The Argosy — page 224: what you’re looking at

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

Caterina. 205 ‘What shall I do during thy absence ? ” asked Caterina, unclasping her arms and reseating herself before the easel. ‘The tears of sudden passion were dried on her burning cheeks, and her usual stately quietude was returning. Jacob leaned over her chair, playing with the black ringlets falling down beneath her Medici head-dress, as he sought in his mind for an excuse that might satisfy her to let him go. They had been married a good while, and each year he had had the same struggle to undergo: Caterina endeavouring to detain him, his own love of adventure luring the rover with magnetic force to sail the ocean, north, south, east, west, in quest of new lands. “These men see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep,” quoted Jacob. ‘But this will be the worst voyage of all: thou wilt venture among the eternal ice and snow—among the cruel Polar bears. ‘The ice- bergs may close in upon thy ship, and thou wilt suffer the extremity of cold.” “ Pish, Caterina; what evil auguries! Prophesy rather a return for the Orange in September, the passage discovered. And thy husband and his brave crew will receive the thanks of the common- wealth. Keep up thy heart till then. It is true the old man is but a peevish companion ‘“ He is thy father, my Jacob.” “And Truda is an ungentle and shrewish waiting-maid for thee 4 ‘But I have the blonde Teresa at my beck and call i Here the tapestry shook again, and the eavesdropper whispered angrily, “‘ Ay, sorceress, thou hast the blonde Teresa at thy beck and call, but beware. Wait till thy Jacob has sailed to the Polar seas! ” ‘What is the spell thou employest, wife, to bring that girl to thy side?” asked the Skipper, gravely and uneasily. ‘‘I have heard it ascribed to magic. Be careful, I counsel thee, for the common herd, the warehousemen and shopmen and servants, distrust thee as it Is. Thou knowest they have no love for thy faith, and if they begin to believe that thou meddlest with sorcery t “Hush, my good man, thou art but a credulous big sailor,” returned his wife smiling. ‘‘ Do not malign thy fellow-citizens ; they are not as feeble in intellect as thou wouldst have me think.” “My wife, I do not speak of our burghers. ‘They respect the faith of others, having suffered too much for freedom of conscience to be persecutors in their turn. But the rabble are not so, and I warn thee against them—against the ignorant herd. I tell thee I trembled when I heard a whisper against thee.” So each had fears for the other—each had a warning to give—and in each case warnings and pleadings were in vain. GomilGeaooks im