vendetta-第11章

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which　Ginevra's　affair　had　inflicted　on　her　husband；　and　told　her；　in

politely　cautious　words；　that　she　must　not　count　on　her　help　in

future。　Too　proud　to　persist；　but　amazed　at　a　selfishness　hitherto

unknown　to　her；　the　girl　took　a　room　in　the　lodging…house　that　was

nearest　to　that　of　Luigi。　The　son　of　the　Portas　passed　all　his　days　at

the　feet　of　his　future　wife；　and　his　youthful　love；　the　purity　of　his

words；　dispersed　the　clouds　from　the　mind　of　the　banished　daughter；

the　future　was　so　beautiful　as　he　painted　it　that　she　ended　by　smiling

joyfully；　though　without　forgetting　her　father's　severity。



One　morning　the　servant　of　the　lodging　house　brought　to　Ginevra's　room

a　number　of　trunks　and　packages　containing　stuffs；　linen；　clothes；　and

a　great　quantity　of　other　articles　necessary　for　a　young　wife　in

setting　up　a　home　of　her　own。　In　this　welcome　provision　she　recognized

her　mother's　foresight；　and；　on　examining　the　gifts；　she　found　a

purse；　in　which　the　baroness　had　put　the　money　belonging　to　her

daughter；　adding　to　it　the　amount　of　her　own　savings。　The　purse　was

accompanied　by　a　letter；　in　which　the　mother　implored　the　daughter　to

forego　the　fatal　marriage　if　it　were　still　possible　to　do　so。　It　had

cost　her；　she　said；　untold　difficulty　to　send　these　few　things　to　her

daughter；　she　entreated　her　not　to　think　her　hard　if；　henceforth；　she

were　forced　to　abandon　her　to　want；　she　feared　she　could　never　again

assist　her；　but　she　blessed　her　and　prayed　for　her　happiness　in　this

fatal　marriage；　if；　indeed；　she　persisted　in　making　it；　assuring　her

that　she　should　never　cease　to　think　of　her　darling　child。　Here　the

falling　tears　had　effaced　some　words　of　the　letter。



〃Oh；　mother！〃　cried　Ginevra；　deeply　moved。



She　felt　the　impulse　to　rush　home；　to　breathe　the　blessed　air　of　her

father's　house；　to　fling　herself　at　his　feet；　to　see　her　mother。　She

was　springing　forward　to　accomplish　this　wish；　when　Luigi　entered。　At

the　mere　sight　of　him　her　filial　emotion　vanished；　her　tears　were

stopped；　and　she　no　longer　had　the　strength　to　abandon　that　loving　and

unfortunate　youth。　To　be　the　sole　hope　of　a　noble　being；　to　love　him

and　then　abandon　him！that　sacrifice　is　the　treachery　of　which　young

hearts　are　incapable。　Ginevra　had　the　generosity　to　bury　her　own　grief

and　suffering　silently　in　her　soul。



The　marriage　day　arrived。　Ginevra　had　no　friend　with　her。　While　she

was　dressing；　Luigi　fetched　the　witnesses　necessary　to　sign　the

certificate　of　marriage。　These　witnesses　were　worthy　persons；　one；　a

cavalry　sergeant；　was　under　obligations　to　Luigi；　contracted　on　the

battlefield；　obligations　which　are　never　obliterated　from　the　heart　of

an　honest　man；　the　other；　a　master…mason；　was　the　proprietor　of　the

house　in　which　the　young　couple　had　hired　an　apartment　for　their

future　home。　Each　witness　brought　a　friend；　and　all　four；　with　Luigi；

came　to　escort　the　bride。　Little　accustomed　to　social　functions；　and

seeing　nothing　in　the　service　they　were　rendering　to　Luigi　but　a

simple　matter　of　business；　they　were　dressed　in　their　ordinary

clothes；　without　any　luxury；　and　nothing　about　them　denoted　the　usual

joy　of　a　marriage　procession。



Ginevra　herself　was　dressed　simply；　as　befitted　her　present　fortunes；

and　yet　her　beauty　was　so　noble　and　so　imposing　that　the　words　of

greeting　died　away　on　the　lips　of　the　witnesses；　who　supposed

themselves　obliged　to　pay　her　some　usual　compliments。　They　bowed　to

her　with　respect；　and　she　returned　the　bow；　but　they　did　so　in

silence；　looking　at　her　with　admiration。　This　reserve　cast　a　chill

over　the　whole　party。　Joy　never　bursts　forth　freely　except　among　those

who　are　equals。　Thus　chance　determined　that　all　should　be　dull　and

grave　around　the　bridal　pair；　nothing　reflected；　outwardly；　the

happiness　that　reigned　within　their　hearts。



The　church　and　the　mayor's　office　being　near　by；　Luigi　and　Ginevra；

followed　by　the　four　witnesses　required　by　law；　walked　the　distance；

with　a　simplicity　that　deprived　of　all　pomp　this　greatest　event　in

social　life。　They　saw　a　crowd　of　waiting　carriages　in　the　mayor's

court…yard；　and　when　they　reached　the　great　hall　where　the　civil

marriages　take　place；　they　found　two　other　wedding…parties　impatiently

awaiting　the　mayor's　arrival。



Ginevra　sat　down　beside　Luigi　at　the　end　of　a　long　bench；　their

witnesses　remained　standing；　for　want　of　seats。　Two　brides；

elaborately　dressed　in　white；　with　ribbons；　laces；　and　pearls；　and

crowned　with　orange…blossoms　whose　satiny　petals　nodded　beneath　their

veils；　were　surrounded　by　joyous　families；　and　accompanied　by　their

mothers；　to　whom　they　looked　up；　now　and　then；　with　eyes　that　were

content　and　timid　both；　the　faces　of　all　the　rest　reflected　happiness；

and　seemed　to　be　invoking　blessings　on　the　youthful　pairs。　Fathers；

witnesses；　brothers；　and　sisters　went　and　came；　like　a　happy　swarm　of

insects　disporting　in　the　sun。　Each　seemed　to　be　impressed　with　the

value　of　this　passing　moment　of　life；　when　the　heart　finds　itself

within　two　hopes；the　wishes　of　the　past；　the　promises　of　the　future。



As　she　watched　them；　Ginevra's　heart　swelled　within　her；　she　pressed

Luigi's　arm；　and　gave　him　a　look。　A　tear　rolled　from　the　eyes　of　the

young　Corsican；　never　did　he　so　well　understand　the　joys　that　his

Ginevra　was　sacrificing　to　him。　That　precious　tear　caused　her　to

forget　all　else　but　him；even　the　abandonment　in　which　she　sat　there。

Love　poured　down　its　treasures　of　light　upon　their　hearts；　they　saw

nought　else　but　themselves　in　the　midst　of　the　joyous　tumult；　they

were　there　alone；　in　that　crowd；　as　they　were　destined　to　be；

henceforth；　in　life。　Their　witnesses；　indifferent　to　what　was

happening；　conversed　quietly　on　their　own　affairs。



〃Oats　are　very　dear；〃　said　the　sergeant　to　the　mason。



〃But　they　have　not　gone　up　like　lime；　relatively　speaking；〃　replied

the　contractor。



Then　they　walked　round　the　hall。



〃How　one　loses　time　here；〃　said　the　mason；　replacing　a　thick　silver

watch　in　his　fob。



Luigi　and　Ginevra；　sitting　pressed　to　one　another；　seemed　like　one

person。　A　poet　would　have　admired　their　two　heads；　inspired　by　the

same　sentiment；　colored　in　the　same　tones；　silent　and　saddened　in

presence　of　that　humming　happiness　sparkling　in　diamonds；　gay　with

flowers；a　gayety　in　which　there　was　something　fleeting。　The　joy　of

those　noisy　and　splendid　groups　was　visible；　that　of　Ginevra　and　Luigi

was　buried　in　their　bosom。　On　one　side　the　tumult　of　common　pleasure；

on　the　other；　the　delicate　silence　of　happy　souls；earth　and　heaven！



But　Ginevra　was　not　wholly　free　from　the　weaknesses　of　women。

Superstitious　as　an　Italian；　she　saw　an　omen　in　this　contrast；　and　in

her　heart　there　lay　a　sense　of　terror；　as　invincible　as　her　love。



Suddenly　the　office　servant；　in　the　town　livery；　opened　a　folding…

door。　Silence　reigned；　and　his　voice　was　heard；　like　the　yapping　of　a

dog；　calling　Monsieur　Luigi　da　Porta　and　Mademoiselle　Ginevra　di

Piombo。　This　caused　some　embarrassment　to　the　young　pair。　The

celebrity　of　the　bride's　name　attracted　attention；　and　the　spectators

seemed　to　wonder　that　the　wedding　was　not　more　sumptuous。　Ginevra

rose；　took　Luigi's　arm；　and　advanced　firmly；　followed　by　the

witnesses。　A　murmur　of　surprise；　which　went　on　increasing；　and　a

general　whispering　reminded　Ginevra　that　all　present　were　wondering　at

the　absence　of　her　parents；　her　father's　wrath　seemed　present　to　her。



〃Call　in　the　families；〃　said　the　mayor　to　the　clerk　whose　business　it

was　to　read　aloud　the　certificates。



〃The　father　and　mother　protest；〃　replied　the　clerk；　phlegmatically。



〃On　both　sides？〃　inquired　the　mayor。



〃The　groom　is　an　orphan。〃



〃Where　are　the　witnesses？〃



〃Here；〃　said　the　clerk；　pointing　to　the　four　men；　who　stood　with　arms

folded；　like　so　many　statues。



〃But　if　the　parents　protest〃　began　the　mayor。



〃The　respectful　summons　has　been　duly　served；〃　replied　the　clerk；

rising；　to　lay　before　the　mayor　the　papers　annexed　to　the　marriage

certificate。



This　bureaucratic　decision　had　something　blighting　about　it；　in　a　few

words　it　contained　the　whole　story。　The　hatred　of　the　Portas　and　the

Piombos　and　their　terrible　passions　were　inscribed　on　this　page　of　the

civil　law　as　the　annals　of　a　people　（contained；　it　may　be；　in　one　word

only；Napoleon；　Robespierre）　are　engraved　on　a　tombstone。　Ginevra

trembled。　Like　the　dove　on　the　face　of　the　waters；　having　no　place　to

rest　its　feet　but　the　ark；　so　Ginevra　could　take　refuge　only　in　the

eyes　of　Luigi　from　the　cold　and　dreary　waste　around　her。



The　mayor　assumed　a　stern；　disapproving　air；　and　his　clerk　looked　up

at　the　couple　with　malicious　curiosity。　No　marriage　was　ever　so　little

festal。　Like　other　human　beings　when　deprived　of　their　accessories；　it

became　a　simple　act　in　itself；　great　only　in　thought。



After　a　few　questions；　to　which　the　bride　and　bridegroom　responded；

and　a　few　words　mumbled　by　the　mayor；　and　after　signing　the　registers；

with　their　witnesses；　duly；　Luigi　and　Ginevra　were　made　one。　Then　the

wedded　pair　walked　back　through　two　lines　of　joyous　relations　who　did

not　belong　to　them；　and　whose　only　interest　in　their　marriage　was　the

delay　caused　to　their　own　wedding　by　this　gloomy　bridal。　When；　at

last；　Ginevra　found　herself　in　the　mayor's　court…yard；　under　the　open

sky；　a　sigh　escaped　her　breast。



〃Can　a　lifetime　of　devotion　and　love　suffice　to　prove　my　gratitude　for

your　courage　and　tenderness；　my　Ginevra？〃　said　Luigi。



At　these　words；　said　with　tears　of　joy；　the　bride　forgot　her

sufferings；　for　she　had　indeed　suffered　in　presenting　herself　before

the　public　to　obtain　a　happiness　her　parents　refused　to　sanction。



〃Why　should　others　come　between　us？〃　she　said　with　an　artlessness　of

feeling　that　delighted　Luigi。



A　sense　of　accomplished　happiness　now　made　the　step　of　the　young　pair

lighter；　they　saw　neither　heaven；　nor　earth；　nor　houses；　they　flew；　as

it　were；　on　wings　to　the　church。　When　they　reached　a　dark　little

chapel　in　one　corner　of　the　building；　and　stood　before　a　plain

undecorated　altar；　an　old　priest　married　them。　There；　as　in　the

mayor's　office；　two　other　marriages　were　taking　place；　still　pursuing

them　with　pomp。　The　church；　filled　with　friends　and　relations；　echoed

with　the　roll　of　carriages；　and　the　hum　of　beadles；　sextons；　and

priests。　Altars　were　resplendent　with　sacramental　luxury；　the　wreaths

of　orange…flowers　that　crowned　the　figures　of　the　Virgin　were　fresh。

Flowers；　incense；　gleaming　tapers；　velvet　cushions　embroidered　with

gold；　were　everywhere。　When　the　time　came　to　hold　above　the　heads　of

Luigi　and　Ginevra　the　symbol　of　eternal　union；that　yoke　of　satin；

white；　soft；　brilliant；　light　for　some；　lead　for　most；the　priest

looked　about　him　in　vain　for　the　acolytes　whose　place　it　was　to

perform　that　joyous　function。　Two　of　the　witnesses　fulfilled　it　for