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my poor Emilio pine ten minutes longer than he need。〃
〃What has happened？〃 asked Rodolphe； as he saw Francesca finish
reading the last letter。
〃/La liberta/！〃 she exclaimed； with an artist's enthusiasm。
〃/E denaro/！〃 added Gina； like an echo； for she had found her tongue。
〃Yes；〃 said Francesca； 〃no more poverty！ For more than eleven months
have I been working； and I was beginning to be tired of it。 I am
certainly not a literary woman。〃
〃Who is this Tito？〃 asked Rodolphe。
〃The Secretary of State to the financial department of the humble shop
of the Colonnas； in other words； the son of our /ragionato/。 Poor boy！
he could not come by the Saint…Gothard； nor by the Mont…Cenis； nor by
the Simplon； he came by sea； by Marseilles； and had to cross France。
Well； in three weeks we shall be at Geneva； and living at our ease。
Come； Rodolphe；〃 she added； seeing sadness overspread the Parisian's
face； 〃is not the Lake of Geneva quite as good as the Lake of
Lucerne？〃
〃But allow me to bestow a regret on the Bergmanns' delightful house；〃
said Rodolphe； pointing to the little promontory。
〃Come and dine with us to add to your associations； /povero mio/；〃
said she。 〃This is a great day； we are out of danger。 My mother writes
that within a year there will be an amnesty。 Oh！ /la cara patria/！〃
These three words made Gina weep。 〃Another winter here；〃 said she；
〃and I should have been dead！〃
〃Poor little Sicilian kid！〃 said Francesca； stroking Gina's head with
an expression and an affection which made Rodolphe long to be so
caressed； even if it were without love。
The boat grounded； Rodolphe sprang on to the sand； offered his hand to
the Italian lady； escorted her to the door of the Bergmanns' house；
and went to dress and return as soon as possible。
When he joined the librarian and his wife； who were sitting on the
balcony； Rodolphe could scarcely repress an exclamation of surprise at
seeing the prodigious change which the good news had produced in the
old man。 He now saw a man of about sixty； extremely well preserved； a
lean Italian； as straight as an I； with hair still black； though thin
and showing a white skull； with bright eyes； a full set of white
teeth； a face like Caesar； and on his diplomatic lips a sardonic
smile； the almost false smile under which a man of good breeding hides
his real feelings。
〃Here is my husband under his natural form；〃 said Francesca gravely。
〃He is quite a new acquaintance；〃 replied Rodolphe； bewildered。
〃Quite；〃 said the librarian； 〃I have played many a part； and know well
how to make up。 Ah！ I played one in Paris under the Empire； with
Bourrienne； Madame Murat； Madame d'Abrantis /e tutte quanti/。
Everything we take the trouble to learn in our youth； even the most
futile； is of use。 If my wife had not received a man's educationan
unheard…of thing in ItalyI should have been obliged to chop wood to
get my living here。 /Povera/ Francesca！ who would have told me that
she would some day maintain me！〃
As he listened to this worthy bookseller； so easy； so affable； so
hale； Rodolphe scented some mystification； and preserved the watchful
silence of a man who has been duped。
〃/Che avete； signor/？〃 Francesca asked with simplicity。 〃Does our
happiness sadden you？〃
〃Your husband is a young man；〃 he whispered in her ear。
She broke into such a frank； infectious laugh that Rodolphe was still
more puzzled。
〃He is but sixty…five； at your service；〃 said she； 〃but I can assure
you that even that is somethingto be thankful for！〃
〃I do not like to hear you jest about an affection so sacred as this；
of which you yourself prescribed the conditions。〃
〃/Zitto/！〃 said she； stamping her foot； and looking whether her
husband were listening。 〃Never disturb the peace of mind of that dear
man； as simple as a child； and with whom I can do what I please。 He is
under my protection；〃 she added。 〃If you could know with what
generosity he risked his life and fortune because I was a Liberal！ for
he does not share my political opinions。 Is not that love； Monsieur
Frenchman？But they are like that in his family。 Emilio's younger
brother was deserted for a handsome youth by the woman he loved。 He
thrust his sword through his own heart ten minutes after he had said
to his servant； 'I could of course kill my rival； but that would
grieve the /Diva/ too deeply。' 〃
This mixture of dignity and banter； of haughtiness and playfulness；
made Francesca at this moment the most fascinating creature in the
world。 The dinner and the evening were full of cheerfulness；
justified； indeed； by the relief of the two refugees； but depressing
to Rodolphe。
〃Can she be fickle？〃 he asked himself as he returned to the Stopfers'
house。 〃She sympathized in my sorrow； and I cannot take part in her
joy！〃
He blamed himself； justifying this girl…wife。
〃She has no taint of hypocrisy； and is carried away by impulse；〃
thought he； 〃and I want her to be like a Parisian woman。〃
Next day and the following days； in fact； for twenty days after；
Rodolphe spent all his time at the Bergmanns'； watching Francesca
without having determined to watch her。 In some souls admiration is
not independent of a certain penetration。 The young Frenchman
discerned in Francesca the imprudence of girlhood； the true nature of
a woman as yet unbroken； sometimes struggling against her love； and at
other moments yielding and carried away by it。 The old man certainly
behaved to her as a father to his daughter； and Francesca treated him
with a deeply felt gratitude which roused her instinctive nobleness。
The situation and the woman were to Rodolphe an impenetrable enigma；
of which the solution attracted him more and more。
These last days were full of secret joys； alternating with melancholy
moods； with tiffs and quarrels even more delightful than the hours
when Rodolphe and Francesca were of one mind。 And he was more and more
fascinated by this tenderness apart from wit； always and in all things
the same； an affection that was jealous of mere nothingsalready！
〃You care very much for luxury？〃 said he one evening to Francesca； who
was expressing her wish to get away from Gersau； where she missed many
things。
〃I！〃 cried she。 〃I love luxury as I love the arts； as I love a picture
by Raphael； a fine horse； a beautiful day； or the Bay of Naples。
Emilio；〃 she went on； 〃have I ever complained here during our days of
privation。〃
〃You would not have been yourself if you had；〃 replied the old man
gravely。
〃After all； is it not in the nature of plain folks to aspire to
grandeur？〃 she asked； with a mischievous glance at Rodolphe and at her
husband。 〃Were my feet made for fatigue？〃 she added； putting out two
pretty little feet。 〃My hands〃and she held one out to Rodolphe
〃were those hands made to work？Leave us；〃 she said to her husband；
〃I want to speak to him。〃
The old man went into the drawing…room with sublime good faith； he was
sure of his wife。
〃I will not have you come with us to Geneva；〃 she said to Rodolphe。
〃It is a gossiping town。 Though I am far above the nonsense the world
talks； I do not choose to be calumniated； not for my own sake； but for
his。