The Opal Goblet.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1815, 25 July 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Opal Goblet.

"An enchanted palace in an enchanted city ! Verily, I have felt this week past as if I were a man in a dream, and a pleasant dream, too-"

With a look of lazy contentment stealing over bis handsome features, R"x Dunstan fcldad hio arms on the sill of the narrow casement before him, and leaning forward surveyed, with appreciative eye, the glistening stretch of water 3 ; the swiftly gliding gondolas, that fbckad their Birrfafe ; the shining roof of the ducal palace ; the griai, gray, mystery shadowed walls of houses near; the hills, purpled by distance ; the ever changing cloud tints, aad in short, the thousand and one delights that combine to form the exquisite picture — Venice by sunset. A light tap at tha door roused the young man from hi 3 reverie, and with a sleepy 44 come in," he turned his sun dr.zzled eyea inward to the big, shadowy room, about whose scanty and time worn furniture still hangs the glory of days departed, the "tender grace of a day that is dead," that lingers yet in spite of fraying textures and faded gildings. •• The enchantress herself," he •fluttered, as, pushing aside the velvet hangings that drooped over the doorway, a young girl entered and turned her lovely, 3miling face toward him. It the picture without waß fair, here was a fairer, he thought, gazing admiringly at the rosy, exquisite little face ; lit by big dark eyes— a sof t, velvet gray— and framed by loose, curling, red gold hair, at the slim, dainty little figure in its plain, "somewhat shabby, blue cotton gown ; at the tiny slippered feet with their high instep ; at the slim, white hands, ou which dangled aloft a huge bunch of kejs. 11 What now, Arna.?" he asked, admiration deepening in his sleepy blue eyes. *' Can yon not guess ?" returned the girl, gaily, clicking the keys together. Sue had a sweet, innocent, childish face, but there was a suggestion of misahief, nevertheless, in the red, curved lips, and demure, downcast eyes. "Are those the keys you spoka about?" raising himself from his leaning posture -with a loo4i*of interest. "Do you mean to say that your father*— " " Yes,", triumphantly, "he hag given them to me at last. And now," with a little hesitation. " 1 will show you the rooms. Signor Dunstan, whenever you are ready to see them." " Oh 1 I'm ready now," jumping up with alacrity ; and with the last trace of langour vanishing, he followed his pretty guide from the room. Rex Dunatan had lived for nearly a month now in the gloomy, decaying palaca that old Manuel Rioeci and his daughter called home. Ha was a rich, somewhat eccentric young Englishman, who had come to Venice to study art, and, on the recommendation of a friend who had previously stayed there, had taken lodgings in the house of the celebrated chemist, whose strange experiments and secluded ways of life where, at that time, the talk of Venice. " Alchemist," " astrologer," and even " sorcerer," were some of the epithets Rex had heard whispered in connection with the old man's name ; and, indeed, there is but little doubt that a century before the grave, gentle, white bearded Mauuel would have been awarded a martyrdom 'at the stake. But Rex cared little for these reports : the silence, the gloom, the very air of mystery that seemed to enshroud the stately old "house had a charm for him, and a yet stronger spell was speedily cast over the young artist by the lovely face of Arnaßiueci. Spending day after day in placid content in the spacious tapestry hung room assigned to him, Rex Danstan had yet been stirred by a faint curiosity concerning a suite of rooms which he htd discovered wa3 kept always locked. Arna, when questioned, answered readily enough Shatthey were the rooms her mother had used, and that since her death they had been kept locked by her father's orders, ncx so much from any feeling of sentiment, as because they contained many articles of value, which, the girl said, her father did not consider it necessary to U3e. " You see, he likes best now to live very simply," she explained. " Bis laboratory is enough for him. and I believe, if it was not that he is so used to.it, be would like to give up this great house and gc to live somewhere in two or iiiree room 3. As it is, you see, we only use the rooms we actually n&ed ; but si^uor, one day you shall see the others, if 1 can tret, ihe kejs from father." " You have been here often before ?" Rex questioned, or rather asserted, as, af»er a massive door had been unlocked, he followed his guide through several corridors and noted her .issnred step and air of familiarity with her surroundings. ' O'i, yes ; often. Father will generally let me have the keys to go through the room by myself ; buj never until to day has he allowed any stranger to see Cbera J 3O jou may think yourself honored, sig- \ nor." j " I do, indeed, I assure, you. Good heavens, how beautiful I Why, my child, this i§ a perfect glimpse into fairyland." lie gazed around him, lost in wonder and admiration at] what he beheld. The rich Hangings and carpets, the gilded tables and ckv.rs, the rare pictures and statues, the mirrors and chandeliers of beautiful flowersprinkled Venetian glass, formed, indeed, a striking contrast to the bare and dingy apartments they had just left. •• Ob, we lived in tliese rooms always until mother died ; that was just seven years ago," said Arna, with a wistful look saddening her lovely eyes. "We had plenty of money then, aud Paolo only cane to Bee vs — sometimes. But since then be has come every day, and these rooms have been locked, and the servants stnt away— all but Margarita— and father has changed, and I "" — with a break in her voice — "I am often very lonely." " Poor little girl 1" and he stretched out his hand and gently touched hers ; but Arna shyly drew it away, and passed onward. " Some day, when father has found out •what he is trying to find, and we live in these rooms again, as lie has promised, this is going to be my room. Do you not Jike it?" The room they now entered was a small, octagon chamber, with a dark, polished floor, and furniture of some dark, perfumed wood, quaintly carved and twisted. A large inlaid cabinet stood against the wall, and as his eyes fell upon it, Eex uttered a cry of admiration, not at the cabinet itself though that was beautiful enough, but at the lovely specimens of Venetian glass with which it was covered. Cup 3, goblets, vases, dishes, candlelabra, lanterns in curious shapes — some graceful, some grotesque, and of varied hues, some delicately translucent, some faintly opalescent, others veined with gold, or decorated with flowers and figures in j relicf — they stood, the loveliesta, most eye ] entrancing collection he had ever seen. "Yes, it is pretty, isn't it ?" said Ajna, in her frank, simple way, yet with a certain pride glistening in her eyes. "It was mother's fancy to go on collecting glass, jast as the Countess Rsma, opposite, collects china. I like to come here and look at them. They are so very, very lovely, I think." With careful, reverent fingers she moved the glas3, selecting for his approval some of the rarest specimens; chattering away in her sweet, low voice, recounting to him odd scraps of history connected with certain of the delicate, fairy like vessels. fi This lantern is two hundred years old," she said, holding up by a Blender, gilt ' chain a framework o£ gilt filigree, filled up by fluted slides of many hued glass. Pressing a spring she showed how the glas3 could be made to revolve so as to change the color ©f the lantern rays. " This " — holding up an opal tinted goblet in the form of a crescent "is even older. It belonged to my mother's

family for many generations, and is supposed to be an enchanted goblet." " Enchanted 1 How?' " Oh, have you not heard of the old Italian goblets that were said to change color and break if poison was poured in them? This is one. At least, my grandfather, who was very snperstitious, believed it to be so, and would never drink from anything- else." Rex laughed, and taking the goblet from her, held ifc up to the light, gdmiring its graceful form, and delicate, milky coloring. " Your father waata you, Arna, and at once." Both started a<3 the grave, monotonous, almost stern tones fell upon theirears. They turned, and saw standing in the doorway "a tall, swarthy, slenderly built Italian, with a handsome but sullen countenance, who was watching them with anything but an agreeable or friendly expression. His countenance changed, however, as his eyes met theirs. With a sudden smile that showed his gleaming white teeth, he bowed low, and repeated, in a voico which, though deX'rential, had yet to the Englishman's ear a ring of sarcasm. " You are wanted immediately, signorina, or I would not have disturbed you." 41 How did you know I was here, Paolo ? And how did you manage to come without being heard?" asked the girl, pettishly. Then, without waiting for an answer, she turned to Rex with a lovely smile, and saying, " we will finish our sightseeing another day," led the way ont of the room. "How I hate that fellow 1" muttered Rex as he watched Paolo and Arna walk side by side down the long corridor that led to old Manuel's laboratory, Paolo was bending down to his companion, and whispering to her in what appeared to be a very confidential manner. " Can theie be anything between them I wonder?" he continued, meditatively. "Surely she cannot care for him. He i 3 Riocci's nephew, and nominally his assistant in the laboratory : but, upon ray word, he seems more like master 1 The old man always looks to me too gentle, placid.'aud unambitious a creature to indulge in the wild dreams and rash experiments to which Paolo so constantly alludes. Can it be that the ancle is merely the cat's paw for an ambitious and unscrupulous nenhew ? Ah! Margarita, is that you ? Here, stop a moment, ray girl, I want to ask you a question." The woman with whom he had nearly come into collision was a short, squat, heavy-browed, and plain featured daughter of Italy, with a pair of brown eyes, however, in which honesty and good nature shone, clear and unmistakable. " Look, here, Margarita," said the foxing man, impressively, " you are not going to repeat to anyone what — cr — I am going to say to you. I 3 there anything— any attachin any engagement, in short, between Signor Paolo and — and his cousin?" Awkward, stolid Margarita, looked positively rougish. " And what would be the good to you," she returned, *' of anything I could say to you? It would be but a suess, after all ; for do you think the liitle ladybird tells me hor secrets, or my proud gentlcmau Signor Paolo, either? If I were you } signor, I would a<?k one of them myself." Rex resolved to follow Margarita's advice, and as the days passed on," and a certaiu feeling newly stirred within him grew ever deeper and stronger, he felt he could brook no more delay. After an encounter one morning with Paolo in the doorway, when the Italian had curtly greeted him, and smiled at him with his lips, though his eyes, Rex fancied, had a stormy light within them, he went in search of Arna, resolved to speak his mind. He met her descending the wide, shallow stairs, looking cool and lovely in a gown of faint yellow, with a white handkerchief knotted at her throat. He caught one little hand and held it fast. " Arna," he said, speaking rapidly and excitedly, " I met Paolo just now, and he was wearing a yellow rose— one like those you had at your neck aa hour ago. Did you give it to him?" 11 No " — with drooping eyelids and rising color — " he took it," " Are you willing that he should take it ? Do you— oh, tell me, Arna— do you care for him? Is he only your cousin, or — " The girl trembled, and her breath came quickly, he eyes flashed angrily, as she cried in broken, excited tones : " I hate him, and after he had taken the rose, I threw the rest away." He bent his head till he could look into the lovely gray eyes. What he read there seemed to satisfy him, for, with a joyful exclamation and a look of beaming content, he caught her to him in a close embrace. A kiss, a few whispered words of love, and the two had arrived at a perfectly satisfactory mutual understanding. R j x, who felt tolerably certain of the nature of Palo's feelings towards his cousin, had expected some opposition on the part Of ilanuel to his betrothal to Arna, as the old man appeared to him to be perfectly under his nephew's influence. However, Manuel appeared to be genuinely satisfied and pleased, though, during the short conversation he had with Rex on the subject, the young man once or twice observed a shadow of uneasiness flit across bis countenance. " Does Paolo know yet, Arna, dearest ?" Rex asked her next evening, as they stood together in the deep, covered doorway of the the quaiut, picturesque old house. "Of our engagement 1 Yes, I told him this morning." " What did he say ?" " He smiled, and said he was not surprised and congratulated me in quite a pleasant, friendly manner. Indeed, Rex" — aa the young man made a little grimace expressive of incredulity—" I wai most agreeably surprised at his manner. You — you must have been mistaken in what you said about him yesterday." Rex said nothing but thought the more. He could not easily bring himself to believe in the sincerity of Paolo's congratulations. •• No, not that way," cried Arna, as her lover turned his footsteps towards the scantily furnished sitting room, where the father and daughter usually spent their evenings. " Father will be busy until late and will not join us, so you and I will bave to entertain each other, and I thought — in fact I have a little surprise for you." With a child-like eagerness and delight glowing in her lovely face, Bhe drew him toward the unused suite of rooms, and threw open a door that led into the little octagon cnamber where stood the curious and beautiful collection of Venetian glass. "You little witch 1" cried Rex, looking round him with pleased surprise. " Wuat does this mean?" For the room was transformed since he had seen it last, The dust had been removed from couch and chair and cornice, and in vivid contrast with its dark setting, the gilding gleamed forth with a new lustre. Hanging from the oeiiing by its gilded chain, the lantern, with the frame of filigrea work, cast a soft radiance around, the light now being of a clear, crystalline whiteness, and on the top of the inlaid cabinet glittered and sparkled the oddly shaped cups and goblets of Venetian glass. Buueatli tue lamp stood a table spread with a white cloth, on which was laid a simple yet tempting repast. Arna clapped her hauds excitedly. '• I coaxed father to le: me unlock the rooms again this morning," she said, " and to give me leave to do what I like with this one. I thought you and I would have a little feast here together to night, and so Margarita and I have been busy all day cleaning and polishing to maks everything look nice." " And you have indeed succeeded ; never did fairy enter a more charming bower, or sit down to a feast of such nectar and ambrosia. 1 ' They sat down, chattering gaily together,

when suddenly a footpfp sounded on the threshold, and looking up, R-x beheld with a feeling of vexation Paolo's tal'. lithe figure and dark, grave face in tho curtained doorway. "Pardon my intui3ion," he said, with elaborate courtesy, "but"— turning to Arna. "I've brought you the chain you "asked me to mend for you. Hearing from Margarita that you were probably going to the theatre this eveninjr, I thought you would Jike to have it. As fam hero," he continued, turning to R x with a smile. " will you allow me to offer you my fe'icititions, Signer D.mstan ?" Both Rox and Arna thankcl him. Ihe former resolutely trying to binish the strange feeling of mistrust which Piolo'a prpqnnce always sicticd to aron-i in hi.n. With a su-lden, generous, hft!f-r.-PK!rs-f:il impulse, Arna took up a plate of fi."? ari i held it tcwarJ her cousin. " Take some of these, P.irlo sh c sni.J with a frank, friendly jjJanc:.', " aa ' sit down here with us, if only for a few minute. I know I muafc not expect you to uive much of your valuable time to mere frivolous enjoymentt*." " I will stay and e^t with you with pleasure, little cousin," returned Paolo, with apparent cordiality, "but upon ons condition— and that is, that you will allow ma to contribute my quota to the foast, 1 will return in a few moments." He left the apartment but speedily reappeared, holding in bis hand a (lark colored bottle; " I had a case of wine presented to me , yesterday," he said. "It is the Vesuvian \ wine — the genuine lagri ma Christi. We will drink each other's healch in it and then I will pro." " Delightful 1" cried Arna. "And see, cousin, we will drink from these glasses, many of which have touched the lips of princes, you know." Springing towards the cabinet she selected three of the goblets and brought ♦-hem to the table. ' There, Rsx, she added, ' you shall have the opal cresent, as it is always called. It is charmed, you know as I told you the other day." Paolo's lips curled in a strange smile. "I should scarcely think Signor Dustani9 as superstitious as yourself, Arna," he said. "But surely even you can have no faith in such child's fables." " I believe them implicitly" — with a t033 of her pretty head. But it was evident to Rex that the words sprang merely from a desire to tease her cousin, and they had no root in any inward conviction. Paolo smiled again, and filled Arna's glass ' then paused a moment witti the bottle suspended above the rim of the opal crescent. 11 If you wished 3ignor Dunstan to drink from a charmed cup," he said, in cool, sarcastic tones, " why did you nofc give h.ra •Prince Vero's glass,' which was believed to insure long life to all who drank from it." But his listeners followed the direction of his finger, which indicated a long, sleader, purple haed glass, dotted with golden beads. "Thanks, but I will keep to my opal crescent," said Rex. " Let me see, it will change its color and break if poison enters. Is it not so, Arna?" She nodded in silence, at the same time rising abruptly from her seat. Paolo was now slowly pouring' the wine into the pale, milky-hued glass. "kh I seel" exclaimed Arna, exGitedly, " it changes- color :" and Rex uttered a cry of utter amazement as suddenly a vivid green tinge passed over the glass. '* Impossible?' muttered Paolo, starting back, and setting the bottle down heavily on the tabls. But the scornful incredulity written on his countenance changed to a rigid horror as the crescent portion of the goblet suddenly fell, as if of its own accord, and was shivered to atoms, the liquid it contained staining the white tablecloth. " I did not ihink it would break I" said Arna, in a whisper, her eyes wide and wondering. Rex was silent with astonishment, a strange superstitious thrill seeming to pass over him. But Paolo — Paolo the imperturbable, the scoffer at superstition— was the most affected of the three. He grew white as death, and clutched at the table as if to save himself from falling. Suddenly he withdrew his hand with a sharp cry. A picca of broken glass had cub into his-flesh, and blood was flowing copiously. Rex, Arna and Margarita — the latter of whom had just come upon the seene — made eager offers of assistance, but, wrapping a handkerchief rcund bis wounded hand, he resolutely repulsed them, saying, curtly, and with but partly regained composure, — " I will go home and attend to this slight scratch myself." 11 It certainly seemed to change color," mused Rex, after he had tef t them. '' What can be the explanation of it ?" " Rsx, I — 1 — it was my fault," faltered Arna. "See" — raising her hand to the lantern — " I touched this spring, and moved the green slide before tae light. I—lI — I only did it for fun ; but 1 cannot imagine what could make it break." 14 1 will tell you, signorina, if you will promise not to be angry with me," said Margarita in a low tone. •'I cracked the glass while dusting it this morning, and knowing how jou prized it, was afraid to tell yon. I found a bottle of cement, and ranged to make the pieces hold together— it was only the crescent that wa<j loosened from the stem — but the pouring in of the wine, or perhaps merely some movement of the table, must have loosened the glass." Paolo did not come the next day, and sent round a message to say that he was ill. "It was not his hand, though, I was to say," declared his messengei, in answer to Arna's anxious questions, " there is not. much the matter with that ; but he is afraid he has a fever — he breathed the malaria a night or two ago." As Paolo still continued ill, Aina persuaded her father to call ai his lodgings and offer his assistance, for he had a considerable knowledge of medicine, and was frequently consulted in cases of sickness. But Manuel returned, having been refused admission to his presence. 41 He was always a strange lad," murmured the old man. And half reluctantly, yet with a growing relief visible in hi 3 countenance, he confined to Rex certain facts which confirmed the suspicions the young man already entertained that ilanuel was completely in his nephew's power, and merely used by him aa a means to an end. Ever since his wife's death, which had left him enfeebled both in mind ?.nd body, the old man had gradually succumbed to his nephew's powerful will, and had allowed the young man to employ not only his laboratory but also the bulk of his fortune, in wild experiments, which had hitherto led to nothing, but which Paolo believed to contain tbe germ of a great discovery. A few days later Manuel was sent for, and in concert with a neighboring physician, .attended the sick man, but. no remedies availed. Paolo passed quietly away whilas in a heavy stupor. It was universally asserted that he died of fever.