A Foregone Conclusion

, the painter asked, to make talk, "Have you hit upon that new explosive yet, which is t

you saw it at my house; and as for other things, I have not been able to put my m

orida, and the footstool, contrived with springs and hinges so that it would fold up

-so very strange to me in every way-that I have made in your amiable country-women, which hinders me from going about anything in earnest, now that their munificence has enabled me

"She is a woman who has had affliction enough to turn a stronger head than hers could ever have been," he added kindly. "But she has the b

nderstand," blankly f

couldn't explain to

en at last by Don Ippolito, who aske

hat pretty match-girl of the Piazza of whom it was Venetianly answered, when one asked if so sweet a face were not innocent, "Oh yes, she is mad!" He was of a purity so blameless that he was reputed crack-brained by the caffè-gossip that in Venice turns its searching light upon whomever you mention; and from his own association with the man Ferris perceived in him an apparent single-heartedness such as no man can have but the rarest of Italians. He was the albino of his species; a gray crow, a white fly; he was really this, or he knew how to seem it

en he said stiffly, "I don't know. I don't want to marry anybody. Besides," he added, relaxing i

t? It is seldom that we see such a blonde in Italy. Our blondes are dark; they have auburn hair and blue eyes, but their complexions are thick. Miss Vervain is blonde

ed the painter. "What property of th

rs, they seem full of tragedies. She looks made to be the heroine o

uld be safe to count upon her. I'm afraid she has a bad temper. At any rate, I always expect to see smoke somewhere when I look at those eyes of hers. She has won

er a moment, "for the American young ladies

ervain's. It's a little formality that I shou

n that it r

e so far in comment on the Vervains. He added recklessly, "Don't you see that Mrs. Vervain sometimes

atively, "that the signorina was always

d looked in annoyance from the priest to the

o said, "They must be very

d save in ways different from the Italians. I dare say the Ver

"if they were rich you would b

ervain for her money," ans

her, the money would e

Miss Vervain, and I don't know how you feel warranted

ything wrong in speaking of such things? Is it contrary to the Ameri

. She is beautiful, and I believe she's good. But if men had to marry because women were beautiful and good, there isn't one o

ove her?" asked Do

dvised at presen

the priest, absently,

their keys in unison; this seemed to him for the first time childish. Then he played some lively bars on the piano alone; they sounded too light and trivial, and he turned to the other instrument. As the plaint of the reeds arose, it filled his sense like a solemn