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〃Do you wish to marry her？〃
He looked away； without meeting my eyes。 〃It's a great
responsibility；〃 he repeated。
〃Before Heaven；〃 I said； 〃I would have married the mother！ You are
exactly in my situation。〃
〃Don't you think you rather overdo the analogy？〃 asked poor Stanmer。
〃A little more； a little lessit doesn't matter。 I believe you are
in my shoes。 But of course if you prefer it； I will beg a thousand
pardons and leave them to carry you where they will。〃
He had been looking away； but now he slowly turned his face and met
my eyes。 〃You have gone too far to retreat； what is it you know
about her？〃
〃About this onenothing。 But about the other〃
〃I care nothing about the other！〃
〃My dear fellow；〃 I said； 〃they are mother and daughterthey are as
like as two of Andrea's Madonnas。〃
〃If they resemble each other； then； you were simply mistaken in the
mother。〃
I took his arm and we walked on again； there seemed no adequate reply
to such a charge。 〃Your state of mind brings back my own so
completely；〃 I said presently。 〃You admire heryou adore her； and
yet； secretly； you mistrust her。 You are enchanted with her personal
charm； her grace； her wit； her everything； and yet in your private
heart you are afraid of her。〃
〃Afraid of her？〃
〃Your mistrust keeps rising to the surface； you can't rid yourself of
the suspicion that at the bottom of all things she is hard and cruel；
and you would be immensely relieved if some one should persuade you
that your suspicion is right。〃
Stanmer made no direct reply to this； but before we reached the hotel
he said〃What did you ever know about the mother？〃
〃It's a terrible story；〃 I answered。
He looked at me askance。 〃What did she do？〃
〃Come to my rooms this evening and I will tell you。〃
He declared he would； but he never came。 Exactly the way I should
have acted！
14th。I went again； last evening； to Casa Salvi； where I found the
same little circle； with the addition of a couple of ladies。 Stanmer
was there； trying hard to talk to one of them； but making； I am sure；
a very poor business of it。 The Countesswell； the Countess was
admirable。 She greeted me like a friend of ten years； toward whom
familiarity should not have engendered a want of ceremony； she made
me sit near her； and she asked me a dozen questions about my health
and my occupations。
〃I live in the past；〃 I said。 〃I go into the galleries； into the old
palaces and the churches。 Today I spent an hour in Michael Angelo's
chapel at San Loreozo。〃
〃Ah yes； that's the past；〃 said the Countess。 〃Those things are very
old。〃
〃Twenty…seven years old；〃 I answered。
〃Twenty…seven？ Altro！〃
〃I mean my own past；〃 I said。 〃I went to a great many of those
places with your mother。〃
〃Ah； the pictures are beautiful；〃 murmured the Countess； glancing at
Stanmer。
〃Have you lately looked at any of them？〃 I asked。 〃Have you gone to
the galleries with HIM？〃
She hesitated a moment； smiling。 〃It seems to me that your question
is a little impertinent。 But I think you are like that。〃
〃A little impertinent？ Never。 As I say； your mother did me the
honour； more than once； to accompany me to the Uffizzi。〃
〃My mother must have been very kind to you。〃
〃So it seemed to me at the time。〃
〃At the time only？〃
〃Well； if you prefer； so it seems to me now。〃
〃Eh；〃 said the Countess； 〃she made sacrifices。〃
〃To what； cara Signora？ She was perfectly free。 Your lamented
father was deadand she had not yet contracted her second marriage。〃
〃If she was intending to marry again； it was all the more reason she
should have been careful。〃
I looked at her a moment； she met my eyes gravely； over the top of
her fan。 〃Are YOU very careful？〃 I said。
She dropped her fan with a certain violence。 〃Ah； yes； you are
impertinent！〃
〃Ah no；〃 I said。 〃Remember that I am old enough to be your father；
that I knew you when you were three years old。 I may surely ask such
questions。 But you are right； one must do your mother justice。 She
was certainly thinking of her second marriage。〃
〃You have not forgiven her that！〃 said the Countess； very gravely。
〃Have you？〃 I asked； more lightly。
〃I don't judge my mother。 That is a mortal sin。 My stepfather was
very kind to me。〃
〃I remember him；〃 I said； 〃I saw him a great many timesyour mother
already received him。〃
My hostess sat with lowered eyes； saying nothing； but she presently
looked up。
〃She was very unhappy with my father。〃
〃That I can easily believe。 And your stepfatheris he still
living？〃
〃He diedbefore my mother。〃
〃Did he fight any more duels？〃
〃He was killed in a duel；〃 said the Countess； discreetly。
It seems almost monstrous； especially as I can give no reason for it…
…but this announcement； instead of shocking me； caused me to feel a
strange exhilaration。 Most assuredly； after all these years； I bear
the poor man no resentment。 Of course I controlled my manner； and
simply remarked to the Countess that as his fault had been so was his
punishment。 I think； however； that the feeling of which I speak was
at the bottom of my saying to her that I hoped that； unlike her
mother's； her own brief married life had been happy。
〃If it was not；〃 she said； 〃I have forgotten it now。〃I wonder if
the late Count Scarabelli was also killed in a duel； and if his
adversary 。 。 。 Is it on the books that his adversary； as well； shall
perish by the pistol？ Which of those gentlemen is he； I wonder？ Is
it reserved for poor little Stanmer to put a bullet into him？ No；
poor little Stanmer； I trust； will do as I did。 And yet；
unfortunately for him； that woman is consummately plausible。 She was
wonderfully nice last evening； she was really irresistible。 Such
frankness and freedom； and yet something so soft and womanly； such
graceful gaiety； so much of the brightness； without any of the
stiffness； of good breeding； and over it all something so
picturesquely simple and southern。 She is a perfect Italian。 But
she comes honestly by it。 After the talk I have just jotted down she
changed her place； and the conversation for half an hour was general。
Stanmer indeed said very little； partly； I suppose； because he is shy
of talking a foreign tongue。 Was I like thatwas I so constantly
silent？ I suspect I was when I was perplexed； and Heaven knows that
very often my perplexity was extreme。 Before I went away I had a few
more words tete…a…tete with the Countess。
〃I hope you are not leaving Florence yet；〃 she said； 〃you will stay a
while longer？〃
I answered that I came only for a week； and that my week was over。
〃I stay on from day to day； I am so much interested。〃
〃Eh； it's the beautiful moment。 I'm glad our city pleases you