At last Ruez stole into her room quietly, and finding her asleep,
and a tear-drop glistening still upon her cheek, he kissed away the
pearly dew and awoke her once more to consciousness. He, too, had
learned of Captain Bezan's sudden departure; and by the open letter
in his sister's hand, to which he saw appended his dearly loved
friend's name, he judged that her weeping had been caused by the
knowledge that he had left them-probably forever.
Lorenzo Bezan should have seen her then, in her almost transcendent
beauty, too proud, far too proud, to own even to herself that she
loved the poor soldier; yet her heart would thus unbidden and
spontaneously betray itself, in spite of all her proud calmness, and
strong efforts at self-control. The boy looked at her earnestly;
twice he essayed to speak, and then, as if some after thought had
changed his purpose, he kissed her again, and was silent.
"Well, brother, it seems that Captain Bezan has been liberated and
pardoned, after all," said Isabella, with a voice of assumed
indifference.
"Yes, sister, but at a sad cost; for he has been banished to Spain."
"How strange he was not shot, when so many fired at him."
"Sister?"
"Well.
Pages:
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146