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

CARMELA. 173
lay the lower part of the town, the roofs, the deserted streets,
the harbor, and the beach, on which the white moon-light fell
so brightly that you could have seen a person passing
as distinctly
as if it were day ;
then the quiet sea as smooth as glass,
and away in the dim distance the mountains of Sicily as clearly
denned as if
they were near, and over all a profound silence.
" If I could but enter this sweet peace," thought the officer, as
his eyes swept across the immensity of that sea, and trembling,
he approached the window and looked down. Carmela was
seated before the door.
" Carmela !
"
"
Darling."
" What are you doing there ? "
" What am I doing ? I am waiting ; you know it. I am waiting
until you let me come up. Don't you
ing " ? " I '11 come down and open the door."
want me this even-
Carmela began clapping her hands and jumping about
with
joy.
The door opened, and the officer appeared with the light in
his hand. Carmela entered, took the light from him, passed
before him and began hastily climbing the stairs, murmuring
as she did so :
" Come, come, poor fellow," and then turning
to stretch out her hand to "
him, she said :
Give your hand to
your little one, you handsome fellow," and so drew him by the
hand into the house.
There the officer made her sit down, and with the patience
of a saint began to repeat all his former experiments and attempts,
invented new ones, tried them several times, always
with more active solicitude and ardor, simulating love,