The Sororicide - A Tale (1873) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. Ten years had elapsed since the events recorded in the last chapter: during that time Asael and his granddaughter had resided in Spain. Their dwelling consisted of two small rooms, in a narrow back street of Madrid. The house was inhabited by three families besides themselves; and the dirt, squalor, and wretchedness of the place was indescribable. Their two rooms were adjoining, one serving as a sleeping-room, and the other a parlour, kitchen, and sitting-room combined; and with them it was certainly a case of multiim in parvo. In the room which served as a parlour Asael was seated on a low couch, and beside him knelt Fides. Perhaps you would scarcely recognize her, for time had certainly wrought changes; but if you drew near, you would see the same fair, bright complexion, raven tresses, and soft dark eyes; there also remained the same sweet mournfulexpression which had characterized her when a child, ?if anything, a shade more melancholy, although not marring her beauty in any respect, but on the contrary, leaving her countenance more lovely than ever. She was earnestly engaged in conversation with Asael. " Grandfather, he is so noble and so handsome; I am sure he must be good," she said, laying her hand on his shoulder. " Yes, he may be so, but still it does not alter the case; it does not make it right that you should still continue this imprudent intimacy." " Oh, grandfather, 'imprudent ' " echoed Fides.. " Yes, my child; it is imprudent, as it is also improper, that you, a daughter of Jerusalem, should wed one who is not of our own country.'' " You are wrong in supposing that he has no claim to us, for he is not purely Spanish, his mother being of Jewish origin; therefore, if that is your only objection, you may rest easy on that point," sai...