Don Orsino

sitting at Gouache's studio and the first of January he had only once made an attempt to find her at home, and that attempt had failed. He h

he admired and meant to assume was altogether too cold and superior to such weaknesses. To do him justice, he was really not of the sort to fall in love at first sight. Persons capable of a self-imposed dualism rarely are, for the second nature they build up on the foundation of their own is never wholly artificial. The disposition to certain modes of thought and habits of bearing is really present, as is sufficiently proved by their admiration of both. Very shy persons, for instance, invariably admire very self-possessed ones, and in trying to imitate them occasiona

g dissatisfied, he tried to make one mood prevail constantly over the other. In a mean nature the double view often makes an untruthful individual; in one possessing honourable ins

econceived opinion of him, and who could take him at his own estimate. He was curious, too, to find out something more definite in regard to her. She was mysterious, and the mystery pleased him. She had admitted that her deceased husband had spoken of being connected with the Saracinesca, but he could not discover where the relationship lay. Spicca's very odd remark, too, seemed to point to her

ned a few flowers, common roses, but fresh and fragrant. Two or three new books in yellow paper covers lay scattered upon the hideous velvet table cloth, and beside one of them Orsino noticed a magnificent paper cutter of chiselled silver, bearing a large monogram done in brilliants and rubies. The thing contrasted oddly

an hour after reaching a hotel. Yet Madame d'Aranjuez must have been at least a month in Rome. The room smelt neither of perfume nor of cigarettes, but of the roses, which was better, and a little of the lamp, which was much worse. The lady's only possessions seemed to be three books, a tra

vy, vivid curtains. But it was not Madame d'Aranjuez. A small dark woman of m

n Italian, in a very low voice, as though she

d spoken. The few words she had spoken had revealed to Orsino the fact that she was an Italian from the north,

er clear white skin looked very pale and her auburn hair almost red. She wore one of those nondescript garments which we have elected to call tea-gowns, and Orsino, who had learned to criticise dress as he h

ut said nothing. She did not even smile, and Orsino began to

o let me come," he said, w

urse, produced no change whatever in the direction of the light, pushed one of the books half across the table and at last sat down in the easy chair. Orsino sat down near her, hol

u to come," she said at last, w

lways so easy," answere

o be good?" asked Mari

. But it is n

not believe

d and made articles of belie

lmly. "Saintship is a career, even in society, whatever yo

majority is evidently in favour of sin, and if we are to believe i

individual who is always for facing odds, and if no one d

gs for a revolution they are all knocked down and new ones are set up in their places-also executed by the best a

ncouraging view of the wor

cept it. But we may criticise it. There i

Are you going to talk t

read him

elf-'" began Maria Consuelo,

" said Orsino, with a

or

. He could not have told why he was pleased, no

very slight pause, "why did you thank

speak to Goua

-I forget what. D

d not go. Do you dislike being thanked for y

redit I can for what I have not done, like other people. When I saw that you

e her so?" aske

r. She does not e

l me the truth. Everybody hates her-I saw that by the way they bowed to her wh

o lau

which existence is more li

o not like that. Tell me

in with, she is a

ious

me a right to handle the whole

Are you goin

cal. I do not like you to c

n liked it," observed

ke to hear disag

on. You have forgotten w

third or fourth cousin, was married

him. How i

r worse? Who can say? Considering his past life, worse, I suppose; but consid

e her. Then she ma

onditions. Del Ferice was an impossible person. My father nearly killed him in a duel once-also before I was b

Del Ferice is white, and you are black. Of course y

ake that f

do with either! Besides, if I had any sympathy with either side it would be for the whites. But the whole thin

lerate even intolerance,"

atto poco cupo poco pepe pisto cape,'" laughed Maria Consuelo. "Tole

r glib enunciation of the difficult sentence she h

ave an Italian maid, who speaks Fre

s a Piedmontese and yo

surd that you should hate these people as you do-y

the opposite point of view. Lunatics find

e the sane people," ob

cour

not exist? You would not be rude e

will of course cho

e discontented

onten

s horse hates it? Do you not really hate the very faces of all those people who effectually prevent you from using your own intelligence, your own strength-your own heart? One sees it in your face. You are too young to be tired of life. No, I am not going to call you a boy, though I am older than you, Don Orsino. You will find people enough in your own

as certainly not the sort of conversation he

u are a Saracinesca and I am-a stranger, here to-day and gone to-morrow, whom yo

as soon as she had finished speaking, a habit which lent the

he mythological personage whose name I have forgotte

ys that I have been compared to a sphynx by yo

al. I was too much interested. Your

if you do not guess the answer-or if you do not tak

It sounded more

re of getting no answer. Besides,

h the matter? Why imagin

han to ask, 'Why do you not do so and so?' Advice is always disagreeable and th

cynical?" a

his counsel, act upon it-it will of course turn out badly-then say, "I feared this would happen,

for w

me," answered Maria C

which will prevent me from making a car

e had already guessed that it must be, and one which would always interest him. S

l Ferice to-morrow," she obs

nk that is

have not your reason

me, did I not? You remember-when I

a Consuelo coolly, and watching t

as, he was a match for

without a trace of annoyance.

r delighted her, and did more to interest her in Orsino than fifty clever s

e frank,"

something very tortuous was coming. His disbelief in phrases o

o not wish me to know the Del Ferice and their set

dent

I not do a

ap him into a foolish answer,

if you did not," answered

, ag

solutely free to ma

s not meet with your

? I and my friends will

to conceal; and this idea led him to congratulate himself upon not having been obliged to act immediately upon his first proposal by bringing about an acquaintance between Madame d'Aranjuez and his mother. This uncertainty lent a spice of interest to the acquaintance. He knew enough of the world already to be sure that Maria Consuelo was born and bred in that state of life to which it has pleased Providence to call the social elect. But the peculiar people sometimes do strange things and afterwards establish themselves in foreign cities where their doings are not likely to be known for

if I make a bad choice. But I cannot draw back. I took her to her house

o imply that the circumst

uld not do less than insist upon making the first visit, a

s her day. You will m

still have days in Rome?" Mari

st people prefer to be at ho

le are Madame Del

lent p

you so

about to be one

catechism! You are too clever-I shal

Orsino with a frankness th

w t

y, and he fixed his young black eyes on her wit

would make a good ac

be allowed to be sinc

Your sincerity might or might not take the sa

d entirely upon y

elo opened her eyes i

l I say? A certain assuran

ily, and Orsino

e said. "The curtain goes up to-

ith me,

iage? I shall

t. Come with me to the enemy's

shook h

e-if possible at y

to call upon Mad

n of deat

n you s

might be a chance for me. There is no doubt at all as t

with you?" asked Maria Con

" answered Orsino, quite unmoved. "I grant tha

young man's armour. She was a little annoyed, both at her own lack of judgment and because it would

hich would induce you t

hing," Orsino a

he future of all pos

re. It is only the unforese

ink s

d Orsino, laughing as he rose. "By this time the conviction must have forme

for he amused her and interested her, and she did not look forward

at this hour," she sai

allow me? Thanks. G

he had not wasted his hour, and he was pleasantly conscious of tha inward and spiritual satisfaction which every very young man feels w

is well shaped and the rest is perfect-no, the nose is insignificant, and one of those yellow eyes wanders a little. These are not perfections.

ad been enjoyed during the winter vacations of the last two years. He was not the greatest match in the Roman matrimonial market for nothing, and he was perfectly well aware of his advantages in this respect. He possessed that keen, business-like appreciation of his value as a marriageable man which seems to characterise the young generation of to-day, and he was not m

d the fact rather reluctantly-she was a widow, and she seemed to have no particular social position. These were excellent reasons against

ere probably spending an hour at the tables before dinner, a fact which would hardly have escaped his memory if he had not been more than usually occupied with pleasant thoughts. He did not need the excitement of baccarat nor the stimulus of brandy and soda, for his brain was a

in the direction of his home. "And yet she told me that I would make a go

he was alternately ta

, Orsino?" asked his father

anjuez, and then went for a walk," ans

e like?" as

There was an odd, nervous

lifting his head and looked hard at his grand

that was still deep and ringing followed the words. Ors

ful during the rem