Volume I Part 60 (2/2)
”It is a weapon upon which I reckoned until now to use againstreparation for the crime I have committed But you have opened my eyes Take away, I entreat you, this stiletto, which henceforth is useless to me I trust in your friendshi+p, and I have an inward certainty that I shall be indebted to you for my honour as well as for my life”
I was struck by the words she had just uttered, and I felt that those words, as well as her looks, had found their way to enerous syitation that I had to acknowledge the weakness ofinto ridicule; yet I had the wonderful strength to perform, at least by halves, the character of a Cato until the seventh day
Ilady arose in my mind That doubt was heavy on my heart, for, if it had proved true, I should have been a dupe, and the idea was hu She had told me that she was a musician; I had ih the instrument had been at her disposal for three days, she had not opened it once, for thehad told me so It seemed to me that the best way to thank ive me a specimen of her musical talent Had she deceivedto foruard, with a firood use of the first opportunity that ht present itself to clear up my doubts
I called upon her the next day after dinner, which was notthe opportunity lass, while thedressed the most beautiful auburn hair I had ever seen I tendered ies for my sudden appearance at an unusual hour; she excused herself for not having completed her toilet, and the ent on with her work It was the first time I had seen the whole of her face, her neck, and half of her arraces themselves had moulded I remained in silent contemplation I praised, quite by chance, the perfume of the po her that she had spent in combs, powder, and pomatum the three livres she had received from her
I recollected then that she had told me the first day that she had left C---- with ten paoli
I blushed for very shaht of that
As soon as thehad dressed her hair, she left the roo which had been laid by her on the toilet-table, and I saw that it contained a portrait exactly like her; I was a her likeness taken in a man's costume, with black hair ”You are mistaken,” she said, ”it is a portrait of my brother He is two years older than I, and is an officer in the papal arer; she consented, and when I tried, out of allantry, to kiss her hand, she drew it back, blushi+ng I feared she ht be offended, and I assured her of my respect
”Ah, sir!” she answered, ”in the situation in which I aainst ainst you”
The compliment struck ht it better not to take it up, but she could easily read in rateful for whatever feelings shesuch proportions that I did not kno to keep it a ain thanking uessed her taste exactly, because she did not like novels, she added, ”I owe you an apology for not having sung to you yet, knowing that you are fond offor any answer, she sat down before the instrument and played several pieces with a facility, with a precision, with an expression of which no words could convey any idea I was in ecstacy I entreated her to sing; after soiven her, and she sang at sight in a ed that she would allow me to kiss her hand, and she did not say yes, but when I took it and pressed my lips on it, she did not oppose any resistance; I had the courage to smother my ardent desires, and the kiss I imprinted on her lovely hand was a mixture of tenderness, respect, and admiration
I took leave of her, s my passion Reserve becomes silliness e know that our affection is returned by the woman we love, but as yet I was not quite sure
The disappearance of Steffani was the talk of Venice, but I did not inforenerally supposed that his mother had refused to pay his debts, and that he had run away to avoid his creditors It was very possible But, whether he returned or not, I could not make up my mind to lose the precious treasure I had in my hands Yet I did not see in what manner, in what quality, I could enjoy that treasure, and I found ularmy kind father, but I would soon abandon it with fear, for I had made a trial of his empiric treatment in the Rinaldi affair, and still htened me to that extent that I would rather re I was foolish enough to enquire from the hether the lady had asked her who I was What an egregious blunder! I sahen the good wo me, said,
”Does she not knoho you are?”
”Answer me, and do not ask questions,” I said, in order to hide h my stupidity she would now feel curious; the tittle-tattle of the neighbourhood would of course take up the affair and discuss it; and all through ht never to bequestions to half-educated persons During the fortnight that she had passed under my protection, the countess had shewnabout me, but it did not prove that she was not curious on the subject If I had been wise, I should have told her the very first day who I was, but Ibetter than anybody else could have done it, and, after having told her all aboutdone so sooner Thanking me for my confidence, she confessed how curious she had been to know me better, and she assured h to ask any questions about me from her landlady Women have a more delicate, a surer tact than men, and her last words were a ho turned to the extraordinary absence of Steffani, she said that her fatherwith him somewhere ”He must have found out,” she added, ”that I was in the habit of conversing with hiht fro ee
I feel certain thatsecretly every effort to discover me When he visits this city he always puts up at Boncousin; will you ascertain whether he is there?”
She never pronounced Steffani's naust and hatred, and she said she would bury herself in a convent, far away from her native place, where no one could be acquainted with her shameful history
I intended to make some enquiries the next day, but it was not necessary for , at supper-time, M Barbaro said to us,
”A nobleman, a subject of the Pope, has been recommended to me, and wishes me to assist him with my influence in a rather delicate and intricate matter One of our citizens has, it appears, carried off his daughter, and has been hiding soht, but nobody knohere The affair ought to be brought before the Council of Ten, but the mother of the ravisher claims to be a relative of mine, and I do not intend to interfere”
I pretended to take no interest in M Barbaro's words, and early the nextcountess to tell her the interesting news She was still asleep; but, being in a hurry, I sent theto say that I wanted to see her only for two reat i herself up to the chin with the bed-clothes
As soon as I had informed her of all I knew, she entreated me to enlist M Barbaro as ame that she would rather die than become the wife of the monster who had dishonoured her I undertook to do it, and she gave e used by the deceiver to seduce her, so that it could be shewn to her father
In order to obtain M Barbaro'scountess, it would have been necessary to tell him that she was under ee I took no determination at first, and most likely one of the reasons forher, which was particularly repugnant to s
After dinner Count A---- S---- was announced as wishi+ng to see M Barbaro