the diary of a man of fifty-第3部分

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as　mine　did。　　Today　he　brought　me　a　message　from　his　Contessaa　very　

gracious　little　speech。　　She　remembered　often　to　have　heard　her　

mother　speak　of　meshe　called　me　her　English　friend。　　All　her　

mother's　friends　were　dear　to　her；　and　she　begged　I　would　do　her　the　

honour　to　come　and　see　her。　　She　is　always　at　home　of　an　evening。　　

Poor　young　Stanmer　（he　is　of　the　Devonshire　Stanmersa　great　

property）　reported　this　speech　verbatim；　and　of　course　it　can't　in　

the　least　signify　to　him　that　a　poor　grizzled；　battered　soldier；　old　

enough　to　be　his　father；　should　come　to　call　upon　his　inammorata。　　

But　I　remember　how　it　used　to　matter　to　me　when　other　men　came；　

that's　a　point　of　difference。　　However；　it's　only　because　I'm　so　old。　　

At　twenty…five　I　shouldn't　have　been　afraid　of　myself　at　fifty…two。　　

Camerino　was　thirty…fourand　then　the　others！　　She　was　always　at　

home　in　the　evening；　and　they　all　used　to　come。　　They　were　old　

Florentine　names。　　But　she　used　to　let　me　stay　after　them　all；　she　

thought　an　old　English　name　as　good。　　What　a　transcendent　coquette！　。　

。　。　But　basta　cosi　as　she　used　to　say。　　I　meant　to　go　tonight　to　Casa　

Salvi；　but　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　the　point。　　I　don't　know　what　

I'm　afraid　of；　I　used　to　be　in　a　hurry　enough　to　go　there　once。　　I　

suppose　I　am　afraid　of　the　very　look　of　the　placeof　the　old　rooms；　

the　old　walls。　　I　shall　go　tomorrow　night。　　I　am　afraid　of　the　very　

echoes。



10th。She　has　the　most　extraordinary　resemblance　to　her　mother。　　

When　I　went　in　I　was　tremendously　startled；　I　stood　starting　at　her。　　

I　have　just　come　home；　it　is　past　midnight；　I　have　been　all　the　

evening　at　Casa　Salvi。　　It　is　very　warmmy　window　is　openI　can　

look　out　on　the　river　gliding　past　in　the　starlight。　　So；　of　old；　

when　I　came　home；　I　used　to　stand　and　look　out。　　There　are　the　same　

cypresses　on　the　opposite　hills。



Poor　young　Stanmer　was　there；　and　three　or　four　other　admirers；　they　

all　got　up　when　I　came　in。　　I　think　I　had　been　talked　about；　and　

there　was　some　curiosity。　　But　why　should　I　have　been　talked　about？　　

They　were　all　youngish　mennone　of　them　of　my　time。　　She　is　a　

wonderful　likeness　of　her　mother；　I　couldn't　get　over　it。　　Beautiful　

like　her　mother；　and　yet　with　the　same　faults　in　her　face；　but　with　

her　mother's　perfect　head　and　brow　and　sympathetic；　almost　pitying；　

eyes。　　Her　face　has　just　that　peculiarity　of　her　mother's；　which；　of　

all　human　countenances　that　I　have　ever　known；　was　the　one　that　

passed　most　quickly　and　completely　from　the　expression　of　gaiety　to　

that　of　repose。　　Repose　in　her　face　always　suggested　sadness；　and　

while　you　were　watching　it　with　a　kind　of　awe；　and　wondering　of　what　

tragic　secret　it　was　the　token；　it　kindled；　on　the　instant；　into　a　

radiant　Italian　smile。　　The　Countess　Scarabelli's　smiles　tonight；　

however；　were　almost　uninterrupted。　　She　greeted　medivinely；　as　her　

mother　used　to　do；　and　young　Stanmer　sat　in　the　corner　of　the　sofa

as　I　used　to　doand　watched　her　while　she　talked。　　She　is　thin　and　

very　fair；　and　was　dressed　in　light；　vaporous　black　that　completes　

the　resemblance。　　The　house；　the　rooms；　are　almost　absolutely　the　

same；　there　may　be　changes　of　detail；　but　they　don't　modify　the　

general　effect。　　There　are　the　same　precious　pictures　on　the　walls　of　

the　salonthe　same　great　dusky　fresco　in　the　concave　ceiling。　　The　

daughter　is　not　rich；　I　suppose；　any　more　than　the　mother。　　The　

furniture　is　worn　and　faded；　and　I　was　admitted　by　a　solitary　

servant；　who　carried　a　twinkling　taper　before　me　up　the　great　dark　

marble　staircase。



〃I　have　often　heard　of　you；〃　said　the　Countess；　as　I　sat　down　near　

her；　〃my　mother　often　spoke　of　you。〃



〃Often？〃　I　answered。　　〃I　am　surprised　at　that。〃



〃Why　are　you　surprised？　　Were　you　not　good　friends？〃



〃Yes；　for　a　certain　timevery　good　friends。　　But　I　was　sure　she　had　

forgotten　me。〃



〃She　never　forgot；〃　said　the　Countess；　looking　at　me　intently　and　

smiling。　　〃She　was　not　like　that。〃



〃She　was　not　like　most　other　women　in　any　way；〃　I　declared。



〃Ah；　she　was　charming；〃　cried　the　Countess；　rattling　open　her　fan。　　

〃I　have　always　been　very　curious　to　see　you。　　I　have　received　an　

impression　of　you。〃



〃A　good　one；　I　hope。〃



She　looked　at　me；　laughing；　and　not　answering　this：　　it　was　just　her　

mother's　trick。



〃'My　Englishman；'　she　used　to　call　you'il　mio　Inglese。'〃



〃I　hope　she　spoke　of　me　kindly；〃　I　insisted。



The　Countess；　still　laughing；　gave　a　little　shrug　balancing　her　hand　

to　and　fro。　　〃So…so；　I　always　supposed　you　had　had　a　quarrel。　　You　

don't　mind　my　being　frank　like　thiseh？〃



〃I　delight　in　it；　it　reminds　me　of　your　mother。〃



〃Every　one　tells　me　that。　　But　I　am　not　clever　like　her。　　You　will　

see　for　yourself。〃



〃That　speech；〃　I　said；　〃completes　the　resemblance。　　She　was　always　

pretending　she　was　not　clever；　and　in　reality〃



〃In　reality　she　was　an　angel；　eh？　　To　escape　from　dangerous　

comparisons　I　will　admit；　then；　that　I　am　clever。　　That　will　make　a　

difference。　　But　let　us　talk　of　you。　　You　are　veryhow　shall　I　say　

it？very　eccentric。〃



〃Is　that　what　your　mother　told　you？〃



〃To　tell　the　truth；　she　spoke　of　you　as　a　great　original。　　But　aren't　

all　Englishmen　eccentric？　　All　except　that　one！〃　and　the　Countess　

pointed　to　poor　Stanmer；　in　his　corner　of　the　sofa。



〃Oh；　I　know　just　what　he　is；〃　I　said。



〃He's　as　quiet　as　a　lambhe's　like　all　the　world；〃　cried　the　

Countess。



〃Like　all　the　worldyes。　　He　is　in　love　with　you。〃



She　looked　at　me　with　sudden　gravity。　　〃I　don't　object　to　your　saying　

that　for　all　the　worldbut　I　do　for　him。〃



〃Well；〃　I　went　on；　〃he　is　peculiar　in　this：　　he　is　rather　afraid　of　

you。〃



Instantly　she　began　to　smile；　she　turned　her　face　toward　Stanmer。　　He　

had　seen　that　we　were　talking　about　him；　he　coloured　and　got　upthen　

came　toward　us。



〃I　like　men　who　are　afraid　of　nothing；〃　said　our　hostess。



〃I　know　what　you　want；〃　I　said　to　Stanmer。　　〃You　want　to　know　what　

the　Signora　Contessa　says　about　you。〃



Stanmer　looked　straight　into　her　face；　very　gravely。　　〃I　don't　care　a　

straw　what　she　says。〃



〃You　are　almost　a　match　for　the　Signora　Contessa；〃　I　answered。　　〃She　

declares　she　doesn't　care　a　pin's　head　what　you　think。〃



〃I　recognise　the　Countess's　style！〃　Stanmer　exclaimed；　turning　away。



〃One　would　think；〃　said　the　Countess；　〃that　you　were　trying　to　make　a　

quarrel　between　us。〃



I　watched　him　move　away　to　another　part　of　the　great　saloon；　he　stood　

in　front　of　the　Andrea　del　Sarto；　looking　up　at　it。　　But　he　was　not　

seeing　it；　he　was　listening　to　what　we　might　say。　　I　often　stood　

there　in　just　that　way。　　〃He　can't　quarrel　with　you；　any　more　than　I　

could　have　quarrelled　with　your　mother。〃



〃Ah；　but　you　did。　　Something　painful　passed　between　you。〃



〃Yes；　it　was　painful；　but　it　was　not　a　quarrel。　　I　went　away　one　day　

and　never　saw　her　again。　　That　was　all。〃



The　Countess　looked　at　me　gravely。　　〃What　do　you　call　it　when　a　man　

does　that？〃



〃It　depends　upon　the　case。〃



〃Sometimes；〃　said　the　Countess　in　French；　〃it's　a　lachete。〃



〃Yes；　and　sometimes　it's　an　act　of　wisdom。〃



〃And　sometimes；〃　rejoined　the　Countess；　〃it's　a　mistake。〃



I　shook　my　head。　　〃For　me　it　was　no　mistake。〃



She　began　to　laugh　again。　　〃Caro　Signore；　you're　a　great　original。　　

What　had　my　poor　mother　done　to　you？〃



I　looked　at　our　young　Englishman；　who　still　had　his　back　turned　to　us　

and　was　staring　up　at　the　picture。　　〃I　will　tell　you　some　other　

time；〃　I　said。



〃I　shall　certainly　remind　you；　I　am　very　curious　to　know。〃　　Then　she　

opened　and　shut　her　fan　two　or　three　times；　still　looking　at　me。　　

What　eyes　they　have！　　〃Tell　me　a　little；〃　she　went　on；　〃if　I　may　ask　

without　indiscretion。　　Are　you　married？〃



〃No；　Signora　Contessa。〃



〃Isn't　that　at　least　a　mistake？〃



〃Do　I　look　very　unhappy？〃



She　dropped　her　head　a　little　to　one　side。　　〃For　an　Englishmanno！〃



〃Ah；〃　said　I；　laughing；　〃you　are　quite　as　clever　as　your　mother。〃



〃And　they　tell　me　that　you　are　a　great　soldier；〃　she　continued；　〃you　

have　lived　in　India。　　It　was　very　kind　of　you；　so　far　away；　to　have　

remembered　our　poor　dear　Italy。〃



〃One　always　remembers　Italy；　the　distance　makes　no　difference。　　I　

remembered　it　well　the　day　I　heard　of　your　mother's　death！〃



〃Ah；　that　was　a　sorrow！〃　said　the　Countess。　　〃There's　not　a　day　that　

I　don't　weep　for　her。　　But　che　vuole？　　She's　a　saint　its　paradise。〃



〃Sicuro；〃　I　answered；　and　I　looked　some　time　at　the　ground。　　〃But　

tell　me　about　yourself；　dear　lady；〃　I　asked　at　last；　raising　my　eyes。　　

〃You　have　also　had　the　sorrow　of　losing　your　husband。〃



〃I　am　a　poor　widow；　as　you　see。　　Che　vuole？　　My　husband　died　after　

three　years　of　marriage。〃



I　waited　for　her　to　remark　that　the　late　Count　Scarabelli　was　also　a　

saint　in　paradise；　but　I　waited　in　vain。



〃That　was　like　your　distinguished　father；〃　I　said。



〃Yes；　he　too　died　young。　　I　can't　be　said　to　have　known　him；　I　was　

but　of　the　age　of　my　own　little　girl。　　But　I　weep　for　him　all　the　

more。〃



Again　I　was　silent　for　a　moment。



〃It　was　in　India　too；〃　I　said　presently；　〃that　I　heard　of　your　

mother's　second　marriage。〃



The　Countess　raised　her　eyebrows。



〃In　India；　then；　one　hears　of　everything！　　Did　that　news　please　you？〃



〃Well；　since　you　ask　meno。〃



〃I　understand　that；〃　said　the　Countess；　looking　at　her　open　fan。　　〃I　

shall　not　marry　again　like　that。〃



〃That's　what　your　mother　said　to　me；〃　I　ventured　to　observe。



She　was　not　offended；　but　she　rose　from　her　seat　and　stood　looking　at　

me　a　moment。　　Then〃You　should　not　have　gone　away！〃　she　exclaimed。　　

I　stayed　for　another　hour；　it　is　a　very　pleasant　house。



Two　or　three　of　the　men　who　were　sitting　there　seemed　very　civil　and　

intelligent；　one　of　the