PAGE 11
The Lady In The Box
by
“But Jaqui put back his sword, for the fool-poet showed no signs of fight, and then he used argument. Just as earnestly as he had formerly tried to keep these two apart did he now endeavor to bring them together. But Florino would listen to no reason, and at last, when driven to bay, he declared he would not marry an old woman–that Donna Paltravi had dozens of gray hairs on each temple, and there were several wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. He was a young man, and wanted a young woman for his wife.
“Jaqui was utterly astounded by what he heard. His mind was suddenly permeated by a conviction which rendered him speechless. He rose, and without another word he hurried home. As soon as he could he made a visit to Donna Paltravi. He had not seen her for a week or more, and the moment his eyes fell upon her he saw that Florino was right. She was growing old! He spent some time with her, but as she did not allude to any change in herself, of course he did not; but just as he was leaving he made a casual remark about Florino. ‘Oh, he has not been here for some time,’ said the lady. ‘I missed him at first, but now I am glad he does not come. He is very frivolous, and I have a small opinion of his poetry. I think most of it is copied, and he shows poor judgment in his selections.’
“That evening, sitting in his private room, Jaqui thought he saw through everything. Up-stairs on the second floor was a lady who was actually seventy-one years old! Her natural development had been arrested by artificial influences, but as these influences had ceased to operate, there could be no reason to doubt that nature was resuming her authority over the lady, and that she was doing her best to make up for lost time. Donna Paltravi appeared now to be about forty-five years old.”
“This is getting to be very curious, John,” said the Mistress of the House. “I have often heard of bodies which, on being exhumed, after they have been buried a long time, presented a perfectly natural appearance, but which crumbled into dust when exposed to the air and the light. Would not this lady’s apparent youth have crumbled into dust all at once when it was exposed to light and air?”
“I cannot say, madam,” said the gardener, respectfully, “what might have happened in other cases, but in this instance the life of youth remained for a good while, and when it did begin to depart the change was gradual.”
“You forget, mamma,” said the younger lady, “that this is real life, and that it is a story with one thing coming after another, like steps.”
“I did forget,” said the other, “and I beg your pardon, John.”
The gardener bowed his head a little, and went on: “Jaqui was greatly interested in this new development. He made frequent visits to Donna Paltravi, and found, to his surprise, that she was not the vain and frivolous woman he had supposed her to be, but was, in reality, very sensible and intelligent. She talked very well about many things, and even took an interest in science. Jaqui lost all desire to put her back in her box, and spent the greater part of his leisure time in her company.”
At this the Mistress of the House smiled, but her daughter frowned.
“Of course,” continued the gardener, “he soon fell in love with her.”
“Which was natural enough,” said the Mistress of the House.
“Whether it was natural enough or not,” cried her daughter, “it was not right.”
John Gayther looked upon her with pride. He knew that in her fair young mind that which ought to be rose high above thoughts of what was likely to be, which came into the more experienced mind of her mother.