Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

1/2 MILITARY LIFE.
bless thee, dear ;
thou hast given me back my life ;
I am fond
of thee, I love thee . . .' and should weep. Oh, to see her
weep, to hear her speak, to find her always neat, well dressed,
and cared for like other girls ;
to see her return to church to
pray, and blush as she used to do ;
and to have her experience,
one by one, as in a second childhood, all the sweet and pure
feelings of affection which have disappeared Not to find her
!
any more at evening at the foot of the stairs, to be obliged to go
to her home in search of her, where, beside her mother, she
(quiet and contented) would be occupied with some work. .
. .
Oh, my friend " he ! exclaimed, seizing him by the hands and
gazing at him, his eyes filled with tears "
; I should feel like a
god ; it would seem to me that I, too, had created something,
possessed two souls, lived two lives, hers and mine ;
she would
seem my own ;
I should feel that heaven had predestined her
for me, and I would lead her into my mother's presence
as if
she were an angeL
. . .
Oh, I could not grasp such happiness
I should ; go mad from joy ; oh, if it were true if it
;
"
were true !
Then weeping, he buried his face in his hands.
" Oh, my love !
"
they heard some one cry in the square.
The officer sprang to his feet, and said resolutely to the doctor
: Leave me
" "
!
out.
The latter pressed his hand, said :
" " Courage
! and went
The lieutenant remained motionless for some moments in
the middle of the room, then approached the
window, opened
it, drew back a step, and stood contemplating for an instant
the exquisite spectacle stretched out before his eyes. It was
a clear, soft, still, enchanting night. Directly under his eyes