Farewell Love!

ists, round and pale with the warm pallor of ivory, were left uncovered. Her hair was drawn up in a rich mass on the top

the door

his, and saw that it was already eleven. The April sunshine poured merrily into the room, brightening the light colours of the upholsteries, touching with fire her bronze jewel-

or three rooms) Laura had sent to ask at what hour they were to start for the Campo di Marte. Anna h

or not to move in the direction that her feet seemed inclined to take of t

opened

had a second door, letting into a small hall, whence he could leave the

, not to listen, but as if she lacked courage to knock. At

a minute o

econd time, already penitent for having

e from within inq

bending down, as if to send

moment,

heaped about her feet, she waited. He never allowed her to come in at once, when she kn

y dressed for the Campo di Marte, in the ap

h that fine gallantry which he always s

her flower-like arms issuing from her wide monk's sleeves, and her tiny feet in their black slippers, that he took her hand,

e solid and simple yet elegant furniture of the big room which he occupied, was impregnated

carved ivory or a bright-coloured neck-tie, and everywhere the smell of cigarette-smoke. His bed was long and narrow, with a head-piece of carved wood; its coverlet of old brocade fell to the floor in folds, and mixed itself with the antique Smyrna carpets that Cesare Dias had brought home from a journey in the East. Attached to

fresh, fragrant flowers in a vase of Satsuma, whose yellow surface was crossed by threads of gold, and placed them on the dark old desk, which thereby gained a quality of youth and poetry. He treated the flowers with characteristic indifference. Now and then he would wear one of them in his button-hole; oftener he seemed unconscious of their

es?" she asked, remembering the busin

p from a memorandum-book in which he was s

ing with us,

Noah's ark. Perhaps I'd better go

When we are there you

, making another ent

he continued his calculations, and paid h

ou going

" she answ

ly she w

reliquary, which enclosed, however, instead of the relics of a saint, the only love letters that he had ever written to her, two little notes that had given her unspeakable pain when she had received them. And as she moved about her room at her toilet, she cast repeated glances at his portrait, whic

ings, she looked at herself in the glass, and hesitated. She was afraid she wouldn

e wool, exquisitely delicate and graceful. Her hat was covered with white feathers, that wav

cried Anna. "And who gav

sar

me one." And she

ly happy to possess a flower that he had bro

taking up her purse, across which An

m. He sent these f

kind

peated her sist

somewhat annoyed at having to go to the races with his family-he who had hitherto always gone as a bache

ceiving Laura. "How smart we are! A proper spring

of doors the air was full of light and gaiety; the streets were crowded with carriages and with pedestrians; on every balcony there were ladies in light colours, with red parasols; and a million scintillating atoms danced in every ray of sunshine. Anna told h

s they drove into the Toledo, where a crowd ha

e covered. We'll find a

ned to put an end to this family scene as soon as he could. "I must leave

a sm

ties. I recommend you to keep an especial eye

mean?" Anna a

ing,

began, without fin

less people whom they knew, some in carriages, some on foot. Cesare was inwardly mortified by the conjug

and a broad straw hat trimmed with cream-coloured feathers. She carried a bunch of lilac in her hands, lilac that lives but a single day in our ardent climate, and is rich with intoxicating fragrance. All the men

, for she understood what his silence meant. At

sked, looking at her wit

turning her head away

cording to the compact they had made on that moonlit night at Sorrento; she realised now that what had then seemed to her a way of being saved was only a way of dying more slowly; but he had kept his w

he regretted the sacrifice he had

. As they approached the Reclusorio, Luigi Caracciolo drove by them with his t

Dias, with the sincere admiration

was accustomed to speak her gir

eh?" inquired Ces

with her habitual freedom a

to take Anna's fancy," Cesare

e youths," said

n't hate everything that other people like. We've got a creature of pa

nted the cr

of the day was extinguished for her; the warm A

would have liked to gather them all up and preserve them. The most she could do, however, was to take

sa d'Alemagna again. She smiled graciously upon Anna and

ed Cesare, as he conducted his wife and siste

said

wrong,"

But she's anti

r," said A

gave them each an opera-glass. T

be all r

fect

I can do

thi

e third race. I'm goin

liberated man. Anna watched him as he cro

ood deal of attention; Dias was popular, and his popularity reflected itself upon her. Besides, people f

me up to where the

erted you?" he

. He'll soon come

sted Laura, with one of those perverse smiles whic

back so soon," said

seen the races b

ever seen the

sight," said he, pulli

g to see the peo

s interest to a scene," said he, wit

her opera-glass. "There's

d in front of them, occasionally turned and took part in the conversation. As he passed his wife an

d this incident, said to her: "That's a charm

" she asked, wit

our women are wrong to go to a horse-race dre

with it, reading the inscriptio

ndre.'[A] Is that you

es

never ha

ev

's a fact that everything comes at

g, not everything,"

was over, and the favourite had won, a Naples-bred horse. People

said Laura. "He was alwa

ays wins,"

are[B] for nothing,"

ctories were won after he had turned

malicious pleasantry. She w

er husband

oying it, An

am enjoy

you,

ly," she ans

e to see the w

taking her shawl

is wife, who was gazing imploringly

d not appe

imperiously. "Thank goodness, we're n

husband was right. She had broken their agreement; she had promised never to entreat him, never to reproach him. It was weak and wicked of her, she told herself, to have consented to such

said Luigi Caraccio

lo

troubling yo

a person who is b

ias. That will be diverting. I have always

, to forbid his re

consent? You'

to her eyes, and looke

dly as this, you'd better send me

ted by the thought that if her husband should come back, h

he cried. "Ah, you women! When you don'

m; or, hearing, she

to my level would be impossible for you and unworthy o

r than a superior being. I'm a human earthl

y do you

ove is ver

t lo

n aloes, bitterer than gall,

use, and the crowd began to move. T

and. He appeared present

most melancholy solitude,"

r company, you're such a true

gave his

n't to render you a

r fidelity,

re my

pleased, as if he had enjoyed the events of the afternoon without stopping to analyse their frivolity and emptiness. He had amused himself in his usual way, forgettin

ompensated her for her hours of abandonment. They had some difficulty finding their carriage, but Cesare was not imp

standing beside it, disposed of their shawls and their opera-glasses with the carefulne

he carriage-door, and sa

with us?" Anna as

ur-in-hand. I shall get to Naples sooner than you

ing," said Caracciolo, shaki

a late dinner

to dine at the Contessa d'Alemagna's,

ell," s

ved away, puffing their cigarettes. The

s the spectacle of the return from the Campo di Marte, which made them thoughtful; the many carriages, full of people who bore on their faces the signs of happiness due to a fine day of sunshine, pa

g-people, who made a holiday pleasure of watching the stream of carri

d and took her shawl and wra

?" asked Laur

es

n her shawl; she

m passed them. Anna did

an Ferdinando, Anna asked: "Would

t us go

he house, "We must go i

dine. I have a hea

d veil, her sunshade, her purse, her pocket-handkerchief; she fel

esare's portrait seemed to smile upon

at impulse of passion rose in her heart; she took the portrait and kissed it, and bathed it in her tears, murmuri

came to her door and asked whether she

her. She recognised Laura. And she saw that Laur

What are you cryi

Laura, vaguely

together.