IN WHICH TITO IS AGAIN HAPPY, AND THE FIRST PART OF THIS STORY IS
COMPLETED.
The following day, the first of September, 1724, at nine in the morning,
Tito was pacing the halls of the palace of Rionuevo.
That palace belonged to him. He was now the acknowledged Count, by virtue
of the will and other papers of his father, which the Duke of Monteclaro
and the Archbishop of Toledo had found in the place indicated by the
Countess. Besides, the night before, a messenger had delivered to him
from Philip V., who had finally decided to return to the throne of St.
Ferdinand, $30,000 in gold, and the title of Duke of Verity, Physician to
the Court; and the next day he was to celebrate his marriage with Elena.
With regard to Death, Tito had completely lost sight of him since the
previous morning, when he left the palace with the soul of Louis I.
Nevertheless, the youth remembered that the implacable deity had promised
to protect him in his marriage; and you will now observe the reason why
he walks so thoughtfully.
“Here am I,” said he, “noble, rich, powerful, and possessed of the woman
I love; still I am not content. Last night, at sight of Elena, and again
in my last conversation with Death, I suspected, I know not what terrible
mysteries. I must sever relations with this sinister deity. It seems
ungrateful, but it must be. He will have occasion in the future to avenge
himself. No, no! I do not wish to see Death again, I am so happy.”
The new Duke commenced to plan how to avoid Death, until his last moments
should arrive.
“It is a fact,” thought he, “that I shall not die until God wills it.
Death himself can do me no harm. It is not in his power to hasten Elena’s
death or mine. The question therefore is, how not to see, how not to hear
him at all hours. His voice alarms me; his revelations afflict me; his
conversations inspire me with a disregard for life and all I hold most
dear. What shall I do to prevent his continuing to be my nightmare? Ah!
an idea! He never appears except when he has something to kill. Living in
the country—never seeing any one—alone with Elena—my enemy would leave
me in peace, until that time, when by the decree of the Almighty, he
should be directed to search for one or both of us. In the mean time,
and in order not to see him in Madrid either, I will live with my eyes
blindfolded.”
Encouraged by this last thought, the youth beamed with happiness, as
though, having just arisen from a long illness, he believed himself
assured of remaining upon earth for all time.
* * * * *
At seven on the following evening, Tito and Elena were married at a
beautiful country-house belonging to the new Count and Duke, at the mouth
of the Guadarrama River.
At half-past seven the guests returned to Madrid, and the newly wedded
couple were left alone in the midst of a luxuriant garden.
Tito had not again seen Death, and I might terminate this history here;
but just at this point it commences to be interesting and lucid.