Pietro Ghisleri

named Laura, she did not foresee the complications which her second marriage was to produce. She was a good woman in her way, and if she had guessed what i

tle Laura Carlyon. No children were born to the Gerano couple, and the two girls were brought up together as though they were sisters. The Prince

his stamp generally leave to their families; to wit, a fearful and wonderful confusion of unpaid debts and a considerable number of promises to pay money, signed by persons whose promises were not of much consequence, even when clearl

tions. Jack Carlyon had been of the Church of England; and though anything but a practising believer, if he believed in anything at all, he had nevertheless absolutely insisted that his daughter should be brought up in his own creed. On this one point he had displayed all the tenacity he possessed, and the supply then seemed to be exhausted so far as other matters were concerned. His wife was a very conscientious woman, altogether superior to him in character, and she continued to respect his wishes, even after his death. L

left to those good men whose business it is to understand them. The main and striking points of contrast were these. Adele was barely more than pretty. Laura was all but beautiful. Adele was a great heiress, and Laura had nothing or next to not

lyon looked; a remark which showed that he was acquainted with the sayings of a great English wit, and was not above making use of them. Probably some part of the effect produced by Laura's eyes was due to the evenly perfect whiteness of her skin and the straight black brows which divided them from the broad low forehead. For her hair grew low, and she wore it in a simple fashion without that abundance of little curls which even then were considered almost essential to woman's beauty. Her pallor, too, was quite natural, for she had a good constitution and had rarely even had a headache. In figure she wa

hite teeth looked sharp and pointed when the somewhat thin lips parted and showed them; but she was undoubtedly pretty, and something more than pretty. Her face had colour and animation, she carried her small head well, and her gestures were graceful and easy. She was fluent, too, in conversation a

time Laura was not yet seventeen. Gerano had already looked about him and had made up his mind. He was a little dark-eyed man, grey, thin and nervous, but gifted wit

and was privileged to visit at the Palazzo Braccio almost as often as he pleased. He thus saw Laura Carlyon often, and he very naturally fell in love with her. He had no particular inclination to marry Donna Adele, but obeyed his father blindly, as a matter of course, just as Adele obeyed Gerano. That was a part of the old Roman system. Laura, however, did not fall in lov

ew very well that he was to marry Adele, whether he cared for her or not, and he behaved with great propriety and with not a little philosophy. The virtue of resignat

r and mother could assuredly not expect him to control the circulation of his blood when it chose to rise above the line of his collar, or seemed to sink to the level of his boots. A

g man a little, when the conversation was general, just as she talked to every one else, when she had anything to say, because she was not naturally shy. But she never attempted to manufacture remarks when nothing came to her lips, because she was not yet called upon to do so. Nor was her sile

been any open conflict between the step-sisters, nor even a declaration of war. Laura had attributed Adele's coldness to her excitement about the marriage, natural enough under the circumstances, and had not been hurt by it, while Adele had carefully

cond year and a third went by, and Laura had been some time in society; still the situation remained unchanged. The world said that the young Savelli were a very happy couple, but it always looked at Laura Carlyon with an odd expression, as though it knew something strange about her; something not quite right, which it was willing to tolerate for the sake of the amusement to be got by watching her. The world is the generic appellation of all those who go down to the sea of society in long gowns or white ties, and live and move and have their being therein. Other people do not count, even when they are quite bad, although they may have very big names and a great deal of money. The world, therefore, wagg

od, and accomplished. Ugly, spiteful, and stupid girls succeeded better than she, though some of them had no better prospect of a dowry. The good lady sought in vain the cause of the trouble, but failed to find it out. Had she been born in Rome, she would doubtless have had many kind friends to help her in the solution of the difficulty. But though she bore a Roman name, and had adopted Roman customs and had led a Roman life for nearly twenty years, sh

elfare in her new surroundings. He spent a good deal of time at his club, and was often in the country, even in the height of the season. He supposed that no one asked for Laura's hand because she was dowerless, and he was sincerely sorry for it; but it did not enter his mind to provide her with a suitable portion out of his abun

elves. She was not very vain and did not expect great admiration on the one hand, nor any particular dislike on the other. Her character, too, was one that must develop slowly, if it were ever to attain its mature growth. She doubtless had moments of annoyance and eve

he world, was generally believed to be older than she was, and was to be seen mo

of his old friend, one evening early in the seas

lian. "The daughter of the Princess of Ge

ee or four years, and was, moreover, by n

me?" he asked, loo

m and left the two together, he being at that t

seen him could ever forget the extreme nobility and delicacy of his pale face. Each feature completed and gave dignity to the next-the broad, highly modelled forehead, the prominent brow, the hollows at the temples, the clear, steady brown eyes, the aquiline nose and sensitive nostrils, the calm, straight mouth, and the firm, clearly cut chin-all were in harmony. And yet in all the cro

ght almost have been called weather-beaten; for frequent and long exposure to sun and weather had permanently changed its original colouring, which had been decidedly fair. To adopt the simple style of his passport, he might be described as six feet high, eyes blue, hair and moustache brown, nose large, mouth normal, chin prominent, face somewhat bony,-particular sign, a scar on the left temple. Like his old friend Lord Herbert, he was one of the dozen men who always attract attention in a crowded room. But of all those who looked at him, having known him long,

eside Laura, "and I am afraid that I am not very brillia

ance, and immediately felt a thrill of sympathy

ered. "Do you think you could f

smile. "Do you more often do the things you ought not to do

e, of course!" answered Laura. "I

ly so in making that last remark. I am less

conversation was so far not like that

f me?" she asked,

le, I c

y did you make Signor Ghi

esides, Ghisleri is a very old friend of mine,

often wondered what he is really like. I mean hi

though we have known each other ten years. He is a good friend and a rather indifferent enemy, I should say. His chief apparent peculia

o say what he thinks,"

as not a particularly angelic reputation, I believe

know? You have not answered my question. Wh

ither he nor she were really in sympathy. In the course of half an hour they both felt as though they had known one another a long time. The admiration Arden had felt for Laura at first sight had considerabl

exception of the few words spoken about Ghisleri, there

lised that the room was almost empty and that he had been absorbing the

wered Laura. "I d

dancing?" He asked the que

t very often-perhaps because they think

ating, so as not to make me feel uncomfortable. It is of no use, yo

d rather no

to take you back?" inquired

hy

u look ridiculous," answ

that particular moment that he began to love her, as he afterwards remember

please never say anythin

not, if it

ffend me. I do

e tell me. I am no

hink such things of me, much less...." she stopped shor

h le

ds, as though choosing her wor

might pain to think t

followed, and his lips moved a little as though he felt some kind of em

" she asked, suddenly

h, perhaps," he ans

ur's acquaintance they should have reached something like a crisis. At last Laura ro

aid when he stood beside her. "I w

she erect and easy in her girlish gait, he weak-kneed and awkward, seeming to unjoint half his body at every painful step, helpi

f Gerano," said Laura, by way of explan

?" asked Arden. He had almost forgotten her name an

him," she added, scarcely knowing why. "Mother," she sa

same time: she had probably gone home, as she was not seen again in the ball-room that evening. But the world in its omniscience knew that there was a certain boudoir beyond the supper-room, where couples who did not care to dan

arlyon?" asked Ghisleri, as Arde

a certain amount of dancing when

riend?" inquired Pietro, a

ery much. He

e grateful to me for

aura laughed a little, more in pleasant ant

for the aged and infirm, which most people

How can you talk ab

talking; shall

ey were in the th

e; please take me back,"

he conservatory?" asked Ghis

ould rat

saw you come out of the drawing-room togethe

aid Laura, quietly. "He is an

that the

ft her with her mother