I thought you
didn't care for me, and that made me so sad at heart that I wished
Christmas was here and I could go away; indeed I was going far, far away
down into Italy, so that nobody would ever hear anything of me. And I
feel so still, Freneli, if you won't have me. I don't want the lease,
and I'll go away and away, as far as my feet will carry me, and no one
shall ever know where I've gone."
He had stood up and stepped up to Freneli, and tears stood in his honest
eyes; while they were rolling down her aunt's cheeks. Then Freneli looked
up at him and her eyes grew moist, though mockery and defiance still
quivered about her mouth; but the repressed love broke through and began
to send its shining rays out of her eyes, while her maidenly reluctance
cast up her lips as bulwark against her surrender to his manly insistence.
And while her eyes radiated love, still there came forth from behind the
pouting lips the mocking words: "But, Uli, what will Stini say, if you're
after another girl so soon? Won't she sing to you:
'A dove-cot would be just as true:
It's off with the old love, on with the new.'"
"But how can you play the fool with him so?" queried her aunt; "you see
he's in earnest. If I was in his place I'd turn my back on you and tell
you to whistle for me if you wanted me."
"He's free to do it, Auntie, and you don't know but I wish he would,"
said Freneli.
Pages:
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337