the diary of a man of fifty-第8章

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see　the　man　by　whose　hand　her　husband　had　fallen。〃



〃The　husband　had　been　a　great　brute；　and　it　was　not　known；〃　said　

Stanmer。



〃Its　not　being　known　made　no　difference。　　And　as　for　Salvi　having　

been　a　brute；　that　is　but　a　way　of　saying　that　his　wife；　and　the　man　

whom　his　wife　subsequently　married；　didn't　like　him。〃



Stanmer　hooked　extremely　meditative；　his　eyes　were　fixed　on　mine。　　

〃Yes；　that　marriage　is　hard　to　get　over。　　It　was　not　becoming。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　I；　〃what　a　long　breath　I　drew　when　I　heard　of　it！　　I　

remember　the　place　and　the　hour。　　It　was　at　a　hill…station　in　India；　

seven　years　after　I　had　left　Florence。　　The　post　brought　me　some　

English　papers；　and　in　one　of　them　was　a　letter　from　Italy；　with　a　

lot　of　so…called　'fashionable　intelligence。'　　There；　among　various　

scandals　in　high　life；　and　other　delectable　items；　I　read　that　the　

Countess　Bianca　Salvi；　famous　for　some　years　as　the　presiding　genius　

of　the　most　agreeable　seen　in　Florence；　was　about　to　bestow　her　hand　

upon　Count　Camerino；　a　distinguished　Bolognese。　　Ah；　my　dear　boy；　it　

was　a　tremendous　escape！　　I　had　been　ready　to　marry　the　woman　who　was　

capable　of　that！　　But　my　instinct　had　warned　me；　and　I　had　trusted　my　

instinct。〃



〃'Instinct's　everything；'　as　Falstaff　says！〃　　And　Stanmer　began　to　

laugh。　　〃Did　you　tell　Madame　de　Salvi　that　your　instinct　was　against　

her？〃



〃No；　I　told　her　that　she　frightened　me；　shocked　me；　horrified　me。〃



〃That's　about　the　same　thing。　　And　what　did　she　say？〃



〃She　asked　me　what　I　would　have？　　I　called　her　friendship　with　

Camerino　a　scandal；　and　she　answered　that　her　husband　had　been　a　

brute。　　Besides；　no　one　knew　it；　therefore　it　was　no　scandal。　　Just　

YOUR　argument！　　I　retorted　that　this　was　odious　reasoning；　and　that　

she　had　no　moral　sense。　　We　had　a　passionate　argument；　and　I　declared　

I　would　never　see　her　again。　　In　the　heat　of　my　displeasure　I　left　

Florence；　and　I　kept　my　vow。　　I　never　saw　her　again。〃



〃You　couldn't　have　been　much　in　love　with　her；〃　said　Stanmer。



〃I　was　notthree　months　after。〃



〃If　you　had　been　you　would　have　come　backthree　days　after。〃



〃So　doubtless　it　seems　to　you。　　All　I　can　say　is　that　it　was　the　

great　effort　of　my　life。　　Being　a　military　man；　I　have　had　on　various　

occasions　to　face　time　enemy。　　But　it　was　not　then　I　needed　my　

resolution；　it　was　when　I　left　Florence　in　a　post…chaise。〃



Stanmer　turned　about　the　room　two　or　three　times；　and　then　he　said：　　

〃I　don't　understand！　　I　don't　understand　why　she　should　have　told　you　

that　Camerino　had　killed　her　husband。　　It　could　only　damage　her。〃



〃She　was　afraid　it　would　damage　her　more　that　I　should　think　he　was　

her　lover。　　She　wished　to　say　the　thing　that　would　most　effectually　

persuade　me　that　he　was　not　her　loverthat　he　could　never　be。　　And　

then　she　wished　to　get　the　credit　of　being　very　frank。〃



〃Good　heavens；　how　you　must　have　analysed　her！〃　cried　my　companion；　

staring。



〃There　is　nothing　so　analytic　as　disillusionment。　　But　there　it　is。　　

She　married　Camerino。〃



〃Yes；　I　don't　lime　that；〃　said　Stanmer。　　He　was　silent　a　while；　and　

then　he　added〃Perhaps　she　wouldn't　have　done　so　if　you　had　

remained。〃



He　has　a　little　innocent　way！　　〃Very　likely　she　would　have　dispensed　

with　the　ceremony；〃　I　answered；　drily。



〃Upon　my　word；〃　he　said；　〃you　HAVE　analysed　her！〃



〃You　ought　to　he　grateful　to　me。　　I　have　done　for　you　what　you　seem　

unable　to　do　for　yourself。〃



〃I　don't　see　any　Camerino　in　my　case；〃　he　said。



〃Perhaps　among　those　gentlemen　I　can　find　one　for　you。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　he　cried；　〃I'll　take　care　of　that　myself！〃　　And　he　went　

awaysatisfied；　I　hope。



10th。He's　an　obstinate　little　wretch；　it　irritates　me　to　see　him　

sticking　to　it。　　Perhaps　he　is　looking　for　his　Camerino。　　I　shall　

leave　him；　at　any　rate；　to　his　fate；　it　is　growing　insupportably　hot。



11th。I　went　this　evening　to　bid　farewell　to　the　Scarabelli。　　There　

was　no　one　there；　she　was　alone　in　her　great　dusky　drawing…room；　

which　was　lighted　only　by　a　couple　of　candles；　with　the　immense　

windows　open　over　the　garden。　　She　was　dressed　in　white；　she　was　

deucedly　pretty。　　She　asked　me；　of　course；　why　I　had　been　so　long　

without　coming。



〃I　think　you　say　that　only　for　form；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　imagine　you　

know。〃



〃Che！　what　have　I　done？〃



〃Nothing　at　all。　　You　are　too　wise　for　that。〃



She　looked　at　me　a　while。　　〃I　think　you　are　a　little　crazy。〃



〃Ah　no；　I　am　only　too　sane。　　I　have　too　much　reason　rather　than　too　

little。〃



〃You　have；　at　any　rate；　what　we　call　a　fixed　idea。〃



〃There　is　no　harm　in　that　so　long　as　it's　a　good　one。〃



〃But　yours　is　abominable！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　laugh。



〃Of　course　you　can't　like　me　or　my　ideas。　　All　things　considered；　you　

have　treated　me　with　wonderful　kindness；　and　I　thank　you　and　kiss　

your　hands。　　I　leave　Florence　tomorrow。〃



〃I　won't　say　I'm　sorry！〃　she　said；　laughing　again。　　〃But　I　am　very　

glad　to　have　seen　you。　　I　always　wondered　about　you。　　You　are　a　

curiosity。〃



〃Yes；　you　must　find　me　so。　　A　man　who　can　resist　your　charms！　　The　

fact　is；　I　can't。　　This　evening　you　are　enchanting；　and　it　is　the　

first　time　I　have　been　alone　with　you。〃



She　gave　no　heed　to　this；　she　turned　away。　　But　in　a　moment　she　came　

back；　and　stood　looking　at　me；　and　her　beautiful　solemn　eyes　seemed　

to　shine　in　the　dimness　of　the　room。



〃How　COULD　you　treat　my　mother　so？〃　she　asked。



〃Treat　her　so？〃



〃How　could　you　desert　the　most　charming　woman　in　the　world？〃



〃It　was　not　a　case　of　desertion；　and　if　it　had　been　it　seems　to　me　

she　was　consoled。〃



At　this　moment　there　was　the　sound　of　a　step　in　the　ante…chamber；　and　

I　saw　that　the　Countess　perceived　it　to　be　Stanmer's。



〃That　wouldn't　have　happened；〃　she　murmured。　　〃My　poor　mother　needed　

a　protector。〃



Stanmer　came　in；　interrupting　our　talk；　and　looking　at　me；　I　thought；　

with　a　little　air　of　bravado。　　He　must　think　me　indeed　a　tiresome；　

meddlesome　bore；　and　upon　my　word；　turning　it　all　over；　I　wonder　at　

his　docility。　　After　all；　he's　five…and…twentyand　yet　I　MUST　add；　

it　DOES　irritate　methe　way　he　sticks！　　He　was　followed　in　a　moment　

by　two　or　three　of　the　regular　Italians；　and　I　made　my　visit　short。



〃Good…bye；　Countess；〃　I　said；　and　she　gave　me　her　hand　in　silence。　　

〃Do　you　need　a　protector？〃　I　added；　softly。



She　looked　at　me　from　head　to　foot；　and　then；　almost　angrily〃Yes；　

Signore。〃



But；　to　deprecate　her　anger；　I　kept　her　hand　an　instant；　and　then　

bent　my　venerable　head　and　kissed　it。　　I　think　I　appeased　her。



BOLOGNA；　14th。I　left　Florence　on　the　11th；　and　have　been　here　these　

three　days。　　Delightful　old　Italian　townbut　it　lacks　the　charm　of　

my　Florentine　secret。



I　wrote　that　last　entry　five　days　ago；　late　at　night；　after　coming　

back　from　Casa　Salsi。　　I　afterwards　fell　asleep　in　my　chair；　the　

night　was　half　over　when　I　woke　up。　　Instead　of　going　to　bed；　I　stood　

a　long　time　at　the　window；　looking　out　at　the　river。　　It　was　a　warm；　

still　night；　and　the　first　faint　streaks　of　sunrise　were　in　the　sky。　　

Presently　I　heard　a　slow　footstep　beneath　my　window；　and　looking　

down；　made　out　by　the　aid　of　a　street　lamp　that　Stanmer　was　but　just　

coming　home。　　I　called　to　him　to　come　to　my　rooms；　and；　after　an　

interval；　he　made　his　appearance。



〃I　want　to　bid　you　good…bye；〃　I　said；　〃I　shall　depart　in　the　morning。　　

Don't　go　to　the　trouble　of　saying　you　are　sorry。　　Of　course　you　are　

not；　I　must　have　bullied　you　immensely。〃



He　made　no　attempt　to　say　he　was　sorry；　but　he　said　he　was　very　glad　

to　have　made　my　acquaintance。



〃Your　conversation；〃　he　said；　with　his　little　innocent　air；　〃has　been　

very　suggestive。〃



〃Have　you　found　Camerino？〃　I　asked；　smiling。



〃I　have　given　up　the　search。〃



〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃some　day　when　you　find　that　you　have　made　a　great