He was very much in love with a young girl of a
respectable family, but not of his own station. Of course his family
would not hear of a marriage, but she loved him, and he promised that
he would marry her as soon as he had finished his military service, in
spite of his own people. He would have been of age by that time, for
he was only a few months younger than I, and he was willing to
sacrifice most of his inheritance for love of the girl. Do you
understand?"
"Yes. Go on."
"He and I were devotedly attached to each other, said I sympathized
with him, of course, and promised to help him if he made a runaway
match. He used to get leave for a couple of days, to go and see her,
for she lived with her parents in a small city within two hours of our
garrison town. You guess what happened.--They were young, they were
foolish, and they were madly in love."
The Princess nodded, and Malipieri continued.
"Not long afterwards, my friend was killed by a fall. His horse
crushed him. It was a horrible accident, and he lived twelve hours
after it, in great pain. He would not let the doctors give him
morphia. He said he would die like a man, and he did, with all his
senses about him. While he lay dying, I was with him, and then he told
me all the truth. The girl would not be able to conceal it much
longer.
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