"Nisida has no secret from me," observed the young count, firmly.

"But wherefore did Dame Margaretha deceive my sister in respect to the personal appearance of the Lady Nisida?" inquired Wagner.

"I know not. At the same time----"

The door opened, and Nisida entered the apartment.

She was attired in deep black; her luxuriant raven hair, no longer depending in shining curls, was gathered up in ma.s.sy bands at the sides, and a knot behind, whence hung a rich veil that meandered over her body's splendidly symmetrical length of limb in such a manner as to aid her attire in shaping rather than hiding the contours of that matchless form. The voluptuous development of her bust was shrouded, not concealed, by the stomacher of black velvet which she wore, and which set off in strong relief the dazzling whiteness of her neck.

The moment her l.u.s.trous dark eyes fell upon Fernand Wagner, she started slightly; but this movement was imperceptible alike to him whose presence caused it, and to her brother.

Francisco conveyed to her, by the rapid language of the fingers, the name of their visitor, and at the same time intimated to her that he was the brother of Agnes, the young and lovely female whose strange appearance at the funeral, and avowed connection with the late n.o.ble, had not been concealed from the haughty lady.

Nisida's eyes seemed to gleam with pleasure when she understood in what degree of relationship Wagner stood toward Agnes; and she bowed to him with a degree of courtesy seldom displayed by her to strangers.

Francisco then conveyed to her in the language of the dumb, all those details already related in respect to the "mysterious lady" who had so haunted the unfortunate Agnes.

A glow of indignation mounted to the cheeks of Nisida; and more than usually rapid was the reply she made through the medium of the alphabet of the fingers.

"My sister desires me to express to you, signor," said Francisco, turning toward Wagner, "that she is not the person whom the Lady Agnes has to complain against. My sister," he continued, "has never to her knowledge seen the Lady Agnes; much less has she ever penetrated into her chamber; and indignantly does she repel the accusation relative to the abstraction of the jewels. She also desires me to inform you that last night after reading of our father's last testament, she retired to her chamber, which she did not quit until this morning at the usual hour; and that therefore it was not her countenance which the Lady Agnes beheld at the cas.e.m.e.nt of your saloon."

"I pray you, my lord, to let the subject drop now, and forever!" said Wagner, who was struck with profound admiration--almost amounting to love--for the Lady Nisida: "there is some strange mystery in all this, which time alone can clear up. Will your lordship express to your sister how grieved I am that any suspicion should have originated against her in respect to Agnes?"

Francisco signaled these remarks to Nisida; and the latter, rising from her seat, advanced toward Wagner, and presented him her hand in token of her readiness to forget the injurious imputations thrown out against her.

Fernand raised that fair hand to his lips, and respectfully kissed it; but the hand seemed to burn as he held it, and when he raised his eyes toward the lady's countenance, she darted on him a look so ardent and impa.s.sioned that it penetrated into his very soul.

That rapid interchange of glances seemed immediately to establish a kind of understanding--a species of intimacy between those extraordinary beings; for on the one side, Nisida read in the fine eyes of the handsome Fernand all the admiration expressed there, and he, on his part, instinctively understood that he was far from disagreeable to the proud sister of the young Count of Riverola. While he was ready to fall at her feet and do homage to her beauty, she experienced the kindling of all the fierce fires of sensuality in her breast.

But the unsophisticated and innocent-minded Francisco observed not the expression of these emotions on either side, for their manifestation occupied not a moment. The interchange of such feelings is ever too vivid and electric to attract the notice of the unsuspecting observer.

When Wagner was about to retire, Nisida made the following signal to her brother:--"Express to the signor that he will ever be a welcome guest at the palace of Riverola; for we owe kindness and friendship to the brother of her whom our father dishonored."

But, to the astonishment of both the count and the Lady Nisida, Wagner raised his hands, and displayed as perfect a knowledge of the language of the dumb as they themselves possessed.

"I thank your ladyship for this unexpected condescension," he signaled by the rapid play of his fingers; "and I shall not forget to avail myself of this most courteous invitation."

It were impossible to describe the sudden glow of pleasure and delight which animated Nisida's splendid countenance, when she thus discovered that Wagner was able to hold converse with her, and she hastened to reply thus: "We shall expect you to revisit us soon."

Wagner bowed low and took his departure, his mind full of the beautiful Nisida.

CHAPTER XI.

NISIDA AND WAGNER--FRANCISCO AND FLORA--THE APPROACH OF SUNSET.

Upward of two months had pa.s.sed away since the occurrences related in the preceding chapter, and it was now the 31st of January, 1521.

The sun was verging toward the western hemisphere, but the rapid flight of the hours was unnoticed by Nisida and Fernand Wagner, as they were seated together in one of the splendid saloons of the Riverola mansion.

Their looks were fixed on each other's countenance; the eyes of Fernand expressing tenderness and admiration, those of Nisida beaming with all the pa.s.sions of her ardent and sensual soul.

Suddenly the lady raised her hands, and by the rapid play of the fingers, asked, "Fernand, do you indeed love me as much as you would have me believe I am beloved?"

"Never in this world was woman so loved as you," he replied, by the aid of the same language.

"And yet I am an unfortunate being--deprived of those qualities which give the greatest charm to the companionship of those who love."

"But you are eminently beautiful, my Nisida; and I can fancy how sweet, how rich-toned would be your voice, could your lips frame the words, '_I love thee!_'"

A profound sigh agitated the breast of the lady; and at the same time her lips quivered strangely, as if she were essaying to speak.

Wagner caught her to his breast; and she wept long and plenteously.

Those tears relieved her; and she returned his warm, impa.s.sioned kisses with an ardor that convinced him how dear he had become to that afflicted, but transcendently beautiful being. On her side, the blood in her veins appeared to circulate like molten lead; and her face, her neck, her bosom were suffused with burning blushes.

At length, raising her head, she conveyed this wish to her companion: "Thou hast given me an idea which may render me ridiculous in your estimation; but it is a whim, a fancy, a caprice, engendered only by the profound affection I entertain for thee. I would that thou shouldst say, in thy softest, tenderest tones, the words '_I love thee!_' and, by the wreathing of thy lips, I shall see enough to enable my imagination to persuade itself that those words have really fallen upon my ears."

Fernand smiled a.s.sent; and, while Nisida's eyes were fixed upon him with the most enthusiastic interest, he said, "I love thee!"

The sovereign beauty of her countenance was suddenly lighted up with an expression of ineffable joy, of indescribable delight; and, signaling the a.s.surance, "I love thee, dearest, dearest Fernand!" she threw herself into his arms.

But almost at the same moment voices were heard in the adjacent room: and Wagner, gently disengaging himself from Nisida's embrace, hastily conveyed to her an intimation of the vicinity of others.

The lady gave him to understand by a glance that she comprehended him; and they remained motionless, fondly gazing upon each other.

"I know not how it has occurred, Flora," said the voice of Francisco, speaking in a tender tone, in the adjoining room--"I know not how it has occurred that I should have addressed you in this manner--so soon, too, after the death of my lamented father, and while these mourning garments yet denote the loss which myself and sister have sustained----"

"Oh! my lord, suffer me to retire," exclaimed Flora Francatelli, in a tone of beseeching earnestness; "I should not have listened to your lordship so long in the gallery of pictures, much less have accompanied your lordship hither."

"I requested thee to come with me to this apartment, Flora, that I might declare, without fear of our interview being interrupted, how dear, how very dear, thou art to me, and how honorable is the pa.s.sion with which thou hast inspired me. Oh, Flora," exclaimed the young count, "I could no longer conceal my love for thee! My heart was bursting to reveal its secret; and when I discovered thee alone, ere now, in the gallery of pictures, I could not resist the favorable opportunity accident seemed to have afforded for this avowal."

"Alas! my lord," murmured Flora, "I know not whether to rejoice or be sorrowful at the revelation which has this day met my ears."

"And yet you said ere now that you could love me, that you did love me in return," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Francisco.

"I spoke truly, my lord," answered the bashful maiden; "but, alas! how can the humble, obscure, portionless Flora become the wife of the rich, powerful and honored Count of Riverola? There is an inseparable gulf fixed between us, my lord."

"Am I not my own master? Can I not consult my own happiness in that most solemn and serious of the world's duties--marriage?" cried Francisco, with all the generous ardor of youth and his own n.o.ble disposition.

"Your lordship is free and independent in point of fact," said Flora, in a low, tender and yet impressive tone; "but your lordship has relations--friends."

"My relations will not thwart the wishes of him whom they love,"

answered Francisco; "and those who place obstacles in the way of my felicity cannot be denominated my friends."

"Oh! my lord--could I yield myself up to the hopes which your language inspires!" cried Flora.