he had been conte'"lating her can$a , and turned her head to#ard the grou" of ari tocrat ( -he 'ea ured, at a glance, the di tance that no# e"arated her fro' the'T but he aid nothing( K1t ha nSt occurred to her that they 'eant to in ult her,K aid <atildeT K he neither colored nor turned "ale( Ho# $exed the e girl #ill be if he li%e her ne# "lace a #ell a the old& Rou are out of bound , 'ade'oi elle,K he added, aloud, addre ing Gine$ra( The 1talian "retended not to hearT "erha" he really did not hear( -he ro e abru"tlyT #al%ed #ith a certain deliberation along the ide of the "artition #hich e"arated the adjoining clo et fro' the tudio, and ee'ed to be exa'ining the a h through #hich her light ca'e,DD gi$ing o 'uch i'"ortance to it that he 'ounted a chair to rai e the green erge, #hich interce"ted the light, 'uch higher( ,eaching that height, her eye #a on a le$el #ith a light o"ening in the "artition, the real object of her effort , for the glance that he ca t through it can be co'"ared only to that of a 'i er di co$ering @laddinS trea ure( Then he "rang do#n ha tily and returned to her "lace, changed the "o ition of her "icture, "retended to be till di ati fied #ith the light, "u hed a table clo e to the "artition, on #hich he "laced a chair, cli'bed lightly to the u''it of thi erection, and again loo%ed through the cre$ice( -he ca t but one glance into the "ace beyond, #hich #a lighted through a %ylightT but #hat he a# "roduced o trong an effect u"on her that he tottered(

KTa%e care, <ade'oi elle Gine$ra, youSll fall&K cried =aure( @ll the young girl gazed at the i'"rudent cli'ber, and the fear of their co'ing to her ga$e her courageT he reco$ered her eIuilibriu', and re"lied, a he balanced her elf on the ha%ing chair?DD KPooh& it i 'ore olid than a throne&K

-he then ecured the curtain and ca'e do#n, "u hed the chair and table a far a "o ible fro' the "artition, returned to her ea el, and ee'ed to be arranging it to uit the $olu'e of light he had no# thro#n u"on it( Her "icture, ho#e$er, #a not in her 'ind, #hich #a #holly bent on getting a near a "o ible to the clo et, again t the door of #hich he finally ettled her elf( Then he began to "re"are her "alette in the dee"e t ilence( -itting there, he could hear, di tinctly, a ound #hich had trongly excited her curio ity the e$ening before, and had #hirled her young i'agination acro $a t field of conjecture( -he recognized the fir' and regular breathing of a 'an #ho' he had ju t een a lee"( Her curio ity #a ati fied beyond her ex"ectation , but at the a'e ti'e he felt addled by an i''en e re "on ibility( Through the o"ening in the #all he had een the 1'"erial eagleT and u"on the floc% bed, faintly lighted fro' abo$e, lay the for' of an officer of the Guard( -he gue ed all( -er$in #a hiding a "ro cribed 'an& -he no# tre'bled le t any of her co'"anion hould co'e near here to exa'ine her "icture, #hen the regular breathing or o'e dee"er breath 'ight re$eal to the', a it had to her, the "re ence of thi "olitical $icti'( -he re ol$ed to %ee" her "lace be ide that door, tru ting to her #it to baffle all dangerou chance that 'ight ari e( KBetter that 1 hould be here,K thought he, Kto "re$ent o'e luc%le accident, than lea$e that "oor 'an at the 'ercy of a heedle betrayal(K Thi #a the ecret of the indifference #hich Gine$ra had a""arently ho#n to the re'o$al of her ea el( -he #a in#ardly enchanted, becau e the change had enabled her to gratify her curio ity in a natural 'annerT be ide , at thi 'o'ent, he #a too %eenly "reoccu"ied to "ercei$e the rea on of her re'o$al( :othing i 'ore 'ortifying to young girl , or, indeed, to all the #orld, than to ee a "iece of 'i chief, an in ult, or a biting "eech, 'i it effect through the conte'"t or the indifference of the intended $icti'( 1t ee' a if hatred to an ene'y gro# in "ro"ortion to the height that ene'y i rai ed abo$e u ( Gine$raS beha$ior #a an enig'a to all her co'"anion T her friend and ene'ie #ere eIually ur"ri edT for the for'er clai'ed for her all good Iualitie , exce"t that of forgi$ene of injurie ( Though, of cour e, the occa ion for di "laying that $ice of nature #ere eldo' afforded to Gine$ra in the life of a tudio, till, the "eci'en he had no# and then gi$en of her $indicti$e di "o ition had left a trong i'"re ion on the 'ind of her co'"anion ( @fter 'any conjecture , <ade'oi elle ,oguin ca'e to the conclu ion that the 1talianS ilence ho#ed a grandeur of oul beyond all "rai eT and the ban%ing circle, in "ired by her, for'ed a "roject to

hu'iliate the ari tocracy( They ucceeded in that ai' by a fire of arca ' #hich "re ently brought do#n the "ride of the ,ight coterie( <ada'e -er$inS arri$al "ut a to" to the truggle( )ith the hre#dne that u ually acco'"anie 'alice, @'elie Thirion had noticed, analyzed, and 'entally co''ented on the extre'e "reoccu"ation of Gine$raS 'ind, #hich "re$ented her fro' e$en hearing the bitterly "olite #ar of #ord of #hich he #a the object( The $engeance <ade'oi elle ,oguin and her co'"anion #ere inflicting on <ade'oi elle Thirion and her grou" had, therefore, the fatal effect of dri$ing the young ;=T,@- to earch for the cau e of the ilence o ob tinately 'aintained by Gine$ra di Pio'bo( The beautiful 1talian beca'e the centre of all glance , and he #a henceforth #atched by friend and foe ali%e( 1t i $ery difficult to hide e$en a light e'otion or enti'ent fro' fifteen inIui iti$e and unoccu"ied young girl , #ho e #it and 'i chief a % for nothing better than ecret to gue , che'e to create or baffle, and #ho %no# ho# to find too 'any inter"retation for each ge ture, glance, and #ord, to fail in di co$ering the right one( @t thi 'o'ent, ho#e$er, the "re ence of <ada'e -er$in "roduced an interlude in the dra'a thu "layed belo# the urface in the e $ariou young heart , the enti'ent , idea , and "rogre of #hich #ere ex"re ed by "hra e that #ere al'o t allegorical, by 'i chie$ou glance , by ge ture , by ilence e$en, 'ore intelligible than #ord ( @ oon a <ada'e -er$in entered the tudio, her eye turned to the door near #hich Gine$ra #a eated( ;nder "re ent circu' tance the fact of thi glance #a not lo t( Though at fir t none of the "u"il too% notice of it, <ade'oi elle Thirion recollected it later, and it ex"lained to her the doubt, fear, and 'y tery #hich no# ga$e o'ething #ild and frightened to <ada'e -er$inS eye ( K<e de'oi elle ,K he aid, K<on ieur -er$in cannot co'e toDday(K

Then he #ent round co'"li'enting each young girl, recei$ing in return a $olu'e of tho e fe'inine care e #hich are gi$en a 'uch by the tone of the $oice and by loo% a by ge ture ( -he "re ently reached Gine$ra, under the influence of an unea ine he tried in $ain to di gui e( They nodded to each other in a friendly #ay, but aid nothingT one "ainted, the other tood loo%ing at the "ainting( The breathing of the oldier in the clo et could be di tinctly heard, but <ada'e -er$in a""eared not to notice itT her feigned ignorance #a o ob$iou that Gine$ra recognized it at once for #ilful deafne ( Pre ently the un%no#n 'an turned on hi "allet( The 1talian then loo%ed fixedly at <ada'e -er$in, #ho the lighte t change of face?DD aid, #ithout

KRour co"y i a fine a the originalT if 1 had to choo e bet#een the t#o 1 hould be "uzzled(K K<on ieur -er$in ha not ta%en hi #ife into hi confidence a to thi 'y tery,K thought Gine$ra, #ho, after re"lying to the young #ifeS "eech #ith a gentle 'ile of incredulity, began to hu' a !or ican KcanzonettaK to co$er the noi e that #a 'ade by the "ri oner(

1t #a o unu ual a thing to hear the tudiou 1talian ing, that all the other young girl loo%ed u" at her in ur"ri e( =ater, thi circu' tance er$ed a "roof to the charitable u""o ition of jealou y( <ada'e -er$in oon #ent a#ay, and the e ion ended #ithout further e$ent T Gine$ra allo#ed her co'"anion to de"art, and ee'ed to intend to #or% later( But, uncon ciou ly to her elf, he betrayed her de ire to be left alone by i'"atient glance , illDdi gui ed, at the "u"il #ho #ere lo# in lea$ing( <ade'oi elle Thirion, a cruel ene'y to the girl #ho excelled her in e$erything, gue ed by the in tinct of jealou y that her ri$alS indu try hid o'e "ur"o e( By dint of #atching her he #a truc% by the attenti$e air #ith #hich Gine$ra ee'ed to be li tening to ound that no one el e had heard( The ex"re ion of i'"atience he no# detected in her co'"anionS eye #a li%e a fla h of light to her( @'elie #a the la t of the "u"il to lea$e the tudioT fro' there he #ent do#n to <ada'e -er$inS a"art'ent and tal%ed #ith her for a 'o'entT then he "retended to ha$e left her bag, ran oftly bac% to the tudio, and found Gine$ra once 'ore 'ounted on her frail caffolding, and o ab orbed in the conte'"lation of an un%no#n object that he did not hear the light noi e of her co'"anionS foot te" ( 1t i true that, to u e an ex"re ion of )alter -cott, @'elie te""ed a if on egg ( -he ha tily #ithdre# out ide the door and coughed( Gine$ra Iui$ered, turned her head, a# her ene'y, blu hed, ha tened to alter the hade to gi$e 'eaning to her "o ition, and ca'e do#n fro' her "erch lei urely( -he oon after left the tudio, bearing #ith her, in her 'e'ory, the i'age of a 'anS head, a beauteou a that of the Endy'ion, a 'a ter"iece of GirodetS #hich he had lately co"ied( KTo bani h o young a 'an& )ho can he beQ for he i not <ar hal :eyDDK

The e t#o entence are the i'"le t ex"re ion of the 'any idea that Gine$ra turned o$er in her 'ind for t#o day ( 9n the third day, in "ite of her ha te to be fir t at the tudio, he found <ade'oi elle Thirion already there, ha$ing co'e in a carriage( Gine$ra and her ene'y ob er$ed each other for a long ti'e, but they 'ade their face i'"enetrable( @'elie had een the hand o'e head of the 'y teriou 'an, but, fortunately, and unfortunately al o, the 1'"erial eagle and unifor' #ere o "laced that he did not ee the' through the cre$ice in the "artition( -he #a lo t in conjecture ( -uddenly -er$in ca'e in, 'uch earlier than u ual( K<ade'oi elle Gine$ra,K he aid, after glancing round the tudio, K#hy ha$e you "laced your elf thereQ The light i bad( !o'e nearer to the re t of the young ladie and "ull do#n that curtain a little(K Then he at do#n near =aure, #ho e #or% de er$ed hi attention( K)ell, #ell&K he criedT Khere, indeed, i RouSll be another Gine$ra(K The 'a ter then #ent fro' ea el to ea el, 'o t cordial

a head extre'ely #ell done( colding, flattering,

je ting, and 'a%ing, a u ual, hi je t 'ore dreaded than hi re"ri'and ( Gine$ra had not obeyed the "rofe orS order, but re'ained at her "o t, fir'ly re ol$ed not to Iuit it( -he too% a heet of "a"er and began to %etch in e"ia the head of the hidden 'an( @ #or% done under the i'"ul e of an e'otion ha al#ay a ta'" of it o#n( The faculty of gi$ing to re"re entation of nature or of thought their true coloring con titute geniu , and often, in thi re "ect, "a ion ta%e the "lace of it( -o, under the circu' tance in #hich Gine$ra no# found her elf, the intuition #hich he o#ed to a "o#erful effect u"on her 'e'ory, or, "o ibly, to nece ity, that 'other of great thing , lent her, for the 'o'ent, a u"ernatural talent( The head of the young officer #a da hed u"on the "a"er in the 'id t of an a#%#ard tre'bling #hich he 'i too% for fear, and in #hich a "hy iologi t #ould ha$e recognized the fire of in "iration( +ro' ti'e to ti'e he glanced furti$ely at her co'"anion , in order to hide the %etch if any of the' ca'e near her( But in "ite of her #atchfulne , there #a a 'o'ent #hen he did not ee the eyegla of the "itile @'elie turned full u"on the dra#ing fro' the helter of a great "ortfolio( <ade'oi elle Thirion, recognizing the "ortrait of the 'y teriou 'an, ho#ed her elf abru"tly, and Gine$ra ha tily co$ered the heet of "a"er( K)hy do you tay there in "rofe or, gra$ely( "ite of 'y ad$ice, 'ade'oi elleQK a %ed the

The "u"il turned her ea el o that no one but the 'a ter could ee the %etch, #hich he "laced u"on it, and aid, in an agitated $oice?DD K*o you not thin%, a better re'ain hereQK 1 do, that the light i $ery goodQ Had 1 not

-er$in turned "ale( @ nothing e ca"e the "iercing eye of 'alice, <ade'oi elle Thirion beca'e, a it #ere, a harer in the udden e'otion of 'a ter and "u"il( KRou are right,K laugh, Kyou #ill aid -er$inT Kbut really,K he added, #ith a forced oon co'e to %no# 'ore than 1 do(K or tudied the dra#ing of

@ "au e follo#ed, during #hich the "rofe the officerS head(

K1t i a 'a ter"iece& #orthy of -al$ator ,o a&K he exclai'ed, #ith the energy of an arti t( @ll the "u"il ro e on hearing thi , and <ade'oi elle Thirion darted for#ard #ith the $elocity of a tiger on it "rey( @t thi in tant, the "ri oner, a#a%ened, "erha" , by the noi e, began to 'o$e( Gine$ra %noc%ed o$er her tool, aid a fe# incoherent entence , and began to laughT but he had thro#n the "ortrait into her "ortfolio before @'elie could get to her( The ea el #a no# urroundedT -er$in de canted on the beauty of the co"y #hich hi fa$orite "u"il #a then 'a%ing, and the #hole cla #a du"ed by thi tratage', exce"t @'elie, #ho, li""ing behind her co'"anion , atte'"ted to o"en the "ortfolio #here he had een Gine$ra thro# the %etch( But the latter too% it u" #ithout a #ord, and "laced it in front of her( The t#o young girl then loo%ed at each other fixedly, in ilence(

K!o'e, 'e de'oi elle , ta%e your "lace ,K aid -er$in( K1f you #i h to do a #ell a <ade'oi elle di Pio'bo, you 'u tnSt be al#ay tal%ing fa hion and ball , and trifling a#ay your ti'e a you do(K )hen they #ere all re eated before their ea el , -er$in be ide Gine$ra( at do#n

K)a it not better that 1 hould be the one to di co$er the 'y tery rather than the other QK a %ed the girl, in a lo# $oice( KRe ,K re"lied the "ainter, Kyou are one of u , a "atriotT but e$en if you #ere not, 1 hould till ha$e confided the 'atter to you(K <a ter and "u"il under tood each other, and Gine$ra no longer feared to a %?DD K)ho i heQK

K@n inti'ate friend of =abedoyere, #ho contributed 'ore than any other 'an, exce"t the unfortunate colonel, to the union of the 0th regi'ent #ith the grenadier of Elba( He #a a 'ajor in the 1'"erial guard and #a at )aterloo(K K)hy not ha$e burned hi unifor' and ha%o, and citizenS clothe QK aid Gine$ra, i'"atiently( KHe #ill ha$e the' toDnight(K KRou ought to ha$e clo ed the KHe i going a#ay(K tudio for o'e day (K u""lied hi' #ith

KThen theySll %ill hi',K aid the girl( K=et hi' tay here #ith you till the "re ent tor' i o$er( Pari i till the only "lace in +rance #here a 'an can be hidden afely( 1 he a friend of your QK he a %ed( K:oT he ha no clai' u"on 'e but that of hi illDluc%( He ca'e into 'y

hand in thi #ay( <y fatherDinDla#, #ho returned to the ar'y during the ca'"aign, 'et thi young fello#, and $ery cle$erly re cued hi' fro' the cla# of tho e #ho ca"tured =abedoyere( He ca'e here to defend the general, fooli h fello#&K K*o you call hi' that&K cried Gine$ra, ca ting a glance of a toni h'ent at the "ainter, #ho #a ilent for a 'o'ent( K<y fatherDinDla# o#n hou e,K he re #ee% ago( 1 ho"ed "ot in the hou e i too clo ely #atched to be able to %ee" hi' in hi u'ed( K-o he brought hi' to 'e, by night, about a to %ee" hi' out of ight in thi corner, the only #here he could be afe(K aid Gine$ra( K1 %no# the

K1f 1 can be u eful to you, e'"loy 'e,K <arechal de +eltre(K K)ell, #eSll ee,K re"lied the "ainter(

Thi con$er ation la ted too long not to be noticed by all the other girl ( -er$in left Gine$ra, #ent round once 'ore to each ea el, and ga$e uch long le on that he #a till there at the hour #hen the "u"il #ere in the habit of lea$ing( KRou are forgetting your bag, <ade'oi elle Thirion,K aid the "rofe or, running after the girl, #ho #a no# conde cending to the #or% of a "y to ati fy her jealou y( The baffled "u"il returned for the bag, ex"re ing ur"ri e at her carele ne T but thi act of -er$inS #a to her fre h "roof of the exi tence of a 'y tery, the i'"ortance of #hich #a e$ident( -he no# ran noi ily do#n the tairca e, and la''ed the door #hich o"ened into the -er$in S a"art'ent, to gi$e an i'"re ion that he had goneT then he oftly returned and tationed her elf out ide the door of the tudio(

!H@PTE, 111 =@BE*9RE,ES- +,1E:* )hen the "ainter and Gine$ra thought the' el$e alone, -er$in ra""ed in a "eculiar 'anner on the door of the dar% garret, #hich turned at once on it ru ty and crea%ing hinge ( Gine$ra then a# a tall and #ellD'ade young 'an, #ho e 1'"erial unifor' et her heart to beating( The officer had one ar' in a ling, and the "allor of hi face re$ealed har" uffering( -eeing an un%no#n #o'an, he recoiled( @'elie, #ho #a unable to loo% into the roo', the door being clo ed, #a afraid to tay longerT he #a ati fied #ith ha$ing heard the o"ening of the garret door, and de"arted noi ele ly( K+ear nothing,K aid the "ainter to the officer( K<ade'oi elle i daughter of a 'o t faithful friend of the E'"eror, the Baron di Pio'bo(K The young oldier retained no doubt oon a he a# her( KRou are #ounded,K K9h& it i he aid( healing(K a to Gine$raS "atrioti ' a the

nothing, 'ade'oi elle,K he re"liedT Kthe #ound i

3u t at thi 'o'ent the loud crie of the $endor of ne# "a"er ca'e u" fro' the treet? K!onde'ned to death&K They all tre'bled, and the oldier #a the fir t to hear a na'e that turned hi' "ale( K=abedoyere&K he cried, falling on a tool(

They loo%ed at each other in ilence( *ro" gathered on the li$id forehead of the young 'anT he eized the blac% tuft of hi hair in one hand #ith a ge ture of de "air, and re ted hi elbo# on Gine$raS ea el( K@fter all,K he aid, ri ing abru"tly, K=abedoyere and 1 %ne# #hat #e

#ere doing( )e #ere certain of the fate that a#aited u , #hether fro' triu'"h or defeat( He die for the !au e, and here a' 1, hiding 'y elf&K He ru hed to#ard the door of the reached it, and barred hi #ay( tudioT but, Iuic%er than he, Gine$ra

K!an you re tore the E'"erorQK he aid( K*o you ex"ect to rai e that giant #ho could not 'aintain hi' elfQK KBut #hat can 1 doQK aid the young 'an, addre ing the t#o friend #ho' chance had ent to hi'( K1 ha$e not a relation in the #orld( =abedoyere #a 'y "rotector and 'y friendT #ithout hi', 1 a' alone( ToD'orro# 1 'y elf 'ay be conde'nedT 'y only fortune #a 'y "ay( 1 "ent 'y la t "enny to co'e here and try to natch =abedoyere fro' hi fateT death i , therefore, a nece ity for 'e( )hen a 'an decide to die he ought to %no# ho# to ell hi life to the executioner( 1 #a thin%ing ju t no# that the life of an hone t 'an i #orth that of t#o traitor , and the blo# of a dagger #ell "laced 'ay gi$e i''ortality(K Thi "a ' of de "air alar'ed the "ainter, and e$en Gine$ra, #ho e o#n nature co'"rehended that of the young 'an( -he ad'ired hi hand o'e face and hi delightful $oice, the #eetne of #hich #a carcely le ened by it tone of fury( Then, all of a udden, he "oured a bal' u"on the #ound of the unfortunate 'an?DD K<on ieur,K he aid, Ka for your "ecuniary di tre , "er'it 'e to offer you 'y a$ing ( <y father i richT 1 a' hi only childT he lo$e 'e, and 1 a' ure he #ill ne$er bla'e 'e( Ha$e no cru"le in acce"ting 'y offerT our "ro"erty i deri$ed fro' the E'"erorT #e do not o#n a "enny that i not the re ult of hi 'unificence( 1 it not gratitude to hi' to a i t hi faithful oldier Q Ta%e the u' you need a indifferently a 1 offer the'( 1t i only 'oney&K he added, in a tone of conte'"t( K:o#, a for friend ,DDtho e you hall ha$e(K -he rai ed her head "roudly, and her eye brilliancy( hone #ith dazzling

KThe head #hich fall toD'orro# before a dozen 'u %et #ill a$e your ,K he #ent on( K)ait till the tor' i o$erT you can then e ca"e and ta%e er$ice in foreign countrie if you are not forgotten hereT or in the +rench ar'y, if you are(K 1n the co'fort that #o'en gi$e there i al#ay a delicacy #hich ha o'ething 'aternal, fore eeing, and co'"lete about it( But #hen the #ord of ho"e and "eace are aid #ith grace of ge ture and that eloIuence of tone #hich co'e fro' the heart, and #hen, abo$e all, the benefactre i beautiful, a young 'an doe not re i t( The "ri oner breathed in lo$e through all hi en e ( @ ro y tinge colored hi #hite chee% T hi eye lo t o'ething of the adne that dulled the', and he aid, in a "eculiar tone of $oice?DD KRou are an angle of goodne =abedoyere&K DD But =abedoyere&K he added( K9h,

@t thi cry they all three loo%ed at one another in ilence, each co'"rehending the other S thought ( :o longer friend of t#enty

'inute

only, they #ere friend

of t#enty year ( a$e hi'QK

K*ear friend,K

aid -er$in, Kcan you

K1 can a$enge hi'(K Gine$ra Iui$ered( Though the tranger #a hand o'e, hi a""earance had not influenced herT the oft "ity in a #o'anS heart for 'i erie that are not ignoble had tifled in Gine$ra all other e'otion T but to hear a cry of $engeance, to find in that "ro cribed being an 1talian oul, de$otion to :a"oleon, !or ican genero ity&DDah& that #a , indeed, too 'uch for her( -he loo%ed at the officer #ith a re "ectful e'otion #hich hoo% hi heart( +or the fir t ti'e in her life a 'an had cau ed her a %een e'otion( -he no#, li%e other #o'en, "ut the oul of the tranger on a "ar #ith the noble beauty of hi feature and the ha""y "ro"ortion of hi figure, #hich he ad'ired a an arti t( =ed by accidental curio ity to "ity, fro' "ity to a "o#erful intere t, he ca'e, through that intere t, to uch "rofound en ation that he felt he #a in danger if he tayed there longer( K;ntil toD'orro#, then,K he aid, gi$ing the officer a gentle by #ay of a "arting con olation( -eeing that 'ile, #hich thre# a ne# light on Gine$raS tranger forgot all el e for an in tant( KToD'orro#,K he aid, 'ile

feature , the

adlyT Kbut toD'orro#, =abedoyereDDK if to

Gine$ra turned, "ut a finger on her li" , and loo%ed at hi', a ay? KBe cal', be "rudent(K @nd the young 'an cried out in hi o#n language?

K@h& *io& che non $orrei $i$ere do"o a$erla $edutaQDD#ho #ould not #i h to li$e after eeing herQK The "eculiar accent #ith #hich he "ronounced the #ord Iui$er( K@re you !or icanQK heart( 'ade Gine$ra

he cried, returning to#ard hi' #ith a beating

K1 #a born in !or ica,K he re"liedT Kbut 1 #a brought, #hile $ery young, to Genoa, and a oon a 1 #a old enough for 'ilitary er$ice 1 enli ted(K The beauty of the young 'an, the 'ighty char' lent to hi' by hi attach'ent to the E'"eror, hi #ound, hi 'i fortune , hi danger, all di a""eared to Gine$raS 'ind, or, rather, all #ere blended in one enti'ent,DDa ne# and delightful enti'ent( Thi "er ecuted 'an #a a child of !or icaT he "o%e it cheri hed language& -he tood, for a 'o'ent, 'otionle T held by a 'agical en ationT before her eye #a a li$ing "icture, to #hich all hu'an enti'ent , united by chance, ga$e $i$id color ( By -er$inS in$itation, the officer had eated hi' elf on a di$an, and the "ainter, after re'o$ing the ling #hich u""orted the ar' of hi gue t, #a undoing the bandage in order to dre the #ound( Gine$ra huddered #hen he a# the long, broad ga h 'ade by the

blade of a abre on the young 'anS forear', and a 'oan e ca"ed her( The tranger rai ed hi head and 'iled to her( There #a o'ething touching #hich #ent to the oul, in the care #ith #hich -er$in lifted the lint and touched the lacerated fle h, #hile the face of the #ounded 'an, though "ale and ic%ly, ex"re ed, a he loo%ed at the girl, 'ore "lea ure than uffering( @n arti t #ould ha$e ad'ired, in$oluntarily, thi o""o ition of enti'ent , together #ith the contra t "roduced by the #hitene of the linen and the bared ar' to the red and blue unifor' of the officer( @t thi 'o'ent a oft halfDlight "er$aded the tudioT but a "arting ray of the e$ening unlight uddenly illu'inated the "ot #here the oldier at, o that hi noble, blanched face, hi blac% hair, and hi clothe #ere bathed in it glo#( The effect #a i'"le enough, but to the girlS 1talian i'agination it #a a ha""y o'en( The tranger ee'ed to her a cele tial 'e enger, "ea%ing the language of her o#n country( He thu uncon ciou ly "ut her under the "ell of childhoodS 'e'orie , #hile in her heart there da#ned another feeling a fre h, a "ure a her o#n innocence( +or a hort, $ery hort 'o'ent, he #a 'otionle and drea'y, a though he #ere "lunged in boundle thought( Then he blu hed at ha$ing allo#ed her ab or"tion to be noticed, exchanged one oft and ra"id glance #ith the #ounded 'an, and fled #ith the $i ion of hi' till before her eye ( The next day #a not a cla Dday, but Gine$ra ca'e to the tudio, and the "ri oner #a free to it be ide her ea el( -er$in, #ho had a %etch to fini h, "layed the "art of 'entor to the t#o young "eo"le, #ho tal%ed to each other chiefly in !or ican( The oldier related the uffering of the retreat fro' <o co#T for, at nineteen year of age, he had 'ade the "a age of the Bere in , and #a al'o t the la t 'an left of hi regi'ent( He de cribed, in #ord of fire, the great di a ter of )aterloo( Hi $oice #a 'u ic it elf to the 1talian girl( Brought u" a a !or ican, Gine$ra #a , in o'e en e, a child of :atureT fal ene #a a thing un%no#n to herT he ga$e her elf u" #ithout re er$e to her i'"re ion T he ac%no#ledged the', or, rather, allo#ed the' to be een #ithout the affectation of "etty and calculating coIuetry, characteri tic of Pari ian girlhood( *uring thi day he at 'ore than once #ith her "alette in one hand, her bru he in another, #ithout touching a color( )ith her eye fa tened on the officer, and her li" lightly a"art, he li tened, in the attitude of "ainting a tro%e #hich #a ne$er "ainted( -he #a not ur"ri ed to ee uch oftne in the eye of the young 'an, for he felt that her o#n #ere oft in "ite of her #ill to %ee" the' tern and cal'( @fter "eriod li%e thi he "ainted diligently, #ithout rai ing her head, for he #a there, near her, #atching her #or%( The fir t ti'e he at do#n be ide her to conte'"late her ilently, he aid, in a $oice of o'e e'otion, after a long "au e?DD K*oe it a'u e you to ee 'e "aintQK

That day he learned that hi na'e #a =uigi( Before e"arating, it #a agreed bet#een the' that if, on cla Dday #hen they could not ee each other, any i'"ortant "olitical e$ent occurred, Gine$ra #a to infor' hi' by inging certain !or ican 'elodie then agreed u"on( The follo#ing day <ade'oi elle Thirion infor'ed all the 'e'ber of the cla , under "ledge of ecrecy that Gine$ra di Pio'bo had a lo$er, a

young 'an #ho ca'e during the hour for the le hi' elf in the garret beyond the tudio(

on, and concealed

KRou, #ho ta%e her "art,K he aid to <ade'oi elle ,oguin, K#atch her carefully, and you #ill ee ho# he "end her ti'e(K Gine$ra #a , therefore, ob er$ed #ith diabolical attention( They li tened to her ong , they #atched her glance ( @t ti'e , #hen he u""o ed that no one a# her, a dozen "air of eye #ere furti$ely u"on her( Thu enlightened, the girl #ere able to inter"ret truly the e'otion that cro ed the feature of the beautiful 1talian,DDher ge ture , the "eculiar tone in #hich he hu''ed a tune, and the attention #ith #hich they a# her li ten to ound #hich only he could hear through the "artition( By the end of a #ee%, =aure #a the only one of -er$inS fifteen "u"il #ho had re i ted the te'"tation of loo%ing at =uigi through the cre$ice of the "artitionT and he, through an in tinct of #ea%ne , till defended her beautiful friend( <ade'oi elle ,oguin endea$ored to 'a%e her #ait on the tairca e after the cla di "er ed, that he 'ight "ro$e to her the inti'acy of Gine$ra and the young 'an by entering the tudio and ur"ri ing the' together( But =aure refu ed to conde cend to an act of e "ial #hich no curio ity could ju tify, and he con eIuently beca'e the object of 'uch re"robation( Before long <ade'oi elle Thirion 'ade %no#n that he thought it i'"ro"er to attend the cla e of a "ainter #ho e o"inion #ere tainted #ith "atrioti ' and Bona"arti ' Ain tho e day the ter' #ere ynony'ou B, and he cea ed her attendance at the tudio( But, although he her elf forgot Gine$ra, the har' he had "lanted bore fruit( =ittle by little, the other young girl re$ealed to their 'other the trange e$ent #hich #ere ha""ening at the tudio( 9ne day <atilde ,oguin did not co'eT the next day another girl #a 'i ing, and o on, till the la t three or four #ho #ere left ca'e no 'ore( Gine$ra and =aure, her little friend, #ere the ole occu"ant of the de erted tudio for three or four day ( Gine$ra did not ob er$e thi falling off, nor a % the cau e of her co'"anion S ab ence( @ oon a he had in$ented 'ean of co''unication #ith =uigi he li$ed in the tudio in a delightful olitude, alone a'id her o#n #orld, thin%ing only of the officer and the danger that threatened hi'( Though a incere ad'irer of noble character that ne$er betray their "olitical faith , he ne$erthele urged =uigi to ub'it hi' elf to the royal authority, that he 'ight be relea ed fro' hi "re ent life and re'ain in +rance( But to thi he #ould not con ent( 1f "a ion are born and nouri hed, a they ay, under the influence of ro'antic cau e , ne$er did o 'any circu' tance of that %ind concur in uniting t#o young oul by one and the a'e enti'ent( The friend hi" of Gine$ra for =uigi and that of =uigi for Gine$ra 'ade 'ore "rogre in a 'onth than a friend hi" in ociety #ould 'a%e in ten year ( @d$er ity i the touch tone of character( Gine$ra #a able, therefore, to tudy =uigi, to %no# hi'T and before long they 'utually e tee'ed each other( The girl, #ho #a older than =uigi, found a char' in being courted by a youth already o grand, o tried by fate,DDa youth #ho joined to the ex"erience of a 'an the grace of adole cence( =uigi, on hi ide, felt an un "ea%able "lea ure in allo#ing hi' elf to be a""arently "rotected by a #o'an,

no# t#entyDfi$e year of age( )a it not a "roof of lo$eQ The union of gentlene and "ride, trength and #ea%ne in Gine$ra #ere, to hi', irre i tible attraction , and he #a utterly ubjugated by her( 1n hort, before long, they lo$ed each other o "rofoundly that they felt no need of denying to each other their lo$e, nor yet of telling it( 9ne day, to#ard e$ening, Gine$ra heard cratched #ith a "in on the #ood#or% in noi e than a "ider 'ight 'a%e a he fa 'eant that he #i hed to co'e out of hi the accu to'ed ignal( =uigi a 'anner that "roduced no 'ore tened hi thread( The ignal retreat(

Gine$ra glanced around the tudio, and not eeing =aure, o"ened the doorT but a he did o =uigi caught ight of the little "u"il and abru"tly retired( -ur"ri ed at hi action, Gine$ra loo%ed round, a# =aure, and aid, a he #ent u" to the girlS ea el?DD KRou are taying late, 'y dear( That head ee' to 'e fini hedT you only #ant a highDlight,DD ee& on that %not of hair(K KRou #ould do 'e a great %indne ,K aid =aure, in a tre'bling $oice, Kif you #ould gi$e thi co"y a fe# touche T for then 1 could carry a#ay #ith 'e o'ething to re'ind 'e of you(K K)illingly,K aid Gine$ra, "ainting a fe# tro%e on the "icture( KBut 1 thought it #a a long #ay fro' your ho'e to the tudio, and it i late(K K9h& Gine$ra, 1 a' going a#ay, ne$er to return,K cried the "oor girl, adly( KRou 'ean to lea$e <on ieur -er$in&K exclai'ed Gine$ra, le affected, ho#e$er, by thi ne# than he #ould ha$e been a 'onth earlier( KHa$enSt you noticed, Gine$ra, that for been alone in the tudioQK o'e day "a t you and 1 ha$e

KTrue,K aid Gine$ra, a if truc% by a udden recollection( K@re all tho e young ladie ill, or going to be 'arried, or are their father on duty at courtQK KThey ha$e left <on ieur -er$in,K re"lied =aure( K)hyQK K9n your account, Gine$ra(K K<y account&K re"eated the !or ican, bro# and her eye fla hing( K9h& donSt be K<y 'other in you ha$e o'e #ho' you lo$e calu'nie nor <ada'e ,oguin here( )hen 'y fal ehood of "ringing u", #ith a threatening

angry, 'y %ind Gine$ra,K cried =aure, in dee" di tre ( i t on 'y lea$ing the tudio( The young ladie ay that intrigue, and that <on ieur -er$in allo# the young 'an to tay in the dar% attic( 1 ha$e ne$er belie$ed the e aid a #ord to 'y 'other about the'( But la t night 'et her at a ball and a %ed her if he till ent 'e 'other an #ered ye , <ada'e ,oguin told her the tho e young ladie ( <a''a colded 'e e$erelyT he aid

1 'u t ha$e %no#n it all, and that 1 had failed in "ro"er confidence bet#een 'other and daughter by not telling her( 9h& 'y dear Gine$ra& 1, #ho too% you for 'y 'odel, oh& ho# grie$ed 1 a' that 1 canSt be your co'"anion any longer(K K)e hall 'eet again in lifeT girl igned =aure( a fortuneDDK 'arryDDK aid Gine$ra(

K)hen they are rich,K K!o'e and

ee 'eT 'y father ha

KGine$ra,K continued =aure, tenderly( K<ada'e ,oguin and 'y 'other are co'ing to ee <on ieur -er$in toD'orro# and re"roach hi'T hadnSt you better #arn hi'(K @ thunderbolt falling at Gine$raS 'ore than thi re$elation( K)hat 'atter i KE$erybody thin% it to the'QK feet could not ha$e a toni hed her

he a %ed, nai$ely( ay it i i''oral(K

it $ery #rong( <a''a ayQK

K@nd you, =aure, #hat do you

The young girl loo%ed u" at Gine$ra, and their thought united( =aure could no longer %ee" bac% her tear T he flung her elf on her friendS brea t and obbed( @t thi 'o'ent -er$in ca'e into the tudio( K<ade'oi elle Gine$ra,K he cried, #ith enthu ia ', K1 ha$e fini hed 'y "icture& it i no# being $arni hed( )hat ha$e you been doing, 'ean#hileQ )here are the young ladie T are they ta%ing a holiday, or are they in the countryQK =aure dried her tear , bo#ed to <on ieur -er$in, and #ent a#ay( KThe tudio ha been de erted for o'e day ,K re"lied Gine$ra, Kand the young ladie are not co'ing bac%(K KPooh&K K9h& donSt laugh,K aid Gine$ra( K=i ten? 1 a' the in$oluntary cau e of the lo of your re"utationDDK The arti t 'iled, and aid, interru"ting hi "u"il?DD

K<y re"utationQ )hy, in a fe# day Ex"o ition(K

'y "icture #ill 'a%e it at the

KThat relate to your talent,K re"lied the girl( K1 a' "ea%ing of your 'orality( Tho e young ladie ha$e told their 'other that =uigi #a hut u" here, and that you lent your elfDDtoDDour lo$e(K KThere i o'e truth in that, 'ade'oi elle,K re"lied the "rofe or( KThe 'other of tho e young ladie are fooli h #o'enT if they had co'e traight to 'e 1 hould ha$e ex"lained the 'atter( But 1 donSt care a tra# about it& =ife i hort, anyho#(K

@nd the "ainter na""ed hi finger abo$e hi heard "art of the con$er ation, ca'e in( KRou ha$e lo t all your The arti t too% =uigiS

head( =uigi, #ho had

cholar ,K he cried( K1 ha$e ruined you&K hand and that of Gine$ra, and joined the'( aid, #ith fatherly %indne (

K<arry one another, 'y children,K he

They both dro""ed their eye , and their ilence #a they had 'ade to each other of their lo$e(

the fir t a$o#al

KRou #ill urely be ha""y,K aid -er$in( KThere i nothing in life to eIual the ha""ine of t#o being li%e your el$e #hen bound together in lo$e(K =uigi "re ed the hand of hi "rotector #ithout at fir t being able to utter a #ordT but "re ently he aid, in a $oice of e'otion?DD KTo you 1 o#e it all(K KBe ha""y& 1 ble and #ed you,K aid the "ainter, #ith co'ic unction, laying hi hand u"on the head of the lo$er ( Thi little je t "ut an end to their trained e'otion( @ll three loo%ed at one another and laughed 'errily( Gine$ra "re ed =uigiS hand in a trong cla ", #ith a i'"licity of action #orthy of the cu to' of her nati$e land( K@h ca, 'y dear children,K re u'ed -er$in, Kyou thin% that all #ill go right no#, but you are 'uch 'i ta%en(K The lo$er loo%ed at hi' in a toni h'ent(

K*onSt be anxiou ( 1S' the only one that your ro'ance #ill har'( But the fact i , <ada'e -er$in i a little traitlacedT and 1 donSt really ee ho# #e are to ettle it #ith her(K KHea$en & and 1 forgot to tell you,K exclai'ed Gine$ra, Kthat <ada'e ,oguin and =aureS 'other are co'ing here toD'orro# toDDK K1 under tand,K aid the "ainter(

KBut you can ea ily ju tify your elf,K continued the girl, #ith a "roud 'o$e'ent of her head( K<on ieur =uigi,K he added, turning to hi' #ith an arch loo%, K#ill no longer object to entering the royal er$ice( )ell, then,K after recei$ing a 'ile fro' the young 'an, KtoD 'orro# 'orning 1 #ill end a "etition to one of the 'o t influential "er on at the 'ini try of )ar,DDa 'an #ho #ill refu e nothing to the daughter of the Baron di Pio'bo( )e hall obtain a StacitS "ardon for !a"tain =uigi, for, of cour e, they #ill not allo# hi' the ran% of 'ajor( @nd then,K he added, addre ing -er$in, Kyou can confound the 'other of 'y charitable co'"anion by telling the' the truth(K KRou are an angel&K cried -er$in(

)hile thi cene #a "a ing at the tudio the father and 'other of Gine$ra #ere beco'ing i'"atient at her nonDreturn( K1t i K-he #a ix oScloc%, and Gine$ra not yet ho'e&K cried Bartolo'eo( ne$er o late before,K aid hi #ife(

The t#o old "eo"le loo%ed at each other #ith an anxiety that #a not u ual #ith the'( Too anxiou to re'ain in one "lace, Bartolo'eo ro e and #al%ed about the alon #ith an acti$e te" for a 'an #ho #a o$er e$entyD e$en year of age( Than% to hi robu t con titution, he had changed but little ince the day of hi arri$al in Pari , and, de "ite hi tall figure, he #al%ed erect( Hi hair, no# #hite and "ar e, left unco$ered a broad and "rotuberant %ull, #hich ga$e a trong idea of hi character and fir'ne ( Hi face, ea'ed #ith dee" #rin%le , had ta%en, #ith age, a nobler ex"re ion, "re er$ing the "allid tone #hich in "ire $eneration( The ardor of "a ion till li$ed in the fire of hi eye , #hile the eyebro# , #hich #ere not #holly #hitened, retained their terrible 'obility( The a "ect of the head #a tern, but it con$eyed the i'"re ion that Pio'bo had a right to be o( Hi %indne , hi gentlene #ere %no#n only to hi #ife and daughter( 1n hi function , or in "re ence of tranger , he ne$er laid a ide the 'aje ty that ti'e had i'"re ed u"on hi "er onT and the habit of fro#ning #ith hi hea$y eyebro# , contracting the #rin%le of hi face, and gi$ing to hi eye a :a"oleonic fixity, 'ade hi 'anner of acco ting other icy( *uring the cour e of hi "olitical life he had been o generally feared that he #a thought un ocial, and it i not difficult to ex"lain the cau e of that o"inion( The life, 'oral , and fidelity of Pio'bo 'ade hi' obnoxiou to 'o t courtier ( 1n "ite of the fact that delicate 'i ion #ere con tantly intru ted to hi di cretion #hich to any other 'an about the court #ould ha$e "ro$ed lucrati$e, he "o e ed an inco'e of not 'ore than thirty thou and franc fro' an in$e t'ent in the Grand =i$re( 1f #e recall the chea"ne of go$ern'ent ecuritie under the E'"ire, and the liberality of :a"oleon to#ard tho e of hi faithful er$ant #ho %ne# ho# to a % for it, #e can readily ee that the Baron di Pio'bo 'u t ha$e been a 'an of tern integrity( He o#ed hi "lu'age a baron to the nece ity :a"oleon felt of gi$ing hi' a title before ending hi' on 'i ion to foreign court ( Bartolo'eo had al#ay "rofe ed a hatred to the traitor #ith #ho' :a"oleon urrounded hi' elf, ex"ecting to bind the' to hi cau e by dint of $ictorie ( 1t #a he of #ho' it i told that he 'ade three te" to the door of the E'"erorS cabinet after ad$i ing hi' to get rid of three 'en in +rance on the e$e of :a"oleonS de"arture for hi celebrated and ad'irable ca'"aign of .E.6( @fter the econd return of the Bourbon Bartolo'eo cea ed to #ear the decoration of the =egion of honor( :o 'an offered a finer i'age of tho e old ,e"ublican , incorru"tible friend to the E'"ire, #ho re'ained the li$ing relic of the t#o 'o t energetic go$ern'ent the #orld ha e$er een( Though the Baron di Pio'bo di "lea ed 'ere courtier , he had the *aru , *rouot , and !arnot #ith hi' a friend ( @ for the re t of the "olitician , he cared not a #hiff of hi cigarS 'o%e for the', e "ecially ince )aterloo(

Bartolo'eo di Pio'bo had bought, for the $ery 'oderate u' #hich <ada'e <ere, the E'"erorS 'other, had "aid hi' for hi e tate in !or ica, the old 'an ion of the Portenduere fa'ily, in #hich he had 'ade no change ( =odged, u ually, at the co t of the go$ern'ent, he did not occu"y thi hou e until after the cata tro"he of +ontainebleau( +ollo#ing the habit of i'"le "er on of trict $irtue, the baron and hi #ife ga$e no heed to external "lendorT their furniture #a that #hich they bought #ith the 'an ion( The grand a"art'ent , lofty, o'bre, and bare, the #ide 'irror in gilded fra'e that #ere al'o t blac%, the furniture of the "eriod of =oui P1V( #ere in %ee"ing #ith Bartolo'eo and hi #ife, "er onage #orthy of antiIuity( ;nder the E'"ire, and during the Hundred *ay , #hile exerci ing function that #ere liberally re#arded, the old !or ican had 'aintained a great e tabli h'ent, 'ore for the "ur"o e of doing honor to hi office than fro' any de ire to hine hi' elf( Hi life and that of hi #ife #ere o frugal, o tranIuil, that their 'ode t fortune ufficed for all their #ant ( To the', their daughter Gine$ra #a 'ore "reciou than the #ealth of the #hole #orld( )hen, therefore, in <ay, .E.6, the Baron di Pio'bo re igned hi office, di 'i ed hi cro#d of er$ant , and clo ed hi table door, Gine$ra, Iuiet, i'"le and un"retending li%e her "arent , a# nothing to regret in the change( =i%e all great oul , he found her luxury in trength of feeling, and deri$ed her ha""ine fro' Iuietne and #or%( The e three being lo$ed each other too #ell for the external of exi tence to be of $alue in their eye ( 9ften, and e "ecially after the econd dreadful fall of :a"oleon, Bartolo'eo and hi #ife "a ed delightful e$ening alone #ith their daughter, li tening #hile he ang and "layed( To the' there #a a $a t ecret "lea ure in the "re ence, in the lighte t #ord of that childT their eye follo#ed her #ith tender anxietyT they heard her te" in the courtDyard, lightly a he trod( =i%e lo$er , the three #ould often it ilently together, under tanding thu , better than by "eech, the eloIuence of their oul ( Thi "rofound enti'ent, the life it elf of the t#o old "eo"le, ani'ated their e$ery thought( Here #ere not three exi tence , but one,DDone only, #hich, li%e the fla'e on the hearth, di$ided it elf into three tongue of fire( 1f, occa ionally, o'e 'e'ory of :a"oleonS benefit and 'i fortune , if the "ublic e$ent of the 'o'ent di tracted the 'ind of the old "eo"le fro' thi ource of their con tant olicitude, they could al#ay tal% of tho e intere t #ithout affecting their co''unity of thought, for Gine$ra hared their "olitical "a ion ( )hat 'ore natural, therefore, than the ardor #ith #hich they found a refuge in the heart of their only childQ ;ntil no# the occu"ation of "ublic life had ab orbed the energy of the Baron di Pio'boT but after lea$ing tho e e'"loy'ent he felt the need of ca ting that energy into the la t enti'ent that re'ained to hi'( @"art fro' the tie of "arentage, there 'ay ha$e been, un%no#n to the e three de "otic oul , another "o#erful rea on for the inten ity of their reci"rocal lo$e? it #a lo$e undi$ided( Gine$raS #hole heart belonged to her father, a Pio'boS #hole heart belonged to hi childT and if it be true that #e are bound to one another 'ore by our defect

than by our $irtue , Gine$ra echoed in a 'ar$ellou 'anner the "a ion of her father( There lay the ole i'"erfection of thi tri"le life( Gine$ra #a born unyielding of #ill, $indicti$e, and "a ionate, li%e her father in hi youth( The !or ican had ta%en "lea ure in de$elo"ing the e a$age enti'ent in the heart of hi daughter, "reci ely a a lion teache the lionD cub to "ring u"on their "rey( But thi a""rentice hi" to $engeance ha$ing no 'ean of action in their fa'ily life, it ca'e to "a that Gine$ra turned the "rinci"le again t her fatherT a a child he forga$e hi' nothing, and he #a forced to yield to her( Pio'bo a# nothing 'ore than childi h non en e in the e fictitiou Iuarrel , but the child #a all the #hile acIuiring a habit of ruling her "arent ( 1n the 'id t, ho#e$er, of the te'"e t #hich the father #a fond of exciting, a loo%, a #ord of tenderne , ufficed to "acify their angry oul , and often they #ere ne$er o near to a %i threatening each other $ehe'ently( a #hen they #ere

:e$erthele , for the la t fi$e year , Gine$ra, gro#n #i er than her father, a$oided uch cene ( Her faithfulne , her de$otion, the lo$e #hich filled her e$ery thought, and her ad'irable good en e had got the better of her te'"er( @nd yet, for all that, a $ery great e$il had re ulted fro' her trainingT Gine$ra li$ed #ith her father and 'other on the footing of an eIuality #hich i al#ay dangerou ( Pio'bo and hi #ife, "er on #ithout education, had allo#ed Gine$ra to tudy a he "lea ed( +ollo#ing her ca"rice a a young girl, he had tudied all thing for a ti'e, and then abandoned the',DDta%ing u" and lea$ing each train of thought at #ill, until, at la t, "ainting had "ro$ed to be her do'inant "a ion( Gine$ra #ould ha$e 'ade a noble #o'an had her 'other been ca"able of guiding her tudie , of enlightening her 'ind, and bringing into har'ony her gift of natureT her defect ca'e fro' the fatal education #hich the old !or ican had found delight in gi$ing her( @fter 'arching u" and do#n the roo' for bellT a er$ant entered( KGo and 'eet <ade'oi elle Gine$ra,K K1 al#ay o'e ti'e, Pio'bo rang the 'a ter( (

aid hi

regret our carriage on her account,K re'ar%ed the barone

K-he aid he did not #ant one,K re"lied Pio'bo, loo%ing at hi #ife, #ho, accu to'ed for forty year to habit of obedience, lo#ered her eye and aid no 'ore( @lready a e"tuagenarian, tall, #ithered, "ale, and #rin%led, the barone exactly re e'bled tho e old #o'en #ho' -chnetz "ut into the 1talian cene of hi KgenreK "icture ( -he #a o habitually ilent that he 'ight ha$e been ta%en for another <r ( -handyT but, occa ionally, a #ord, loo%, or ge ture betrayed that her feeling till retained all the $igor and the fre hne of their youth( Her dre , de$oid of coIuetry, #a often in bad ta te( -he u ually at "a i$e, buried in a lo# ofa, li%e a -ultana Valide, a#aiting or ad'iring her Gine$ra, her "ride, her life( The beauty, toilet, and grace of her daughter ee'ed to ha$e beco'e her o#n( @ll #a #ell #ith

her if Gine$ra #a ha""y( Her hair #a #hite, and a fe# trand only #ere een abo$e her #hite and #rin%led forehead, or be ide her hollo# chee% ( K1t i no# fifteen day ,K being late(K he aid, K ince Gine$ra 'ade a "ractice of

K3ean i o lo#&K cried the i'"atient old 'an, buttoning u" hi blue coat and eizing hi hat, #hich he da hed u"on hi head a he too% hi cane and de"arted( KRou #ill not get far,K aid hi #ife, calling after hi'(

@ he "o%e, the "orteDcochere #a o"ened and hut, and the old 'other heard the te" of her Gine$ra in the courtDyard( Bartolo'eo al'o t in tantly rea""eared, carrying hi daughter, #ho truggled in hi ar' (

!H@PTE, 1V =9VE KHere he i , 'y Gine$ra, Gine$rettina, Gine$rola, 'ia Gine$ra bella&K cried the old 'an( K9h, father, you hurt 'e&K 1n tantly Gine$ra #a "ut do#n #ith an air of re "ect( -he nodded her head #ith a graceful 'o$e'ent at her 'other, #ho #a frightened by her cry, a if to ay, K*onSt be alar'ed, it #a only a tric% to get a#ay(K The "ale, #an face of the barone reco$ered it u ual tone , and e$en a u'ed a loo% of gayety( Pio'bo rubbed hi hand $iolently,DD#ith hi' the ure t y'"to' of joyT he had ta%en to thi habit at court #hen he a# :a"oleon beco'ing angry #ith tho e of hi general and 'ini ter #ho er$ed hi' ill or co''itted blunder ( )hen, a no#, the 'u cle of hi face relaxed, e$ery #rin%le on hi forehead ex"re ed bene$olence( The e t#o old "eo"le "re ented at thi 'o'ent "reci ely the a "ect of a droo"ing "lant to #hich a little #ater ha gi$en fre h life after long dryne ( K:o#, to dinner& to dinner&K cried the baron, offering hi large hand to hi daughter, #ho' he called K-ignora Pio'bellina,KDDanother y'"to' of gayety, to #hich Gine$ra re"lied by a 'ile( K@h ca&K aid Pio'bo, a they left the table, Kyour 'other ha called 'y attention to the fact that for o'e #ee% you ha$e tayed 'uch longer than u ual at the tudio( 1t ee' that "ainting i 'ore to you than your "arent DDK K9h, father&K KGine$ra i "re"aring o'e ur"ri e for u , 1 thin%,K aid the 'other(

K@ "icture of your o#n& #ill you bring u cla""ing hi hand ( KRe , 1 a' $ery 'uch occu"ied at the lo#ly( K)hat i

thatQK cried the !or ican,

tudio,K re"lied Gine$ra, rather

the 'atter, Gine$raQ Rou are turning "ale&K cried her 'other( hall

K:o&K exclai'ed the young girl in a tone of re olution,DDKno& it ne$er be aid that Gine$ra Pio'bo acted a lie(K Hearing thi ingular excla'ation, Pio'bo and hi daughter in a toni h'ent( K1 lo$e a young 'an,K

#ife loo%ed at their

he added, in a $oice of e'otion( he lo#ered her large

Then, not $enturing to loo% at her "arent , eyelid a if to $eil the fire of her eye (

K1 he a "rinceQK a %ed her father, ironically, in a tone of $oice #hich 'ade the 'other Iuail( K:o, father,K K1 he aid, gently, Khe i a young 'an #ithout fortune(K

he $ery hand o'eQK $ery unfortunate(K heQK "ro cribed, #ithout a refugeT -er$in

KHe i K)hat i

K=abedoyereS co'radeT he #a concealed hi', andDDK

K-er$in i a good fello#, #ho ha done #ell,K cried Pio'boT Kbut you, 'y daughter, you do #rong to lo$e any 'an, exce"t your father(K K1t doe not de"end on 'e to lo$e, or not to lo$e,K re"lied Gine$ra, till gently( K1 flattered 'y elf,K continued her father, Kthat 'y Gine$ra #ould be faithful to 'e until 1 diedT and that 'y lo$e and that of her 'other #ould uffice her till thenT 1 did not ex"ect that our tenderne #ould find a ri$al in her oul, andDDK K*id 1 e$er re"roach you for your fanatici ' for :a"oleonQK aid Gine$ra( KHa$e you ne$er lo$ed any one but 'eQ *id you not lea$e 'e for 'onth together #hen you #ent on 'i ion ( 1 bore your ab ence courageou ly( =ife ha nece itie to #hich #e 'u t all ub'it(K KGine$ra&K K:o, you donSt lo$e 'e for 'y elfT your re"roache intolerable egoti '(K KRou dare to bla'e your fatherS fla hing( betray your eye

lo$e&K exclai'ed Pio'bo, hi

K+ather, 1 donSt bla'e you,K re"lied Gine$ra, #ith 'ore gentlene than her tre'bling 'other ex"ected( KRou ha$e ground for your egoti ', a 1 ha$e for 'y lo$e( Hea$en i 'y #itne that no girl ha e$er fulfilled her duty to her "arent better than 1 ha$e done to you( 1 ha$e ne$er felt anything but lo$e and ha""ine #here other often ee obligation( 1t i no# fifteen year that 1 ha$e ne$er left your "rotecting #ing, and it ha been a 'o t dear "lea ure to 'e to char' your life( But a' 1 ungrateful for all thi in gi$ing 'y elf u" to the joy of lo$ingT i it ingratitude to de ire a hu band #ho #ill "rotect 'e hereafterQK K)hat& do you rec%on benefit in a dangerou tone( #ith your father, Gine$raQK aid Pio'bo,

@ dreadful "au e then follo#ed, during #hich no one dared to "ea%( Bartolo'eo at la t bro%e the ilence by crying out in a heartDrending tone?DD K9h& tay #ith u & tay #ith your father, your old father& 1 cannot ha$e you lo$e another 'an( Gine$ra, you #ill not ha$e long to a#ait your liberty(K KBut, father, re'e'ber that 1 need not lea$e youT #e hall be t#o to lo$e youT you #ill learn to %no# the 'an to #ho e care you beIueath 'e( Rou #ill be doubly cheri hed by 'e and by hi',DDby hi' #ho i 'y other elf, by 'e #ho a' all hi (K K9h& Gine$ra, Gine$ra&K cried the !or ican, clenching hi fi t T K#hy did you not 'arry #hen :a"oleon brought 'e to acce"t the ideaQ )hy did you not ta%e the count and du%e he "re ented to youQK KThey lo$ed 'e to order,K aid the girl( KBe ide , they #ould ha$e 'ade 'e li$e #ith the', and 1 did not #i h to lea$e you alone(K KRou donSt #i h to lea$e 'e alone,K aid Pio'bo, Kand yet you 'arry&DD that i lea$ing 'e alone( 1 %no# you, 'y daughterT in that ca e, you #ould cea e to lo$e u ( Eli a,K he added, loo%ing at hi #ife, #ho re'ained 'otionle , and a if tu"efied, K#e ha$e no longer a daughterT he #i he to 'arry(K The old 'an at do#n, after rai ing hi hand to hea$en #ith a ge ture of in$o%ing the *i$ine "o#erT then he bo#ed hi' elf o$er a if #eighed do#n #ith orro#( Gine$ra a# hi agitation, and the re traint #hich he "ut u"on hi anger touched her to the heartT he ex"ected o'e $iolent cri i , ungo$ernable furyT he had not ar'ed her oul again t "aternal gentlene ( o'e

K+ather,K he aid, in a tender $oice, Kno, you hall ne$er be abandoned by your Gine$ra( But lo$e her a little for her o#n a%e( 1f you %no# ho# he lo$e 'e& @h& HE #ould ne$er 'a%e 'e unha""y&K K!o'"ari on already&K cried Pio'bo, in a terrible $oice( K:o, 1 can ne$er endure the idea of your 'arriage( 1f he lo$ed you a you de er$e to be lo$ed he #ould %ill 'eT if he did not lo$e you, 1 hould "ut a

dagger through hi'(K The hand of the old 'an tre'bled, hi li" tre'bled, hi body tre'bled, but hi eye fla hed lightning ( Gine$ra alone #a able to endure hi glance, for her eye fla'ed al o, and the daughter #a #orthy of the ire( K9h& to lo$e you& )hat 'an i #orthy of uch a lifeQK continued Pio'bo( KTo lo$e you a a father i "aradi e on earthT #ho i there #orthy to be your hu bandQK KHE,K aid Gine$raT Khe of #ho' 1 a' not #orthy(K HEQK

KHeQK re"eated Pio'bo, 'echanicallyT K#ho i KHe #ho' 1 lo$e(K KHo# can he %no# you enough to lo$e youQK

K+ather,K aid Gine$ra, #ith a ge ture of i'"atience, K#hether he lo$e 'e or not, if 1 lo$e hi'DDK KRou lo$e hi'QK cried Pio'bo( Gine$ra bent her head oftly(

KRou lo$e hi' 'ore than you lo$e u QK KThe t#o feeling K1 one cannot be co'"ared,K he re"lied(

tronger than the otherQK aid Gine$ra( $oice ha%ing the

K1 thin% it i ,K

KRou hall not 'arry hi',K cried the !or ican, hi #indo#D"ane ( K1 hall 'arry hi',K re"lied Gine$ra, tranIuilly(

K9h, God&K cried the 'other, Kho# #ill thi Virgina& "lace thy elf bet#een the'&K

Iuarrel endQ -anta

The baron, #ho had been triding u" and do#n the roo', no# eated hi' elfT an icy ternne dar%ened hi faceT he loo%ed fixedly at hi daughter, and aid to her, in a gentle, #ea%ened $oice,DD KGine$ra, no& you #ill not 'arry hi'( 9h& ay nothing 'ore toDnightDD let 'e thin% the contrary( *o you #i h to ee your father on hi %nee , hi #hite hair "ro trate before youQ 1 u""licate youDDK KGine$ra Pio'bo doe a' your daughter(K K-he i right,K 'arry(K not "a her #ord and brea% it,K ( K)e are he re"lied( K1

aid the barone

ent into the #orld to #ife,

K*o you encourage her in di obedienceQK

aid the baron to hi

#ho, terrified by the #ord, no# changed to 'arble( K,efu ing to obey an unju t order i not di obedience,K aid Gine$ra(

K:o order can be unju t fro' the li" of your father, 'y daughter( )hy do you judge 'y actionQ The re"ugnance that 1 feel i coun el fro' on high, ent, it 'ay be, to "rotect you fro' o'e great e$il(K KThe only e$il could be that he did not lo$e 'e(K K@l#ay HE&K

KRe , al#ay ,K he an #ered( KHe i 'y life, 'y good, 'y thought( E$en if 1 obeyed you he #ould be e$er in 'y oul( To forbid 'e to 'arry hi' i to 'a%e 'e hate you(K KRou lo$e u K9h&K not&K cried Pio'bo( ha%ing her head(

aid Gine$ra,

K)ell, then, forget hi'T be faithful to u ( @fter #e are goneDDyou under tandQK K+ather, do you #i h 'e to long for your deathQK cried Gine$ra( K1 hall outli$e you( !hildren #ho do not honor their "arent early,K aid the father, dri$en to exa "eration( K@ll the 'ore rea on #hy 1 hould 'arry and be ha""y,K die

he re"lied(

Thi coolne and "o#er of argu'ent increa ed Pio'boS troubleT the blood ru hed $iolently to hi head, and hi face turned "ur"le( Gine$ra hudderedT he "rang li%e a bird on her fatherS %nee, thre# her ar' around hi nec%, and care ed hi #hite hair, exclai'ing, tenderly?DD K9h, ye , ye , let 'e die fir t& 1 could ne$er 'y %ind father&K ur$i$e you, 'y father,

K9h& 'y Gine$ra, 'y o#n Gine$ra&K re"lied Pio'bo, #ho e anger 'elted under thi care li%e no# beneath the ray of the un( K1t #a ti'e you cea ed,K aid the barone , in a tre'bling $oice(

KPoor 'other&K K@h& Gine$retta& 'ia bella Gine$ra&K @nd the father "layed #ith hi daughter a though he #ere a child of ix( He a'u ed hi' elf by relea ing the #a$ing $olu'e of her hair, by dandling her on hi %neeT there #a o'ething of 'adne in the e ex"re ion of hi lo$e( Pre ently hi daughter colded #hile %i ing hi', and tried, by je ting, to obtain ad'i ion for =uigiT but her father, al o je ting, refu ed( -he ul%ed, then returned to coax once 'ore, and ul%ed again, until, by the end of the e$ening, he #a forced to be content #ith ha$ing i'"re ed u"on her fatherS 'ind both

her lo$e for =uigi and the idea of an a""roaching 'arriage( The next day he aid no 'ore about her lo$eT he #a 'ore care ing to her father than he had e$er been, and te tified the ut'o t gratitude, a if to than% hi' for the con ent he ee'ed to ha$e gi$en by hi ilence( That e$ening he ang and "layed to hi' for a long ti'e, exclai'ing no# and then? K)e #ant a 'anS $oice for thi nocturne(K Gine$ra #a an 1talian, and that ay all( @t the end of a #ee% her 'other Pio'bo #hi "ered in her ear?DD igned to her( -he #entT and Eli a

K1 ha$e "er uaded your father to recei$e hi'(K K9h& 'other, ho# ha""y you ha$e 'ade 'e&K That day Gine$ra had the joy of co'ing ho'e on the ar' of her =uigi( The officer ca'e out of hi hidingD"lace for the econd ti'e only( The earne t a""eal #hich Gine$ra 'ade to the *uc de +eltre, then 'ini ter of #ar, had been cro#ned #ith co'"lete ucce ( =uigiS na'e #a re"laced u"on the roll of officer a#aiting order ( Thi #a the fir t great te" to#ard better thing ( )arned by Gine$ra of the difficultie he #ould encounter #ith her father, the young 'an dared not ex"re hi fear of finding it i'"o ible to "lea e the old 'an( !ourageou under ad$er ity, bra$e on a battlefield, he tre'bled at the thought of entering Pio'boS alon( Gine$ra felt hi' tre'ble, and thi e'otion, the ource of #hich lay in her, #a , to her eye , another "roof of lo$e( KHo# "ale you are&K hou e( he aid to hi' #hen they reached the door of the

K9h& Gine$ra, if it concerned 'y life only&DDK Though Bartolo'eo had been notified by hi #ife of the for'al "re entation Gine$ra #a to 'a%e of her lo$er, he #ould not ad$ance to 'eet hi', but re'ained eated in hi u ual ar'Dchair, and the ternne of hi bro# #a a#ful( K+ather,K aid Gine$ra, K1 bring you a "er on you #ill no doubt be "lea ed to ee,DDa oldier #ho fought be ide the E'"eror at <ontD -aintD3ean(K The baron ro e, ca t a ardonic tone?DD K<on ieur i idelong glance at =uigi, and aid, in a

not decorated(K till

K1 no longer #ear the =egion of honor,K re"lied =uigi, ti'idly, tanding(

Gine$ra, 'ortified by her fatherS inci$ility, dragged for#ard a chair( The officerS an #er ee'ed to ati fy the old er$ant of :a"oleon( <ada'e Pio'bo, ob er$ing that her hu bandS eyebro# #ere re u'ing their natural "o ition, aid, by #ay of con$er ation? K<on ieurS re e'blance to a "er on #e %ne# in !or ica, :ina Porta, i

really

ur"ri ing(K

K:othing could be 'ore natural,K re"lied the young 'an, on #ho e face Pio'boS fla'ing eye no# re ted( K:ina #a 'y i ter(K K@re you =uigi PortaQK a %ed the old 'an( KRe (K Bartolo'eo ro e, tottered, #a forced to lean again t a chair and bec%on to hi #ife( Eli a Pio'bo ca'e to hi'( Then the t#o old "eo"le, ilently, each u""orting the other, left the roo', abandoning their daughter #ith a ort of horror( =uigi Porta, be#ildered, loo%ed at Gine$ra, #ho had turned a #hite a a 'arble tatue, and tood gazing at the door through #hich her father and 'other had di a""eared( Thi de"arture and thi ilence ee'ed to her o ole'n that, for the fir t ti'e, in her #hole life, a feeling of fear entered her oul( -he truc% her hand together #ith great force, and aid, in a $oice o ha%en that none but a lo$er could ha$e heard the #ord ?DD K)hat 'i ery in a #ord&K K1n the na'e of our lo$e, #hat ha$e 1 aidQK a %ed =uigi Porta(

K<y father,K he re"lied, Kne$er "o%e to 'e of our de"lorable hi tory, and 1 #a too young #hen #e left !or ica to %no# anything about it(K K@re #e in $endettaQK a %ed =uigi, tre'bling( KRe ( 1 ha$e heard 'y 'other ay that the Porta %illed 'y brother and burned our hou e( <y father then 'a acred the #hole fa'ily( Ho# i it that you ur$i$edQDDfor you #ere tied to the "o t of the bed before they et fire to the hou e(K K1 do not %no#,K re"lied =uigi( K1 #a ta%en to Genoa #hen ix year old, and gi$en in charge of an old 'an na'ed !olonna( :o detail about 'y fa'ily #a told to 'e( 1 %ne# only that 1 #a an or"han, and #ithout "ro"erty( 9ld !olonna #a a father to 'eT and 1 bore hi na'e until 1 entered the ar'y( 1n order to do that, 1 had to ho# 'y certificate of birth in order to "ro$e 'y identity( !olonna then told 'e, till a 'ere child, that 1 had ene'ie ( @nd he ad$i ed 'e to ta%e =uigi a 'y urna'e, and o e$ade the'(K KGo, go, =uigi&K cried Gine$ra( K:o, tayT 1 'u t go #ith you( -o long a you are in 'y fatherS hou e you ha$e nothing to fearT but the 'o'ent you lea$e it, ta%e care& you #ill go fro' danger to danger( <y father ha t#o !or ican in hi er$ice, and if he doe not lie in #ait to %ill you, they #ill(K KGine$ra,K he aid, Kthi feud, doe it exi t bet#een you and 'eQK he rai ed it, and

The girl 'iled adly and bo#ed her head( Pre ently aid, #ith a ort of "ride?DD

K9h, =uigi, our lo$e 'u t be "ure and incere, indeed, to gi$e 'e trength to tread the "ath 1 a' about to enter( But it in$ol$e a ha""ine that #ill la t throughout our li$e , #ill it notQK =uigi an #ered by a 'ile, and "re ed her hand(

Gine$ra co'"rehended that true lo$e could de "i e all $ulgar "rote tation at uch a 'o'ent( Thi cal' and re trained ex"re ion of hi feeling fore hado#ed, in o'e en e, their trength and their duration( The de tiny of the "air #a then and there decided( Gine$ra fore a# a cruel truggle, but the idea of abandoning =uigiDDan idea #hich 'ay ha$e floated in her oulDD$ani hed co'"letely( Hi fore$er, he dragged hi' uddenly, #ith a de "erate ort of energy, fro' her fatherS hou e, and did not lea$e hi' till he a# hi' reach the hou e #here -er$in had engaged a 'ode t lodging( By the ti'e he reached ho'e, Gine$ra had attained to that erenity #hich i cau ed by a fir' re olutionT no ign in her 'anner betrayed unea ine ( -he turned on her father and 'other, #ho' he found in the act of itting do#n to dinner, a glance of exceeding gentlene de$oid of hardihood( -he a# that her 'other had been #ee"ingT the redne of tho e #ithered eyelid hoo% her heart, but he hid her e'otion( :o one touched the dinner #hich #a er$ed to the'( @ horror of food i one of the chief y'"to' #hich re$eal a great cri i in life( @ll three ro e fro' table #ithout ha$ing addre ed a ingle #ord to one another( )hen Gine$ra had "laced her elf bet#een her father and 'other in the great and gloo'y alon, Pio'bo tried to "ea%, but hi $oice failed hi'T he tried to #al%, but he had no trength in hi leg ( He returned to hi eat and rang the bell( KPietro,K he cold(K aid, at la t, to the foot'an, Klight the fireT 1 a'

Gine$ra tre'bled, and loo%ed at her father anxiou ly( The truggle #ithin hi' 'u t ha$e been horrible, for hi face #a di torted( Gine$ra %ne# the extent of the "eril before her, but he did not flinch( Bartolo'eo, 'ean#hile, ca t furti$e glance at hi daughter, a if he feared a character #ho e $iolence #a the #or% of hi o#n hand ( Bet#een uch nature all thing 'u t be extre'e( The certainty of o'e i'"ending change in the feeling of father and daughter ga$e to the #orn and #eary face of the barone an ex"re ion of terror( KGine$ra, you lo$e the ene'y of your fa'ily,K not daring to loo% at hi daughter( KThat i true,K he re"lied( aid Pio'bo, at la t,

KRou 'u t choo e bet#een u ( 9ur $endetta i a "art of our being( )ho o doe not hare 'y $engeance i not a 'e'ber of 'y fa'ily(K K<y choice i 'ade,K re"lied Gine$ra, cal'ly(

Hi

daughterS

tranIuillity 'i led Bartolo'eo( 'oi tened #ith

K9h& 'y dear child&K he cried, letting her ee hi eye tear , the fir t and only tear he e$er hed in life( K1 hall be hi #ife,K aid Gine$ra, abru"tly(

Bartolo'eo ee'ed dazed for a 'o'ent, but he reco$ered hi in tantly, and re"lied?DD

coolne

KThe 'arriage #ill not ta%e "lace in 'y lifeti'eT 1 #ill ne$er con ent to it(K Gine$ra %e"t ilence( the

KGine$ra,K continued the baron, Kha$e you reflected that =uigi i on of the 'an #ho %illed your brotherQK KHe #a ix year old #hen that cri'e #a co''ittedT he #a , therefore, not guilty of it,K he re"lied( KHe i a Porta&K cried Bartolo'eo(

K1 ha$e ne$er hared that hatred,K aid Gine$ra, eagerly( KRou did not bring 'e u" to thin% a Porta 'u t be a 'on ter( Ho# could 1 %no# that one of tho e #ho' you thought you had %illed ur$i$edQ 1 it not natural that you hould no# yield your $endetta to 'y feeling QK K@ Porta&K re"eated Pio'bo( K1f hi father had found you in your bed you #ould not be li$ing no#T he #ould ha$e ta%en your life a hundred ti'e (K K1t 'ay be o,K he an #eredT Kbut hi on ha gi$en 'e life, and 'ore than life( To ee =uigi i a ha""ine #ithout #hich 1 cannot li$e( =uigi ha re$ealed to 'e the #orld of enti'ent ( 1 'ay, "erha" , ha$e een face 'ore beautiful than hi , but none ha e$er char'ed 'e thu T 1 'ay ha$e heard $oice DDno, no, ne$er any o 'elodiou & =uigi lo$e 'eT he #ill be 'y hu band(K K:e$er,K aid Pio'bo( K1 #ould rather Gine$ra(K ee you in your coffin, alon, #hich

The old !or ican ro e and began to tride u" and do#n the dro""ing the follo#ing entence , one by one, after "au e betrayed hi agitation(

KRou thin% you can bend 'y #ill( ;ndecei$e your elf( @ Porta hall ne$er be 'y onT that i 'y decree( =et there be no further Iue tion of thi bet#een u ( 1 a' Bartolo'eo di Pio'boT do you hear 'e, Gine$raQK K*o you attach coldly( o'e 'y teriou 'eaning to tho e #ord QK he a %ed, ju tice(

KThey 'ean that 1 ha$e a dagger, and that 1 do not fear 'anS !or ican ex"lain the' el$e to God(K

K@nd 1,K aid the daughter, ri ing, Ka' Gine$ra Pio'bo, and 1 declare that #ithin ix 'onth 1 hall be the #ife of =uigi Porta( Rou are a tyrant, 'y father,K he added, after a terrifying "au e( Bartolo'eo clenched hi chi'ney"iece( fi t and truc% the' on the 'arble of the

K@h& #e are in Pari &K he 'uttered( Then he #a ilent, cro ed hi ar' , bo#ed hi head on hi and aid not another #ord during the #hole e$ening( brea t,

@fter once gi$ing utterance to her #ill, Gine$ra affected inconcei$able coolne ( -he o"ened the "iano and ang, "layed char'ing nocturne and cherzo #ith a grace and enti'ent #hich di "layed a "erfect freedo' of 'ind, thu triu'"hing o$er her father, #ho e dar%ling face ho#ed no oftening( The old 'an #a cruelly hurt by thi tacit in ultT he gathered in thi one 'o'ent the bitter fruit of the training he had gi$en to hi daughter( ,e "ect i a barrier #hich "rotect "arent a it doe children, "aring grief to the for'er, re'or e to the latter( The next day, #hen Gine$ra ought to lea$e the hou e at the hour #hen he u ually #ent to the tudio, he found the gate of the 'an ion clo ed to her( -he aid nothing, but oon found 'ean to infor' =uigi Porta of her fatherS e$erity( @ cha'ber'aid, #ho could neither read nor #rite, #a able to carry letter bet#een the lo$er ( +or fi$e day they corre "onded thu , than% to the in$enti$e hre#dne of the youth( The father and daughter eldo' "o%e to each other( Both #ere nur ing in the de"th of their heart a enti'ent of hatredT they uffered, but they uffered "roudly, and in ilence( ,ecognizing ho# trong #ere the tie of lo$e #hich bound the' to each other, they each tried to brea% the', but #ithout ucce ( :o gentle thought ca'e, a for'erly, to brighten the tern feature of Pio'bo #hen he conte'"lated hi Gine$ra( The girl had o'ething a$age in her eye #hen he loo%ed at her fatherT re"roach at enthroned on that innocent bro#T he ga$e her elf u", it i true, to ha""y thought , and yet, at ti'e , re'or e ee'ed to dull her eye ( 1t #a not difficult to belie$e that he could ne$er enjoy, "eacefully, any ha""ine #hich cau ed orro# to her "arent ( )ith Bartolo'eo, a #ith hi daughter, the he itation of thi "eriod cau ed by the nati$e goodne of their oul #ere, ne$erthele , co'"elled to gi$e #ay before their "ride and the rancor of their !or ican nature( They encouraged each other in their anger, and clo ed their eye to the future( Perha" they 'utually flattered the' el$e that the one #ould yield to the other( @t la t, on Gine$raS birthday, her 'other, in de "air at the e trange'ent #hich, day by day, a u'ed a 'ore eriou character, 'editated an atte'"t to reconcile the father and daughter, by hel" of the 'e'orie of thi fa'ily anni$er ary( They #ere all three itting in Bartolo'eoS tudy( Gine$ra gue ed her 'otherS intention by the ti'id he itation on her face, and he 'iled adly(

@t thi 'o'ent a er$ant announced t#o notarie , acco'"anied by #itne e ( Bartolo'eo loo%ed fixedly at the e "er on , #ho e cold and for'al face #ere grating to oul o "a ionately trained a tho e of the three chief actor in thi cene( The old 'an turned to hi daughter and loo%ed at her unea ily( He a# u"on her face a 'ile of triu'"h #hich 'ade hi' ex"ect o'e hoc%T but, after the 'anner of a$age , he affected to 'aintain a deceitful indifference a he gazed at the notarie #ith an a u'ed air of cal' curio ity( The tranger at do#n, after being in$ited to do o by a ge ture of the old 'an( K<on ieur i , no doubt, <( le Baron di Pio'boQK began the olde t of the notarie ( Bartolo'eo bo#ed( The notary 'ade a light inclination of the head, loo%ed at Gine$ra #ith a ly ex"re ion, too% out hi nuffDbox, o"ened it, and lo#ly inhaled a "inch, a if ee%ing for the #ord #ith #hich to o"en hi errandT then, #hile uttering the', he 'ade continual "au e Aan oratorical 'anoeu$re $ery i'"erfectly re"re ented by the "rinterS da hDDB( K<on ieur,K he aid, K1 a' <on ieur ,oguin, your daughterS notary, and #e ha$e co'eDD'y colleague and 1DDto fulfil the intention of the la# andDD"ut an end to the di$i ion #hichDDa""earDDto exi tDDbet#een your elf and <ade'oi elle, your daughter,DDon the ubjectDDofDDherDD 'arriage #ith <on ieur =uigi Porta(K Thi "eech, "edantically deli$ered, "robably ee'ed to <on ieur ,oguin o fine that hi hearer could not at once under tand it( He "au ed, and loo%ed at Bartolo'eo #ith that "eculiar ex"re ion of the 'ere bu ine la#yer, a 'ixture of er$ility #ith fa'iliarity( @ccu to'ed to feign 'uch intere t in the "er on #ith #ho' they deal, notarie ha$e at la t "roduced u"on their feature a gri'ace of their o#n, #hich they ta%e on and off a an official K"alliu'(K Thi 'a % of bene$olence, the 'echani ' of #hich i o ea y to "ercei$e, irritated Bartolo'eo to uch an extent that he #a forced to collect all the "o#er of hi rea on to "re$ent hi' fro' thro#ing <on ieur ,oguin through the #indo#( @n ex"re ion of anger ran through hi #rin%le , #hich cau ed the notary to thin% to hi' elf? K1S$e "roduced an effect(K KBut,K he continued, in a honeyed tone, K<on ieur le baron, on uch occa ion our dutie are "receded byDDeffort atDDconciliationDD*eign, therefore, to ha$e the goodne to li ten to 'eDD1t i in e$idence that <ade'oi elle Gine$ra di Pio'boDDattain thi $ery dayDDthe age at #hich the la# allo# a re "ectful u''on before "roceeding to the celebration of a 'arriageDDin "ite of the nonDcon ent of the "arent ( :o#DDit i u ual in fa'ilie DD#ho enjoy a certain con iderationDD#ho belong to ocietyDD#ho "re er$e o'e dignityDDto #ho', in hort, it i de irable not to let the "ublic into the ecret of their difference DD and #ho, 'oreo$er, do not #i h to injure the' el$e by bla ting #ith re"robation the future of a young cou"le AforDDthat i injuring the' el$e B, it i u ual, 1 ayDDa'ong the e honorable fa'ilie DDnot to allo# the e u''on e DDto ta%e "laceDDor re'ainDDa 'onu'ent toDD di$i ion #hich hould endDDby cea ingDD)hene$er, 'on ieur, a young lady ha recour e to re "ectful u''on , he exhibit a deter'ination too 'ar%ed to allo# of a fatherDDof a 'other,K here he turned to the

barone , Kho"ing or ex"ecting that he #ill follo# their #i he DD Paternal re i tance being nullDDby rea on of thi factDDin the fir t "laceDDand al o fro' it being nullified by la#, it i cu to'aryDDfor e$ery en ible 'anDDafter 'a%ing a final re'on trance to hi childDD and before he "roceed to the re "ectful u''on DDto lea$e her at liberty toDDK <on ieur ,oguin to""ed, "ercei$ing that he 'ight tal% on for t#o hour #ithout obtaining any an #erT he felt, 'oreo$er, a ingular e'otion at the a "ect of the 'an he #a atte'"ting to con$ert( @n extraordinary re$olution had ta%en "lace on Pio'boS faceT hi #rin%le , contracting into narro# line , ga$e hi' a loo% of inde cribable cruelty, and he ca t u"on the notary the glance of a tiger( The barone #a 'ute and "a i$e( Gine$ra, cal' and re olute, #aited ilentlyT he %ne# that the notaryS $oice #a 'ore "otent than her , and he ee'ed to ha$e decided to ay nothing( @t the 'o'ent #hen ,oguin cea ed "ea%ing, the cene had beco'e o terrifying that the 'en #ho #ere there a #itne e tre'bledT ne$er, "erha" , had they %no#n o a#ful a ilence( The notarie loo%ed at each other, a if in con ultation, and finally ro e and #al%ed to the #indo#( K*id you e$er 'eet "eo"le born into the #orld li%e thatQK a %ed ,oguin of hi brother notary( KRou canSt get anything out of hi',K re"lied the younger 'an( K1n your "lace, 1 hould i'"ly read the u''on ( That old fello# i nSt a co'fortable "er onT he i furiou , and youSll gain nothing #hate$er by arguing #ith hi'(K <on ieur ,oguin then read a ta'"ed "a"er, containing the Kre "ectful u''on ,K "re"ared for the occa ionT after #hich he "roceeded to a % Bartolo'eo #hat an #er he 'ade to it( K@re there la# in +rance #hich de troy "aternal authorityQDDK de'anded the !or ican( K<on ieurDDK aid ,oguin, in hi honeyed tone (

K)hich tear a daughter fro' her fatherQDDK K<on ieurDDK K)hich de"ri$e an old 'an of hi la t con olationQDDK to you ifDDK

K<on ieur, your daughter only belong K@nd %ill hi'QDDK K<on ieur, "er'it 'eDDK

There i nothing 'ore horrible than the coolne and "reci e rea oning of notarie a'id the 'any "a ionate cene in #hich they are accu to'ed to ta%e "art( The for' that Pio'bo a# about hi' ee'ed, to hi eye , e ca"ed fro' hellT hi re"re ed and concentrated rage %ne# no longer any bound a the cal' and fluted $oice of the little notary uttered the #ord ?

K"er'it 'e(K By a udden 'o$e'ent he "rang to a dagger that #a hanging to a nail abo$e the fire"lace, and ru hed to#ard hi daughter( The younger of the t#o notarie and one of the #itne e thre# the' el$e before Gine$raT but Pio'bo %noc%ed the' $iolently do#n, hi face on fire, and hi eye ca ting fla'e 'ore terrifying than the glitter of the dagger( )hen Gine$ra a# hi' a""roach her he loo%ed at hi' #ith an air of triu'"h, and ad$ancing lo#ly, %nelt do#n( K:o, no& 1 cannot&K he cried, flinging a#ay the #ea"on, #hich buried it elf in the #ain cot( K)ell, then& ha$e 'ercy& ha$e "ity&K he aid( KRou he itate to be 'y death, and you refu e 'e life& 9h& father, ne$er ha$e 1 lo$ed you a 1 do at thi 'o'entT gi$e 'e =uigi& 1 a % for your con ent u"on 'y %nee ? a daughter can hu'iliate her elf before her father( <y =uigi, gi$e 'e 'y =uigi, or 1 die&K The $iolent excite'ent #hich uffocated her to""ed her #ord , for he had no $oiceT her con$ul i$e 'o$e'ent ho#ed "lainly that he lay, a it #ere, bet#een life and death( Bartolo'eo roughly "u hed her fro' hi'( KGo,K he aid( KThe #ife of =uigi Porta cannot be a Pio'bo( 1 ha$e no daughter( 1 ha$e not the trength to cur e you, but 1 ca t you offT you ha$e no father( <y Gine$ra Pio'bo i buried here,K he aid, in a dee" $oice, "re ing $iolently on hi heart( KGo, lea$e 'y hou e, unha""y girl,K he added, after a 'o'entS ilence( KGo, and ne$er co'e into 'y ight again(K -o aying, he too% Gine$ra by the ar' to the gate of the hou e and ilently "ut her out( K=uigi&K cried Gine$ra, entering the hu'ble lodging of her lo$er,DDK'y =uigi, #e ha$e no other fortune than our lo$e(K KThen a' 1 richer than the %ing of the earth&K he cried( he aid, in dee"e t

K<y father and 'y 'other ha$e ca t 'e off,K adne ( K1 #ill lo$e you in "lace of the'(K KThen let u be ha""y,DD#e )1== be ha""y&K #hich there #a o'ething dreadful(

he cried, #ith a gayety in

!H@PTE, V <@,,1@GE The day after Gine$ra #a dri$en fro' her fatherS hou e he #ent to a % <ada'e -er$in for a ylu' and "rotection until the "eriod fixed by la# for her 'arriage to =uigi( Here began for her that a""rentice hi" to trouble #hich the #orld tre# about the "ath of tho e #ho do not follo# it con$ention ( <ada'e -er$in recei$ed her $ery coldly, being 'uch annoyed by the har'

#hich Gine$raS affair had inflicted on her hu band, and told her, in "olitely cautiou #ord , that he 'u t not count on her hel" in future( Too "roud to "er i t, but a'azed at a elfi hne hitherto un%no#n to her, the girl too% a roo' in the lodgingDhou e that #a neare t to that of =uigi( The on of the Porta "a ed all hi day at the feet of hi future #ifeT and hi youthful lo$e, the "urity of hi #ord , di "er ed the cloud fro' the 'ind of the bani hed daughterT the future #a o beautiful a he "ainted it that he ended by 'iling joyfully, though #ithout forgetting her fatherS e$erity( 9ne 'orning the er$ant of the lodging hou e brought to Gine$raS roo' a nu'ber of trun% and "ac%age containing tuff , linen, clothe , and a great Iuantity of other article nece ary for a young #ife in etting u" a ho'e of her o#n( 1n thi #elco'e "ro$i ion he recognized her 'otherS fore ight, and, on exa'ining the gift , he found a "ur e, in #hich the barone had "ut the 'oney belonging to her daughter, adding to it the a'ount of her o#n a$ing ( The "ur e #a acco'"anied by a letter, in #hich the 'other i'"lored the daughter to forego the fatal 'arriage if it #ere till "o ible to do o( 1t had co t her, he aid, untold difficulty to end the e fe# thing to her daughterT he entreated her not to thin% her hard if, henceforth, he #ere forced to abandon her to #antT he feared he could ne$er again a i t herT but he ble ed her and "rayed for her ha""ine in thi fatal 'arriage, if, indeed, he "er i ted in 'a%ing it, a uring her that he hould ne$er cea e to thin% of her darling child( Here the falling tear had effaced o'e #ord of the letter( K9h, 'other&K cried Gine$ra, dee"ly 'o$ed( -he felt the i'"ul e to ru h ho'e, to breathe the ble ed air of her fatherS hou e, to fling her elf at hi feet, to ee her 'other( -he #a "ringing for#ard to acco'"li h thi #i h, #hen =uigi entered( @t the 'ere ight of hi' her filial e'otion $ani hedT her tear #ere to""ed, and he no longer had the trength to abandon that lo$ing and unfortunate youth( To be the ole ho"e of a noble being, to lo$e hi' and then abandon hi'&DDthat acrifice i the treachery of #hich young heart are inca"able( Gine$ra had the genero ity to bury her o#n grief and uffering ilently in her oul(

The 'arriage day arri$ed( Gine$ra had no friend #ith her( )hile he #a dre ing, =uigi fetched the #itne e nece ary to ign the certificate of 'arriage( The e #itne e #ere #orthy "er on T one, a ca$alry ergeant, #a under obligation to =uigi, contracted on the battlefield, obligation #hich are ne$er obliterated fro' the heart of an hone t 'anT the other, a 'a terD'a on, #a the "ro"rietor of the hou e in #hich the young cou"le had hired an a"art'ent for their future ho'e( Each #itne brought a friend, and all four, #ith =uigi, ca'e to e cort the bride( =ittle accu to'ed to ocial function , and eeing nothing in the er$ice they #ere rendering to =uigi but a i'"le 'atter of bu ine , they #ere dre ed in their ordinary clothe , #ithout any luxury, and nothing about the' denoted the u ual joy of a 'arriage "roce ion( Gine$ra her elf #a dre ed i'"ly, a befitted her "re ent fortune T and yet her beauty #a o noble and o i'"o ing that the #ord of greeting died a#ay on the li" of the #itne e , #ho u""o ed

the' el$e obliged to "ay her o'e u ual co'"li'ent ( They bo#ed to her #ith re "ect, and he returned the bo#T but they did o in ilence, loo%ing at her #ith ad'iration( Thi re er$e ca t a chill o$er the #hole "arty( 3oy ne$er bur t forth freely exce"t a'ong tho e #ho are eIual ( Thu chance deter'ined that all hould be dull and gra$e around the bridal "airT nothing reflected, out#ardly, the ha""ine that reigned #ithin their heart ( The church and the 'ayorS office being near by, =uigi and Gine$ra, follo#ed by the four #itne e reIuired by la#, #al%ed the di tance, #ith a i'"licity that de"ri$ed of all "o'" thi greate t e$ent in ocial life( They a# a cro#d of #aiting carriage in the 'ayorS courtDyardT and #hen they reached the great hall #here the ci$il 'arriage ta%e "lace, they found t#o other #eddingD"artie i'"atiently a#aiting the 'ayorS arri$al( Gine$ra at do#n be ide =uigi at the end of a long benchT their #itne e re'ained tanding, for #ant of eat ( T#o bride , elaborately dre ed in #hite, #ith ribbon , lace , and "earl , and cro#ned #ith orangeDblo o' #ho e atiny "etal nodded beneath their $eil , #ere urrounded by joyou fa'ilie , and acco'"anied by their 'other , to #ho' they loo%ed u", no# and then, #ith eye that #ere content and ti'id bothT the face of all the re t reflected ha""ine , and ee'ed to be in$o%ing ble ing on the youthful "air ( +ather , #itne e , brother , and i ter #ent and ca'e, li%e a ha""y #ar' of in ect di "orting in the un( Each ee'ed to be i'"re ed #ith the $alue of thi "a ing 'o'ent of life, #hen the heart find it elf #ithin t#o ho"e ,DDthe #i he of the "a t, the "ro'i e of the future( @ he #atched the', Gine$raS heart #elled #ithin herT he "re ed =uigiS ar', and ga$e hi' a loo%( @ tear rolled fro' the eye of the young !or icanT ne$er did he o #ell under tand the joy that hi Gine$ra #a acrificing to hi'( That "reciou tear cau ed her to forget all el e but hi',DDe$en the abandon'ent in #hich he at there( =o$e "oured do#n it trea ure of light u"on their heart T they a# nought el e but the' el$e in the 'id t of the joyou tu'ultT they #ere there alone, in that cro#d, a they #ere de tined to be, henceforth, in life( Their #itne e , indifferent to #hat #a ha""ening, con$er ed Iuietly on their o#n affair ( K9at are $ery dear,K aid the ergeant to the 'a on( "ea%ing,K re"lied

KBut they ha$e not gone u" li%e li'e, relati$ely the contractor( Then they #al%ed round the hall( KHo# one lo e ti'e here,K #atch in hi fob(

aid the 'a on, re"lacing a thic%

il$er

=uigi and Gine$ra, itting "re ed to one another, ee'ed li%e one "er on( @ "oet #ould ha$e ad'ired their t#o head , in "ired by the a'e enti'ent, colored in the a'e tone , ilent and addened in "re ence of that hu''ing ha""ine "ar%ling in dia'ond , gay #ith flo#er ,DDa gayety in #hich there #a o'ething fleeting( The joy of tho e noi y and "lendid grou" #a $i ibleT that of Gine$ra and =uigi #a buried in their bo o'( 9n one ide the tu'ult of co''on "lea ure,

on the other, the delicate

ilence of ha""y

oul ,DDearth and hea$en&

But Gine$ra #a not #holly free fro' the #ea%ne e of #o'en( -u"er titiou a an 1talian, he a# an o'en in thi contra t, and in her heart there lay a en e of terror, a in$incible a her lo$e( -uddenly the office er$ant, in the to#n li$ery, o"ened a foldingD door( -ilence reigned, and hi $oice #a heard, li%e the ya""ing of a dog, calling <on ieur =uigi da Porta and <ade'oi elle Gine$ra di Pio'bo( Thi cau ed o'e e'barra 'ent to the young "air( The celebrity of the brideS na'e attracted attention, and the "ectator ee'ed to #onder that the #edding #a not 'ore u'"tuou ( Gine$ra ro e, too% =uigiS ar', and ad$anced fir'ly, follo#ed by the #itne e ( @ 'ur'ur of ur"ri e, #hich #ent on increa ing, and a general #hi "ering re'inded Gine$ra that all "re ent #ere #ondering at the ab ence of her "arent T her fatherS #rath ee'ed "re ent to her( K!all in the fa'ilie ,K aid the 'ayor to the cler% #ho e bu ine #a to read aloud the certificate ( KThe father and 'other "rote t,K re"lied the cler%, "hleg'atically( K9n both ide QK inIuired the 'ayor( an or"han(K e QK tood #ith ar' it

KThe groo' i

K)here are the #itne

KHere,K aid the cler%, "ointing to the four 'en, #ho folded, li%e o 'any tatue ( KBut if the "arent "rote tDDK began the 'ayor(

KThe re "ectful u''on ha been duly er$ed,K re"lied the cler%, ri ing, to lay before the 'ayor the "a"er annexed to the 'arriage certificate( Thi bureaucratic deci ion had o'ething blighting about itT in a fe# #ord it contained the #hole tory( The hatred of the Porta and the Pio'bo and their terrible "a ion #ere in cribed on thi "age of the ci$il la# a the annal of a "eo"le Acontained, it 'ay be, in one #ord only,DD:a"oleon, ,obe "ierreB are engra$ed on a to'b tone( Gine$ra tre'bled( =i%e the do$e on the face of the #ater , ha$ing no "lace to re t it feet but the ar%, o Gine$ra could ta%e refuge only in the eye of =uigi fro' the cold and dreary #a te around her( The 'ayor a u'ed a tern, di a""ro$ing air, and hi cler% loo%ed u" at the cou"le #ith 'aliciou curio ity( :o 'arriage #a e$er o little fe tal( =i%e other hu'an being #hen de"ri$ed of their acce orie , it beca'e a i'"le act in it elf, great only in thought( @fter a fe# Iue tion , to #hich the bride and bridegroo' re "onded, and a fe# #ord 'u'bled by the 'ayor, and after igning the regi ter , #ith their #itne e , duly, =uigi and Gine$ra #ere 'ade one( Then the #edded "air #al%ed bac% through t#o line of joyou relation #ho did not belong to the', and #ho e only intere t in their 'arriage #a the delay cau ed to their o#n #edding by thi gloo'y bridal( )hen, at

la t, Gine$ra found her elf in the 'ayorS %y, a igh e ca"ed her brea t(

courtDyard, under the o"en

K!an a lifeti'e of de$otion and lo$e uffice to "ro$e 'y gratitude for your courage and tenderne , 'y Gine$raQK aid =uigi( @t the e #ord , aid #ith tear uffering T for he had indeed the "ublic to obtain a ha""ine of joy, the bride forgot her uffered in "re enting her elf before her "arent refu ed to anction( he aid #ith an artle ne of

K)hy hould other co'e bet#een u QK feeling that delighted =uigi(

@ en e of acco'"li hed ha""ine no# 'ade the te" of the young "air lighterT they a# neither hea$en, nor earth, nor hou e T they fle#, a it #ere, on #ing to the church( )hen they reached a dar% little cha"el in one corner of the building, and tood before a "lain undecorated altar, an old "rie t 'arried the'( There, a in the 'ayorS office, t#o other 'arriage #ere ta%ing "lace, till "ur uing the' #ith "o'"( The church, filled #ith friend and relation , echoed #ith the roll of carriage , and the hu' of beadle , exton , and "rie t ( @ltar #ere re "lendent #ith acra'ental luxuryT the #reath of orangeDflo#er that cro#ned the figure of the Virgin #ere fre h( +lo#er , incen e, glea'ing ta"er , $el$et cu hion e'broidered #ith gold, #ere e$ery#here( )hen the ti'e ca'e to hold abo$e the head of =uigi and Gine$ra the y'bol of eternal union,DDthat yo%e of atin, #hite, oft, brilliant, light for o'e, lead for 'o t,DDthe "rie t loo%ed about hi' in $ain for the acolyte #ho e "lace it #a to "erfor' that joyou function( T#o of the #itne e fulfilled it for the'( The "rie t addre ed a ha ty ho'ily to the "air on the "eril of life, on the dutie they 'u t, o'e day, inculcate u"on their children,DDthro#ing in, at thi "oint, an indirect re"roach to Gine$ra on the ab ence of her "arent T then, after uniting the' before God, a the 'ayor had united the' before the la#, he left the no# 'arried cou"le( KGod ble the'&K aid Vergniaud, the ergeant, to the 'a on, #hen they reached the church "orch( K:o t#o creature #ere e$er 'ore fitted for one another( The "arent of the girl are fooli h( 1 donSt %no# a bra$er oldier than !olonel =uigi( 1f the #hole ar'y had beha$ed li%e hi', SlSautreS #ould be here till(K Thi ble ing of the old oldier, the only one be to#ed u"on their 'arriageDday, hed a bal' on Gine$raS heart( They "arted #ith hearty K@dieu, S'on bra$e,SK he ha%ing of handT =uigi than%ed hi landlord(

aid to the

ergeant( K1 than% you(K

K1 a' no# and e$er at your er$ice, colonel,DD oul, body, hor e , and carriage T all that i 'ine i your (K KHo# he lo$e you&K aid Gine$ra(

=uigi no# hurried hi bride to the hou e they #ere to occu"y( Their 'ode t a"art'ent #a oon reachedT and there, #hen the door clo ed u"on the', =uigi too% hi #ife in hi ar' , exclai'ing,DD

K9h, 'y Gine$ra& for no# you are 'ine, here i our true #edding( Here,K he added, Kall thing #ill 'ile u"on u (K Together they #ent through the three roo' contained in their lodging( The roo' fir t entered er$ed a alon and diningDroo' in oneT on the right #a a bedcha'ber, on the left a large tudy #hich =uigi had arranged for hi #ifeT in it he found ea el , colorDboxe , layD figure , ca t , "icture , "ortfolio ,DDin hort, the "ara"hernalia of an arti t( K-o here 1 a' to #or%&K ha""ine ( he aid, #ith an ex"re ion of childli%e

-he loo%ed long at the hanging and the furniture, turning again and again to than% =uigi, for there #a o'ething that a""roached 'agnificence in the little retreat( @ boo%ca e contained her fa$orite boo% T a "iano filled an angle of the roo'( -he at do#n u"on a di$an, dre# =uigi to her ide, and aid, in a care ing $oice, her hand in hi ,DD KRou ha$e good ta te(K KTho e #ord 'a%e 'e ha""y,K he re"lied(

KBut let 'e ee all,K aid Gine$ra, to #ho' =uigi had 'ade a 'y tery of the adorn'ent of the roo' ( They entered the nu"tial cha'ber, fre h and #hite a K9h& co'e a#ay,K KBut 1 #i h to aid =uigi, ee all(K 'iling( a $irgin(

@nd the i'"eriou Gine$ra loo%ed at each "iece of furniture #ith the 'inute care of an antiIuary exa'ining a coinT he touched the il%en hanging , and #ent o$er e$ery article #ith the artle ati faction of a bride in the trea ure of her #edding outfit( K)e begin by ruining our el$e ,K anxiou tone( he aid, in a halfDjoyou , halfD

KTrue& for all 'y bac% "ay i there,K re"lied =uigi( K1 ha$e 'ortgaged it to a #orthy fello# na'ed Gigonnet(K K)hy did you do oQK he aid, in a tone of re"roach, through #hich could be heard her in#ard ati faction( K*o you belie$e 1 hould be le ha""y in a garretQ But,K he added, Kit i all char'ing, andDDit i our &K =uigi loo%ed at her #ith K:o# let u ee the re t,K uch enthu ia ' that he cried( he lo#ered her eye (

@bo$e the e three roo' , under the roof, #a a tudy for =uigi, a %itchen, and a er$antS Droo'( Gine$ra #a 'uch "lea ed #ith her

little do'ain, although the $ie# fro' the #indo# #a li'ited by the high #all of a neighboring hou e, and the courtDyard, fro' #hich their light #a deri$ed, #a gloo'y( But the t#o lo$er #ere o ha""y in heart, ho"e o adorned their future, that they cho e to ee nothing but #hat #a char'ing in their hidden ne t( They #ere there in that $a t hou e, lo t in the i''en ity of Pari , li%e t#o "earl in their hell in the de"th of oceanT to all other it 'ight ha$e ee'ed a "ri onT to the' it #a "aradi e( The fir t fe# day of their union #ere gi$en to lo$e( The effort to turn at once to #or% #a too difficultT they could not re i t the char' of their o#n "a ion( =uigi lay for hour at the feet of hi #ife, ad'iring the color of her hair, the 'oulding of her forehead, the enchanting oc%et of her eye , the "urity and #hitene of the t#o arche beneath #hich the eye the' el$e turned lo#ly, ex"re ing the ha""ine of a ati fied lo$e( Gine$ra care ed the hair of her =uigi, ne$er #eary of gazing at #hat he called hi Kbelta folgorante,K and the delicacy of hi feature ( -he #a con tantly char'ed by the nobility of hi 'anner , a he her elf attracted hi' by the grace of her ( They "layed together, li%e children, #ith nothing ,DDnothing that brought the' e$er bac% to their lo$e,DDcea ing their "lay only to fall into a re$ery of the Kfar niente(K @n air ung by Gine$ra re"roduced to their oul the enchanting light and hado# of their "a ion( Together, uniting their te" a they did their oul , they roa'ed about the country, finding e$ery#here their lo$e,DDin the flo#er , in the %y, in the glo#ing tint of the etting unT they read it in e$en the ca"riciou $a"or #hich 'et and truggled in the ether( Each day re e'bled in nothing it "redece or T their lo$e increa ed, and till increa ed, becau e it #a a true lo$e( They had te ted each other in #hat ee'ed only a hort ti'eT and, in tincti$ely, they recognized that their oul #ere of a %ind #ho e inexhau tible riche "ro'i ed for the future uncea ing joy ( Their #a lo$e in all it artle ne , #ith it inter'inable con$er ation , unfini hed "eeche , long ilence , oriental re"o e , and oriental ardor( =uigi and Gine$ra co'"rehended lo$e( =o$e i li%e the ocean? een u"erficially, or in ha te, it i called 'onotonou by co''on oul , #herea o'e "ri$ileged being can "a their li$e in ad'iring it, and in finding, cea ele ly, the $arying "heno'ena that enchant the'( -oon, ho#e$er, "rudence and fore ight dre# the young cou"le fro' their EdenT it #a nece ary to #or% to li$e( Gine$ra, #ho "o e ed a "ecial talent for i'itating old "ainting , too% u" the bu ine of co"ying, and oon found 'any cu to'er a'ong the "ictureDdealer ( =uigi, on hi ide, ought long and acti$ely for occu"ation, but it #a hard for a young officer #ho e talent had been re tricted to the tudy of trategy to find anything to do in Pari ( @t la t, #eary of $ain effort , hi oul filled #ith de "air at eeing the #hole burden of their ub i tence falling on Gine$ra, it occurred to hi' to 'a%e u e of hi hand#riting, #hich #a excellent( )ith a "er i tency of #hich he a# an exa'"le in hi #ife, he #ent round a'ong the layer and notarie of Pari , a %ing for "a"er to co"y( The fran%ne of hi 'anner and hi ituation intere ted 'any in hi

fa$orT he oon obtained enough #or% to be obliged to find young 'en to a i t hi'T and thi e'"loy'ent beca'e, little by little, a regular bu ine ( The "rofit of hi office and the ale of Gine$raS "icture ga$e the young cou"le a co'"etence of #hich they #ere ju tly "roud, for it #a the fruit of their indu try( Thi , to the bu y "air, #a the ha""ie t "eriod of their li$e ( The day flo#ed ra"idly by, filled #ith occu"ation and the joy of their lo$e( @t night, after #or%ing all day, they 'et #ith delight in Gine$raS tudio( <u ic refre hed their #earine ( :o ex"re ion of regret or 'elancholy ob cured the ha""y feature of the young #ife, and ne$er did he utter a co'"laint( -he a""eared to her =uigi #ith a 'ile u"on her li" and her eye bea'ing( Each cheri hed a ruling thought #hich #ould ha$e 'ade the' ta%e "lea ure in a labor till 'ore e$ereT Gine$ra aid in her heart that the a'e for Gine$ra( he #or%ed for =uigi, and =uigi

-o'eti'e , in the ab ence of her hu band, the thought of the "erfect ha""ine he 'ight ha$e had if thi life of lo$e could ha$e been li$ed in the "re ence of her father and 'other o$erca'e the young #ifeT and then, a he felt the full "o#er of re'or e, he dro""ed into 'elancholyT 'ournful "icture "a ed li%e hado# acro her i'aginationT he a# her old father alone, or her 'other #ee"ing in ecret le t the inexorable Pio'bo hould "ercei$e her tear ( The t#o #hite, ole'n head ro e uddenly before her, and the thought ca'e that ne$er again hould he ee the' exce"t in 'e'ory( Thi thought "ur ued her li%e a "re enti'ent( -he celebrated the anni$er ary of her 'arriage by gi$ing her hu band a "ortrait he had long de ired,DDthat of hi Gine$ra, "ainted by her elf( :e$er had the young arti t done o re'ar%able a #or%( @ ide fro' the re e'blance, the glo# of her beauty, the "urity of her feeling , the ha""ine of lo$e #ere there de"icted by a ort of 'agic( Thi 'a ter"iece of her art and her joy #a a $oti$e offering to their #edded felicity( @nother year of ea e and co'fort #ent by( The hi tory of their life 'ay be gi$en in three #ord ? THER )E,E H@PPR( :o e$ent ha""ened to the' of ufficient i'"ortance to be recorded(

!H@PTE, V1 ,ET,1B;T19: @t the beginning of the year .E./ the "ictureDdealer reIue ted Gine$ra to gi$e the' o'ething be ide co"ie T for co'"etition had o increa ed that they could no longer ell her #or% to ad$antage( <ada'e Porta then "ercei$ed the 'i ta%e he had 'ade in not exerci ing her talent for KgenreK "ainting, #hich 'ight, by thi ti'e, ha$e brought her re"utation( -he no# atte'"ted "ortraitD"ainting( But here he #a forced to co'"ete again t a cro#d of arti t in greater need of 'oney than her elf( Ho#e$er, a =uigi and Gine$ra had laid by a fe# a$ing , they #ere not, a yet, unea y about the future(

To#ard the end of the #inter of that year =uigi #or%ed #ithout inter'i ion( He, too, #a truggling again t co'"etitor ( The "ay'ent for #riting had o decrea ed that he found it i'"o ible to e'"loy a i tanceT he #a forced, therefore, to #or% a 'uch longer ti'e hi' elf to obtain the a'e e'olu'ent( Hi #ife had fini hed e$eral "icture #hich #ere not #ithout 'eritT but the dealer #ere carcely buying tho e of arti t #ith re"utation T con eIuently, her "ainting had little chance( Gine$ra offered the' for al'o t nothing, but #ithout ucce ( The ituation of the hou ehold no# began to be alar'ing( The oul of the hu band and #ife floated on the ocean of their ha""ine , lo$e o$er#hel'ed the' #ith it trea ure , #hile "o$erty ro e, li%e a %eleton, a'id their har$e t of joy( Ret, all the #hile, they hid fro' each other their ecret anxiety( )hen Gine$ra felt li%e #ee"ing a he #atched =uigiS #orn and uffering face, he redoubled her care e T and =uigi, %ee"ing hi dar% foreboding in the de"th of hi oul, ex"re ed to hi Gine$ra the tendere t lo$e( They ought a co'"en ation for their trouble in exalting their feeling T and their #ord , their joy , their care e beca'e uffu ed, a it #ere, #ith a "ecie of frenzy( They feared the future( )hat feeling can be co'"ared in trength #ith that of a "a ion #hich 'ay cea e on the 'orro#, %illed by death or #antQ )hen they tal%ed together of their "o$erty each felt the nece ity of decei$ing the other, and they fa tened #ith 'utual ardor on the lighte t ho"e( 9ne night Gine$ra #o%e and 'i ed =uigi fro' her ide( -he ro e in terror( @ faint light hining on the o""o ite #all of the little courtDyard re$ealed to her that her hu band #a #or%ing in hi tudy at night( =uigi #a no# in the habit of #aiting till hi #ife #a a lee", and then going u" to hi garret to #rite( +our oScloc% truc%( Gine$ra lay do#n again, and "retended to lee"( Pre ently =uigi returned, o$erco'e #ith fatigue and dro# ine ( Gine$ra loo%ed adly on the beautiful, #orn face, #here toil and care #ere already dra#ing line of #rin%le ( K1t i for 'e he #ee"ing( "end hi night in #riting,K he aid to her elf,

@ thought dried her tear ( -he #ould i'itate =uigi( That a'e day he #ent to a "rintD ho", and, by hel" of a letter of reco''endation he had obtained fro' Elie <agu , one of her "ictureDdealer , he obtained an order for the coloring of lithogra"h ( *uring the day he "ainted her "icture and attended to the care of the hou eholdT then, #hen night ca'e, he colored the engra$ing ( Thi lo$ing cou"le entered their nu"tial bed only to decei$e each otherT both feigned lee", and left it,DD=uigi, a oon a he thought hi #ife #a lee"ing, Gine$ra a oon a he had gone( 9ne night =uigi, burning #ith a ort of fe$er, induced by a toil under #hich hi trength #a beginning to gi$e #ay, o"ened the ca e'ent of hi garret to breathe the 'orning air, and ha%e off, for a 'o'ent, the burden of hi care( Ha""ening to glance do#n#ard, he a# the reflection of Gine$raS la'" on the o""o ite #all, and the "oor fello# gue ed the truth( He #ent do#n, te""ing oftly, and ur"ri ed hi #ife in her tudio, coloring engra$ing (

K9h, Gine$ra&K he cried( -he ga$e a con$ul i$e bound in her chair, and blu hed( K!ould 1 aid( lee" #hile you #ere #earing your elf out #ith toilQK the right to #or% in thi he

KBut to 'e alone belong

#ay,K he an #ered(

K!ould 1 be idle,K he a %ed, her eye filling #ith tear , K#hen 1 %no# that e$ery 'outhful #e eat co t a dro" of your bloodQ 1 hould die if 1 could not add 'y effort to your ( @ll hould be in co''on bet#een u ? "ain and "lea ure , both(K K-he i cold&K cried =uigi, in de "air( K)ra" your ha#l clo er round you, 'y o#n Gine$raT the night i da'" and chilly(K They #ent to the #indo#, the young #ife leaning on the brea t of her belo$ed, #ho held her round the #ai t, and, together, in dee" ilence, they gazed u"#ard at the %y, #hich the da#n #a lo#ly brightening( !loud of a grayi h hue #ere 'o$ing ra"idlyT the Ea t #a gro#ing lu'inou ( K-ee&K aid Gine$ra( K1t i an o'en( )e hall be ha""y(K

KRe , in hea$en,K re"lied =uigi, #ith a bitter 'ile( K9h, Gine$ra& you #ho de er$ed all the trea ure u"on earthDDK K1 ha$e your heart,K he aid, in tone of joy(

K@h& 1 co'"lain no 'ore&K he an #ered, training her tightly to hi', and co$ering #ith %i e the delicate face, #hich #a lo ing the fre hne of youth, though it ex"re ion #a till o oft, o tender that he could not loo% at it and not be co'forted( K)hat ilence&K aid Gine$ra, "re ently( K*ear friend, 1 ta%e great "lea ure in itting u"( The 'aje ty of :ight i o contagiou , it a#e , it in "ire ( There i 1 %no# not #hat great "o#er in the thought? all lee", 1 #a%e(K K9h, 'y Gine$ra,K he cried, Kit i not toDnight alone 1 feel ho# delicately 'oulded i your oul( But ee, the da#n i hining,DDco'e and lee"(K KRe ,K re"lied Gine$ra, Kif 1 do not lee" alone( 1 uffered too 'uch that night 1 fir t di co$ered that you #ere #a%ing #hile 1 le"t(K The courage #ith #hich the e t#o young "eo"le fought #ith 'i ery recei$ed for a #hile it due re#ardT but an e$ent #hich u ually cro#n the ha""ine of a hou ehold to the' "ro$ed fatal( Gine$ra had a on, #ho #a , to u e the "o"ular ex"re ion, Ka beautiful a the day(K The en e of 'otherhood doubled the trength of the young #ife( =uigi borro#ed 'oney to 'eet the ex"en e of Gine$raS confine'ent( @t fir t he did not feel the fre h burden of their ituationT and the "air ga$e the' el$e #holly u" to the joy of "o e ing a child( 1t #a their la t ha""ine (

=i%e t#o #i''er uniting their effort to brea t a current, the e t#o !or ican oul truggled courageou lyT but o'eti'e they ga$e #ay to an a"athy #hich re e'bled the lee" that "recede death( -oon they #ere obliged to ell their je#el ( Po$erty a""eared to the' uddenly, DDnot hideou , but "lainly clothed, al'o t ea y to endureT it $oice had nothing terrifyingT #ith it ca'e neither "ectre , nor de "air, nor rag T but it 'ade the' lo e the 'e'ory and the habit of co'fortT it dried the "ring of "ride( Then, before they %ne# it, ca'e #ant,DD #ant in all it horror, indifferent to it rag , treading underfoot all hu'an enti'ent ( -e$en or eight 'onth after the birth of the little Bartolo'eo, it #ould ha$e been hard to ee in the 'other #ho uc%led her ic%ly babe the original of the beautiful "ortrait, the ole re'aining orna'ent of the Iualid ho'e( )ithout fire through a hard #inter, the graceful outline of Gine$raS figure #ere lo#ly de troyedT her chee% gre# #hite a "orcelain, and her eye dulled a though the "ring of life #ere drying u" #ithin her( )atching her hrun%en, di colored child, he felt no uffering but for that young 'i eryT and =uigi had no courage to 'ile u"on hi on( K1 ha$e #andered o$er Pari ,K he aid, one day( K1 %no# no oneT can 1 a % hel" of tranger Q Vergniaud, 'y old ergeant, i concerned in a con "iracy, and they ha$e "ut hi' in "ri onT be ide , he ha already lent 'e all he could "are( @ for our landlord, it i o$er a year ince he a %ed 'e for any rent(K KBut #e are not in #ant,K re"lied Gine$ra, gently, affecting cal'ne KE$ery hour bring terror( (

o'e ne# difficulty,K continued =uigi, in a tone of

@nother day =uigi too% Gine$raS "icture , her "ortrait, and the fe# article of furniture #hich they could till exi t #ithout, and old the' for a 'i erable u', #hich "rolonged the agony of the ha"le hou ehold for a ti'e( *uring the e day of #retchedne Gine$ra ho#ed the ubli'ity of her nature and the extent of her re ignation( -toically he bore the tro%e of 'i eryT her trong oul held her u" again t all #oe T he #or%ed #ith unfaltering hand be ide her dying on, "erfor'ed her hou ehold dutie #ith 'ar$ellou acti$ity, and ufficed for all( -he #a e$en ha""y, till, #hen he a# on =uigiS li" a 'ile of ur"ri e at the cleanline he "roduced in the one "oor roo' #here they had ta%en refuge( K*ear, 1 %e"t thi bit of bread for you,K he returned, #ornDout( K@nd youQK K1Q 1 ha$e dined, dear =uigiT 1 #ant nothing 'ore(K @nd the tender loo% on her be eeching face urged hi' 'ore than her #ord to ta%e the food of #hich he had de"ri$ed her elf( =uigi %i ed her, #ith one of tho e %i e of de "air that #ere gi$en in .0/5 bet#een friend a they 'ounted the caffold( 1n uch u"re'e he aid, one e$ening, #hen

'o'ent t#o being ee each other, heart to heart( The ha"le =uigi, co'"rehending uddenly that hi #ife #a tar$ing, #a eized #ith the fe$er #hich con u'ed her( He huddered, and #ent out, "retending that o'e bu ine called hi'T for he #ould rather ha$e drun% the deadlie t "oi on than e ca"e death by eating that la t 'or el of bread that #a left in hi ho'e( He #andered #ildly about Pari T a'id the gorgeou eIui"age , in the bo o' of that flaunting luxury that di "lay it elf e$ery#hereT he hurried "a t the #indo# of the 'oneyDchanger #here gold #a glitteringT and at la t he re ol$ed to ell hi' elf to be a ub titute for 'ilitary er$ice, ho"ing that thi acrifice #ould a$e Gine$ra, and that her father, during hi ab ence, #ould ta%e her ho'e( He #ent to one of tho e agent #ho 'anage the e tran action , and felt a ort of ha""ine in recognizing an old officer of the 1'"erial guard( K1t i t#o day ince 1 ha$e eaten anything,K he aid to hi' in a lo#, #ea% $oice( K<y #ife i dying of hunger, and ha ne$er uttered one #ord of co'"laintT he #ill die 'iling, 1 thin%( +or GodS a%e, co'rade,K he added, bitterly, Kbuy 'e in ad$anceT 1 a' robu tT 1 a' no longer in the er$ice, and 1DDK The officer ga$e =uigi a u' on account of that #hich he "ro'i ed to "rocure for hi'( The #retched 'an laughed con$ul i$ely a he gra "ed the gold, and ran #ith all hi 'ight, breathle , to hi ho'e, crying out at ti'e ?DD KGine$ra& 9h, 'y Gine$ra&K 1t #a al'o t night #hen he reached hi #retched roo'( He entered $ery oftly, fearing to cau e too trong an e'otion to hi #ife, #ho' he had left o #ea%( The la t ray of the un, entering through the garret #indo#, #ere fading fro' Gine$raS face a he at lee"ing in her chair, and holding her child u"on her brea t( K)a%e, 'y dear one,K he aid, not ob er$ing the infant, #hich at that 'o'ent, #ith u"ernatural light( hone,

Hearing that $oice, the "oor 'other o"ened her eye , 'et =uigiS loo%, and 'iledT but =uigi hi' elf ga$e a cry of horrorT he carcely recognized hi #ife, no# half 'ad( )ith a ge ture of a$age energy he ho#ed her the gold( Gine$ra began to laugh 'echanicallyT but uddenly he cried, in a dreadful $oice?DD KThe child, =uigi, he i cold&K

-he loo%ed at her on and #ooned( The little Bartolo'eo #a dead( =uigi too% hi #ife in hi ar' , #ithout re'o$ing the child, #hich he cla "ed #ith inconcei$able forceT and after laying her on the bed he #ent out to ee% hel"( K9h& 'y God&K he aid, a he 'et hi landlord on the tair ( K1 ha$e gold, gold, and 'y child ha died of hunger, and hi 'other i dying, too& Hel" 'e&K

He returned li%e one di traught to hi #ife, lea$ing the #orthy 'a on, and al o the neighbor #ho heard hi' to gather a fe# thing for the need of o terrible a #ant, hitherto un%no#n, for the t#o !or ican had carefully hidden it fro' a feeling of "ride( =uigi had ca t hi gold u"on the floor and #a #hich lay hi #ife( K+ather& ta%e care of 'y her deliriu'( K9h, 'y angel& be cal',K co'ing bac% to u (K on, #ho bear aid =uigi, %i %neeling by the bed on he #a aying in are

your na'e,K

ing herT Kour good day

K<y =uigi,K he aid, loo%ing at hi' #ith extraordinary attention, Kli ten to 'e( 1 feel that 1 a' dying( <y death i naturalT 1 uffered too 'uchT be ide , a ha""ine o great a 'ine ha to be "aid for( Re , 'y =uigi, be co'forted( 1 ha$e been o ha""y that if 1 #ere to li$e again 1 #ould again acce"t our fate( 1 a' a bad 'otherT 1 regret you 'ore than 1 regret 'y childDD <y child&K he added, in a hollo# $oice( T#o tear e ca"ed her dying eye , and body he had no "o#er to #ar'( uddenly he "re ed the little he aid( KTell

KGi$e 'y hair to 'y father, in 'e'ory of hi hi' 1 ha$e ne$er bla'ed hi'(K Her head fell u"on her hu bandS ar'(

Gine$ra,K

K:o, you cannot die&K cried =uigi( KThe doctor i co'ing( )e ha$e food( Rour father #ill ta%e you ho'e( Pro "erity i here( -tay #ith u , angel&K But the faithful heart, o full of lo$e, #a gro#ing cold( Gine$ra turned her eye in tincti$ely to hi' he lo$ed, though he #a con ciou of nought el e( !onfu ed i'age "a ed before her 'ind, no# lo ing 'e'ory of earth( -he %ne# that =uigi #a there, for he cla "ed hi icy hand tightly, and 'ore tightly till, a though he tro$e to a$e her elf fro' o'e "reci"ice do#n #hich he feared to fall( K*ear,K he aid, at la t, Kyou are coldT 1 #ill #ar' you(K hand u"on her heart, but died(

-he tried to "ut hi T#o doctor , bringing all de "air( The had entered,

a "rie t, and e$eral neighbor ca'e into the roo', that #a nece ary to a$e the "oor cou"le and cal' their e tranger 'ade o'e noi e in enteringT but after they an a#ful ilence filled the roo'( #a ta%ing "lace, Bartolo'eo and hi #ife #ere antiIue chair , each at a corner of the $a t a glo#ing fire carcely #ar'ed the great "ace cloc% told 'idnight(

)hile that cene itting in their fire"lace, #here their alon( The

of

+or o'e ti'e "a t the old cou"le had lo t the ability to the "re ent 'o'ent they at there ilent, li%e t#o "er on

lee"( @t in their

dotage, gazing about the' at thing they did not ee( Their de erted alon, o filled #ith 'e'orie to the', #a feebly lighted by a ingle la'" #hich ee'ed ex"iring( )ithout the "ar%ling of the fla'e u"on the hearth, they 'ight oon ha$e been in total dar%ne ( @ friend had ju t left the'T and the chair on #hich he had been itting, re'ained #here he left it, bet#een the t#o !or ican ( Pio'bo #a ca ting glance at that chair,DDglance full of thought , cro#ding one u"on another li%e re'or e,DDfor the e'"ty chair #a Gine$raS ( Eli a Pio'bo #atched the ex"re ion that no# began to cro her hu bandS "allid face( Though long accu to'ed to di$ine hi feeling fro' the changeful agitation of hi face, they ee'ed toDnight o threatening, and anon o 'elancholy that he felt he could no longer read a oul that #a no# inco'"rehen ible, e$en to her( )ould Bartolo'eo yield, at la t, to the 'e'orie a#a%ened by that chairQ Had he been hoc%ed to ee a tranger in that chair, u ed for the fir t ti'e ince hi daughter left hi'Q Had the hour of hi 'ercy truc%,DDthat hour he had $ainly "rayed and #aited for till no#Q The e reflection hoo% the 'otherS heart ucce i$ely( +or an in tant her hu bandS countenance beca'e o terrible that he tre'bled at ha$ing u ed thi i'"le 'ean to bring about a 'ention of Gine$raS na'e( The night #a #intryT the north #ind dro$e the no#fla%e o har"ly again t the blind that the old cou"le fancied that they heard a gentle ru tling( Gine$raS 'other dro""ed her head to hide her tear ( -uddenly a igh bur t fro' the old 'anS brea tT hi #ife loo%ed at hi'T he ee'ed to her cru hed( Then he ri %ed "ea%ingDDfor the econd ti'e in three long year DDof hi daughter( KGine$ra 'ay be cold,K Pio'bo Iui$ered( K-he 'ay be hungry,K he continued( he aid, oftly(

The old 'an dro""ed a tear( KPerha" he ha a child and cannot uc%le itT her 'il% i aid the 'other, in accent of de "air( dried u"&K

K=et her co'e& let her co'e to 'e&K cried Pio'bo( K9h& 'y "reciou child, thou ha t conIuered 'e(K The 'other ro e a if to fetch her daughter( @t that in tant the door o"ened noi ily, and a 'an, #ho e face no longer bore the e'blance of hu'anity, tood uddenly before the'( K*ead& 9ur t#o fa'ilie #ere doo'ed to exter'inate each other( Here i all that re'ain of her,K he aid, laying Gine$raS long blac% hair u"on the table( The old "eo"le bla ted the'( =uigi no longer hoo% and Iui$ered a tood before the'( if a tro%e of lightning had

KHe ha "ared 'e a hot, for he i gazing on the ground at hi feet(

dead,K

aid Bartolo'eo,

lo#ly,

End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Vendetta, by Honore de Balzac