The Argosy — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

122 The Perplexities of Captain Iveramosca. days from now, when a family event, which demands my presence, shall have taken place.” And, with the ceremonious salute of a subordinate to his superior officer, Enrico turned on his heel and marched away, leaving Fiera- mosca overwhelmed with distress, choking with rage, and dumb- foundered with amazement. IV, THE next evening the Signora Maria gave a little dinner before the signing of the contract to Signor Biagio and the witnesses to that document. It was not a very lively meal, although the bridegroom elect was in the highest spirits. Clelia was as pale as a ghost, and as silent; Enrico profoundly gloomy; the Signora Maria preoccu- pied. Even Teresa and Giustina were plunged in a little retro- spective melancholy, for the sight of their niece on such an occasion, and in her pretty dress, recalled the unrealized dreams of their own vanished youth. But Signor Biagio did nothing but chatter, and when the contract was signed and everybody was pouring forth congratulations, he positively went to the length of trying to kiss the pallid little bride on her forehead. To his extreme discomfiture and the embarrass- ment of everybody, Clelia shrank away from him with a shuddering cry of disgust. “ Diavolo !” said Signor Biagio, and looked excessively put out. ‘“‘ Nerves,” smoothly suggested a witness, divided between obsequi- ousness and compassion. The Signora Maria glowered at her daughter, but had the tact to be silent. Not so, however, the Signora Giustina. The spectacle of her niece’s resistance somehow rendered her snappish, and roughly saying, ‘‘ Don’t be a baby,” she pulled Clelia forward as if to force her to submit to the loathed caress. With a passionate movement and a stifled sob, more expressive even than her previous cry, the poor child wrenched herself free, and darting into the next room, locked the door upon her tormentors. Whither by another entrance the Signora Maria straightway betook herself, and began an appropriate lecture. ‘“‘ Let me be,” moaned Clelia, writhing on her sofa in the friendly darkness. ‘‘ Leave me to myself for a little, and I will try to do as you desire” ‘‘Come with me, mother!” sternly commanded Enrico from the doorway. ‘And Signor Biagio ?” exclaimed the perplexed woman, wringing her hands, feeling dreadfully sorry for herself, and, now that her hopes were so near fruition, a little sorry even for her child. “Tf you say another word about that old ape, I vow I will drop him from the window into the canal,” cried Enrico, angrily, and by main force took his mother away. ECOPMICLIOO KS, (E)