_Reconciliation_
"I AM so sorry you have been ill, Bianca."
Carlo Navara had come into Bianca's room a few moments before with Mrs.
Clark and now Sonya had gone out again leaving them for a few moments
alone.
It was a fairly warm spring day and yet there was a little fire in
Bianca's room, for the rooms in the old Rhine castle were big and bare
and cold, with stone floors.
Bianca wore a little tea-gown of a warm blue woolen material and had a
tea table with a tray upon it just in front of her.
She was pouring tea for her guest at the moment he made his last speech.
"Oh, there has been nothing serious the matter with me, Carlo," she
returned. "I was simply tired and have been having a delightful rest. I
believe when I arrived I said that I should hate to be ill in this
dreary old building, but since things so seldom turn out as one expects
I have really enjoyed it. Besides, I have promised Sonya that as soon as
it is possible I shall go back to the United States and to school. The
Red Cross experience in Europe has been a wonderful one, but now, as I
am no longer useful here I must take up the duty, I turned my back upon.
It is not going to be easy, Carlo, to settle down to a school girl's
life after the excitement of war work in Europe. Yet I have the
consolation of realizing that I am only going to do what many of our
soldiers will do. Lots of the younger men have told me that if their
families can afford to send them to college on their return they feel
the need of education as they never felt it before coming abroad."
Bianca extended a tea cup to her visitor.
"Is this the way you like your tea, Carlo? Perhaps your taste has
changed, but I remember this is the way you liked it in the past."
"But my tastes don't change, Bianca. It is your mistake to believe they
do, neither my tastes in tea nor in friends ever alter."
At this Carlo and Bianca both laughed, although with a slight
embarrassment.
"I am going back home too, Bee, very soon," the young man added. "This
is one of the many things I wanted to tell you this afternoon, besides
finding out that you were all right again. I talked things over with
Colonel Winfield weeks ago and told him I was getting pretty restless
and anxious to return to my work in the United States. I explained to
him that a singer can't wait for his career as well as other men, since
a voice does not always last a long time. However, I think this argument
did not make much of an impression upon the old Colonel, but something
or other must have, because he asked for an honorable discharge for me
and I'm to go home when it arrives. I think the Colonel's chief reason
was that I am not much good as a soldier here in Coblenz. He needs men
like Major Hersey and Sergeant Hackett. Hackett is soon to be a first
lieutenant, he should have been one long ago."
"I don't see why you have not also been given a commission, Carlo,"
Bianca replied, a little jealous for her friend.
Carlo laughed.
"I haven't the stuff in me for an officer, Bee. No one knows this better
than I do. I am a fair soldier when there is something doing, but a poor
one in routine. That is the real test. Don't mind, Bianca, and don't
look aggrieved. I have simply tried to do my military duty like millions
of other better men, but now I am going back to the thing I am made for.
I was only a soldier for the time I felt myself needed.
"By the way I have been learning to sing "Siegfried," Bianca, studying
with my old German singing master. He says I sing the music very poorly,
but it has been fun trying to learn.
"I know one who lies
Fast in slumber deep
Sleeping age long sleep,
Waiting for thy waking."
Carlo's voice sounded clear and beautiful in the big room.
"If your hair were unbound and you were older you might look like
Brunhilde some day, Bianca."
"You are singing better than ever, Carlo, I am so glad!" Bianca
murmured, forgetful of herself.
She looked a little paler and more fragile after her illness, yet with
her light yellow hair, her delicate features and large dark eyes
prettier perhaps than her companion ever remembered seeing her.
"And the dancing, Bee, I gave that up soon after our talk. I did not
need it for diversion after I began my music lessons. Besides, Miss
Thompson has taught so many of the soldiers folk dancing and some of
them are now so good at it that she no longer wishes me for her
partner."
Bianca colored.
"I am sorry I told you I did not like Thea Thompson, Carlo. It is
foolish to be prejudiced against people, isn't it? She has been
extremely kind to me during my illness and both Sonya and I have learned
to understand her better. Besides, I was prejudiced perhaps because of
you," Bianca ended frankly.
But Carlo made no comment.
Never did it fail to interest him Bianca's strange combination of
childishness and womanhood. But today she seemed almost altogether
childlike.
At this instant getting up Carlo walked over to the mantel where he put
down his tea cup and then stood looking down on Bianca.
"Then we are friends, aren't we, Bee? And I hope we may never
misunderstand each other again. I have been worried over your being ill
and our not being fond of each other in the old way. You may have to
forgive me many things and perhaps I may have other friends in the
future of whom you may not approve, but you must not think they will
make me forget my loyalty to you."
Bianca was about to reply, but before this was possible Sonya Clark had
opened the door and re-entered the room.
She glanced at Carlo Navara with a slight frown and then walked over and
laid her hand on Bianca's fair hair.
"Bee is looking better than you expected to find her, isn't she, Carlo,
and more like a little girl? I for one am glad her illness has turned
her young again. The war in France has made most of us older than we
were intended to be, but all the pain and struggle of it was especially
hard upon a girl young as Bianca. I am going to take her back to New
York as soon as Dr. Clark is able to return and after a year at school I
mean to bring her out into New York society as my grown-up daughter. I
have always wanted a real one and Bianca will be a lovely substitute.
Don't you think she will probably have many admirers, Carlo?"
Carlo looked a little annoyed.
"I thought you had finer ideals for Bianca, Sonya, than to turn her into
a society woman!" he answered with a slight change of manner. "But of
course she will be charming. She is that already. And no doubt so many
people will admire her that she will learn the pleasant art of
forgetting her old friends. I shall probably be in New York only a part
of each year. Yet somehow, Bianca, I hope you will always remain the
Bianca I have known for the past three years. The war has made the time
seem ever so much longer."
Again Bianca was about to reply, but Sonya glanced up at a little clock
on the mantel.
"I am sorry, Carlo, but Bianca is not allowed to see any one but a half
hour at a time. I know she regrets having to say farewell to you, but we
are under orders. As for my ideals for Bianca, you need not fear. I mean
to do all I can to help make her a gracious and lovely woman. And no one
is ever to take Bianca for granted, Carlo, not even you. I think it may
be good for her to know that there will be many persons who will think
her attractive, as she has too humble an opinion of herself. Besides,
every girl has a right to a few years of society and a little
admiration. I am sure you agree with me?"
And Carlo was obliged to acquiesce.
Going back to his quarters, after saying goodby to Bianca, he realized
what Sonya's words and manner must have meant.
She considered that he had been too careless of Bianca and perhaps
thought her affection something which he could possess or lay aside at
his own convenience. But if Carlo were angered at this idea, he also
realized that there was a certain truth in Sonya's impression. However,
in the future he meant to be more appreciative of Bianca's affection,
and kinder to the young girl for whom he felt a brotherly affection.