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conscious　of　nought　else。　Confused　images　passed　before　her　mind；　now

losing　memory　of　earth。　She　knew　that　Luigi　was　there；　for　she　clasped

his　icy　hand　tightly；　and　more　tightly　still；　as　though　she　strove　to

save　herself　from　some　precipice　down　which　she　feared　to　fall。



〃Dear；〃　she　said；　at　last；　〃you　are　cold；　I　will　warm　you。〃



She　tried　to　put　his　hand　upon　her　heart；　but　died。



Two　doctors；　a　priest；　and　several　neighbors　came　into　the　room；

bringing　all　that　was　necessary　to　save　the　poor　couple　and　calm　their

despair。　These　strangers　made　some　noise　in　entering；　but　after　they

had　entered；　an　awful　silence　filled　the　room。



While　that　scene　was　taking　place；　Bartolomeo　and　his　wife　were

sitting　in　their　antique　chairs；　each　at　a　corner　of　the　vast

fireplace；　where　a　glowing　fire　scarcely　warmed　the　great　spaces　of

their　salon。　The　clock　told　midnight。



For　some　time　past　the　old　couple　had　lost　the　ability　to　sleep。　At

the　present　moment　they　sat　there　silent；　like　two　persons　in　their

dotage；　gazing　about　them　at　things　they　did　not　see。　Their　deserted

salon；　so　filled　with　memories　to　them；　was　feebly　lighted　by　a　single

lamp　which　seemed　expiring。　Without　the　sparkling　of　the　flame　upon

the　hearth；　they　might　soon　have　been　in　total　darkness。



A　friend　had　just　left　them；　and　the　chair　on　which　he　had　been

sitting；　remained　where　he　left　it；　between　the　two　Corsicans。　Piombo

was　casting　glances　at　that　chair；glances　full　of　thoughts；　crowding

one　upon　another　like　remorse；for　the　empty　chair　was　Ginevra's。

Elisa　Piombo　watched　the　expressions　that　now　began　to　cross　her

husband's　pallid　face。　Though　long　accustomed　to　divine　his　feelings

from　the　changeful　agitations　of　his　face；　they　seemed　to…night　so

threatening；　and　anon　so　melancholy　that　she　felt　she　could　no　longer

read　a　soul　that　was　now　incomprehensible；　even　to　her。



Would　Bartolomeo　yield；　at　last；　to　the　memories　awakened　by　that

chair？　Had　he　been　shocked　to　see　a　stranger　in　that　chair；　used　for

the　first　time　since　his　daughter　left　him？　Had　the　hour　of　his　mercy

struck；that　hour　she　had　vainly　prayed　and　waited　for　till　now？



These　reflections　shook　the　mother's　heart　successively。　For　an

instant　her　husband's　countenance　became　so　terrible　that　she　trembled

at　having　used　this　simple　means　to　bring　about　a　mention　of　Ginevra's

name。　The　night　was　wintry；　the　north　wind　drove　the　snowflakes　so

sharply　against　the　blinds　that　the　old　couple　fancied　that　they　heard

a　gentle　rustling。　Ginevra's　mother　dropped　her　head　to　hide　her

tears。　Suddenly　a　sigh　burst　from　the　old　man's　breast；　his　wife

looked　at　him；　he　seemed　to　her　crushed。　Then　she　risked　speakingfor

the　second　time　in　three　long　yearsof　his　daughter。



〃Ginevra　may　be　cold；〃　she　said；　softly。



Piombo　quivered。



〃She　may　be　hungry；〃　she　continued。



The　old　man　dropped　a　tear。



〃Perhaps　she　has　a　child　and　cannot　suckle　it；　her　milk　is　dried　up！〃

said　the　mother；　in　accents　of　despair。



〃Let　her　come！　let　her　come　to　me！〃　cried　Piombo。　〃Oh！　my　precious

child；　thou　hast　conquered　me。〃



The　mother　rose　as　if　to　fetch　her　daughter。　At　that　instant　the　door

opened　noisily；　and　a　man；　whose　face　no　longer　bore　the　semblance　of

humanity；　stood　suddenly　before　them。



〃Dead！　Our　two　families　were　doomed　to　exterminate　each　other。　Here　is

all　that　remains　of　her；〃　he　said；　laying　Ginevra's　long　black　hair

upon　the　table。



The　old　people　shook　and　quivered　as　if　a　stroke　of　lightning　had

blasted　them。



Luigi　no　longer　stood　before　them。



〃He　has　spared　me　a　shot；　for　he　is　dead；〃　said　Bartolomeo；　slowly；

gazing　on　the　ground　at　his　feet。











End