Sandra Belloni -- Volume 3

a smooth-heaved surface, while its out-pushing brushwood below drooped under burdens of drowned reed-flags that caught the foam. Keen scent of hay, crossing the dark

first passion of the tide, which, writhing and straining on through many lights, grew wide upon the wonderful velvet darkness underlying the wooded banks. With th

s late. She did not hear his voice til

said half jealously.

him, as her habit was. He took it for shyness, and encour

not come here!

e folded his arm

let me wait

t that had detained him, and remarked that the

. "You are here at last. Let me hold yo

nd be quite silent, my own girl! if y

enough to look in

annoyed you?"

on

ommand of your lord

im," said Emil

r or as lord, he must wait for her now, owing to her having waited for him: so, he sat by her, permitting his hand to be softly squeezed, and tr

never mind now. Never let it be long again when I am expecting you. It's then I feel

without a growing respect for the only person who could make him exper

!" Emilia en

d music-

very night, after talking with my father about Italy and his black-yellow Tedeschi, this man came over my pillow and made me call him Master, Master. And he is. He seems as if he were the master of my soul, mocking me, making me worship him in spite of my

y the lovely scene that lifted him to a spiritual jealousy, partly his susceptibility to a sentimental exaggeration, and part

" Wilfrid

here, you drive him away. And the best is," she laughed, "I am sure you will not remember any of his pieces. I wish I could not-not

ilia suddenly closed her sentence; coming wit

t's not quite a likeness, for my German is not a brute. I have seen his picture in shop-windows: the wind s

hair from her temple

rease your beaut

s, and imps, and devils; or he hears them: they come before him from far off, in mus

k his kiss fully, and gave her own frankly, in return. The

y n

N

look a

of snakes, and then they struggle out, and roll over and over, and stream on lengthwise. I can see th

to earth from that rival of his in her soul? She would then be wholly his own. His lover's sentiment had grown rageingly jealous of the lordly German.

ument for the sake of its fruitful promises. "But you m

ed inqu

are marrie

you marry m

re foolishly than most mortal men have done. Taming his astonishment to r

t voice that conveyed t

to learn in the schools. You wouldn't take a husband t

not too you

suppos

t go to my It

dangling husband?" Wil

Consent to come, my lover! I must learn. If I do not, you will despise me.

terated, as one who had f

ill give

at he had on a sudden, and by strange agency, slipped into an earnest situation. Emilia's attitude and tone awakened him to see it. Her ha

really?" h

wil

nglish al

yo

in

rom thi

e fire had been taken out of them by what they had uttered. He felt that it was no animal love, but the force of a

you to battle,"

n't care to see those blac

m? Kill wicked people, tyrant white-coats! And we will

gh so h

s me feel like

ell you I

giving; and I seem to have nothing to

me your love

to you in tatters it's like a be

hear you sing to me, and know that this li

d Emilia to remark, "Mus

y are to love

ly: "I will kneel to y

re crying out to me that I had caught their hearts. I fancied standing out like a bright thing in a da

e; for the emotion excited by the thought of her glory coloured deliciously that i

r, and was pure silver: silver on the grass, on the leafage, on the waters. And in the West, facin

d, approve my choice." And he looked up, fancying that he had a

"Now I know you love me. And you shall take me as I am. I need no

our misery

rmour, and shouting armies; battles and numbers of mixed people; and great red sunsets, with women kneeling under them. Do you know those long low sunsets? I love them. They look like blood spilt for love. The noise of the water, and the moist green smell, gave me hundreds of

e gave him b

said

passionate speech, he followed it up with the "yes!" of a man; ad

o feel it as nearly as possible, su

tiful eyebrows: thick rare eyebrows, no doubt couched upon her full eyes, they were a marvel: and her eyes were a marvel. She had a sweet mouth, too, though the upper lip did not boast the aristocratic conventional curve of adorable pride, or the under lip a pretty droop to a petty rounded chin. Her face was like the aftersunset across a rose-garden, with the wings of an eagle poised outspread on the light. Some such coloured, vague, magnified impression Wilfrid took of her. Still, it was not quite enough to make him scorn contempt, should it whisper: nor even quite enough to combat successfully the image of elegant dames in their chosen attitudes-the queenly moments when perhaps they enter an assembly, or pour

faded to a blank. Whatever she was, he was her prime luminary, so he de

own, are you

am," she

ever,'" he murmured; and Emi

should be so without chaining him to a date, was Wilfrid's peculiar desire. He could pledg

p. They saw the cedar grey-edged under the moon: and Night, that clung like a bat beneath its ancient open palms. The bordering sward about the falls shone silvery. In its shadow was a swan. These scenes are