original short stories-6-第23部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Without　seeming　in　at　all　a　better　temper　than　the　previous　night；　she
murmured；　〃Good…morning！〃

When　I　asked　her　whether　she　had　slept　well；　she　nodded　her　head；　and
jumping　out　of　bed；　I　went　and　kissed　her。

She　turned　her　face　toward　me　like　a　child　who　is　being　kissed　against
its　will；　but　I　took　her　tenderly　in　my　arms；　and　gently　pressed　my　lips
on　her　eyelids；　which　she　closed　with　evident　distaste　under　my　kisses　on
her　fresh　cheek　and　full　lips；　which　she　turned　away。

〃You　don't　seem　to　like　being　kissed；〃　I　said　to　her。

〃Mica！〃　was　her　only　answer。

I　sat　down　on　the　trunk　by　her　side；　and　passing　my　arm　through　hers；　I
said：　〃Mica！　　mica！　　mica！　　in　reply　to　everything。　　I　shall　call　you
Mademoiselle　Mica；　I　think。〃

For　the　first　time　I　fancied　that　I　saw　the　shadow　of　a　smile　on　her
lips；　but　it　passed　by　so　quickly　that　I　may　have　been　mistaken。

〃But　if　you　never　say　anything　but　Mica；　I　shall　not　know　what　to　do　to
please　you。　　Let　me　see；　what　shall　we　do　to…day？〃

She　hesitated　a　moment；　as　if　some　fancy　had　flitted　through　her　head；
and　then　she　said　carelessly：　〃It　is　all　the　same　to　me；　whatever　you
like。〃

〃Very　well；　Mademoiselle　Mica；　we　will　have　a　carriage　and　go　for　a
drive。〃

〃As　you　please；〃　she　said。

Paul　was　waiting　for　us　in　the　dining…room；　looking　as　bored　as　third
parties　usually　do　in　love　affairs。　　I　assumed　a　delighted　air；　and　shook
hands　with　him　with　triumphant　energy。

〃What　are　you　thinking　of　doing？〃　he　asked。

〃First　of　all；　we　will　go　and　see　a　little　of　the　town；　and　then　we　might
get　a　carriage　and　take　a　drive　in　the　neighborhood。〃

We　breakfasted　almost　in　silence；　and　then　set　out。　　I　dragged　Francesca
from　palace　to　palace；　and　she　either　looked　at　nothing　or　merely　glanced
carelessly　at　the　various　masterpieces。　　Paul　followed　us；　growling　all
sorts　of　disagreeable　things。　　Then　we　all　three　took　a　drive　in　silence
into　the　country　and　returned　to　dinner。

The　next　day　it　was　the　same　thing　and　the　next　day　again；　and　on　the
third　Paul　said　to　me：　〃Look　here；　I　am　going　to　leave　you；　I　am　not
going　to　stop　here　for　three　weeks　watching　you　make　love　to　this
creature。〃

I　was　perplexed　and　annoyed；　for　to　my　great　surprise　I　had　become
singularly　attached　to　Francesca。　　A　man　is　but　weak　and　foolish；　carried
away　by　the　merest　trifle；　and　a　coward　every　time　that　his　senses　are
excited　or　mastered。　　I　clung　to　this　unknown　girl；　silent　and
dissatisfied　as　she　always　was。　　I　liked　her　somewhat　ill…tempered　face；
the　dissatisfied　droop　of　her　mouth；　the　weariness　of　her　look；　I　liked
her　fatigued　movements；　the　contemptuous　way　in　which　she　let　me　kiss
her；　the　very　indifference　of　her　caresses。　　A　secret　bond；　that
mysterious　bond　of　physical　love；　which　does　not　satisfy；　bound　me　to
her。　　I　told　Paul　so；　quite　frankly。　　He　treated　me　as　if　I　were　a　fool；
and　then　said：

〃Very　well；　take　her　with　you。〃

But　she　obstinately　refused　to　leave　Genoa；　without　giving　any　reason。
I　besought；　I　reasoned；　I　promised；　but　all　was　of　no　avail；　and　so　I
stayed　on。

Paul　declared　that　he　would　go　by　himself；　and　went　so　far　as　to　pack　up
his　portmanteau；　but　he　remained　all　the　same。

Thus　a　fortnight　passed。　　Francesca　was　always　silent　and　irritable；
lived　beside　me　rather　than　with　me；　responded　to　all　my　requirements　and
all　my　propositions　with　her　perpetual　Che　mi　fa；　or　with　her　no　less
perpetual　Mica。

My　friend　became　more　and　more　furious；　but　my　only　answer　was；　〃You　can
go　if　you　are　tired　of　staying。　　I　am　not　detaining　you。〃

Then　he　called　me　names；　overwhelmed　me　with　reproaches；　and　exclaimed：
〃Where　do　you　think　I　can　go　now？　　We　had　three　weeks　at　our　disposal；
and　here　is　a　fortnight　gone！　　I　cannot　continue　my　journey　now；　and；　in
any　case；　I　am　not　going　to　Venice；　Florence　and　Rome　all　by　myself。　　But
you　will　pay　for　it；　and　more　dearly　than　you　think；　most　likely。　　You
are　not　going　to　bring　a　man　all　the　way　from　Paris　in　order　to　shut　him
up　at　a　hotel　in　Genoa　with　an　Italian　adventuress。〃

When　I　told　him；　very　calmly；　to　return　to　Paris；　he　exclaimed　that　he
intended　to　do　so　the　very　next　day；　but　the　next　day　he　was　still　there；
still　in　a　rage　and　swearing。

By　this　time　we　began　to　be　known　in　the　streets　through　which　we
wandered　from　morning　till　night。　　Sometimes　French　people　would　turn
round　astonished　at　meeting　their　fellow…countrymen　in　the　company　of
this　girl　with　her　striking　costume；　who　looked　singularly　out　of　place；
not　to　say　compromising；　beside　us。

She　used　to　walk　along；　leaning　on　my　arm；　without　looking　at　anything。
Why　did　she　remain　with　me；　with　us；　who　seemed　to　do　so　little　to　amuse
her？　　Who　was　she？　　Where　did　she　come　from？　　What　was　she　doing？　　Had
she　any　plan　or　idea？　　Where　did　she　live？　　As　an　adventuress；　or　by
chance　meetings？　　I　tried　in　vain　to　find　out　and　to　explain　it。　　The
better　I　knew　her　the　more　enigmatical　she　became。　　She　seemed　to　be　a
girl　of　poor　family　who　had　been　taken　away；　and　then　cast　aside　and
lost。　　What　did　she　think　would　become　of　her；　or　whom　was　she　waiting
for？　　She　certainly　did　not　appear　to　be　trying　to　make　a　conquest　of　me；
or　to　make　any　real　profit　out　of　me。

I　tried　to　question　her；　to　speak　to　her　of　her　childhood　and　family；　but
she　never　gave　me　an　answer。　　I　stayed　with　her；　my　heart　unfettered　and
my　senses　enchained；　never　wearied　of　holding　her　in　my　arms；　that　proud
and　quarrelsome　woman；　captivated　by　my　senses；　or　rather　carried　away；
overcome　by　a　youthful；　healthy；　powerful　charm；　which　emanated　from　her
fragrant　person　and　from　the　well…molded　lines　of　her　body。

Another　week　passed；　and　the　term　of　my　journey　was　drawing　on；　for　I　had
to　be　back　in　Paris　by　the　eleventh　of　July。　　By　this　time　Paul　had　come
to　take　his　part　in　the　adventure；　though　still　grumbling　at　me；　while　I
invented　pleasures；　distractions　and　excursions　to　amuse　Francesca　and　my
friend；　and　in　order　to　do　this　I　gave　myself　a　great　amount　of　trouble。

One　day　I　proposed　an　excursion　to　Sta　Margarita；　that　charming　little
town　in　the　midst　of　gardens；　hidden　at　the　foot　of　a　slope　which
stretches　far　into　the　sea　up　to　the　village　of　Portofino。　　We　three
walked　along　the　excellent　road　which　goes　along　the　foot　of　the
mountain。　　Suddenly　Francesca　said　to　me：　〃I　shall　not　be　able　to　go　with
you　to…morrow；　I　must　go　and　see　some　of　my　relatives。〃

That　was　all；　I　did　not　ask　her　any　questions；　as　I　was　quite　sure　she
would　not　answer　me。

The　next　morning　she　got　up　very　early。　　When　she　spoke　to　me　it　was　in　a
constrained　and　hesitating　voice：

〃If　I　do　not　come　back　again；　shall　you　come　and　fetch　me？〃

〃Most　certainly　I　shall；〃　was　my　reply。　　〃Where　shall　I　go　to　find　you？〃

Then　she　explained：　〃You　must　go　into　the　Street　Victor…Emmanuel；　down
the　Falcone　road　and　the　side　street　San…Rafael　and　into　the　furniture
shop　in　the　building　at　the　right　at　the　end　of　a　court；　and　there　you
must　ask　for　Madame　Rondoli。　　That　is　the　place。〃

And　so　she　went　away；　leaving　me　rather　astonished。

When　Paul　saw　that　I　was　alone；　he　stammered　out：　〃Where；　is　Francesca？〃
And　when　I　told　him　what　had　happened；　he　exclaimed：

〃My　dear　fellow；　let　us　make　use　of　our　opportunity；　and　bolt；　as　it　is；
our　time　is　up。　　Two　days；　more　or　less；　make　no　difference。　　Let　us　go
at　once；　go　and　pack　up　your　things。　　Off　we　go！〃

But　I　refused。　　I　could　not；　as　I　told　him；　leave　the　girl　in　that　manner
after　such　companionship　for　nearly　three　weeks。　　At　any　rate；　I　ought　to
say　good…by　to　her；　and　make　her　accept　a　present；　I　certainly　had　no
intention　of　behaving　badly　to　her。

But　he　would　not　listen；　he　pressed　and　worried　me；　but　I　would　not　give
way。

I　remained　indoors　for　several　hours；　expecting　Francesca's　return；　but
she　did　not　come；　and　at　last；　at　dinner；　Paul　said　with　a　triumphant
air：

〃She　has　flown；　my　dear　fellow；　it　is　certainly　very　strange。〃

I　must　acknowledge　that　I　was　surprised　and　rather　vexed。　　He　laughed　in
my　face；　and　made　fun　of　me。

〃It　is　not　exactly　a　bad　way　of　getting　rid　of　you；　though　rather
primitive。　　'Just　wait　for　me；　I　shall　be　back　in　a　moment；'　they　often
say。　　How　long　are　you　going　to　wait？　　I　should　not　wonder　if　you　were
foolish　enough　to　go　and　look　for　her　at　the　address　she　gave　you。　　'Does
Madame　Rondoli　live　here；　please？'　'No；　monsieur。'　I'll　bet　that　you　are
longing　to　go　there。〃

〃Not　in　the　least；〃　I　protested；　〃and　I　assure　you　that　if　she　does　not
come　back　to…morrow　morning　I　shall　leave　by　the　express　at　eight
o'clock。　　I　shall　have　waited　twenty…four　hours；　and　that　is　enough；　my
conscience　will　be　quite　clear。〃

I　spent　an　uneasy　and　unpleasant　evening；　for　I　really　had　at　heart　a
very　tender　feeling　for　her。　　I　went　to　bed　at　twelve　o'clock；　and　hardly
slept　at　all。　　I　got　up　at　six；　called　Paul；　packed　up　my　things；　and　two
hours　later　we　set　out　for　France　together。


III

The　next　year；　at　just　about　the　same　period；　I　was　seized　as　one　is　with
a　periodical　fever；　with　a　new　desire　to　go　to　Italy；　and　I　immediately
made　up　my　mind　to　carry　it　into　effect。　　There　is　no　doubt　that　every
really　well…educated　man　ought　to　see　Florence；　Venice　and　Rome。　　This
travel　has；　also；　the　additional　advantage　of　providing　many　subjects　of
conversation　in　society；　and　of　giving　one　an　opportunity　for　bringing
forward　artistic　generalities　which　appear　profound。

This　time　I　went　alone；　and　I　arrived　at　Genoa　at　the　same　time　as　the
year　before；　but　without　any　adventure　on　the　road。　　I　went　to　the　same
hotel；　and　actually　happened　to　have　the　same　room。

I　was　hardly　in　bed　when　the　recollection　of　Francesca　which；　since　the
evening　before；　had　been　floating　vaguely　through　my　mind；　haunted　me
with　strange　persistency。　　I　thought　of　her　nearly　the　whole　night；　and
by　degrees　the　wish　to　see　her　again　seized　me；　a　confused　desire　at
first；　which　gradually　grew　stronger　and　more　intense。　　At　last　I　made　up
my　mind　to　spend　the　next　day　in　Genoa　to　try　to　find　her；　and　if　I
should　not　succeed；　to　take　the　evening　train。

Early　in　the　morning　I　set　out　on　my　search。　　I　re