massimilla doni-第7部分

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this　life　of　idle　wit；　this　/dolce　far　niente/　on　a　background　of
music。　Only　long　custom　and　keen　observation　can　ever　reveal　to　a
foreigner　the　meaning　of　Italian　life；　which　is　like　the　free　sky　of
the　south；　and　where　a　rich　man　will　not　endure　a　cloud。　A　man　of　rank
cares　little　about　the　management　of　his　fortune；　he　leaves　the
details　to　his　stewards　（ragionati）；　who　rob　and　ruin　him。　He　has　no
instinct　for　politics；　and　they　would　presently　bore　him；　he　lives
exclusively　for　passion；　which　fills　up　all　his　time；　hence　the
necessity　felt　by　the　lady　and　her　lover　for　being　constantly
together；　for　the　great　feature　of　such　a　life　is　the　lover；　who　for
five　hours　is　kept　under　the　eye　of　a　woman　who　has　had　him　at　her
feet　all　day。　Thus　Italian　habits　allow　of　perpetual　satisfaction；　and
necessitate　a　constant　study　of　the　means　fitted　to　insure　it；　though
hidden　under　apparent　light…heartedness。

It　is　a　beautiful　life；　but　a　reckless　one；　and　in　no　country　in　the
world　are　men　so　often　found　worn　out。

The　Duchess'　box　was　on　the　pit　tier/pepiano/；　as　it　is　called　in
Venice；　she　always　sat　where　the　light　from　the　stage　fell　on　her
face；　so　that　her　handsome　head；　softly　illuminated；　stood　out　against
the　dark　background。　The　Florentine　attracted　every　gaze　by　her　broad；
high　brow；　as　white　as　snow；　crowned　with　plaits　of　black　hair　that
gave　her　a　really　royal　look；　by　the　refinement　of　her　features；
resembling　the　noble　features　of　Andrea　del　Sarto's　heads；　by　the
outline　of　her　face；　the　setting　of　her　eyes；　and　by　those　velvet　eyes
themselves；　which　spoke　of　the　rapture　of　a　woman　dreaming　of
happiness；　still　pure　though　loving；　at　once　attractive　and　dignified。

Instead　of　/Mose/；　in　which　la　Tinti　was　to　have　appeared　with
Genovese；　/Il　Barbiere/　was　given；　and　the　tenor　was　to　sing　without
the　celebrated　prima　donna。　The　manager　announced　that　he　had　been
obliged　to　change　the　opera　in　consequence　of　la　Tinti's　being　ill；
and　the　Duke　was　not　to　be　seen　in　the　theatre。

Was　this　a　clever　trick　on　the　part　of　the　management；　to　secure　two
full　houses　by　bringing　out　Genovese　and　Tinti　separately；　or　was
Clarina's　indisposition　genuine？　While　this　was　open　to　discussion　by
others；　Emilio　might　be　better　informed；　and　though　the　announcement
caused　him　some　remorse；　as　he　remembered　the　singer's　beauty　and
vehemence；　her　absence　and　the　Duke's　put　both　the　Prince　and　the
Duchess　very　much　at　their　ease。

And　Genovese　sang　in　such　a　way　as　to　drive　out　all　memories　of　a
night　of　illicit　love；　and　to　prolong　the　heavenly　joys　of　this
blissful　day。　Happy　to　be　alone　to　receive　the　applause　of　the　house；
the　tenor　did　his　best　with　the　powers　which　have　since　achieved
European　fame。　Genovese；　then　but　three…and…twenty；　born　at　Bergamo；　a
pupil　of　Veluti's　and　devoted　to　his　art；　a　fine　man；　good…looking；
clever　in　apprehending　the　spirit　of　a　part；　was　already　developing
into　the　great　artist　destined　to　win　fame　and　fortune。　He　had　a　wild
success；a　phrase　which　is　literally　exact　only　in　Italy；　where　the
applause　of　the　house　is　absolutely　frenzied　when　a　singer　procures　it
enjoyment。

Some　of　the　Prince's　friends　came　to　congratulate　him　on　coming　into
his　title；　and　to　discuss　the　news。　Only　last　evening　la　Tinti；　taken
by　the　Duke　to　the　Vulpatos'；　had　sung　there；　apparently　in　health　as
sound　as　her　voice　was　fine；　hence　her　sudden　disposition　gave　rise　to
much　comment。　It　was　rumored　at　the　Cafe　Florian　that　Genovese　was
desperately　in　love　with　Clarina；　that　she　was　only　anxious　to　avoid
his　declarations；　and　that　the　manager　had　tried　in　vain　to　induce　her
to　appear　with　him。　The　Austrian　General；　on　the　other　hand；　asserted
that　it　was　the　Duke　who　was　ill；　that　the　prima　donna　was　nursing
him；　and　that　Genovese　had　been　commanded　to　make　amends　to　the
public。

The　Duchess　owed　this　visit　from　the　Austrian　General　to　the　fact　that
a　French　physician　had　come　to　Venice　whom　the　General　wished　to
introduce　to　her。　The　Prince；　seeing　Vendramin　wandering　about　the
/parterre/；　went　out　for　a　few　minutes　of　confidential　talk　with　his
friend；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　three　months；　and　as　they　walked
round　the　gangway　which　divides　the　seats　in　the　pit　from　the　lowest
tier　of　boxes；　he　had　an　opportunity　of　observing　Massimilla's
reception　of　the　foreigner。

〃Who　is　that　Frenchman？〃　asked　the　Prince。

〃A　physician　sent　for　by　Cataneo；　who　wants　to　know　how　long　he　is
likely　to　live；〃　said　Vendramin。　〃The　Frenchman　is　waiting　for
Malfatti；　with　whom　he　is　to　hold　a　consultation。〃

Like　every　Italian　woman　who　is　in　love；　the　Duchess　kept　her　eyes
fixed　on　Emilio；　for　in　that　land　a　woman　is　so　wholly　wrapped　up　in
her　lover　that　it　is　difficult　to　detect　an　expressive　glance　directed
at　anybody　else。

〃Caro；〃　said　the　Prince　to　his　friend；　〃remember　I　slept　at　your　house
last　night。〃

〃Have　you　triumphed？〃　said　Vendramin；　putting　his　arm　round　Emilio's
waist。

〃No；　but　I　hope　I　may　some　day　be　happy　with　Massimilla。〃

〃Well；〃　replied　Marco；　〃then　you　will　be　the　most　envied　man　on　earth。
The　Duchess　is　the　most　perfect　woman　in　Italy。　To　me；　seeing　things
as　I　do　through　the　dazzling　medium　of　opium；　she　seems　the　very
highest　expression　of　art；　for　nature；　without　knowing　it；　has　made
her　a　Raphael　picture。　Your　passion　gives　no　umbrage　to　Cataneo；　who
has　handed　over　to　me　a　thousand　crowns；　which　I　am　to　give　to　you。〃

〃Well；〃　added　Emilio；　〃whatever　you　may　hear　said；　I　sleep　every　night
at　your　house。　Come；　for　every　minute　spent　away　from　her；　when　I
might　be　with　her；　is　torment。〃

Emilio　took　his　seat　at　the　back　of　the　box　and　remained　there　in
silence；　listening　to　the　Duchess；　enchanted　by　her　wit　and　beauty。　It
was　for　him；　and　not　out　of　vanity；　that　Massimilla　lavished　the
charms　of　her　conversation　bright　with　Italian　wit；　in　which　sarcasm
lashed　things　but　not　persons；　laughter　attacked　nothing　that　was　not
laughable；　mere　trifles　were　seasoned　with　Attic　salt。

Anywhere　else　she　might　have　been　tiresome。　The　Italians；　an　eminently
intelligent　race；　have　no　fancy　for　displaying　their　talents　where
they　are　not　in　demand；　their　chat　is　perfectly　simple　and　effortless；
it　never　makes　play；　as　in　France；　under　the　lead　of　a　fencing　master；
each　one　flourishing　his　foil；　or；　if　he　has　nothing　to　say；　sitting
humiliated。

Conversation　sparkles　with　a　delicate　and　subtle　satire　that　plays
gracefully　with　familiar　facts；　and　instead　of　a　compromising　epigram
an　Italian　has　a　glance　or　a　smile　of　unutterable　meaning。　They　think
and　they　are　rightthat　to　be　expected　to　understand　ideas　when
they　only　seek　enjoyment；　is　a　bore。

Indeed；　la　Vulpato　had　said　to　Massimilla：

〃If　you　loved　him　you　would　not　talk　so　well。〃

Emilio　took　no　part　in　the　conversation；　he　listened　and　gazed。　This
reserve　might　have　led　foreigners　to　suppose　that　the　Prince　was　a　man
of　no　intelligence；their　impression　very　commonly　of　an　Italian　in
love；whereas　he　was　simply　a　lover　up　to　his　ears　in　rapture。
Vendramin　sat　down　by　Emilio；　opposite　the　Frenchman；　who；　as　the
stranger；　occupied　the　corner　facing　the　Duchess。

〃Is　that　gentleman　drunk？〃　said　the　physician　in　an　undertone　to
Massimilla；　after　looking　at　Vendramin。

〃Yes；〃　replied　she；　simply。

In　that　land　of　passion；　each　passion　bears　its　excuse　in　itself；　and
gracious　indulgence　is　shown　to　every　form　of　error。　The　Duchess
sighed　deeply；　and　an　expression　of　suppressed　pain　passed　over　her
features。

〃You　will　see　strange　things　in　our　country；　monsieur；〃　she　went　on。
〃Vendramin　lives　on　opium；　as　this　one　lives　on　love；　and　that　one
buries　himself　in　learning；　most　young　men　have　a　passion　for　a
dancer；　as　older　men　are　miserly。　We　all　create　some　happiness　or　some
madness　for　ourselves。〃

〃Because　you　all　want　to　divert　your　minds　from　some　fixed　idea；　for
which　a　revolution　would　be　a　radical　cure；〃　replied　the　physician。
〃The　Genoese　regrets　his　republic；　the　Milanese　pines　for　his
independence；　the　Piemontese　longs　for　a　constitutional　government；
the　Romagna　cries　for　liberty〃

〃Of　which　it　knows　nothing；〃　interrupted　the　Duchess。　〃Alas！　there　are
men　in　Italy　so　stupid　as　to　long　for　your　idiotic　Charter；　which
destroys　the　influence　of　woman。　Most　of　my　fellow…countrywomen　must
need　read　your　French　booksuseless　rhodomontade〃

〃Useless！〃　cried　the　Frenchman。

〃Why；　monsieur；〃　the　Duchess　went　on；　〃what　can　you　find　in　a　book
that　is　better　than　what　we　have　in　our　hearts？　Italy　is　mad。〃

〃I　cannot　see　that　a　people　is　mad　because　it　wishes　to　be　its　own
master；〃　said　the　physician。

〃Good　Heavens！〃　exclaimed　the　Duchess；　eagerly；　〃does　not　that　mean
paying　with　a　great　deal　of　bloodshed　for　the　right　of　quarreling；　as
you　do；　over　crazy　ideas？〃

〃Then　you　approve　of　despotism？〃　said　the　physician。

〃Why　should　I　not　approve　of　a　system　of　government　which；　by
depriving　us　of　books　and　odious　politics；　leaves　men　entirely　to　us？〃

〃I　had　thought　that　the　Italians　were　more　patriotic；〃　said　the
Frenchman。

Massimilla　laughed　so　slyly　that　her　interlocutor　could　not
distinguish　mockery　from　serious　meaning；　nor　her　real　opinion　from
ironical　criticism。

〃Then　you　are　not　a　liberal？〃　said　he。

〃Heaven　preserve　me！〃　said　she。　〃I　can　imagine　nothing　in　worse　taste
than　such　opinions　in　a　woman。　Could　you　love　a　woman　whose　heart　was
occupied　by　all　mankind？〃

〃Those　who　love　are　naturally　aristocrats；〃　the　Austrian　General
observed；　with　a　smile。

〃As　I　came　into　the　theatre；〃　the　Frenchman　observed；　〃you　were　the
first　person　I　saw；　and　I　remarked　to　his　Excellency　that　if　there　was
a　woman　who　could　personify　a　nation　it　was　you。　But　I　grieve　to
discover　that；　though　you　represent　its　divine　beauty；　you　have　not
the　constitutional　spirit。〃

〃Are　you　not　bound；〃　said　the　Duchess；　pointing　to　the　ballet　now
being　danced；　〃to　find　all　our　dancers　detestable　and　our　singers
atrocious？　Paris　and　London　rob　us　of　all　our　leading　stars。　Paris
passes　judgment　on　them；　and　London　pays　them。　Genovese　and　la　Tinti
will　not　be　left　to　us　for　six　months〃

At　this　juncture；　the　Austrian　left　th