Part 49 (1/2)

After that, he should prefer to return directly to Naples. It was not easy to argue against an invalid's prerogative. After some fruitless attempts to move him, his father and mother temporarily desisted.

”You shall not go to Avellino,” he said to Veronica, when they were alone. ”It is a den of wild children and intolerable relations, and you would not have a moment's peace. You have no idea how detestable that sort of existence would be after this heavenly calm. I am very fond of my father and mother, and my brothers and sisters, and my relations, and most of them are very good people in their way. But that is no reason why you and I should be set up to be looked at, and tallied at, by them all, twelve hours every day.”

”I would certainly much rather stay here,” answered Veronica, with a little laugh. ”That is, if you can induce them to stay here, too.”

”For that matter, they are quite unnecessary,” said Gianluca. ”There is no reason in the world why, if you like, we should not have the legal marriage here since you have a syndic and a munic.i.p.ality. Then we could announce it, and there would be no objection to our staying here alone.”

”That is true,” replied Veronica, thoughtfully. ”We could always do that, if we chose.”

But she did not propose to do it at once, and he did not like to press her. He saw no harm, however, in speaking of the project with Taquisara.

The Sicilian looked at him, said nothing, and then carefully examined a cigar before lighting it. He had long expected that such a proposal would come either from Gianluca or Veronica, and he was not surprised.

But when he at last heard it made he held his breath for a moment or two and then began to smoke in silence.

”You say nothing,” observed Gianluca. ”Do you see any possible objection to our doing that? Society ought to be satisfied.”

”I should think so,” answered Taquisara. ”I should think that anything would be better than Avellino and all the relations. As for going back to Naples and having a munic.i.p.al wedding there, and no religious ceremony, I would not do it if I were you. The two marriages are always supposed to take place on consecutive days, or at least very near together, since both are necessary nowadays.”

”I know,” said Gianluca.

Taquisara made up his mind that he must take the initiative and speak with Don Teodoro. He had been willing and ready to give up all right to hope for the woman he loved, in order that his friend might marry her, but the idea that there should be an irregularity about the marriage, or no real marriage at all, as he believed was the case, was more than he could, or would, bear. To speak with Veronica was out of the question.

He knew enough of women to understand that if she ever knew how, by an accident, she had held his hand instead of Gianluca's at the moment when she was giving her very soul to save the dying man, she might never forgive him. She might even turn and hate him. She would never believe that he himself had not known what he was doing. If it were possible, he would not incur such risk. Anything in reason and honour would be better than to be hated by her. He had seen her change of manner, of late, and he knew very well that she was beginning to like him much more than formerly.

In the morning, after Don Teodoro had said ma.s.s, Taquisara went to him and found him over his books. This time the priest recognized him at once and rose to greet him gravely, as though he had expected his visit.

”Have you made up your mind what to do?” asked the Sicilian, as he sat down.

It was as though they had been in the habit of discussing the situation together, and were about to renew a conversation which had been broken off.

”I know what I shall have to do, if matters go any further,” answered the priest, in a dull voice, unlike his own.

”What would that be?”

”It is in my power to cause the marriage to be declared null and void.”

”By appealing to your bishop, I suppose. In that event Donna Veronica would have to be told.”

”There is another way.”

”Then why do you not take it and act at once? Why do you hesitate?”

Taquisara watched him keenly.

”Because it would mean the sacrifice of my whole existence. I am human.

I hesitate, as long as there is any other hope.”

”I do not understand. As for sacrificing your existence--that must be an exaggeration.”

”Not at all. If it were only my own, I should not have hesitated, perhaps. I do not know. But what I should do would involve a great and direct injury to many others--to hundreds of other people.”