The evening world. Newspaper, December 10, 1904, Page 12

7 A NIGHT WITH ALESSANDRO. -_——_— ————_ “Monsieur,” came my maw's eager tones, “T’ve half a mind to marry the girl!” “Which one?” I ask, with @ laugh. “Why, the inimitable Laura, Monsieur. She's stolen the key from the pocket @f the Duke at the refreshment tables. I'll have you out of that. Quick, Mad- emolsellc! Follow me,” The slit grew dark again, There was half a minute’s silence, The door behind me jangled and clanked, there was a rush of footsteps, and Blanche and Jacques were bending over me. Blanche started back when she saw my case, atifiing a cry. Jacques began feverishly to try at the screws, “Stop!” I commanded. “You forget our terms,” ° “But you do not need to now, Monsieur. Oh, let me, let me, Thev'll soon 7 be here, and then it'll be too late.” Sen @rmee -_e2s- = @& Jacques, who had run to the door, crept back soltly, “It's too late now, Monsteur,” he whispereu, “They're coming.” “Go out,” I said, “and lock the door, and drop the key in the hall,” “Yes, Monsieur,” replied Jacques, He skimmed like a shadow toward the door and stopped, “And you, Mademolselle,” I added. “Come, Mademoiselle!" called Jacques sofily, “rll not go,” said Blanche, “Jacques!” I erted He darted out, closed the door and turned the key with searcely a sound, Blanche stood beside me, breathing deeply. “If they hurt you any more, she panted fiercely, “I'll kill them!” She darted from me, and I craned my neck in time to see her glide behind the loose- hung drepery behind the bench, Again the lock grated aad clanked, ‘Tha door creaked as it swung, They had come toward nie, the Duke taking his stand awkwardly a-otraddle at tho foot of the lable, his arms folded, his heavy mouth agrin. The others drew up beside him, staring at me. All but Strozai were red-eyed and unsteady from their drink. “So now, my tricksy Frenchman,” opened the Duke with a leer, “how have you passed the time? You complained of insufficient sleep, I think, Let us hope you've had pleasant dreams. Come, Strozzl; put your questions first.” “Signor,” I sald, “I will manry the lady.” Btrozzi smiled wickedly, “Aha! my honorable ¥renchman!" brayed the Duke, careening on one un- steady foot and gesturing with his chubby hands. ‘Did I not say the brave song would change? ‘Go on’ at first, and then, ‘Do as you deem best, my lord/' Ha! ha! ‘Tis the best sport I've had this many a da¥, Here, Salviati! Release this gentleman from his unpleasant constraint, We must give him time to get his joints together, that he may make graceful obeisance and sugared compll- Ment to the bride. The French were ever good at ladying. So! Now stand him up and let us have a look at him. This, gentlemen, is your pattern of French courtesy, Is he not handsome, brave, honest, a paragon for us Itallana? You are right, Strozzi. as you always are. The fellows should be back by now, Send your Tomasso, will you? We'll seo if they've fetched her yet.” Tomasso, on appearing, declared at once that the guards had returned a full half hour before and were waiting with the lady, My head swarm, “Fetch her up!" bawled the Duke. priest to do the thing forthwith.” CHAPTER VI, I Play the Hero, HREE guards filed in, leading a woman who hung back reluctantly, She was closely velled, and walked stiffly with a mannish tread and the completely collapsed demeanor of a sheep being led to the shain- bles, The figure was stuimpy, If not fat, and the hands, one at her side, the other ungracefully clutching the veil about her throut, were repollent (n thelr angularity. If they fancied they were going to marry me to that—— “Approach,” sald Strozal, taking his cue from the Duke's crapulous wink. I advanced, taking my stand as far as possible away from the fright of a woman, whoever she was and wherever they had fetched her from, “This gentleman, Mademoiselle,” began Strozzi afresh, addressiag the cria- turo on my left, ‘is Inclined in bis Gallic chivalry to free you from. ...» dull round of convent duties by offering you his hand.” “Rubbish!” I cried. “That's no more Mademoiselle Lamont than you or I, and you know it.” It was a bold stroke and took them all completely by surprise. “How dare you!" morted the Duke, thrown into a violent fury. “How dare you give iw all the lie! You chose to marry her and marry her you shall, er back you go, This is Blanche Lamont, [ say, Where'sthe priest? Upon my sow, the effrorntery of this spy is past al) bounds!” Lorenzo had opened to a priest, who now advanced with the glide of his trade end made a low reverence to the Duke, “Good day, Tather,” aid the latter, “You are come in good time, Have the gvodnrss to un‘te these two Kapatient lovers ia the knot of wedlock. Guards, you may retire, Show them out, Lorenzo. Salviat!l, give away the bride, Se! Now begin without delay.” The prieat, drawing the book from his pocket, hegan to finger the leaves. “The names of the parties to this marriage?’ he interrogated professionally, Btrozzi answered: “Monsieur Gaspard @ Aubray, gentleman of France, and Mademoiselle Blanch? Lamont, sometime novice in the convent of '—~ Ho did not finish, At the mention of the woman's name the priest had started, piled, stared at the awkward form before him, Now he raised @ protesting hand. “Tere ls some atrange misunderstanding here, Signor,” he sald. ‘This person is not Mademoiselle Lamont. I am confessor to the convent where she Is, This ls not she, Your Excellency.” “Our word should suffice, Father, methinks,” said Strozsi, sharply, after an awkward pause. “His Excellency has called you to discharge a function of your office, not to contradict him,” Something gleamed at the Duke's side, A hand was extended through the drapery and had ladd hold of the hilt of the sword he carried—my sword. From the corner of my eye I watched the blade steal forth from the scabbard and dis- appear behind the drapery. Glanche had armed herself. In a twinkling I could have my sword again. 1 breathed deeper and the blood began to dart aad spurt through iny stiffened Itmbs. Then the Duke made a false move. “Off with the veil!” he cried. “Has the Abbess cozened us?” ftrozz! glared at him as If he had gladly eet his fingers at his teroat. The woman tottered a step backward as if about to fall, stretching out one gtoved band aimlessly. at was that? In a flash ohe had tald hold of Salvatl's rapler and whipped it from the sheath. The left hand tore away the vell and a bass voice orted; "Volla, Messieura!” MU was Jacques. I was n> longer alone, Blanche had dashed fron: behind the drapery and gven me my sword, I caught Lorenzaccto’s lunge, shielding Blanche with an arm. “Forbear!’ cried the priest In a volce of thunder, signorina. The signor claims his right.” “Cease, Strorsi!—Lorento! Cease, I aay!" commanded the done with this senseless quarrelling. The lady's presence!’ We separated wnwillingly and faced about to the Duke, “Now, my fine fellow, have the goodness to explain,” he demanded ef me, his fists clenched and dangling tremulously at b’s sides. “What means this violence, this double-play, these twists and turns?’ Before I could speak Blanche stepped out from between us and, facing tho Duke, coldly took the word. “It hardly needs explaining, Your Excellency,” she sald, “that this gen- Geman holds you to your word. What has he done that does nat ery aloud for thanks? At the risk of his life he followed you tonight, Warn'ng you of the paid men of your enemy. And now you set a @rap for Alm, planning to fetch some ugty jade to mate to hin beea “And stay! Send a boy to knock up a “This is tmdeed the Duke, “Have és: Ee g~ z F i We RR PM de a Pb » + a So tee “Stay!” said Strozzi, stepping-quickly to the Duke and whispering in his ear, Alessendro nodded, and Strozai withdrew s#tealthily toward the door, ‘ “Sir Duke,” I exclaimed, “before Signor Strozzi retires I crave a word of import to Your Excollency.” “What? Again?” he demanded gruffly. “Proceed.” “Will Your Excellenayrliave the goodness to summon one Laura, a maid in Bignor Strozzi's se , “Lorenzo, sendfor this wonran,” sald the Duke. Blanche arid I kept looking at one another, going to try a hand against the Banker, Laurg presently appeared, I did not wonder at Jacques being smitten, She came forward contidently and courtesled to the Duke. Jacquey eyed her re servedly, “Laura,” I sald, “please recount to His Excellency the little story of the Lady Lucta, and the head-cook of the Master of Horse.” “It's only an amusing little anecdote,” replied Laura, “but one that flat- ters His Excellency, Maria, the Signora’s maid, carried not long ago a precious potion to Andreo, the head-cook, to be stirred upon occasion in His Excel- lency’s wine; for the Sixnora had been hurt at the Infrequency of His Excel- lenoy’s visits, But Andreo does not believe in love-potions, and he would”—— She stopped abruptly, staring at the Duke “Love-potion!” he now burst forth, “Oho! I smell a rat! Potions!—po- tions? Poisons, I tell you--polsons that woukt suck my life!” He got upon his feet and stamped about, the wrathfullest man I ever saw, “Laura, you're a treasurl 1 swear I owe you ten thousand ducats for this bit of news, Alescan- dro’s a fool, hey?—what? I tell you there are better fools than the Duke of Florence. Does he know who set the lady on with his plot of potions, jealous because she had a fancy for a Duke? Ay, there’s a better fool than he, and there he sits! Strozsl, you viper, I charge you with this villainy, Lorenso— Salviat, seize him! Father, call the — Stroszl was thunderstruck, or act “I, Your Excellency, 1?’ he demanded, “What have I to @o wih those you | ur favors?” LP ee Alessandro, “I know your wily tongue. Why, you'd talk the Lord Aimighty into apologizing for a breach of faith! Have done! Come, Monsieur, I owe you much already, “T'was he that put me on to every step t Go you and bind him.” 14 Pos Ge he and taking the belt from Lorenzaccl, made fast his hands behind him with no light ory as tan. “einaett "Oho! cat,” I whisper n ' Toe ay coon forget the kook he darted at me from beneath his arching eyebrows. The soldiers had tramped In. “Guard this man,” directed the Duke, pointing ¢o Strozal They led him to one side, Aiemeaaes resumed his place upon the bench, He had steadied visibly, “Come, sit you here, Salviatl and pote Ry said, and when they had obeyed he turned to the priest with a wave of his arm. Marry them, Father,” he added, “Marry them etraightway.” I stepped forward eagerly, leading Blanche by the hand «But tesied to the Duke and spoke, Does Your Excellency now free-this gentleman only if I mmarry himt’ she asked, Her volce faltered and her cheeks grew paler than I had seen them. “What say you, Monsieur?” replied the Duke, turning to me, “Will you the price of your freedom?” a looked at Bienche, who mot my eyes steadily, and we stood a. full minute go, Then I jooked again to Allesandro, He was watching us with a grin of amusement, “Upon my honor, it's love,” he declared, “Kiss, my doves, and then to your mating!" I held out my arms and Blanche leapt Into them, hiding her face. “How dare you say you were Iktle and ugly and deformed?’ I heard her whisper, “How could you burn your arm?’ I angwered, “Fnough!—enough!"’ roared the Duke with a laugh, “Very pretty! tableau! Now, Father.”’ The prieat advanced nolselessly and fingered the pages as before, “The names of the parties to this marriage?” he repeated, “blanche Lamont,” replied the Duke; “and—what, Monsieur?’ “Roland, Campte de Ronsard,” I said, “soldier of Charles the Fifth,” “Prove it!" erled Strozzi, where he stood among the guards, I slipped my hand within my shirt and, fetching forth the ring, placed it upon my finger and held it out to Alessandro, “The Emperor’s signet!" exclaimed the latter, half puzzled, half pleased, Then he broke Inte a loud laugh. “Well played!" he cried. “Well played, Compte! My crafty father-in-law chose a trusty messenger, Well played, upon my soul!” He grasped my hand and sat down again. Then we were married, and I owe the rascal Duke a debt beyond all telling, When we had done I bowed to Alessandro, saying: “I have a favor to ask, Your Excellency,” “Ask it,” be replied, “My man Jacques,” I went on, “has done as much as I and he is unrewarded, Marry him, then, to this Laura, who has taken his fancy mightily with her quick Ralian wit and her pretty face.” “Lucifer, king of bad angels!’ cried the Duke, ‘but this is rare sport indeed! Tie them up, Father! Come, my pretty Laura, you've won a husband by your tale. Upon my soul, I think you've saved my life!” Jacques, taken completely by surprise where he stood with Laura t me a face so ludicrons that all of us but Strozal laughed @encral principles ha would ra him and he dared not, and the blushing Laura, who hung in doubt, suddenly smile, She undefetood that I was Blanche Rare : i quered his reluctance with a bewitching He took ber hand as I had taken Blanche’s, and they came and stood before the bench. “The names of the parties to this marriage?” began the priest, and in a twinkling they were man and wife “And now," I said, “Your Excellency will understand my desire te leave Flor- enve forthwi My errand is dore. I have much to tell the Emperor, much that will 1 please him, But of Your Excellency I ‘have to tell only of hospitality, eoennen, Gncielen and the power to rule I crave the honor of safe conduct as as Verona.” “Good,” returned the Duke, Il! pleased. “Lorenzo, send for Vitedli,” “May I not have the honor of seeing to the conduct?’ asked Lorenzaccio, “Bend (or Vitelli!” repeated tho Duke, with a stamp of his foot, Twenty minutes later we were all four a-horse, surrounded by a Mttle of ten of the Duke's guard, Wo left the city, trotting northward, as the broke and the first red Nght began to creep down the towers at our Jacques, who was in the gayest of good humors, showered his practised dons upon the radtant Laura at his side, Blanche and I, who led the cavalcade, could hear their merriment and appreciate it. Once as we were engaged in pleas- ant talk I felt a band touch my sleeve respectfully. It was Jacques, who had eantered round from the rear. He looked ten years younger, “Upon my word, Monsieur,” he exclaimed confidentially under hie breath, “I've half a mind to marry the g—- Ob, mon dieu! {t's done already!” And clapping ee over bis mouth he dropped behind with a frightened face, followed by our ughter, It was the beginning of a happy journey, and we all breathed freer and our pulses quickened as mile after mile dropped behind us and the memory of our Ea Feed Sday’s EVENING WORLD is ‘WHO WAS JOHN PENDLETON?” a New York detective romance by Ernest De Lancey Pierson, ODD EVID The thrilling story, ‘THR ALBERT GATE MYSTERY,” the hero of which isa rival of SHE LOCK HOLMES, will appear in daily instalmen in The EVENING WORLD, beginning Monday Doo. 12. Don’t miss it! \