Page:Lippincotts Monthly Magazine-34.djvu/227

1884.] though he could well believe that all honor surrounded her with its impenetrable barrier. Still, for a young girl, the position was not dignified. He was glad to see that the story was a palpable invention.

"You seem to be very well acquainted with her affairs, considering that you have never seen her but twice, and that five years ago," his wife said, presently. "Perhaps you correspond with her."

Again a silence met her.

She waited a moment, then changed her tactics. "Now, Roberto mio," she said coaxingly, "don't let us quarrel. We never have, you know, and we ought not to begin now. Be a good darling, and let me make some other arrangement for this girl. Leave it all to me. I will arrange it so that she shall be perfectly satisfied. As soon as she comes back I will go to see her. We can have her to dinner and take her out driving. I will be very friendly to her. If she does not like a convent, I will find some nice family where she can go. The sindaco's would do admirably. They are just marrying a daughter, which will leave an empty place. She shall not be urged to go where she doesn't like. I am sure that the Signora Passafiori would receive her to please me. Leave it to me. Don't interfere, and you shall see that all will go well. You really must not enter. Men never know how to arrange such affairs."

"I forbid you to mention the subject to her, or to any one else!" D'Rubiera exclaimed angrily. "Let the girl alone. It is as dishonorable to propose to break the contract as to break it. If a man were in question, he would quickly let you see that. And I would recommend you not to give yourself the trouble to visit the young lady. She is in mourning, and does not go out. It will be enough if you send your card in return if she sends hers."

The duchess put her hand over her eyes and affected to wipe away a tear. "How rude you are!" she murmured plaintively. "I only meant to do the girl a charity. I'm sure my proposal would be considered condescending by any one but you."

"She was born in the same rank as yourself," the gentleman remarked dryly.

She affected not to hear, and hid the flash in her eyes and the angry blush on her cheeks by turning to pour herself a second cup of tea. "I did not think that you would refuse me anything I had so set my heart on," she murmured. "I thought that you wished me to be happy, to be contented and satisfied."

"I like to see you happy," her husband replied quietly. "But I never proposed to make your happiness by sacrificing the rights of others."

She turned toward him with vivacity. "Then what in the world did you marry me for?" she exclaimed.

The last straw had been added to the load his patience bore.

"I married you because you asked me to," he replied distinctly.

The servant, who during this conversation had been standing at a little distance behind the trees, unseen by his master, started forward to catch the tea-table as it went over, pick up the broken dishes, and wipe the tea from madama's dress with his snuffy handkerchief, the napkin being wet.

"Brute!" cried the duchess, shaking her hand toward her husband. "It is not true!"

D'Rubiera turned away in disgust. The die was cast, and peace for him was at an end, he thought bitterly, as he walked off down the road toward the campagna. "Who would have thought that confounded Giacomo was behind the tree! She knew that he was there. She always talks before the servants. Well, she has got enough of it this time."

He walked on, scarcely knowing whither he went, his heart in a storm. He recalled the home of his childhood,—how far from the splendor of his present surroundings, but also how far removed in its pure honor and dignity from the triviality and dishonesty of the atmosphere which now surrounded him. Yes, it was dishonesty, and nothing else.