Farewell Love!

his ward Anna Acquaviva. He encouraged them quietly, with the temperance which he showed in

t any moment to fall into emotional errors. A thousand symptoms that could not escape his observant eye, kept him in a state of secret nervousness about her. It was true, nevertheless, that she had greatly changed fo

less resignation, a loving humility, showed

concile herself to those perverse theories of his which pained her mortally. That was what he called giving her a heart of bronze, strengthening her against the

self as a sort of creator, who had known how to make over the most refrac

began to ask himself whether the girl might not be a monster of hypocrisy

ty? Her very faults, had they not sprung from

o believe that the intimate essence of a soul can undergo alteration. It was impossi

as not easy

change of front? What was it that enabled her and persuaded her to withho

nderstood his own power to rule people and to impose his wishes upon them; but that was

would be able to take care of herself. He held the opinion, common to men of forty, that marriage was the only destiny proper for a young girl

the theatre, sometimes in the Villa Nazionale, sometimes at parties and dances; indeed, it would seldom happen that

tacit understanding

ry action showing him her good-will. And when, in turn, Luigi Caracciolo followed, she gave him a formal handshake, and exchanged a few words with him, distantly, coldly. He would try his hardest to shine before her, to bring the talk round to subjects with which he was familiar; but their interviews were always so s

ered by a certain amount of sympathy. The rigorous code of our nobility forbids anything approaching intimacy. Luigi Caracciolo's courtship of Anna was precisely like that of every other young ma

sentimental passages, and when he met her again would ask her opinion upon it. If she mentioned a friend of her childhood, he would interest himself in all the particulars of the friendsh

when something said or done seemed to suggest old memories to her, it was easy for him to see that she must have passed through some immense emotional exper

in his own way; not very d

n, of the futility of hope, the girl bowed her head, listening without r

ity. Once he openly asked Dias if Anna had not already been

young man, a decent young fe

n't they

ng man w

very fond

girlis

has quite f

ely, abs

le truth. He felt that the whole truth could only be told by Anna Acquaviva herself. And when he was

consent to the betrothal of his daughter, that Anna could no longer pretend not to understand. Sometimes, when Cesare would come up to

ld be like taking a strong fortress. But he was a determined man, and he had determined to succeed. He saw her humility, he saw how she lowered her eyes before him, he felt that in most things she would

If he seemed sentimental-and he was often sentimental in his way, which involved an element of sensuality-she became ironical, uttering paradoxes against sentiment in general; her voice grew hard; she seemed almost cynical. From sheer amiability Luigi Caracciolo

s!" she said angrily, with the impatience that women

loved one, was not altogether reprehensible, annoyed her more than ever. Anna wished the whole exterior world to keep tune to he

Anna trying to avoid a conversation with Luigi, refusing to dance with him, or receiving

n at a concert, Cesare Dias, coming up, said to her, "Y

she replied, trembli

ted. "And I beg you to

ey you," s

to sleep in the same room with her, often heard her sighing at night in her b

ng. Go to sleep

however, the effort was very apparent. He took it as so much to the good. She persevered in this beha

at res

ct of Car

in surprise. "For politeness' sake alo

told me to be so," s

what a young lady's

was all the recognition she got. However, she could not feel towards him the least particl

ini, the Marchesa Scibilla. She shrugged her shoulders, without answering. Her silence seemed like a c

the seriousness of his character, she became excessively nervous. She looked at him in surprise,

nce, she asked: "But do you

Caracc

rse-Car

sly, who deserves it; an

you," she said, softly; "b

the subject?" he responded, wit

d, I have a

d w

beca

dear. You are very intelligent; there's no do

"do you really wish to persuade m

tain

e has a

" he answer

is symp

e repeated for

en absurd in his manners. No one will ever convince me of the contrary. He's a doll, n

ou, and it doesn't matter. Think what you like of anybody. It's not my affair to correct your fancies. I have unlimited indulgence sti

u mean?" she cr

more. Goo

t so long an interval pass without calling, unless he was out of town. Stella Martini, not seeing him, ingenuously sent

pre had received, but because his schemes for the girl's marriage were delayed. His anger was mixed with certain very lively suspicions, lively, though as yet not altogether c

orry for what she had said, not because it wasn't true, but because she felt that she had thereby offended Cesare Dias, perhaps very deeply. But what could she do, what c

oolish pride, she had held up her head, and spoken, and offended him. For two days, and during the long watches of two nights, stifling her sobs so that Laura should not hear them, she had longed to write him a little note to ask his pardon; but then she had feared that that might increase his irritation.

g in the street before the house, she trembled. She had no peace. She accused him of injustice. Why was he so unjust towards her, towards her who ever since that fatal day at Pompeii had only lived to obey him? Why did he punish her like this, when her only fa

replied Laur

sented Anna, i

es, and as he would be especially likely to have his, for he was rich and idle. In her ingenuousness and ignorance, it had never occurred to her. It was as if other women didn't exist, or as if, existing, they were quite

ssed his hours-his entire days, perhaps. That was why Anna never saw him! At the end of a week her distress had become so turbulent, that

those days the man she cared for was so absolute in his devotion to her, she had not tasted the bitterness of jealousy,

acious manner; she was indeed an irresistible enchantress. Poor Anna! During Cesare's absence she learned all the phases of hope and fear, of torturing jealousy, of wretched loneliness. He did not come he did not come; perhaps he would n

ctions, wherein, to be sure, the word "love" never appeared, but where it could be read between the lines; now a frank, short love-letter

is curt response to that inquiry struck a chill to her heart: he was in town, and he

y, at last, she did meet

do?" she sai

he answered,

nce we have seen you,

't noti

many days," said Anna,

an

ht d

ally? Are

said, turning away her head

reat compliment." An

ent. It was affectio

a better frame of min

ur in her cheeks. She buried her hands in her muff. Had he not pressed one of those hands at parting with her? Now and then she would look backwards, as if expecting to see him aga

luminous with happiness; and Luigi Caracciolo imagined himself the cause of it, and drove more sl

all we continue our walk or go hom

nce; he had promised that he would call to-morrow. She had seen him again, and had sm

me again every day, at his accustomed hour; she could please herself with the fancy that that hour was sacred to him, as it was to her. Nothing else mattered. It was true that she had met him by the merest chance; it was true, that had chance ordered otherwise, a fortnight might have passed without her seeing him. It was true, that

well," said Stella Martini,

row," said A

mensely during h

di

im, aren't you?" Stell

Anna, after a li

of the things he says,"

" murmured Anna,

air of radiant joy. Anna moved about the

id, "You know,

ed Laura, wit

very

thing extr

ming to-

oo

ura who received him. Anna, at the sound of

are natural. You know no weakness. You, I am sure, haven't been counting the days o

yes to every remark he made, little by little he began to reintroduce the subject. Little by little Caracciolo regained his position, became a new, an important member of their group. He returned to the attack, encouraged by the smile he had received that day in the Mergellina. His manner was more devoted than ever. He treated the girl as a loved object before whom he could pass his life kneeling. She could not control a movement of dislike at first seeing him, because it was he who had occasioned her quarrel with Cesare Dias; but Luigi did not notice it; and she soon got herself in hand, determined to treat him as kindly as she possibly could. It was a sacrifice she was making to please Cesare Dias. She closed her eyes to shut out the vision of the peril t

e was watching his chance to speak the decisive word. Anna, dreading that word, had got into an overwrought nervous condition, whe

e matter?"

wered, passing her

radiantly, and he felt that h

l. Luigi Caracciolo became more and more pressing; he loved the girl, and he told her so in every look he gave her. And time was flying. Everybo

r he had written to her, and which he insisted upon her

to speak

I want to s

you call

n the m

his conversat

e prayed for stre

frightened to speak, she simply handed him Caracciolo'

think of it

s if he did not wish

ke you as a s

it's s

aid. "That is why I want to ask y

he assente

seated side by side, with

rike you as bo

? For having wri

es

ing letters. They don't always send

is th

therefore he

" she inquire

cour

you s

tain

told y

s told

t did yo

He merely announced a fact. It's f

?" she e

er calls fo

answer t

y n

ve nothing to

you lov

N

ittle? Don't

ve him, I don't

ery gravely, as if he saw before

yourself th

that you listen to his compliments, apparently with pleasure. That

e you-because he is a fr

," he crie

h an antique coin attached to her wat

tly, "so you won't ma

Nev

h. He has a noble name, a hand

him, and I won

ary in marriage,"

s necessary," she cried, pained in th

nd a marriage for convenience are equally likely to turn out

, obstinate in her faith, but res

uigi Caracciolo, you oug

l avoi

will s

ay in th

write t

dy said I won

im. The prize at stake is im

m that the marria

't be the bearer of any

aren't you m

sh Francesco Acquaviva had not chosen me. F

e pleaded, with t

es you, and that you, without a single earthly reason, refuse him. I know that he is anxious to marry you, in spite of the fact that you don't care for him, in spite of

can I

other will be likely to

nd," she said, turning pale,

e you forgott

" she deman

my dear. A day passed at Pompei

sobbed, burying her

acciolo knows nothing about it, or nothing definite. But a man who did know about it, wouldn't marry you, my dear. It's hard; it's cruel; b

said, in a dull voice, "but haven

t that secret! I have guarded it as if I were your father. And now you let a chance like this slip away! Not real

lt," she said, returning always to the s

ly person wh

for me that

sk your honour, and you are saved by a miracle. Afterwards, you are ill, you get well, you forget the young beggar; and then when a f

sk me that,"

ancy. Marry

can

sufficient reason to say

her reason, th

find

s in a threatening tone, unusual

ing sarcastically, "You are in lo

. She wrung her han

You've fallen in love

do you mean?"

n. You little girls believe that passion is everlasting. You believe in faithfulness that lasts,

ike that," she cried,

studying her with cold c

me," she besought him; "Say anything t

ted Dias. "We will spe

't. I never can. You smile at my word never. You are right, the human heart is such a fickle thing. Forgive me. But you will see that I am not wrong. You will nev

y Cesare Dias and Anna Acquaviva remained in it. He listened with growing curiosity. If in one se

cry," h

d away my life so foolishly. But I didn't know. I swear to y

exagg

esn't throw herself into the arms of a man. You are right-you only-you are always right-you who are so wise. But if you knew-if you knew what it is like

y more," he s

d only wash out th

Anna," he s

ooner it is finished the better. To-day I have no strength. I irritate you. Women who make scenes are always tiresome. But you ought to know, you ought. I w

he said

u forgi

o forgive. Write.

t away. Laura and Stel

?" asked Stella, not noticing A

ll never b

asked: "Are you in l

Anna, simply.<