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〃Are you carrying your basket to the Countess Salvi？〃 I asked。
The child stared at me。 〃To the Countess Scarabelli。〃
〃Do you know the Countess？〃
〃Know her？〃 murmured the child； with an air of small dismay。
〃I mean； have you seen her？〃
〃Yes； I have seen her。〃 And then； in a moment； with a sudden soft
smile〃E bella！〃 said the little girl。 She was beautiful herself as
she said it。
〃Precisely； and is she fair or dark？〃
The child kept gazing at me。 〃Biondabionda；〃 she answered； looking
about into the golden sunshine for a comparison。
〃And is she young？〃
〃She is not younglike me。 But she is not old likelike〃
〃Like me； eh？ And is she married？〃
The little girl began to look wise。 〃I have never seen the Signor
Conte。〃
〃And she lives in Via Ghibellina？〃
〃Sicuro。 In a beautiful palace。〃
I had one more question to ask； and I pointed it with certain copper
coins。 〃Tell me a littleis she good？〃
The child inspected a moment the contents of her little brown fist。
〃It's you who are good；〃 she answered。
〃Ah； but the Countess？〃 I repeated。
My informant lowered her big brown eyes； with an air of conscientious
meditation that was inexpressibly quaint。 〃To me she appears so；〃
she said at last； looking up。
〃Ah； then； she must be so；〃 I said； 〃because； for your age； you are
very intelligent。〃 And having delivered myself of this compliment I
walked away and left the little girl counting her soldi。
I walked back to the hotel； wondering how I could learn something
about the Contessa Salvi…Scarabelli。 In the doorway I found the
innkeeper； and near him stood a young man whom I immediately
perceived to be a compatriot； and with whom； apparently； he had been
in conversation。
〃I wonder whether you can give me a piece of information；〃 I said to
the landlord。 〃Do you know anything about the Count Salvi…
Scarabelli？〃
The landlord looked down at his boots； then slowly raised his
shoulders； with a melancholy smile。 〃I have many regrets； dear sir
〃
〃You don't know the name？〃
〃I know the name； assuredly。 But I don't know the gentleman。〃
I saw that my question had attracted the attention of the young
Englishman； who looked at me with a good deal of earnestness。 He was
apparently satisfied with what he saw； for he presently decided to
speak。
〃The Count Scarabelli is dead；〃 he said； very gravely。
I looked at him a moment； he was a pleasing young fellow。 〃And his
widow lives；〃 I observed； 〃in Via Ghibellina？〃
〃I daresay that is the name of the street。〃 He was a handsome young
Englishman； but he was also an awkward one； he wondered who I was and
what I wanted； and he did me the honour to perceive that； as regards
these points； my appearance was reassuring。 But he hesitated； very
properly； to talk with a perfect stranger about a lady whom he knew；
and he had not the art to conceal his hesitation。 I instantly felt
it to be singular that though he regarded me as a perfect stranger； I
had not the same feeling about him。 Whether it was that I had seen
him before； or simply that I was struck with his agreeable young
faceat any rate； I felt myself； as they say here； in sympathy with
him。 If I have seen him before I don't remember the occasion； and
neither； apparently； does he； I suppose it's only a part of the
feeling I have had the last three days about everything。 It was this
feeling that made me suddenly act as if I had known him a long time。
〃Do you know the Countess Salvi？〃 I asked。
He looked at me a little； and then； without resenting the freedom of
my question〃The Countess Scarabelli； you mean；〃 he said。
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃she's the daughter。〃
〃The daughter is a little girl。〃
〃She must be grown up now。 She must belet me seeclose upon
thirty。〃
My young Englishman began to smile。 〃Of whom are you speaking？〃
〃I was speaking of the daughter；〃 I said； understanding his smile。
〃But I was thinking of the mother。〃
〃Of the mother？〃
〃Of a person I knew twenty…seven years agothe most charming woman I
have ever known。 She was the Countess Salvishe lived in a
wonderful old house in Via Ghibellina。〃
〃A wonderful old house！〃 my young Englishman repeated。
〃She had a little girl；〃 I went on； 〃and the little girl was very
fair； like her mother； and the mother and daughter had the same name…
…Bianca。〃 I stopped and looked at my companion； and he blushed a
little。 〃And Bianca Salvi；〃 I continued； 〃was the most charming
woman in the world。〃 He blushed a little more； and I laid my hand on
his shoulder。 〃Do you know why I tell you this？ Because you remind
me of what I was when I knew herwhen I loved her。〃 My poor young
Englishman gazed at me with a sort of embarrassed and fascinated
stare； and still I went on。 〃I say that's the reason I told you
thisbut you'll think it a strange reason。 You remind me of my
younger self。 You needn't resent thatI was a charming young
fellow。 The Countess Salvi thought so。 Her daughter thinks the same
of you。〃
Instantly； instinctively； he raised his hand to my arm。 〃Truly？〃
〃Ah； you are wonderfully like me！〃 I said； laughing。 〃That was just
my state of mind。 I wanted tremendously to please her。〃 He dropped
his hand and looked away； smiling； but with an air of ingenuous
confusion which quickened my interest in him。 〃You don't know what
to make of me；〃 I pursued。 〃You don't know why a stranger should
suddenly address you in this way and pretend to read your thoughts。
Doubtless you think me a little cracked。 Perhaps I am eccentric； but
it's not so bad as that。 I have lived about the world a great deal；
following my profession； which is that of a soldier。 I have been in
India； in Africa； in Canada； and I have lived a good deal alone。
That inclines people； I think； to sudden bursts of confidence。 A
week ago I came into Italy； where I spent six months when I was your
age。 I came straight to FlorenceI was eager to see it again； on
account of associations。 They have been crowding upon me ever so
thickly。 I have taken the liberty of giving you a hint of them。〃
The young man inclined himself a little； in silence； as if he had
been struck with a sudden respect。 He stood and looked away for a
moment at the river and the mountains。 〃It's very beautiful；〃 I
said。
〃Oh； it's enchanting；〃 he murmured。
〃That's the way I used to talk。 But that's nothing to you。〃
He glanced at me again。 〃On the contrary； I like to hear。〃
〃Well； then； let us take a walk。 If you too are staying at this inn；
we are fellow…travellers。 We will walk down the Arno to the Cascine。
There are several things I should like to ask of you。〃
My young Englishman assented with an air of almost filial confidence；
and we strolled for an hour beside the river