Part 34 (1/2)
We forgave each other before he died.”
She listened attentively. A little color came back into her cheeks.
”In what way did he insult you?” she asked, in a low voice.
I told her all, briefly. She still looked anxious.
”Did he mention my name?” she said.
I glanced at her troubled features in profound contempt. She feared the dying man might have made some confession to me! I answered:
”No; not after our quarrel. But I hear he went to your house to kill you! Not finding you there, he only cursed you.”
She heaved a sigh of relief. She was safe now, she thought!
Her red lips widened into a cruel smile.
”What bad taste!” she said, coldly. ”Why he should curse me I cannot imagine! I have always been kind to him--TOO kind.”
Too kind indeed! kind enough to be glad when the object of all her kindness was dead! For she WAS glad! I could see that in the murderous glitter of her eyes.
”You are not sorry?” I inquired, with an air of pretended surprise.
”Sorry? Not at all! Why should I be? He was a very agreeable friend while my husband was alive to keep him in order, but after my poor Fabio's death, his treatment of me was quite unbearable.”
Take care, beautiful hypocrite! take care! Take care lest your ”poor Fabio's” fingers should suddenly nip your slim throat with a convulsive twitch that means death! Heaven only knows how I managed to keep my hands off her at that moment! Why, any groveling beast of the field had more feeling than this wretch whom I had made my wife! Even for Guido's sake--such are the strange inconsistencies of the human heart--I could have slain her then. But I restrained my fury; I steadied my voice and said calmly: ”Then I was mistaken? I thought you would be deeply grieved, that my news would shock and annoy you greatly, hence my gravity and apparent coldness. But it seems I have done well?”
She sprung up from her chair like a pleased child and flung her arms round my neck.
”You are brave, you are brave!” she exclaimed, in a sort of exultation.
”You could not have done otherwise! He insulted you and you killed him.
That was right! I love you all the more for being such a man of honor!”
I looked down upon her in loathing and disgust. Honor! Its very name was libeled coming from HER lips. She did not notice the expression of my face--she was absorbed, excellent actress as she was, in the part she had chosen to play.
”And so you were dull and sad because you feared to grieve me! Poor Cesare!” she said, in child-like caressing accents, such as she could a.s.sume when she chose. ”But now that you see I am not unhappy, you will be cheerful again? Yes? Think how much I love you, and how happy we will be! And see, you have given me such lovely jewels, so many of them too, that I scarcely dare offer you such a trifle as this; but as it really belonged to Fabio, and to Fabio's father, whom you knew, I think you ought to have it. Will you take it and wear it to please me?” and she slipped on my finger the diamond signet--my own ring!
I could have laughed aloud! but I bent my head gravely as I accepted it.
”Only as a proof of your affection, cara mia,” I said, ”though it has a terrible a.s.sociation for me. I took it from Ferrari's hand when--”
”Oh, yes, I know!” she interrupted me with a little s.h.i.+ver; ”it must have been trying for you to have seen him dead. I think dead people look so horrid--the sight upsets the nerves! I remember when I was at school here, they WOULD take me to see a nun who died; it sickened me and made me ill for days. I can quite understand your feelings. But you must try and forget the matter. Duels are very common occurrences, after all!”
”Very common,” I answered, mechanically, still regarding the fair upturned face, the l.u.s.trous eyes, the rippling hair; ”but they do not often end so fatally. The result of this one compels me to leave Naples for some days. I go to Avellino to-night.”
”To Avellino?” she exclaimed, with interest. ”Oh, I know it very well.
I went there once with Fabio when I was first married.”
”And were you happy there?” I inquired, coldly.