Isabelle, under pretext of fatigue,
had withdrawn when the dessert was placed upon the table. She really was
very tired, and sent at once for Chiquita, now promoted to the dignity
of first lady's maid, to come and perform her nightly duties. The wild,
untutored child had--under Isabelle's judicious, tender and careful
training--developed into a quiet, industrious and very beautiful young
girl. She still wore mourning for Agostino, and around her neck was the
famous string of pearl beads--it was a sacred treasure to Chiquita, and
she was never seen without it. She attended to her duties quickly and
deftly--evidently taking great delight in waiting upon the mistress she
adored--and kissed her hand passionately, as she never failed to do,
when all was finished and she bade her good-night.
When, an hour later, de Sigognac entered the room in which he had spent
so many weary, lonely nights--listening to the wind as it shrieked and
moaned round the outside of the desolate chateau, and wailed along the
corridors-feeling that life was a hard and bitter thing, and fancying
that it would never bring anything but trials and misery to him--he
saw, by the subdued light from the shaded lamp, the face to him most
beautiful in all the world smiling lovingly to greet him from under the
green and white silken curtains that hung round his own bed, where it
lay resting upon the pillow he had so often kissed, and moistened with
his tears.
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