The Project Gutenberg E Book of The Title Market potx

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Title Market, by Emily PostThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever.. You may copy it, give i

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Title Market, by Emily Post

This eBook is for the use of anyone

anywhere at no cost and with

almost no restrictions whatsoever You may copy it, give it away or

re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included

with this eBook or online at

www.gutenberg.org

Title: The Title Market

Author: Emily Post

Illustrator: J H Gardner Soper

Release Date: February 5, 2006 [EBook

#17680]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TITLE MARKET ***

Produced by Suzanne Lybarger, Brian Janes, Emmy and the

Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

THE TITLE

MARKET

By

Emily Post

Author of "The Flight of a Moth,"

"Woven in the Tapestry," etc.

With Illustrations by

J H Gardner Soper

New York

Dodd, Mead and Company

1909

"'WE OF ITALY,' HE WAS SAYING,

'LIVE, ENDURE, DIE,

IF NEED BE—ALWAYS FOR THE

SAMEREASON—WOMAN AND LOVE!'"

Sanseveros,Nina, John, and all the rest, had not been

your daily companions—

Madre Mia,this book is dedicated

to you

CHAPTER PAGE

I

Prince SanseveroDiminishes theFortunes of His House

1

II

The Princess Plans toReceive the AmericanHeiress

14

III Nina 25

IVThe Duke Scorpa

Makes a Deal 42

V Don Giovanni Arrives 48

VI Love, and a Garden 64

VII Rome 72

VIIIOpening Day at the

Title Market 86IX

for John Derby 107

XIRome Goes to the

Opera 116XII A Ball at Court 136

XIII Coronets for Sale 142

XIV Apples of Sodom 157

XVII Counter 192

XVIIIFavorita Drives a

Bargain 214XIXA Challenge, and an

Answer 221

XXHis Eminence, the

Archbishop of Vencata 236XXI The Sulphur Mines 246

XXII Before Daylight 257

XXIII The Spider's Web 269

XXIVWeighed in the

Balance 289XXV"Thy People Shall Be

My People—" 308

"'We of Italy,' he was

saying, 'live, endure, die, if

need be—always for the

same reason—women and

love!'" Page 65

Frontispiece

"As she spoke, a door

opened opposite, and the

prince came in"

Facing page

4

"For the space of a second

she faced the audience,

standing still and rigid"

134

"Nina looked at him—'I

wonder if you would be

amused if you knew why I 184

"His lips framed 'Good-by'

and hers answered, both

smiled brightly—and that

was the parting"

232

"'You are Americano, are

you not? Your land has done

much for my people!'"

239

CHAPTER I

PRINCE SANSEVERO DIMINISHES THE

FORTUNES OF HIS HOUSE

Her excellency the Princess Sanseverosat up in bed Reaching quickly across thegreat width of mattress, she pulled thebell-rope twice, then, shivering, slid backunder the warmth of the covers She drewthem close up over her shoulders, so farthat only a heavy mass of golden hairremained visible above the old crimsonbrocade of which the counterpane was

made The room was still darkened so thatthe objects in it were barely discernible,but presently one of the high, carved doorsopened and a maid entered, carrying abreakfast tray Setting the tray down, shecrossed quickly to the windows and drewback the curtains.

Sunlight flooded the black and whitemarble of the floor, and brought out insharp detail the splendor of the apartment.The rich colors of the frescoed walls, themellow crimson damask upholstering,might have suggested warmth and comfort,had not a little cloud of white vaporfloating before the maid's lips proclaimedthe temperature

She was a stocky peasant woman, thismaid, with good red color in her cheeks,

but she wore a dress of heavy woolenmaterial and a cardigan jacket over that.Her thick felt slippers pattered brisklyover the stone floor as she went to aclothes-press, carved and beautifullyinlaid, took out a drab-colored woolenwrapper trimmed with common red foxfur, and, picking up the tray again,mounted the dais of the huge carved bed.

"If Excellency will make haste, thecoffee is good and very hot."

The covers were pushed down just alittle, and the princess peered out

"What sort of a day have we, Marie?Isn't it very cold?"

"Oh, no! It is a beautiful day But

Excellency will say that the coffee is coldunless it is soon taken."

So again the Princess Sansevero sat up

in bed Her maid placed the coffee traybefore her, and wrapped her quickly in thedressing-gown The plain woolenwrapper had looked ugly enough in themaid's hands, but its drab color and foxfur so toned in with the red-gold hair andcreamy skin of its wearer that an artist,could he have beheld the picture, wouldhave been filled with delight It would not

in the least have mattered to him that therewas a chip in the cup into which shepoured her coffee, nor that the linennapkin was darned in three places Thesilver breakfast service belonged to a timewhen such things were chiseled only for

great personages and by master craftsmen.That it was battered through severalcenturies of constant handling ratherenhanced than diminished its value Of thesame antiquity was the bed—seven feetwide, its four posts elaborately carvedwith fruits and flowers, and with cupidsgrouped in the corners of the frameworksupporting a dome of crimson damask thatmatched the hangings What differencecould it make to the artist that thespringless mattress was as hard as a rock,and lumpy as a ploughed field? Withpainted walls and vaulted ceilings thatwere the apotheosis of luxury, what did itmatter that the raw chill from their stonesurface penetrated to the very marrow ofher Exalted Excellency's bones?Unfortunately, however, it was she who

had to occupy the apartment and to her itdid matter very much, for her Americanblood never had grown used to the chill ofunheated rooms.

"I think I can heat the bathroomsufficiently for Excellency's bath,"ventured the maid

The princess shivered at the meresuggestion She knew only too well thefeeling of the water in a room that waslike an unheated cellar in the rainy season

of late autumn "No, no!" she exclaimed,

"fill me the little tub, in my sitting-room."

"AS SHE SPOKE, A DOOR

OPENED OPPOSITE THE

ONE THROUGH WHICH

THE MAID HAD ENTERED, AND THE PRINCE CAME

IN"

As she spoke, a door opened oppositethe one through which the maid hadentered, and the prince came in A freshcolor glowed under his olive skin, his hairwas brushed until it was as polished ashis nails; also he was shaved, but here histoilet for the day ended The open "V" ofhis dressing-gown (his was made of acostly material, quite in contrast to the onehis wife wore) showed his throat; bareankles were visible above his slippers.With the raillery of a boy he cried:

"Can it really be possible that you arecold! No wonder they call yours the nation

of ice water! I know that is what you have

in your veins!" With a spring he threwhimself full length across the bed

"Sandro, be careful! See what you aredoing! You have spilled the coffee."

"Oh, that's nothing!" he said gaily; "itwill wash out."

"On the contrary, it is a great deal Itmakes unnecessary laundry and uses upthe linen—we can't get any more, youknow."

At once his gay humor changed to

sulkiness "Va bene, va bene! let us drop

that subject."

Immediately the princess softened, asthough she had unthinkingly hurt him, "Idid not mean it as a complaint; but youknow, dear, we do have to be careful."

But the prince stared moodily at hisfinger-nails

She began a new topic cheerfully "Ihope to get a letter from Nina to-day; therehas been time for an answer."

Sansevero had been quite interested inthe idea of a possible visit from NinaRandolph, his wife's niece, a muchexploited American heiress But now hepaid no attention He still stared at hisnails The princess scrutinized his face asthough in the habit of reading itsexpression, and at last she said gently:

"What have you in mind, dear? Tell me

—come, out with it, I see quite well there

is something."

For answer he sat up, took a cigarettefrom his pocket, put it between his lips,searched in both pockets for a match, and,failing to find one, sat with the unlightedcigarette between his lips, sulkier thanever

He felt her looking at him, and swayedhis shoulders exactly as though some onewere trying to hold him "Really,Leonora," he burst out, "this question ofmoney all the time is far from pleasant!"

A helpless, frightened look came intoher face It grew suddenly pinched;instinctively she put her hand over her

"I have not mentioned money." Shemade an effort to speak lightly, but therewas a vibration in the tone Then, asthough gathering her strength together, shemade a direct demand:

"Alessandro, tell me at once, whathave you done?"

For a moment he looked defiant, thenshrugged his shoulders "Well, since youwill know——" he sprang from the bed,pulled a letter out of his pocket, and, quite

as a small boy hands over the note that histeacher has caught him passing in school,

he tossed her the envelope, and left theroom

Her fingers trembled a little inunfolding the paper; and she breathedquickly as she read For some time she satstaring at the few lines of writing beforeher Then suddenly thrusting her feet intofur slippers, she ran into the next room.

"Sandro," she said, "come into my room; I must speak with you."

sitting-He followed her through her bedroominto an apartment much smaller and, unlikethe other two rooms, quite warm Justnow, all the articles of a woman's toiletwere spread out on a table upon which adressing-mirror had been placed; andclose beside a brazier of glowing coalswas a portable English tub; the water forthe bath was heating in the kitchen

Seeing that there was no means of

avoiding the inevitable, he said doggedly:

"I thought to make, of course, or I wouldnot have gone into the scheme." Thensomething in her face held him, and at thesame time his impulsive boyishness—alittle dramatic, perhaps, but only so much

as is consistent with his race—carriedhim into a new mood

"Leonora, I suppose I am in the wrong

—indeed I am sure I am utterly at fault;

but help me Don't you see, carissima, this time I did not wager—it was a business

venture!"

In the midst of her distress she couldnot help but smile at the absurdity

"Scorpa is doing it all," he continued

—"not I You know what a clever

business man he is! He assured me that it

was a rare chance—the opportunity of alifetime It was because I wanted so torestore to you what my gambling had cost,that I agreed I did not think it possible tolose But help me this once; believe me, I

do know, and with shame, that were it notfor my accursed ill luck we should beliving in luxury now But just this once—you will help me, won't you?"

His wife seated herself in a bigarmchair, and looked at him wearily,running her fingers through the heavywaves of her hair She had beautiful hands

—beautiful because they seemed part ofher expression; capable hands withnothing helpless in her use of them; thekind that a sick person dreams of as

belonging to an ideal nurse; gentle andsmooth, but quick and firm.

"It is not a question of willingness,Sandro." Her voice was as smooth andstrong, as flexible, as her hands "Youknow everything we have just as well as I

I never kept anything from you, and what

we have is ours jointly—as much yours asmine I have, as you know, only twojewels of value left, and they would notbring half the amount of this debt."

"Leonora, no! you have sold too manyalready; I cannot ask such a thing again."

His wife's smile was more sad thantears; it was not that she was making upher mind for some one necessary sacrifice

—it was a smile of absolute helplessness

"If only I might believe you! We now havenothing but what is held in trust for me I

am not reproaching you—what is gone isgone But Sandro! where will it end?"

The maid knocked and entered withtwo pails of hot water, which she pouredinto the tub She spread a bath towel over

a chair, moved another chair near, put outvarious articles of clothing, and left theroom again

The princess threw off her slippers,and tried the temperature of the water withher toes

"I think, Sandro, we had better give upRome," she said "The money saved forthat will pay the greater part of the debt It

is the only way I can see But go now; I

want to take my bath We can talk more byand by." She smiled quite brightly, and theprince, emboldened by her cheerfulness,would have taken her in his arms But sheturned away, her hand involuntarily put up

as a barrier between herself and the kissthat at the moment she shrank from Hetook the hand instead and pressed it to hislips

When he had gone, she bathed quickly,partially dressed herself, and called hermaid to do her hair Sitting before theimprovised dressing-table, she glanced inthe mirror, and her reflection caught andheld her attention a long moment Acurious, half-wistful, half-patheticexpression crept into her eyes as therealization came to her sharply that she

was fading There were lines andshadows and pallor that ought not to be inthe face of a woman of thirty-five Shesmoothed the vertical lines in herforehead, and then let her hands remainover her face, while behind their coolsmoothness her mind resumed itstroublesome thoughts.

It was not like meeting some newdifficulty for which the strength is fresh; itwas struggling again with emotions thathave repeatedly exhausted one'sendurance Just as she had every hope thather husband was cured of the gambler'sfever, here he was down again with aneven more dangerous form of it The manwho knowingly risks is bad enough; butthe man who cannot see that he risks, and

cannot understand how he has lost is thehardest victim to cure All of her capitalwas gone except a small property whichher brother-in-law, J B Randolph, heldfor her in trust and on the income of whichthey now lived Ten years before she hadhad considerable money, enough for them

to live not only in comfort but in luxury Alarge amount had been sunk in a Siciliansulphur mine, and to this investment shehad given her consent, not yet realizing herhusband's lack of judgment But asidefrom this, cards and horse races and trips

to Monaco had limited their living inluxury to a periodic pleasure of three orfour months Now in order to open thepalace in Rome, they had to practise themost rigid economics the other eight ornine months in their villa in the country

Yet in spite of all, her compassionwent out to Sandro He was so gay, soboy-like, that he acquired ascendancyover her sympathies in spite of herjudgment And by the time her maid hadcoiled her great golden waves of hair andhelped her into a short, heavy skirt, a pair

of stout boots, a plain shirt-waist, and arough, short coat and cap, her feeling ofresentment against him had passed Shedrew on a pair of dogskin gloves, andwent out

In the stables she found the princehelping to harness a pony

"Are you going to drive to the village?"she asked as cheerfully as though therehad been no topic of distress

"Yes; will you come with me?" hereturned eagerly She nodded her assentand as they started down the road theytalked easily of various things It was theprince who finally came back to the topicthat was uppermost in their minds Helooked at her tenderly as he said:

"You do believe, my darling, don't you,that to have brought this additional trouble

to you breaks my heart? I have takeneverything from you—given you nothing inreturn Yet—I do love you."

"Oh, va bene, va bene, caro mio; we

will talk no more about it Do you reallyagree to stay in the country all winter andgive up Rome?"

"Of course," he said, with the best

grace in the world "It is all far too easyfor me—but for you!—Ah, Leonora, noadmiration, no new interest! noamusement! a year of your beauty wasted

on only me."

"Be still; you know very well that Icare nothing for all that It is always thishorrible fear of your leaping before youlook Sandro, Sandro! can you really seethat one more plunge—and we are done?Now we can give up our savings, and thejewels; another time—don't let there ever

be another time!"

He looked up the road and down; therewas not even a peasant in sight He put hisarm about her and drew her to him "Look

at me, Leonora! On the name of my familyand on that which I hold most sacred in the

world I swear it: you will never againhave to suffer from such a cause."

She inclined toward his kiss, and lovedominated the sadness in her eyes Whocould be angry with him—impulsive,affectionate, warm-hearted child of theSun, or Italy—since both are the same

A turn in the road, around a high walltopped with orange trees, brought theminto the little town and the village life Acouple of ragged urchins sitting before thedoor of one of the cave-like structures thatare called dwellings, grinned as theprincess looked at them An older girlbobbed a courtesy and pulled one of thechildren to her feet, bidding her do thesame The men uncovered their heads, asthe noble padrones passed

Before one house the little trapstopped Immediately the door opened and

a woman came out She was young andhandsome though the shadow of maternitywas blue-stenciled under her eyes Shecourtesied, then looked anxiously at theprince

"Excellency would speak with me?"she asked, "has Excellency decided?"

"Yes," the prince answered, "Pedrowill wed thee at the house of the goodfather—to-night at eight." At his firstwords she clasped her hands inthanksgiving, but when he continued thatshe was to wear no veil or wreath, her joygave way to a wail

"Excellency would shame me," she

sobbed, "I am a good girl and Pedro myhusband by promise."

Sansevero looked helpless for amoment and then seemed wavering Thewoman caught at the opportunity andrepeated her cry, this time to the princess,but there was no indecision in the latter'smanner as she spoke now in her husband'sstead

"Thou knowest, Marcella, that the veiland the wreath are only for such as aremaidens! Say no more, I speak not ofgoodness, Pedro comes to the house of thepadre—at eight Be a faithful wife andmother, and so shalt thou have honor—better than by the wearing of a wreath."

She put her hand on the girl's head,

with a kindness that took away all stingfrom her words And Marcella made nofurther protest, although as the pony-cartdrove on, she remained weeping beforethe door.

Sansevero himself looked dejected

"Don't you think, dear one," he protested,

"that you were rather severe! Whatdifference can it make after all, whetherthe poor girl wears a few leaves in herhair or a bit of tulle?"

But the princess was inflexible "Itwould not be just to the others," sheanswered, "since we made this rule therehas been a great difference in the village

It is almost rare now that the familyarrives before the wedding The question

of irregularity never used trouble the girls