Saracinesca

ing heavily, and below, in the vast court that formed the centre of the palace, the lamps of fifty carriages gleamed through the water and the darkness, and the coachmen, of all dimensions a

d endeavouring to get away from the men and women of their own nationality, in order to amuse themselves with the difficulties of conversation in languages not their own. Whether they amused themselves or not is of small importance; but as they were all willing to find themselves together twice a-day for the five months of the Roman season-from the first improvised dance before Christmas, to the last set ball in the warm April weather after Easter-it may be

t desired to avoid, before coming forward. Suddenly, just as Signor Strillone had reached a high note and was preparing to bellow upon it before letting his voice die away to a pathetic falsetto, the crowd at the door parted a little. A lady entered the room alone, and stood out before the rest, paus

princes sprang towards her, each with a chair in hand; but she declined each offer, nodding to one, thanking another

caused perhaps by his pale complexion and almost colourless moustache; his blue eyes were small and near together, and had a watery, undecided look; his thin fair hair was parted in the middle over his low forehead; there was a scornful look about his mouth, though half concealed by the moustache

her had paid for his schooling in the Collegio dei Nobili, and that in itself was a passport-for as the lad grew to the young man, he zealously cultivated the society of his old school-fellows, and by wisely avoiding all other company, acquired a right to be considered one of themselves. He was very civil and obliging in his youth, and had in that way acquired a certain reputation for being indispensable, which had stood him in good stead. No one asked whether he had paid his tailor's bill; or whether upon certain conditions, his tailor supplied him with raiment gratis. He was always elaborately dressed, he was always ready to take a hand at cards, and he was always invited to every party in the season. He had cultivated with success the science of amusing, and people asked him to dinner in the winter, and to their country houses in the summer. He had been seen in Paris, and was often seen at Monte Carlo; but his real home and hunting-ground was Rome, where he knew every one and every one knew him. He had made one or two fruitless attempts to marry young women of American extraction and large fortune;

long fingers and squarely cut nails. Many women said Don Giovanni was the handsomest man in Rome; others said he was too dark or too thin, and that his face was hard and his features ugly. There was a great difference of opinion in regard to his appearance. Don Giovanni was not married, but there were few marriageable women in Rome who would not have been overjoyed to become his wife. But hitherto he had hesitated-or, to speak more accurately, he had not hesitated at all in his celibacy. His conduct in refusing to marry had elicited much criticism, little of which had reached his ears. He cared not much for what his friends said to him, and not at all for the opinion of the world at large, in consequence of which state of mind people often said he was selfish

, and endeavoured to engage her attention. Apparently she intended to be impartial, for she sat down in the middle one of three chairs, and motioned

re even determination, than most men like to see in women's faces; but in the exquisitely moulded nostrils there lurked much sensitiveness and the expression of much courage; and the level brow and straight-cut nose were in their clearness as an earnest of the noble thoughts that were within, and that so often spoke from the depths of her splendid eyes. She was not a scornful beauty,

ther-for whom she had given all she had, herself, her beauty, her brave heart, and her hopes of happiness-her old father, whom she so loved, was dead, the last of his race, saving only this beautiful but childless daughter. What she suffered now-whether she suffered at all-no man knew. There had been a wild burst of enthusiasm when she appeared first in society, a universal cry that it was a sin and a shame. But the cynics who had said she would console herself had been obliged to own their worldly wisdom at fault; the men of all sorts who had lost their hearts to her were ignominiously driven in course of time to find them again elsewhere. Amid all the excitement of the first two years of her life in the world, Corona had moved calmly upon her way, wrapped in the perfect dignity of her character; and th

ally would make speeches she did not care to hear, would talk to her of love-some praising it as the only thing worth living for, some with affected cynicism scoffing at it as the greatest of unrealities, contradicting themselves a moment later in some passionate declaration to herself. When they were foolish, she laughed at them; when they went too far, she quietly rose and left them. Such experiences had grown rare of late, for she had earned the reputation of being cold and unmoved, and that protected her. But Giovanni had never talked like the rest of them. He never mentioned the old, worn subjects that the others harped upon. She would not have found it easy to say what he talked about, for he talked indifferently about many subjects. She was not sure whether he spent more time with her when in society than with other women; she reflected that he was not so brilliant as many men she knew, not so talkative as the majority of men she met; she knew only-and it was the thing she most bitterly reproached herself with-that she preferred his face above all other faces, and his voice beyond all voices. It neve

ctures on the subject of behaviour in the world, had especially warned her against showing any marked coldness to a man she wished to shun. "Men," said he, "are accustomed to that; they regard it as the first indication that a woman is really interested; when yo

ast pleasant to herself, and she sent Giovanni. The servants who were serving the refreshments had all left the room, and Sara

remarked, watching the Duchessa from the corners of his

the story; her eyes fixed themselves on some distant object in the room, as though s

if it is true. And who

inancier. She is immensely rich, and is

s just looking at her. Is not that she

Duchessa indicated. "That is she. One may know her at a v

vanni to-day?" asked the Duchessa, fa

is perhaps better not t

warned me, for I would

heart," said Del Ferice, with considerable gravity. "But here he come

ell your news," answered Corona

" asked he, as he

t is not yet announced,

e secret; perhaps

e fat face, however, expressed nothing. Seeing he was

he meet to-morrow,

and upon the Duke," she answe

a pity it is that

Del Ferice, who remembered to have heard the Duchessa say something

Giovanni, shortly. "That is the reaso

y. "Besides, the other reason is a good one; for

aughing in her life, and yet it was necessary to encourag

t for the first time this year. There is a man here who has broug

lord-I cannot pronounce his name-not married either. He will make a sensation in society. He won races

a rather wearily, as she leaned back in her chair. Giovanni was silent, but showed no in

There will be two or three drags. Madame Mayer has induced Valdarn

ough he was not listening in the least to Ugo's chatter; and as he met Corona's eyes he moved uneasily, as much as to say he wished the fellow would stop talking. A moment later Del Ferice rose from his seat; he h

of any one who happened to be talking to the Duchessa. He had never said anything of the kind before,

Del Ferice?" she

m yourself?" he

smallest shade of bitterness in her voice as she asked the question she had s

d Giovanni, suddenly. "It would be a poor place; perhaps it is only a poor place

not amused me to-day," ans

are glad h

ot regr

n, "I am glad he is gone, because I want to ask you a qu

Her hands burned intensely in her gloves. The anticipation of somethin

ere was not another man in Rome who had seen it. He had not time to think what it meant. "It is only about

e heat. Her monosyllabic question was low and indistinct. She wondered whether Giov

o you advise me

of all people?" as

iovanni, twisting his brown hands together

is fabulously rich. Why should you no

eed. Do you think life would b

ny men would marry

ad been no such struggle in her life since the day she had blindly resolved to sacrifice herself to her father's wishes in accepting Astrardente.

acinesca. He had grown very pale, and spoke with

nk no more about it, if you are sure

e blood returned to his face, a

t," he said. "Heaven bless yo

audibly. "How cold this house is! Will you put down my cup of

ng a 'Nune dimittis, Do

es were filled wit

Saracinesca came swiftly down and joined her as her carriage drove up out of the dark courtyard. The footman opened the door, but Giovanni put out his hand t

sa; I am very grate

d you be grateful?" sh

buttoned his greatcoat, and went out alone into the dark and muddy streets. The rain had ceased, but e