Part 29 (2/2)
”Yes, Americans do things like that on the spur of the moment. But if you saw a Spanish woman behave that way, it would seem wrong to you.”
Chattering amicably they came to the Piazza Esedra.
”Would you care to have lunch with me?” said Kennedy.
”Just what I was going to propose to you.”
”I eat alone.”
”I do not. I eat with my sister.”
”The Marchesa di Vaccarone?”
”Yes.”
”Then you must pardon me if I accept your invitation, for I am very anxious to meet her.”
”Then come along.”
_RUSKIN AND THE PHILISTINES_
They reached the hotel and Caesar introduced his friend to Laura.
”He is an admirer of yours.”
”A respectful admirer... from a distance,” explained Kennedy.
”But are there admirers of that sort?” asked Laura, laughing.
”Here you have one,” said the Englishman. ”I have known you by sight ever since I came to Rome, and have never had the pleasure of speaking to you until today.”
”And have you been here a long time?”
”Nearly two years.”
”And do you like Rome; eh?”
”I should say so! At first, I didn't, I must admit. It was a disappointment to me. I had dreamed so much about Rome!” and Kennedy talked of the books and guides he had read about the Eternal City.
”I must admit that I had never dreamed about Rome,” said Caesar. ”And you boast of that?” asked Laura.
”No, I don't boast of it, I merely state it. I understand how agreeable it is to know things. Caesar died here! Cicero made speeches here! Saint Peter stumbled over this stone! It is fine! But not knowing things is also very comfortable. I am rather like a barbarian walking indifferently among monuments he knows nothing about.”
”Doesn't such an idea make you ashamed?”
”No, why? It would be a bother to me to know a lot of things offhand. To pa.s.s by a mountain and know how it was thrown up, what it is composed of, what its flora and fauna are; to get to a town and know its history in detail.... What things to be interested in! It's tiresome! I hate history too much. I far prefer to be ignorant of everything, and especially the past, and from time to time to offer myself a capricious, arbitrary explanation.”
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