Farewell Love!

her bed, Anna appeared to have been s

customary reading, which followed the last gossip of the day between the girls. But no sooner had she put out he

as wid

rate the secret of the dusk-trying to see whether really her sister was asleep. It was a winte

eins, scorching her flesh, quickening the beating of her pulses. As in the height of fever, she felt herself burning up; her tongue was dry, her h

held her silent. It was not, however, so much from the great heat throbbing at her temples

rs, and thus Anna could make sure. But the fear of thereby still further lengthening this time of waiting, kept her

from the sitting-room adjoining. It seemed to her that she had been lying like this for years, that she had been waiting f

our had passed? Perhaps it had passed without her noticing i

distance and the doors closed bet

ur had

y, trembling, holding her breath at every sound, pausing, startin

ith her hands she felt for her shoes and stockings and clothes. They were all there, placed conveniently near; but every little difficulty s

white serge, which shone out in the darkn

and in this she now wrapped herself from head to

she stood still at her bedside; she had not dared to take

n send me a little stren

f it, seized by a sudden audacious impulse, she called her sis

er way amidst the chairs and tables. She struck her shoulder against the frame of the door b

mia!" she murmured i

governess, Stella Martini; but the poor, goo

must have traversed a hundred separate chambers, a hundred e

ran out into the night, the cold, the blackness. She crossed

Giustino,"

ed on the other terrace, very near,

ered: "Here

d, drew him towards her

ver the li

without speaking, Anna bent

wrong?" he asked, t

without

oubling you," he murmured earnestly, wit

I was so frighten

est, dearest!"

-a poor thing," said she

aid Giustino, simp

ain," she begged

you so

u-my soul,

e me, you m

ou, my dea

t you won't cry

adore you!" she repeated, h

find no words fit for responding to such a

cold?"

And she gave

hose of Giustino, was inde

love,"

sed it lightly. And thereupon, her eyes glowed

ither cold, nor night, nor danger-nothing. I can only feel you. I want nothing but your love. I

hed he, unde

say?" she cr

dear one; a sigh

hat; don't say tha

ave been dreaming together-any day we may have to wake f

o-t

e of you as he wis

you se

; to

won't

n't co

y n

nd I have none. Because yo

ore you,

little to yo

a ba

" said Giust

t he's committing," she cried,

o did n

m again that you love me, that I adore you, that I shall die

s," replied Gi

ing? You didn't try to move his hard old heart? But what sort of man are you; what sort of soul have

a!" he sai

oung; you're brave. How could Cesare Dias, almost an old

s was right, Anna,"

sacrilege of love!" cr

d fallen to the ground, at her feet. And now she stood up before him like a white, desol

hough it forced him to break with

nna. I couldn't answer him. I'm a po

tronger th

r, I have no ti

tronger th

s against our

an everything; stron

lt that he must go to the bottom of the subj

g; and yet I advise you to forget this youthful fancy. You are young; you are beautiful; you are rich; you are noble, and you love me; yet it is my duty to say to you, forget me-forget me. Consider how great the sacrifice is, and see if it is not our duty, as two good people, to make it courageously. Anna, you will be loved again, better still, by a better man. You deserve the p

listened to him,

he said,

rget you,"

rt. Let us try not

s," she said, her vo

you wish

know. I d

an his own sorrow, assailed him. He

atter with you

er head on his shoulder, and he

he whispered, thrill

on't l

n you d

you loved me you would not think such a separation possible. If you loved me it w

a, A

weak woman; yet I resist, I struggle. And we wo

nn

can think, reflect, determine. That isn't love. You speak of duty, of being worthy-worthy of her who adores you, who sees nothing but you in the whole wide world. I know noth

m him, to move off.

want to do?"

" she said, quietly, with her eyes clo

make my regret worse than it is.

esn't

ut bitterness into

esn't

Cesare Dias, against your sister Laura, against

esn't

o have exposed you to a thousand dangers. Think,

matter. Ta

f the darkness, could se

nly take me awa

whe

country. You wi

ung girl-elope lik

l secure

on you; no o

family, my all

out means, without friends, having committed a

ttle time of poverty, after which I shall

good speculation. No, no, Anna, it's im

im, pushing him back wi

shamed of what bad people and stupid people may say of you! I-I brave everything. I lie, I deceive. I leave my bed at the dead of night, steal out during my sister's sleep-out of my room, out of my house, like a guilty servant, so that they might call me the lowest of the low. I do all this to come to you; and you are thinking of speculations, of what the world will say about you. Oh, how strong you are, you men! How well you know you

him silenced, frightened, shaken by her voice, by the tumult of her passion. Now the fire which he had rashly kindled burnt up the whole beautiful, simple, stable edifice of his

ead, and he heard her murmu

s decided, that they had played t

ause; she was the

pt. You have spoken to Cesare Dias; you have told him that

He smiled i

, arid creature. I know that he despises me, thinking me silly and enthusiastic. I pity him as I pity every one who has no love in his heart. And yet-I will speak to Cesare Dias. The truth will well up from me with such impetus that

er? There we'd have an affectionate

answered, with a slight tremor of the voi

afraid

don't speak of her. It's

d y

w. I'd a thousand times rather speak to him. He will remember his past; Laura has no

shouldn't b

l belie

Anna, if h

ren't come here any more. It's too dangerous. If any one should see me it would be the ruin of all our hopes. I'll write to you. You'll arrange your own a

be r

rel

rel

ut a r

." But his voice

l be so happy! You will see. Hap

ured Giustino, f

e concluded, fervently, putt

was a silent vow; but it was the vow of a

eturning to his own terrace. Not until some ten minutes had passed, during which he hea

p, exhausted, without ideas, without

e had passed. An immense burden seemed to bow her down, to make h

rror. A light was burning in the bedroom. Laura would be awa

ld hear a sound as of the pages of a

pen the door, and cr

, smiled haughtily,

ying, "Forgive me. For pity's sake, L

white and cold and virginal, ne

r dawn found her there, weeping, weeping; whi