Part 4 (2/2)
Flora read no more; she could not--even if she had wished.
For a minute she remained rooted to the spot; then she threw herself into the chair, bewildered and dismayed at the terrible words which had met her eyes.
She thought that the handwriting was not unknown to her; but she could not recollect whose it was. One fact was, however, certain--it was not the writing of her mistress.
She was musing upon the horrible and mysterious contents of the paper, when Nisida rose from her couch.
Acknowledging with a slight nod of the head the respectful salutation of her attendant, she hastily slipped on a loose wrapper, and seated herself in the arm-chair which Flora had just abandoned.
The young girl then proceeded to comb out the long raven hair of her mistress.
But this occupation was most rudely interrupted: for Nisida's eyes suddenly fell upon the ma.n.u.script page on the table; and she started up in a paroxysm of mingled rage and alarm.
Having a.s.sured herself by a second glance that it was indeed a portion of the writings which had produced so strange an effect upon her a few hours previously, she turned abruptly toward Flora; and, imperiously confronting the young maiden, pointed to the paper in a significant manner.
Flora immediately indicated by a sign that she had found it on the floor, beneath the arm-chair.
”And you have read it!” was the accusation which, with wonderful rapidity, Nisida conveyed by means of her fingers--fixing her piercing, penetrating eyes on Flora's countenance at the same time.
The young maiden scorned the idea of a falsehood; although she perceived that her reply would prove far from agreeable to her mistress, she unhesitatingly admitted, by the language of the hands. ”I read the first four lines, and no more.”
A crimson glow instantly suffused the face, neck, shoulders, and bosom of Nisida; but instantly compressing her lips--as was her wont when under the influence of her boiling pa.s.sions, she turned her flas.h.i.+ng eyes once more upon the paper, to ascertain which leaf of the ma.n.u.script it was.
That rapid glance revealed to her the import, the dread, but profoundly mysterious import of the four first lines on that page; and, again darting her soul-searching looks upon the trembling Flora, she demanded, by the rapid play of her delicate taper fingers ”Will you swear that you read no more?”
”As I hope for salvation!” was Flora's symbolic answer.
The penetrating, imperious glance of Nisida dwelt long upon the maiden's countenance; but no sinister expression--no suspicious change on that fair and candid face contradicted the a.s.sertion which she had made.
”I believe you; but beware how you breathe to a living soul a word of what you did read!”
Such was the injunction which Nisida now conveyed by her usual means of communication; and Flora signified implicit obedience.
Nisida then secured the page of writing in her jewel casket; and the details of the toilet were resumed.
CHAPTER IV.
THE FUNERAL--THE INTERRUPTION OF THE CEREMONY.
Eight days after the death of the Count of Riverola, the funeral took place.
The obsequies were celebrated at night, with all the pomp observed amongst n.o.ble families on such occasions. The church in which the corpse was buried, was hung with black cloth; and even the innumerable wax tapers which burned upon the altar and around the coffin failed to diminish the lugubrious aspect of the scene.
At the head of the bier stood the youthful heir of Riverola; his pale countenance of even feminine beauty contrasting strangely with the mourning garments which he wore, and his eyes bent upon the dark chasm that formed the family vault into which the remains of his sire were about to be lowered.
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