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〃Both。 I even confuse them up a little now in my old woman's memory； and
then I feel remorse。〃
〃Then； madame； your acknowledgment is not to them； but to Love itself。
They were merely its interpreters。〃
〃That is possible。 But what interpreters！〃
〃Are you sure that you have not been； or that you might not have been；
loved as well or better by a simple man； but not a great man； who would
have offered to you his whole life and heart； all his thoughts； all his
days； his whole being； while these gave you two redoubtable rivals； Music
and Poetry？〃
〃No； monsieur； no！〃 she exclaimed emphatically； with that still youthful
voice； which caused the soul to vibrate。 〃Another one might perhaps have
loved me more； but he would not have loved me as these did。 Ah！ those
two sang to me of the music of love as no one else in the world could
have sung of it。 How they intoxicated me！ Could any other man express
what they knew so well how to express in tones and in words？ Is it
enough merely to love if one cannot put all the poetry and all the music
of heaven and earth into love？ And they knew how to make a woman
delirious with songs and with words。 Yes； perhaps there was more of
illusion than of reality in our passion； but these illusions lift you
into the clouds； while realities always leave you trailing in the dust。
If others have loved me more； through these two I have understood； felt
and worshipped love。〃
Suddenly she began to weep。
She wept silently； shedding tears of despair。
I pretended not to see； looking off into the distance。 She resumed；
after a few minutes：
〃You see； monsieur； with nearly every one the heart ages with the body。
But this has not happened with me。 My body is sixty…nine years old；
while my poor heart is only twenty。 And that is the reason why I live
all alone； with my flowers and my dreams。〃
There was a long silence between us。 She grew calmer and continued；
smiling：
〃How you would laugh at me； if you knew； if you knew how I pass my
evenings； when the weather is fine。 I am ashamed and I pity myself at
the same time。〃
Beg as I might； she would not tell me what she did。 Then I rose to
leave。
〃Already！〃 she exclaimed。
And as I said that I wished to dine at Monte Carlo； she asked timidly：
〃Will you not dine with me？ It would give me a great deal of pleasure。〃
I accepted at once。 She rang； delighted； and after giving some orders to
the little maid she took me over her house。
A kind of glass…enclosed veranda； filled with shrubs； opened into the
dining…room； revealing at the farther end the long avenue of orange trees
extending to the foot of the mountain。 A low seat； hidden by plants；
indicated that the old actress often came there to sit down。
Then we went into the garden； to look at the flowers。 Evening fell
softly； one of those calm； moist evenings when the earth breathes forth
all her perfumes。 Daylight was almost gone when we sat down at table。
The dinner was good and it lasted a long time； and we became intimate
friends； she and I； when she understood what a profound sympathy she had
aroused in my heart。 She had taken two thimblefuls of wine； as the
phrase goes； and had grown more confiding and expansive。
〃Come； let us look at the moon；〃 she said。 〃I adore the good moon。 She
has been the witness of my most intense joys。 It seems to me that all my
memories are there； and that I need only look at her to bring them all
back to me。 And evensome timesin the eveningI offer to myself a
pretty playyes； prettyif you only knew！ But no； you would laugh at
me。 I cannotI dare notno； noreallyno。〃
I implored her to tell me what it was。
〃Come； now！ come； tell me； I promise you that I will not laugh。 I swear
it to youcome； now！〃
She hesitated。 I took her handsthose poor little hands； so thin and so
cold！and I kissed them one after the other； several times； as her
lovers had once kissed them。 She was moved and hesitated。
〃You promise me not to laugh？〃
〃Yes； I swear it to you。〃
〃Well； then； come。〃
She rose； and as the little domestic； awkward in his green livery；
removed the chair behind her； she whispered quickly a few words into his
ear。
〃Yes； madame； at once；〃 he replied。
She took my arm and led me to the veranda。
The avenue of oranges was really splendid to see。 The full moon made a
narrow path of silver； a long bright line； which fell on the yellow sand；
between the round； opaque crowns of the dark trees。
As these trees were in bloom； their strong； sweet perfume filled the
night； and swarming among their dark foliage I saw thousands of
fireflies； which looked like seeds fallen from the stars。
〃Oh； what a setting for a love scene！〃 I exclaimed。
She smiled。
〃Is it not true？ Is it not true？ You will see！〃
And she made me sit down beside her。
〃This is what makes one long for more life。 But you hardly think of
these things； you men of to…day。 You are speculators； merchants and men
of affairs。
You no longer even know how to talk to us。 When I say 'you；' I mean
young men in general。 Love has been turned into a liaison which very
often begins with an unpaid dressmaker's bill。 If you think the bill is
dearer than the woman； you disappear； but if you hold the woman more
highly； you pay it。 Nice moralsand a nice kind of love！〃
She took my hand。
〃Look！〃
I looked； astonished and delighted。 Down there at the end of the avenue；
in the moonlight； were two young people； with their arms around each
other's waist。 They were walking along； interlaced； charming； with
short； little steps； crossing the flakes of light； which illuminated them
momentarily； and then sinking back into the shadow。 The youth was
dressed in a suit of white satin； such as men wore in the eighteenth
century； and had on a hat with an ostrich plume。 The girl was arrayed in
a gown with panniers； and the high； powdered coiffure of the handsome
dames of the time of the Regency。
They stopped a hundred paces from us； and standing in the middle of the
avenue； they kissed each other with graceful gestures。
Suddenly I recognized the two little servants。 Then one of those
dreadful fits of laughter that convulse you made me writhe in my chair。
But I did not laugh aloud。 I resisted； convulsed and feeling almost ill；
as a man whose leg is cut off resists the impulse to cry out。
As the young pair turned toward the farther end of the avenue they again
became delightful。 They went farther and farther away； finally
disappearing as a dream disappears。 I no longer saw them。 The avenue
seemed a sad place。
I took my leave at once； so as not to see them again； for I guessed that
this little play would last a long time； awakening； as it did； a whole
past of love and of stage scenery； the artificial past； deceitful and
seductive； false but charming； which still stirred the heart of this
amorous old comedienne。
THE RONDOLI SISTERS
I
I set out to see Italy thoroughly on two occasions； and each time I was
stopped at the frontier and could not get any further。 So I do not know
Italy； said my friend； Charles Jouvent。 And yet my two attempts gave m