The Daughter of an Empress

And the beautiful, glowing woman humbly and imploringly bent before her

beloved.

The latter laughingly said: "How well you know how to say that--with

what variations and modulations! I yesterday heard you say the same to

Cardinal Albani; to be sure, it sounded a little different, but not less

warm and glowing!"

"You know why I do that!" said she. "He is an enamored fool, whom I

would win with tender words that I may make him my instrument. You know

the object for which I strive, and which I must attain at any price! Ah,

Carlo, when once they have crowned me in the capitol, then, I am sure,

you will be compelled to love me again!"

"Never again!" he harshly and roughly said.

"Is that your last word?" shrieked she, with flashing eyes and the wild

rage of a tigress.

"It is my last word!"

She flew to him like a mad person, seized his hands and fixedly stared

him in the face.

"Ungrateful!" said she, gnashing her teeth. "Is it thus you reward my

love, is this your return for all I have done for you? Can you forget

that it was I who withdrew you from poverty and baseness? What were you

but a poor, unnoticed singer in the streets, on whom people bestowed

scanty alms? Was it not I who rescued you from that shame, and clothed

you and gave you a home? Was it not I who gave you a name and procured

you consideration and respect by making you my singer and companion, and

allowing you to play upon the harp at my improvisations? How has not

all Rome admired you when you sang the canzones I wrote for you, thereby

procuring you honor and respectability, and making you a popular man

from a low beggar? Go, you cannot leave me, for you are my creature, my

property!"

He wildly thrust her aside, and his eyes flashed with indignation.

"Signora," said he, his lips tremulous with rage, "you have rent the

last band that bound me to you, and in twitting me of your benefits you

have annihilated them! We now have nothing in common with each other,

except perhaps mutual hatred, and that, I hope, will have a longer

duration than our love!"

And Carlo turned toward the door. Corilla rushed after him with an

exclamation of terror.

"You will leave me now!" cried she, with anguish, "now, in this hour

when you are so indispensable to me? now, when I am to celebrate a new

triumph before this notable assembly? when all eyes are expectantly

turned to the curtain behind which I am to appear? No, no, Carlo, from

compassion remain with me only one hour, only this evening!"

Carlo smiled contemptuously. "I will remain," said he, "for I have

promised her that she shall hear you!"