Carla

“ She had the wisdom to leave him alone; and walking a short distance up the canyon, sent pebbles skipping the water. After a while this drew him to her.
"Shall we go up stream?" she asked. [Pg 147]
He nodded. They jumped from bowlder to bowlder, and at last stopped where the waters go softly, making a soothing music for the ear.
"Carla!"
"Yes, Wathemah."
"Jesus forgive?"
"Yes, dear, He does." Then Carla's self-control gave way, and she sobbed out her long-suppressed grief. Instantly the child's arms were around her neck.
"No cry, Carla!" he said. "No cry, Carla!" patting her cheek. ”

“ Carla laughed. “No, Laura, to Bankton in England.”
“The painter?”
“The painter. We’ve been married two years.”
“Are you happy?” There was a dark note in her voice as she said this and Carla could tell that it was something she wanted to know.
“I am not unhappy,” said Carla, knowing that this was no answer but she hoped that Holton would grasp her meaning.
“I’m sorry,” said Laura Whitner almost undramatically. “I married again, you know.”
“I heard you did. Is he here tonight? I used to know him.”
“He couldn’t come, he’s working on a show. Are you going to have children?” ”

“ Carla was wiping her eyes shamelessly.
“Third rate!” repeated Fancini softly. “Grimm to give third-rate opera!”
“It is disgusting!” boomed Dufresne, in a tone of indignant pain. “And there is nothing one can do!”
Carla suddenly crumpled up her handkerchief and fired it across the room. It hit a dozing cat, which was the only remaining occupant of the back yard, for it was late, and the patrons had departed, and the signora was taking a nap. But Carla for once did not notice the pussy's comical expression of outraged dignity. She was illumined by one of her swift, unreasoning inspirations. ”

“ She makes him swear that he will declare their engagement in the presence of Valerie, Else, and Giraldi, and will marry her within four weeks. He swears, with reservation, by his honor, but begins to ponder the bargain. Carla throws herself impulsively into his arms exclaiming: "With you. With you! Take me, take me! I am yours, yours, yours!" The Count is now bent on the boldest plunge of all; he rides for the inn at Ahlbeck, where they can spend the night. As they reach the village, all is confusion in the streets. The people are rushing from the houses, crying, howling, raging. ”

“ Once the English girl bowed her head on the New England girl's shoulder, and wept bitterly. The teacher listened, listened to a story whose pathos touched her heart. Then she said gently:
"You know right from wrong. Leave the wrong life. Come to me for shelter, until I can find a home for you where you will be safe, and I hope, contented."
"Oh, I can't," sobbed Carla, "I am so unhappy!"
"I know you can leave if you will," Esther said firmly. "You will have strength and courage given you to do right. It is wrong for you to continue in the life you are now living." ”

“ Giraldi," said Carla, as the Count grew embarrassingly silent. "Just express it frankly; it will not offend me; he is the wisest of men, from whom you can conceal no secrets even if you would and—I don't wish to; you—should not wish to, either. He loves you very much; he wishes the best for you.—Believe me! Trust him!"
"I believe it," said the Count—"and I should trust him unconditionally if the union in question had not also a little bit of business flavor in it. You know I bought the Warnow estate today. ”

“ You live it. You make men believe in your religion, make them believe it is the one real thing of life. I need to be taught of you."
"Please bring this young girl to me, or take me to her," she responded.
Together they sought Carla Earle. As Esther was introduced, she clasped Carla's hand, and began to talk to her of England. Kenneth excused himself, and the two girls took seats in the corner where he had left them. At first Carla avoided looking into the face of her companion. When she did gain courage to look up, she saw that Esther's face was full of tenderness. ”

“ She sighed and touched the skullcap on her head with a hand that was pale and like the claw of a bird, [Pg 132] a hand that shook. “If I’m not too old I’m going to make a child. I think that’s what I need.”
“You must be very happy with him.”
She nodded and said with great sincerity, “Yes, I’m very happy now. After a long time I am.” And Carla looked into her sad dark eyes and saw that they had not changed expression.
“Who is this?” asked Laura Whitner, turning to Holton, making love to him automatically with her face.
“This,” said Carla, “is Robert Holton, an old friend of mine. ”

“ The thing is simply that Signor Giraldi, as the Baroness's agent----"
"Spare me anything of that sort, my dear Count," cried Carla. "Once for all, I understand nothing about it. I only know that my sister-in-law is a delightful creature, and that you are a terribly blasé man, whom every well-behaved girl must really be afraid of. And now go into the drawing-room, I hear Baroness Kniebreche, and she would never forgive you if you have not kissed her hand within the first five minutes." ”

“ Carlota sat up, amazed and indignant.
[10] “Girls don’t have gizzards, Carlos Manuel. Only chickens and geeses and things like those. You haven’t paid attention when my father teached you.”
Carlos laughed; so merrily and noisily that old Marta came to the door of the adobe house to see what was the fun. Nobody knew the housekeeper’s real age, it was so very great. None could remember things so far back as she, but she had ceased to count the years long, long ago, why not? What matter, if she still had the heart of a child, yes? ”

“ What Carlos saw was an overgrown lad of fifteen, shock-headed, freckled, with arms and legs two sizes too large for his width of chest. A face that was brimful of fun and good nature, honest, gray eyes, and a mouth wide and upturned at the corners over strong white teeth.
Yet, although he instantly liked him, Carlos had a feeling that one could place little dependence upon Jack. As he afterwards expressed it to Carlota: “A fellow anybody could make to do anything that was pleasant but nothing that wasn’t.” ”

“ When Clara was a little girl her mother died, and Johanna’s life had been spent in ungrudging service to her niece. Clara, like many self-willed and discontented persons, was really very apt, without knowing it, to do as other people told her, and to let her destiny be decided for her by intelligences much below her own. It was her Aunt Johanna who had humored and spoiled her in her girlhood, who had got her off to Chicago to study piano, and who had finally persuaded her to marry Olaf Ericson as the best match she would be likely to make in that part of the country. ”

“ Caroline's mother had permitted Von Weber to pay his court to her, and her father and brother had found his intentions worthy. Caroline had not hesitated to confess that her affection was growing with Carl's. But what she had seen of his life with the Brunetti, and what she must have heard of his magnificent dissipations, gave her pause. Therefore, when Carl went away for his health, he took with him a riddle, and left behind "a sweet, beloved being who might—who may—make me happy." "The absence of three months shall test our love." ”

“ And Black Caroline said, 'Very well!'
But that evening, when White Caroline was about to get into bed, Black Caroline took her by the arm and said:
'White Caroline, I love you very much; and you must not tell mother; but she is trying to kill you. There are a dozen deadly thorns in your pillow; go to sleep all the same, but we'll put our heads at the foot of the bed!'
And White Caroline, full of joy, took Black Caroline in her little arms and they slept together!'
The following morning they heard a rat-a-tat on the stairs. ”

“ Clara seldom came downstairs before eight o'clock, and this morning she was even later, for she had dressed with unusual care. She put on, however, only a tight-fitting black dress, which people thereabouts thought very plain. She was a tall, dark woman of thirty, with a rather sallow complexion and a touch of dull salmon red in her cheeks, where the blood seemed to burn under her brown skin. Her hair, parted evenly above her low forehead, was so black that there were distinctly blue lights in it. Her black eyebrows were delicate half-moons and her lashes were long and heavy. ”

“ His mother also related the incident to Bettina Brentano;—"There, skated my son, like an arrow among the groups. Away he went over the ice like a son of the gods. Anything so beautiful is not to be seen now. I clapped my hands for joy. Never shall I forget him as he darted out from one arch of the bridge, and in again under the other, the wind carrying the train behind him as he flew." In that amiable figure I seem to see the fulfilment of the Resurgam on Carl's empty coffin—the aspiring soul of Carl himself, in freedom and effective, at last. ”

“ As she danced with Carl it was her hero's arm she felt. At night, when Carl left her on the door-step, she looked up at the stars and the sinking moon, and lifted her face in a wild vow, inarticulate—"I will be worthy of him!" That was the passionate resolution, but it did not reach to the definiteness of words.
As she worked about the house she took graceful attitudes, and wished he might see her; he would be pleased with her. The grace and power of her arm acquired new meaning to her. Her body, she recognized, had something the same statuesque pose of his. ”

“ Carl made no reply. Just ahead of them was the Norwegian graveyard, where the grass had, indeed, grown back over everything, shaggy and red, hiding even the wire fence. Carl realized that he was not a very helpful companion, but there was nothing he could say.
“Of course,” Alexandra went on, steadying her voice a little, “the boys are strong and work hard, but we’ve always depended so on father that I don’t see how we can go ahead. I almost feel as if there were nothing to go ahead for.”
“Does your father know?”
“Yes, I think he does. He lies and counts on his fingers all day. ”

“ Caroline felt her breath taken away, she had no power to speak, while Lady Clara sat smiling pleasantly to herself. The poor girl felt like springing out of the carriage, and fleeing to the uttermost parts of the earth, rather than be in the neighborhood with a man who had scorned her so. ”

“ The king asked, “Where is she, Carlos?”
“She cannot come,” replied Carlos; “but, if your Highness wants me to, I’ll give you a trunk filled with gold in exchange for my life.”
“No,” said the king angrily: “what we want is the Goddess of the Sea. If you cannot show her to us, prepare to be hanged.”
Carlos touched the ring six times, and the beautiful Goddess of the Sea appeared. All were amazed to see a woman with curly hair, a star on her forehead, a moon on her throat, and wearing a white dress glistening with diamonds. “Carlos is an enchanter!” ”

“ Barbara remained silent. A struggle was taking place in her mind. The high spirit that had sustained her during the terrible strain of the last twenty-four hours was beginning to give way. Her crown had never brought her anything but sorrow. Why not resign it, and depart 393 with Paul to his own Kentish home, that home which he had so often described to her,—a fair castellated hall shaded with beech-trees beside a cool lake! Far happier the life of an English lady than that of a princess ruling over a semi-barbarous people. ”

“ Major Carlen sat in his usual place at the foot of the table, facing his wife. An imposing-looking man, tall, thin and angular, who must formerly have been handsome. He had a large nose with a curious twist in it; white teeth, which he showed very much; light gray eyes that stared at you, and hair and whiskers of so brilliant a black that a suspicious person might have said they were dyed.
"I thought of taking you boys out myself this afternoon," spoke the Major. "To see that horsemanship which is exhibiting. I hear it's very good. Would you like to go?"
"Oh, and me too!" struck in Blanche. ”

“ CARLOS (seizing her hand with warmth) . Dear maiden! Can you hate eternally? Can injured love ne'er pardon? EBOLI (disengaging herself) . Prince! of what Would you remind me? CARLOS. Of your kindness, dearest! And of my deep ingratitude. Alas, Too well I know it! deeply have I wronged thee— Wounded thy tender heart, and from thine eyes, Thine angel eyes, wrung precious tears, sweet maid! But ah! 'tis not repentance leads me hither. EBOLI. Prince! leave me—I—— CARLOS. I come to thee, because Thou art a maid of gentle soul—because I trust thy heart—thy kind and tender heart. ”

“ The Duke of Bora, who was sitting beside his great kinsman, the Czar, scowled as Paul made his appearance in the choir. The dullest imagination could picture the tender interview that had taken place in the sacristy. All knew that Paul had come to the combat with Barbara's kiss dewy on his lips.
"But for yon fellow," muttered Bora, "I might now be the consort of the princess."
"The fair lady loves power," replied the emperor. "She may yet consent when she sees the crown on your brow. See, the herald summons you. Now, Bora, play 400 the man, and you are prince by the law of Czernova itself. ”

“ Carlota ceased to argue the matter. Her attention and that of the others had been called to Carlos who, upon the broncho’s flight, had not wasted breath upon anybody but had set off in instant pursuit. “As swift as an arrow.” He had been trained by an Indian and could run like one. As he sped over it, his moccasined feet scarcely touched the ground, and his lithe [196] body seemed poised as lightly as a bird’s in its flight. As he ran his sister cried exultantly:
“See Carlos! Oh! see Carlos! He’ll catch him! He will—he will!” ”