Show DO J novel b A copyright 1926 warner ems pictures ures inc don juan screen play by bess meredyth starring john barrymore Barry Is a warner bros of this novel CHAPTER III continued donati bonati was not smiting smiling he was nas looking at adilina Aih iana and lust coarsened his face making him look even more ie than lie he was I ly flom tune finie to time lie he licked his lips with his tongue and his hands clenched and unclenched restlessly as if they itched ditched to touch her deli delicate boda adriani adriana shuddered as his glance crept over her like some slimy unclean thing she clung to her father cold in fear the torches borne by some of the borgia retainers chiew an ominous red glare over the armed men and flickered oner oer the stone walls of the palace on oil either side of the steps great steel i rings had been let into the stones one hanging lia nging bioni the mouth dutli of each of the two hu huge e dragons wrought wi ought of metal that were fastened to the stonework ordinarily arriving guests had their horses fettered ered to these rings and torches thrust into the diagono dia gons to light the guests arrival tonight purposely no torches had been so placed and one of the boi bligia ia tiring of the weight of his torch thrust it through the dragons head nearest him to Var anesS that act was symbolical bo lo lical it was a as s if f the borgias had already aI ready taken over his palace and added bi his fortune to their own would bouli they take also the lovely slender girl who clung to him in terror what chati would be her fate ho he knew that tie he himself was facing certain death cesare borgia was a relentless enemy and there were many any old scores between them that would now be settled for himself Vai Vaia anese nelse did not greatly mind dy in life had not been kind to him it had given him the treasures of the world but it had taken his young wife from him when adriana was born and since then the girls hap amess bad been tile the only thing that mattered to to him the thought of leaving her alone in the hands of the borgias was intolerable yet only a miracle could taye him from death and lier her from a 4 lar U noi sa fate yet lie faced cesare borgia proudly no fate however bitter could make him flinch before this complacent sneering enemy casare came slowly forward donati at his elbow his eyes still on adriana ho he liked lier her fear of hini him forcing her to accede t to 0 his wishes would be pleasant indeed cesare spoke curtly his bis words cut t tink inz the air air like sharp small knives you are under arrest he said to Var ailese and as a friend of the orsini you already know your fate 11 adriana cried out in terror her father his eye still looking straight into Cea saros patted her reassuringly on the shoulder I 1 C care beare are made as if to turn away then turning back looked at the girl thoughtfully then cast a sid sidelong elong glance at donati as if a new idea had bad just then come into his mind there them is this thib chance of a for you lie he said sl slowly oly my kinsman the count donati dashes your laughter daughter in marriage nia marii niage age give her to him and become our loyal loval follower no no cried adriana sick with horror at the indic thought of such a thing hee He father went white to tile the lips cesaites cel Ces ales aies eye narrowed and for a moment his sneering smile was lost as his face tightened and diew grim then thellie Th enlie lie smiled again and at sight of it a little serving maid who cowered behind Adri adriana aila crossed herself and muttered uttered in a prayer for cesaire borgias smile boiled boded evil for those who called it forth donatis hand flew to the hil of his sword cesare turned to his soldiers anti and gave ga e an order curtly an order that vas bardl hardly needed so plain was it that tile the borgia retainers had expected it all along they ceped forward the red torchlight playing over the metal of their accouterments with V sinister glare they seized the duke though adriana clung to him crying out wildly in protest and dragged hin him down dow int tile the courtyard suddenly realizing what this meant she ran after li him prying crying 1 I will I 1 will she was frantic f with fear for hini him in that moment no n sacrifice that could be paid with wih her own body meant anything to her if it coul buy bly in hib safety I 1 she sped to his side and ana threw her arms about his ili neck wa clied her smiling donati watched also so complacently complacent Iv for a moment lie he had feared that the girl would escape him although cesare had promised him laiq that lie he should haie hae her as soon as the duke was dead he preferred taking her this way however with a girl of her type it was wa more satisfactory cesare nodded to him malice and amusement flickering in his edez cyer donati nodded back admitting that his is powerful cousin had been right in in laying lavin the plans that were being carried out tile they y watched without comment as adriana clinging to her father sobbed out the words that she knew sounded the alie death knell for her own happiness 1 I 1 will do it sli sh was saying sa yin g pressing her pale cheek to his 1 I will mary inary him that I 1 cannot permit told her trying to loosen the grasp of her slender arnis arms I never sTever while I 1 live what chance have we she cried if I 1 ref refuse se it means death for you and a worse fate for me this is alie il ie only 01 thing to do it must be lone done Varal Va leses face changed suddenly jle he looked like a very old man one whoso choso hearts blood had suddenly been snapped yet there was som something ething valiant about him as he turned cour agiou sly to face cesare ce mrie who sat looking down at him mockingly my cousins proposal for your daughters liand hand is accepted 11 cesare ashod ked and his hia face hard with hatred bowed his head well risk no trickery despite your realization of my cousins g ecat love lom for him cesare continued smoothly you will come with us now to the vatican and sign the agreement for your daughter and of of hero bers Va head went up defiantly ho he would have leaped leafed forward and dragged cesare from his horse to strangle him with bare hads had he not known that by so doing lie he would make matters far worse for adriana hopelessly lie bowed his head and followed I 1 cesare and donati from the courtyard left alone adriana stood beating her hands together hopelessly not k knowing what she was doing she felt as if lic her i r body had been torn to pieces as if the whole world had conic come tottering about her nothing was left in life for her now she must give juan up which alu ch was far worse vorse than giving up life itself she could hear people shouting in in the streets and then falling suddenly silent as the swift clatter of horses hoofs sounded on oil the rough stories stones before the palace suddenly she hated the spring nights beauty the calm whiteness of the moon the fragrance of the flowers floers that swayed in the breeze as if tragedy had not stalked past them a few moments before slie she hated life and all that it would hold for her sobbing she collapsed in tho the arms of her maid wishing vi shing that death could claim her yet knowing that for her fathers sake she could ct jcak it |