Part 10 (1/2)

”Precisely,” said he. ”The wife takes the nationality of the husband.”

”I am not disloyal,” answered Batis...o...b... ”I am very glad to be an Englishman, but I cannot fancy any one else wis.h.i.+ng to be one. I should think every one would be perfectly contented with his own country. I cannot imagine wanting to change my nationality any more than my person.”

”Evidently, you are well satisfied,” said Leonora.

”Perfectly, thank you, for the present. When I am tired of myself I will retire gracefully--or perhaps gracelessly; but I will retire. I am sure I should never find another personality half as much in sympathy with my ideas.”

As they followed Leonora from the dining-room out upon the terrace, Batis...o...b.. watched her intently. There was a strength and ease about her carriage that pleased his strong love of life and beauty. He noticed what he had hardly noticed before, that her figure was a marvel of proportion,--no wasp-waisted impossibility of lacing and high shoulders, but strong and lithe, and instinct with elastic motion. He had seen her lately always in some wrap, or lace, or mazy summer garment, whereas this evening she was clad in close silk of a deep-red colour, with the least possible tr.i.m.m.i.n.g or marring line. The ma.s.ses of her hair, too, rich in red lights and deep shadows, were coiled close to her n.o.ble head, and her dazzling throat just showed at the square cutting of her dress.

”People must be wonderfully mistaken,” thought Batis...o...b... ”She is certainly, undeniably a great beauty, in her very peculiar way. Gad! I should think so indeed!” which was the strongest expression of affirmation in Julius Batis...o...b..'s vocabulary.

It was no wonder she attracted him. For nearly two months he had been wandering, chiefly in his boat on the salt water, and in that time he had not so much as spoken to a woman. His conversation had been with himself during all that time; and if he had enjoyed intensely the freedom of heart and thought in the intellectual point of view, his strong nature, always drawn to women when not plunged deep in work or adventure, could not withstand the sudden magnetism now thrown upon it.

He knew and felt the evil of it, and he struggled as best he could, but each fresh meeting made the chances of escape fewer and the danger more desperate.

”Marry,” said his best friend to him, when, now and then, in the course of years, they met.

”How can I marry?” he would ask. ”How can I ever hope to love one woman again as a woman deserves to be loved?”

”Then go into a monastery and do no more mischief,” returned the friend.

She was a woman.

”I am no saint,” Julius would say, ”but I will try to be.” And ever he tried and failed again.

They sat upon the terrace in the cool of the early night, with their coffee and their cigarettes. There was a lull in their conversation, the result of having talked so much at table.

”A propos of contentment,” said Marcantonio, ”we are very discontented people. We are going to Rome to-morrow, or the next day.”

Batis...o...b.. was surprised. He paused with his coffee cup in one hand and his cigarette in the other, as though expecting more.

”Of course it is only for a day or two,” continued Marcantonio. ”We shall return immediately.”

”Seriously, Marcantoine,” said Leonora, ”how long shall we have to stay?”

”Oh--not very long,” he said. ”I will get the letter. Monsieur Batis...o...b.. will pardon me?” Batis...o...b.. murmured something polite and Marcantonio rose quickly and entered the house.

”Are you really going so soon?” Julius asked in English, when they were alone, and Leonora could see the light in his eyes as he spoke. She looked away, over the starlit sea.

”I am not quite sure,” she said. ”I think I ought to go.”

”I hope you will not,” said Batis...o...b.. boldly. She turned and looked at him again, with a little surprise in her face. Marcantonio came back,--it was only a step to his study.

”Here it is,” said Marcantonio, sitting down. ”He says he thinks that a day should do, if I could be with him all the time. You see, he is old and wishes to put his affairs in order.”

”I cannot see”--began Leonora, but stopped.

”Enfin,” said Marcantonio, ”it might happen to any one, I should think.”

”Let us hope it may happen to all of us,” remarked Batis...o...b.., for the sake of saying something.