The Argosy — page 134: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Perplexities of Captain [veramosca. IIg Instead of answering this question, the young girl, white to the lips, trembling, but resolutely composed, put another: “ Did the lady know Captain Fieramosca ?”’ (“‘Madonna mia! What is the little lunatic going to ask now?” was her mother’s secret ejaculation. ) Mrs. Walford positively blushed. Blushed with thesecret guilt of her mission and with the excitement of Clelia’s interrogation. “Ves,” she answered. ‘‘She knew Captain Fieramosca very zwe/l, Had—had the Signorina any message for him ?” The blush, and the emphasis of her speech were fatal. Clelia was sure now, that Don Giacomo had spoken the truth. ‘You can tell him,” said Clelia, ‘that Iam going to be married immediately, and with my ows full consent. And when he writes to my brother, I wish him to say this.” And rapidly, witha steady step and a face like marble, she passed from the room. Mrs. Walford sat in speechless amazement. ‘‘ What did it all mean P?” she asked herself. ‘‘ Were the words she had just heard to be interpreted literally, or did they contain some hidden warning to be conveyed by Fieramosca to Enrico?” She was so busy revolving this question, that she hardly listened to Signora Maria’s perturbed and murmured explanations that ‘Girls were so strange ;” “ Clelia was excited ;” ‘‘ Her marriage promised to be an excellent one,” &c. &c. And failing of any satisfactory solution, she rose, at last, to go, without having accomplished one fifth part of all that she had intended. Signora Maria extracted a rod from its pickle for her daughter, on the very first occasion: but, to her amazement, Clelia was as docile asalamb. ‘She did not know what her mother wanted,” she said. ‘She was ready to marry Signor Biagio as soon as anybody wished. What more was expected of her?” And in this attitude of stony calm she remained, while her _ bride- groom was informed of his happiness, and all the preparations for the wedding were hurried on. Signora Maria could hardly believe in her own luck, but she was jubilant. And what presently crowned her happiness, was a letter from Enrico, announcing that his regiment, when already en route, had received counter-orders, and turned back. Consequently, he had been able to obtain four days’ leave, and would follow almost immediately on his letter. “Then if he arrives to-morrow, the contract can be signed the day after, and the marriage can be on the next day to that,” said the mother. Just as you like,” replied Clelia, listlessly. When Enrico made his appearance his kind face fell considerably on hearing that he was just in time for the wedding. “Why, Clelia, what is this? Are you really going to marry that old ahem !—Biagio after all?” ** Apparently I am,” said the girl. GOnlGpooks (C©) mn