massimilla doni-第9章
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introduce to her。 The Prince； seeing Vendramin wandering about the
/parterre/； went out for a few minutes of confidential talk with his
friend； whom he had not seen for three months； and as they walked
round the gangway which divides the seats in the pit from the lowest
tier of boxes； he had an opportunity of observing Massimilla's
reception of the foreigner。
〃Who is that Frenchman？〃 asked the Prince。
〃A physician sent for by Cataneo； who wants to know how long he is
likely to live；〃 said Vendramin。 〃The Frenchman is waiting for
Malfatti； with whom he is to hold a consultation。〃
Like every Italian woman who is in love； the Duchess kept her eyes
fixed on Emilio； for in that land a woman is so wholly wrapped up in
her lover that it is difficult to detect an expressive glance directed
at anybody else。
〃Caro；〃 said the Prince to his friend； 〃remember I slept at your house
last night。〃
〃Have you triumphed？〃 said Vendramin； putting his arm round Emilio's
waist。
〃No； but I hope I may some day be happy with Massimilla。〃
〃Well；〃 replied Marco； 〃then you will be the most envied man on earth。
The Duchess is the most perfect woman in Italy。 To me； seeing things
as I do through the dazzling medium of opium； she seems the very
highest expression of art； for nature； without knowing it； has made
her a Raphael picture。 Your passion gives no umbrage to Cataneo； who
has handed over to me a thousand crowns； which I am to give to you。〃
〃Well；〃 added Emilio； 〃whatever you may hear said； I sleep every night
at your house。 Come； for every minute spent away from her； when I
might be with her； is torment。〃
Emilio took his seat at the back of the box and remained there in
silence； listening to the Duchess； enchanted by her wit and beauty。 It
was for him； and not out of vanity； that Massimilla lavished the
charms of her conversation bright with Italian wit； in which sarcasm
lashed things but not persons； laughter attacked nothing that was not
laughable； mere trifles were seasoned with Attic salt。
Anywhere else she might have been tiresome。 The Italians； an eminently
intelligent race； have no fancy for displaying their talents where
they are not in demand； their chat is perfectly simple and effortless；
it never makes play； as in France； under the lead of a fencing master；
each one flourishing his foil； or； if he has nothing to say； sitting
humiliated。
Conversation sparkles with a delicate and subtle satire that plays
gracefully with familiar facts； and instead of a compromising epigram
an Italian has a glance or a smile of unutterable meaning。 They think
and they are rightthat to be expected to understand ideas when
they only seek enjoyment； is a bore。
Indeed； la Vulpato had said to Massimilla：
〃If you loved him you would not talk so well。〃
Emilio took no part in the conversation； he listened and gazed。 This
reserve might have led foreigners to suppose that the Prince was a man
of no intelligence；their impression very commonly of an Italian in
love；whereas he was simply a lover up to his ears in rapture。
Vendramin sat down by Emilio； opposite the Frenchman； who； as the
stranger； occupied the corner facing the Duchess。
〃Is that gentleman drunk？〃 said the physician in an undertone to
Massimilla； after looking at Vendramin。
〃Yes；〃 replied she； simply。
In that land of passion； each passion bears its excuse in itself； and
gracious indulgence is shown to every form of error。 The Duchess
sighed deeply； and an expression of suppressed pain passed over her
features。
〃You will see strange things in our country； monsieur；〃 she went on。
〃Vendramin lives on opium； as this one lives on love； and that one
buries himself in learning； most young men have a passion for a
dancer； as older men are miserly。 We all create some happiness or some
madness for ourselves。〃
〃Because you all want to divert your minds from some fixed idea； for
which a revolution would be a radical cure；〃 replied the physician。
〃The Genoese regrets his republic； the Milanese pines for his
independence； the Piemontese longs for a constitutional government；
the Romagna cries for liberty〃
〃Of which it knows nothing；〃 interrupted the Duchess。 〃Alas！ there are
men in Italy so stupid as to long for your idiotic Charter； which
destroys the influence of woman。 Most of my fellow…countrywomen must
need read your French booksuseless rhodomontade〃
〃Useless！〃 cried the Frenchman。
〃Why； monsieur；〃 the Duchess went on； 〃what can you find in a book
that is better than what we have in our hearts？ Italy is mad。〃
〃I cannot see that a people is mad because it wishes to be its own
master；〃 said the physician。
〃Good Heavens！〃 exclaimed the Duchess； eagerly； 〃does not that mean
paying with a great deal of bloodshed for the right of quarreling； as
you do； over crazy ideas？〃
〃Then you approve of despotism？〃 said the physician。
〃Why should I not approve of a system of government which； by
depriving us of books and odious politics； leaves men entirely to us？〃
〃I had thought that the Italians were more patriotic；〃 said the
Frenchman。
Massimilla laughed so slyly that her interlocutor could not
distinguish mockery from serious meaning； nor her real opinion from
ironical criticism。
〃Then you are not a liberal？〃 said he。
〃Heaven preserve me！〃 said she。 〃I can imagine nothing in worse taste
than such opinions in a woman。 Could you love a woman whose heart was
occupied by all mankind？〃
〃Those who love are naturally aristocrats；〃 the Austrian General
observed； with a smile。
〃As I came into the theatre；〃 the Frenchman observed； 〃you were the
first person I saw； and I remarked to his Excellency that if there was
a woman who could personify a nation it was you。 But I grieve to
discover that； though you represent its divine beauty； you have not
the constitutional spirit。〃
〃Are you not bound；〃 said the Duchess； pointing to the ballet now
being danced； 〃to find all our dancers detestable and our singers
atrocious？ Paris and London rob us of all our leading stars。 Paris
passes judgment on them； and London pays them。 Genovese and la Tinti
will not be left to us for six months〃
At this juncture； the Austrian left the box。 Vendramin； the Prince；
and the other two Italians exchanged a look and a smile； glancing at
the French physician。 He； for a moment； felt doubtful of himself；a
rare thing in a Frenchman；fancying he had said or done something
incongruous； but the riddle was immediately solved。
〃Do you thing it would be judicious；〃 said Emilio； 〃if we spoke our
mind in the presence of our masters？〃
〃You are in a land of slaves；〃 said the Duchess； in a tone and with a
droop of the head which gave her at once the look for which the
physician had sought in vain。 〃Vendramin；〃 she went on； speaking so
that only the stranger could hear her； 〃took to smoking opium； a
villainous idea suggested to him by an Englishman who； for other
reasons of his； craved an easy deathnot death as men see it in the
form of a skeleton； but death draped with the frippery you in France
call a flaga maiden form crowned with flowers or laurels； she
appears in a cloud of gunpowder borne on the flight of a cannon…ball
or else stretched on a bed between two courtesans； or again； she rises
in the steam of a bowl of punch； or the dazzling vapor of a diamond
but a diamond in the form of carbon。
〃Whenever Vendramin chooses； for three Austrian lire； he can be a
Venetian Captain； he can sail in the galleys of the Republic； and
conquer the gilded domes of Constantinople。 Then he can lounge on the
divans in the Seraglio among the Sultan's wives； while the Grand
Signor himself is the slave of the Venetian conqueror。 He returns to
restore his palazzo with the spoils of the Ottoman Empire。 He can quit
the women of the East for the doubly masked intrigues of his beloved
Venetians； and fancy that he dreads the jealousy which has ceased to
exist。
〃For three zwanziger he can transport himself into the Council of Ten；
can wield there terrible power； and leave the Doges' Palace to sleep
under the watch of a pair of flashing eyes； or to climb a balcony from
which a fair hand has hung a silken ladd
