A Romance of the Republic

heir shoulders, were slowly ascending the piazza. She gave one glance at their burden, and uttered a shrill scream. Rosabella hastened to her in great alarm. Tulipa followed, and

as writing letters in the counting-room this afternoon, and when I went in to speak to him, I

mploringly; and Floracita almost shrie

g Blumenthal, "but I will go to hasten him";-and, ha

tile to his nose, while Madame Guirlande and Tulipa were preparing hot water and hot cloths. When the physician arrived, they watched his countenan

here they had dreamed such happy dreams the night before. Floracita, stunned by the blow that had fallen on her so suddenly, and rendered drowsy by the anodyne she had taken, soon fell into an uneasy slumber, broken by occasional starts and stifled sobs. Rosabella wept silently, but now and then a shudder passed over her, that showed how hard she was strugglin

ou" she said to Madame "I

d Frenchwoman. "You had better both

him alone," murmured Rosa,

rlande," and Tulipa has offered to sit up all night. It is muc

ng evening rushed on Rosa's memory, and she sank down in a paroxysm of grief. After weeping bitterly for some minutes, she

Madame. "Jesus and the Bl

Flora, in tones of wild agony. "I want my Pa

not be troublesome to our kind friend. I did wrong to say we were all alone. We have always a Father in heaven, and he still spares us t

ey made preparations to go with their friendly neighbor; all s

he day before, they had been so rich in love, that, had she passed away from the earth, it would have made no distressing change in their existence. They would have said, "Poor Madame Guirlande! She was a good soul.

nded as solemn as a dirge, and memories filled the room like a troop of ghosts. Hand in hand, the bereaved ones went to kiss the lips that would speak to them no more in this world. They knelt long beside the bed, and poured forth their breaking he

y from the public gaze. A number of merchants, who had known and respected Mr. Royal, followed his remains to the grave. Most of them had heard of his quadroon connection, and some supposed that the veiled mourners might be his daughters; but such t

y delayed the intended emigration. His anxiety concerning his daughters increased to an oppressive degree, and aggravated the symptoms of his disease. With his habitual desire to screen them from everything unpleasant, he unwisely concealed from them both his illness and his pecuniary difficulties. He knew he could no longer be a rich man; but he still had hope of saving enough of his fortune to live in a moderate way in some cheap district

to think of leaving them, even for the attractions of Paris; and now that dream was over, it seemed a necessity of their existence to live on in the atmosphere of beauty to which they had always been accustomed. But now that the sunshine of love had vanished from it, they felt lonely and unprotected there. They invited Madame Guirlande to come and live with them on what terms she chose; and when she said there ought to be some elderly man in the house, they at once suggested inviting their music-teacher. Madame, aware of the c

urged Madame,-"one only sixt

fortunes immediately, of course; but they can earn a living by giving lessons. I w

Madame, who fully understood the condition of things, kept a watchful lookout for their interests. Before an inventory was taken, she gathered up and hid away many trifling articles which would be useful to them, though of little or no value to t

me spoke to her of the necessity of giving dancing-lessons, it suggested the idea of practising. But she felt that she could not dance where she had been accustomed to dance before him; and she had not the heart to ask Rosa to play for her. She thoug

d her, she began to play languidly. Only requiems and prayers came. Half afraid of summoning an invisible spirit, she softly touched the keys to "The Light

or her first thought was of Gerald Fitzgerald. She raised her head, wiped away her tears, and rose to receive the visitor. Three stra

al's estate," replied one of them. "We have been

nspecting the piano, to see who was the mak

another word, walked quietly out of the room, the gathering mois

s we have heard spoken of?"

his companion. "What

e thousand, I

ird. "Such a fancy article as that don't

see that pretty little creature crossing th

r ten thousand, at least. Some of our rich fanciers would jump at the chance of obtaining one of them for that price." As he s

e was thinking of various articles her mother had painted and embroidered, and how her father had said he could not bear the thought of

they came to take an inventory of the furniture. I don't k

d call her," s

" replied Rosa. "I was just going

halking something on it. How dear papa would have felt if he had seen it! One of them looked at me in such a strange way! I don't know what he meant

kly done. They sat folded in each other's arms,

here is Madame coming." She leaned out of

strangers who were in the house, she said, "You had bet

oing to do?" inq

ed Madame, as she led them noisele

response, "Bon jour, jolie Manon!" she began to call herself "Jolie Manon!" and to sing, "Ha! ha! petit blanc, mon bon fr?

. But you must know the state of things sooner or later, and it is better that a friend should tell you. You

amita painted, and the ottomans she e

at papa gave to Rosa for a b

they will," r

red their face

mething for you. See here!" And she brought forth some of the hidden portfolios and boxes, saying, "These will be o

, Rosa said, "I would rather not keep such expensive things, dear friend. You know our dear father was the soul of honor. It

r owed Signor Papanti a little bill, and he says he will try to get the table and boxes, and some other things, in payment, and then you shall

Signor," replied Rosa. "You don't know how it comforts me to have you cal