Volume V Part 16 (1/2)
”Well, it is strange; but how did you find out that the countess knew ht, but she iven you the letter”
”What did she say to you about me?”
”She only repeated in different hat she has written for an address”
”What a letter it is! Her nae”
”Yes, but the name tells all”
”She told me that if I wanted to be happy I should always remain with you I said I knew that well; but that you wanted to send uess now that you were lovers How long ago was it?”
”Sixteen or seventeen years”
”She , but she cannot have been prettier than she is now”
”Be quiet, Marcoline”
”Did your union with her last long?”
”We lived together four months in perfect happiness”
”I shall not be happy for so long as that”
”Yes you will, and longer, too; but with another land to try to get hter? The countess asked ht; she is hter She must be ten now, and when you see her you will confess that shedown to table we heard so downstairs to the table d'hote in the room where I had made Madame Stuard's acquaintance, our door was open, and we could see the people on the stairs; and one of the, ”My dear papa!” I turned to the light and saw Irene, the same whom I had treated so rudely at Genoa after my discussion with her father about biribi I e to be surprised to see Marcoline, race Marcoline listened attentively to our conversation
”What are you doing here, fair Irene?”
”We have been here for the last fortnight Good heavens! how lucky I aain I am quite weak Will you allow me to sit down, ave her a glass of hich restored her
A waiter ca for her at supper, but she said, ”I won't take any supper;” and Marcoline, always desirous of pleasing iving an approving nod
We sat down to table, and ate our reat appetite ”When we have done,” I said to Irene, ”you non”
Marcoline, who had not spoken a word hitherto, noticing how hungry Irene was, said pleasantly that it would have been a hted to hear Venetian spoken, and thanked her for her kindness, and in three or four minutes they had kissed and become friends
It amused me to see the way in which Marcoline always fell in love with pretty women, just as if she had been a man
In the course of conversation I found that Irene's father and mother were at the table d'hote below, and fronon out of God's goodness,” I learned that they were in distress In spite of that Irene's mirthful countenance hted to hear that Irene had only called hter at Milan
We had only got half-way through our supper when Rinaldi and his wife came in I asked them to sit down, but if it had not been for Irene I should have given the old rascal a very war me with her presence when I had such fair company already, but Marcoline hastened to say that Irene could only have given lad when she was able to enjoy the society of a sweet young girl
”I hope,” she added, ”that if she doesn't mind she will sleep with h I should have preferred to sleep with Marcoline by herself, I laughed and agreed; I have always been able to accommodate myself to circumstances