vendetta-第12章

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

them。　The　priest　addressed　a　hasty　homily　to　the　pair　on　the　perils　of

life；　on　the　duties　they　must；　some　day；　inculcate　upon　their

children；throwing　in；　at　this　point；　an　indirect　reproach　to　Ginevra

on　the　absence　of　her　parents；　then；　after　uniting　them　before　God；　as

the　mayor　had　united　them　before　the　law；　he　left　the　now　married

couple。



〃God　bless　them！〃　said　Vergniaud；　the　sergeant；　to　the　mason；　when

they　reached　the　church　porch。　〃No　two　creatures　were　ever　more　fitted

for　one　another。　The　parents　of　the　girl　are　foolish。　I　don't　know　a

braver　soldier　than　Colonel　Luigi。　If　the　whole　army　had　behaved　like

him；　'l'autre'　would　be　here　still。〃



This　blessing　of　the　old　soldier；　the　only　one　bestowed　upon　their

marriage…day；　shed　a　balm　on　Ginevra's　heart。



They　parted　with　hearty　shakings　of　hand；　Luigi　thanked　his　landlord。



〃Adieu；　'mon　brave；'〃　he　said　to　the　sergeant。　〃I　thank　you。〃



〃I　am　now　and　ever　at　your　service；　colonel；soul；　body；　horses；　and

carriages；　all　that　is　mine　is　yours。〃



〃How　he　loves　you！〃　said　Ginevra。



Luigi　now　hurried　his　bride　to　the　house　they　were　to　occupy。　Their

modest　apartment　was　soon　reached；　and　there；　when　the　door　closed

upon　them；　Luigi　took　his　wife　in　his　arms；　exclaiming；



〃Oh；　my　Ginevra！　for　now　you　are　mine；　here　is　our　true　wedding。

Here；〃　he　added；　〃all　things　will　smile　upon　us。〃



Together　they　went　through　the　three　rooms　contained　in　their　lodging。

The　room　first　entered　served　as　salon　and　dining…room　in　one；　on　the

right　was　a　bedchamber；　on　the　left　a　large　study　which　Luigi　had

arranged　for　his　wife；　in　it　she　found　easels；　color…boxes；　lay…

figures；　casts；　pictures；　portfolios；in　short；　the　paraphernalia　of

an　artist。



〃So　here　I　am　to　work！〃　she　said；　with　an　expression　of　childlike

happiness。



She　looked　long　at　the　hangings　and　the　furniture；　turning　again　and

again　to　thank　Luigi；　for　there　was　something　that　approached

magnificence　in　the　little　retreat。　A　bookcase　contained　her　favorite

books；　a　piano　filled　an　angle　of　the　room。　She　sat　down　upon　a　divan；

drew　Luigi　to　her　side；　and　said；　in　a　caressing　voice；　her　hand　in

his；



〃You　have　good　taste。〃



〃Those　words　make　me　happy；〃　he　replied。



〃But　let　me　see　all；〃　said　Ginevra；　to　whom　Luigi　had　made　a　mystery

of　the　adornment　of　the　rooms。



They　entered　the　nuptial　chamber；　fresh　and　white　as　a　virgin。



〃Oh！　come　away；〃　said　Luigi；　smiling。



〃But　I　wish　to　see　all。〃



And　the　imperious　Ginevra　looked　at　each　piece　of　furniture　with　the

minute　care　of　an　antiquary　examining　a　coin；　she　touched　the　silken

hangings；　and　went　over　every　article　with　the　artless　satisfaction　of

a　bride　in　the　treasures　of　her　wedding　outfit。



〃We　begin　by　ruining　ourselves；〃　she　said；　in　a　half…joyous；　half…

anxious　tone。



〃True！　for　all　my　back　pay　is　there；〃　replied　Luigi。　〃I　have　mortgaged

it　to　a　worthy　fellow　named　Gigonnet。〃



〃Why　did　you　do　so？〃　she　said；　in　a　tone　of　reproach；　through　which

could　be　heard　her　inward　satisfaction。　〃Do　you　believe　I　should　be

less　happy　in　a　garret？　But；〃　she　added；　〃it　is　all　charming；　andit

is　ours！〃



Luigi　looked　at　her　with　such　enthusiasm　that　she　lowered　her　eyes。



〃Now　let　us　see　the　rest；〃　she　cried。



Above　these　three　rooms；　under　the　roof；　was　a　study　for　Luigi；　a

kitchen；　and　a　servant's…room。　Ginevra　was　much　pleased　with　her

little　domain；　although　the　view　from　the　windows　was　limited　by　the

high　wall　of　a　neighboring　house；　and　the　court…yard；　from　which　their

light　was　derived；　was　gloomy。　But　the　two　lovers　were　so　happy　in

heart；　hope　so　adorned　their　future；　that　they　chose　to　see　nothing

but　what　was　charming　in　their　hidden　nest。　They　were　there　in　that

vast　house；　lost　in　the　immensity　of　Paris；　like　two　pearls　in　their

shell　in　the　depths　of　ocean；　to　all　others　it　might　have　seemed　a

prison；　to　them　it　was　paradise。



The　first　few　days　of　their　union　were　given　to　love。　The　effort　to

turn　at　once　to　work　was　too　difficult；　they　could　not　resist　the

charm　of　their　own　passion。　Luigi　lay　for　hours　at　the　feet　of　his

wife；　admiring　the　color　of　her　hair；　the　moulding　of　her　forehead；

the　enchanting　socket　of　her　eyes；　the　purity　and　whiteness　of　the　two

arches　beneath　which　the　eyes　themselves　turned　slowly；　expressing　the

happiness　of　a　satisfied　love。　Ginevra　caressed　the　hair　of　her　Luigi；

never　weary　of　gazing　at　what　she　called　his　〃belta　folgorante；〃　and

the　delicacy　of　his　features。　She　was　constantly　charmed　by　the

nobility　of　his　manners；　as　she　herself　attracted　him　by　the　grace　of

hers。



They　played　together；　like　children；　with　nothings；nothings　that

brought　them　ever　back　to　their　love；ceasing　their　play　only　to　fall

into　a　revery　of　the　〃far　niente。〃　An　air　sung　by　Ginevra　reproduced

to　their　souls　the　enchanting　lights　and　shadows　of　their　passion。

Together；　uniting　their　steps　as　they　did　their　souls；　they　roamed

about　the　country；　finding　everywhere　their　love；in　the　flowers；　in

the　sky；　in　the　glowing　tints　of　the　setting　sun；　they　read　it　in　even

the　capricious　vapors　which　met　and　struggled　in　the　ether。　Each　day

resembled　in　nothing　its　predecessors；　their　love　increased；　and　still

increased；　because　it　was　a　true　love。　They　had　tested　each　other　in

what　seemed　only　a　short　time；　and；　instinctively；　they　recognized

that　their　souls　were　of　a　kind　whose　inexhaustible　riches　promised

for　the　future　unceasing　joys。



Theirs　was　love　in　all　its　artlessness；　with　its　interminable

conversations；　unfinished　speeches；　long　silences；　oriental　reposes；

and　oriental　ardor。　Luigi　and　Ginevra　comprehended　love。　Love　is　like

the　ocean：　seen　superficially；　or　in　haste；　it　is　called　monotonous　by

common　souls；　whereas　some　privileged　beings　can　pass　their　lives　in

admiring　it；　and　in　finding；　ceaselessly；　the　varying　phenomena　that

enchant　them。



Soon；　however；　prudence　and　foresight　drew　the　young　couple　from　their

Eden；　it　was　necessary　to　work　to　live。　Ginevra；　who　possessed　a

special　talent　for　imitating　old　paintings；　took　up　the　business　of

copying；　and　soon　found　many　customers　among　the　picture…dealers。

Luigi；　on　his　side；　sought　long　and　actively　for　occupation；　but　it

was　hard　for　a　young　officer　whose　talents　had　been　restricted　to　the

study　of　strategy　to　find　anything　to　do　in　Paris。



At　last；　weary　of　vain　efforts；　his　soul　filled　with　despair　at　seeing

the　whole　burden　of　their　subsistence　falling　on　Ginevra；　it　occurred

to　him　to　make　use　of　his　handwriting；　which　was　excellent。　With　a

persistency　of　which　he　saw　an　example　in　his　wife；　he　went　round

among　the　layers　and　notaries　of　Paris；　asking　for　papers　to　copy。　The

frankness　of　his　manners　and　his　situation　interested　many　in　his

favor；　he　soon　obtained　enough　work　to　be　obliged　to　find　young　men　to

assist　him；　and　this　employment　became；　little　by　little；　a　regular

business。　The　profits　of　his　office　and　the　sale　of　Ginevra's　pictures

gave　the　young　couple　a　competence　of　which　they　were　justly　proud；

for　it　was　the　fruit　of　their　industry。



This；　to　the　busy　pair；　was　the　happiest　period　of　their　lives。　The

days　flowed　rapidly　by；　filled　with　occupation　and　the　joys　of　their

love。　At　night；　after　working　all　day；　they　met　with　delight　in

Ginevra's　studio。　Music　refreshed　their　weariness。　No　expression　of

regret　or　melancholy　obscured　the　happy　features　of　the　young　wife；

and　never　did　she　utter　a　complaint。　She　appeared　to　her　Luigi　with　a

smile　upon　her　lips　and　her　eyes　beaming。　Each　cherished　a　ruling

thought　which　would　have　made　them　take　pleasure　in　a　labor　still　more

severe；　Ginevra　said　in　her　heart　that　she　worked　for　Luigi；　and　Luigi

the　same　for　Ginevra。



Sometimes；　in　the　absence　of　her　husband；　the　thought　of　the　perfect

happiness　she　might　have　had　if　this　life　of　love　could　have　been

lived　in　the　presence　of　her　father　and　mother　overcame　the　young

wife；　and　then；　as　she　felt　the　full　power　of　remorse；　she　dropped

into　melancholy；　mournful　pictures　passed　like　shadows　across　her

imagination；　she　saw　her　old　father　alone；　or　her　mother　weeping　in

secret　lest　the　inexorable　Piombo　should　perceive　her　tears。　The　two

white；　solemn　heads　rose　suddenly　before　her；　and　the　thought　came

that　never　again　should　she　see　them　except　in　memory。　This　thought

pursued　her　like　a　presentiment。



She　celebrated　the　anniversary　of　her　marriage　by　giving　her　husband　a

portrait　he　had　long　desired；that　of　his　Ginevra；　painted　by

herself。　Never　had　the　young　artist　done　so　remarkable　a　work。　Aside

from　the　resemblance；　the　glow　of　her　beauty；　the　purity　of　her

feelings；　the　happiness　of　love　were　there　depicted　by　a　sort　of

magic。　This　masterpiece　of　her　art　and　her　joy　was　a　votive　offering

to　their　wedded　felicity。



Another　year　of　ease　and　comfort　went　by。　The　history　of　their　life

may　be　given　in　three　words：　THEY　WERE　HAPPY。　No　event　happened　to

them　of　sufficient　importance　to　be　recorded。







CHAPTER　VI



RETRIBUTION



At　the　beginning　of　the　year　1819　the　picture…dealers　requested

Ginevra　to　give　them　something　beside　copies；　for　competition　had　so

increased　that　they　could　no　longer　sell　her　work　to　advantage。　Madame

Porta　then　perceived　the　mistake　she　had　made　in　not　exercising　her

talent　for　〃genre〃　painting；　which　might；　by　this　time；　have　brought

her　reputation。　She　now　attempted　portrait…painting。　But　here　she　was

forced　to　compete　against　a　crowd　of　artists　in　greater　need　of　money

than　herself。　However；　as　Luigi　and　Ginevra　had　laid　by　a　few　savings；

they　were　not；　as　yet；　uneasy　about　the　future。



Toward　the　end　of　the　winter　of　that　year　Luigi　worked　without

intermission。　He；　too；　was　struggling　against　competitors。　The　payment

for　writing　had　so　decreased　that　he　found　it　impossible　to　employ

assistance；　he　was　forced；　therefore；　to　work　a　much　longer　time

himself　to　obtain　the　same　emolument。　His　wife　had　finished　several

pictures　which　were　not　without　merit；　but　the　dealers　were　scarcely

buying　those　of　artists　with　reputations；　consequently；　her　paintings

had　little　chance。　Ginevra　offered　them　for　almost　nothing；　but

without　success。



The　situation　of　the　household　now　began　to　be　alarming。　The　souls　of

the　husband　and　wife　floated　on　the　ocean　of　their　happiness；　love

overwhelmed　them　with　its　treasures；　while　poverty　rose；　like　a

skeleton；　amid　their　harvest　of　joy。　Yet；　all　the　while；　they　hid　from

each　other　their　secret　anxiety。　When　Ginevra　felt　like　weeping　as　she

watched　Luigi's　worn　and　suffering　face；　she　redoubled　her　caresses；

and　Luigi；　keeping　his　dark　forebodings　in　the　depths　of　his　soul；

expressed　to　his　Ginevra　the　tenderest　love。　They　sought　a

compensation　for　their　troub