Part 12 (2/2)
The Neapolitan's chatter did not irritate Caesar in the slightest, and as he had no intention of being his rival, he listened to him quite entertained.
Caesar noted that the San Martino ladies and some friends of theirs had a predilection for types like Carminatti, swarthy, prattling, and boastful South Italians.
The ladies showed an affectionate familiarity with the girls; they caressed them and kissed them effusively.
_YOU ARE AN INQUISITOR_
Laura, who was dancing with an officer, approached her brother, who was wedged into a corner, behind two rows of chairs.
”What are you doing here?” she asked him, stopping and informing her partner that she was going to sit down a moment.
”Nothing,” answered Caesar, ”I am waiting for this waltz to finish, so that I can get away.”
”You are not enjoying yourself?”
”Pis.h.!.+”
”Nevertheless, there are amusing things about it.”
”Ah, surely. Do you know what happened to me with the Countess Brenda?”
”What did happen?”
”When she came in and gave me her hand, she said: 'How hot your hands are; mine are frozen.' And she held my hands between hers. That was comical.”
”Comical! Why?”
”How do I know?”
”It is comical to you, because you see only evil motives. She held your hand. Who knows what she may be after? Who knows if she wants to get something out of you? She has an income of eighty or ninety thousand lire, perhaps she wants to borrow money from you.”
”No, I know she doesn't.”
”Then, what are you afraid of?”
”Afraid! Afraid of nothing! Only it surprised me.”
”That's because you look at everything with the eye of an inquisitor.
One must be suspicious: be always on one's guard, always on the watch.
It's the att.i.tude of a savage.”
”I don't deny it. I have no desire to be civilized like these people.
But what does come to me is that the husband of our ill.u.s.trious and wealthy friend wears in his breast that porte-bonheur, which I believe is called horns.”
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