stories by english authors in italy(旅意英国作家的故事)-第12章
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such as the peasants use working under the olives。 Her voice was small
and deep； with a peculiar thick sweetness that suited the song； half
humourous； half pathetic。 These were the words she sang：
〃Vorrei morir di morte piccinina； Morta la sera e viva la mattina。
Vorrei morire； e non vorrei morire； Vorrei veder chi mi piange e chi ride；
Vorrei morir； e star sulle finestre； Vorrei veder chi mi cuce la veste；
Vorrei morir； e stare sulla scala； Vorrei veder chi mi porta la bara：
Vorrei morir； e vorre' alzar la voce； Vorrei veder chi mi porta la croce。〃
〃Very well chosen； my dear；〃 said Miss Prunty； when the song was
finished。
〃And very well sung； my Gonerilla！〃 cried the old lady。
But the signorino went up to the piano and shook hands with her。
〃Little Mees Goneril；〃 he said； 〃you have the makings of an artist。〃
The two old ladies stared； for； after all； Goneril's performance had
been very simple。 You see； they were better versed in music than in human
nature。
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CHAPTER III
SI VIEILLESSE POUVAIT！
Signor Graziano's usual week of holiday passed and lengthened into
almost two months； and still he stayed on at the villa。 The two old ladies
were highly delighted。
〃At last he has taken my advice！〃 cried Miss Prunty。 〃I always told
him those premature gray hairs came from late hours and Roman air。〃
Madame Petrucci shook her head and gave a meaning smile。 Her
friendship with the signorino had begun when he was a lad and she a
charming married woman； like many another friendship； it had begun with
a flirtation； and perhaps （who knows？） she thought the flirtation had
revived。
As for Goneril； she considered him the most charming old man she
had ever known； and liked nothing so much as to go out a walk with him。
That； indeed； was one of the signorino's pleasures； he loved to take the
young girl all over his gardens and vineyards； talking to her in the amiable；
half…petting； half…mocking manner that he had adopted from the first； and
twice a week he gave her a music lesson。
〃She has a splendid organ！〃 he would say。
〃/Vous croyez/？〃 fluted Madame Petrucci； with the vilest accent and
the most aggravating smile imaginable。
It was the one hobby of the signorino's that she regarded with
disrespect。
Goneril too was a little bored by the music lesson； but； on the other
hand； the walks delighted her。
One day Goneril was out with her friend。
〃Are the peasants very much afraid of you； signore？〃 she asked。
〃Am I such a tyrant？〃 counter…questioned the signorino。
〃No； but they are always begging me to ask you things。 Angiolino
wants to know if he may go for three days to see his uncle at Fiesole。〃
〃Of course。〃
〃But why； then； don't they ask you themselves？ Is it they think me so
cheeky？〃
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〃Perhaps they think I can refuse you nothing。〃
〃/Che！/ In that case they would ask Madame Petrucci。〃
Goneril ran on to pick some China roses。 The signorino stopped
confounded。
〃It is impossible！〃 he cried。 〃She cannot think I am in love with Giulia！
She cannot think I am so old as that！〃
The idea seemed horrible to him。 He walked on very quickly till he
came up to Goneril； who was busy plucking roses in a hedge。
〃For whom are those flowers？〃 he asked。
〃Some are for you and some are for Madame Petrucci。〃
〃She is a charming woman； Madame Petrucci。〃
〃A dear old lady；〃 murmured Goneril； much more interested in her
posy。
〃Old； do you call her？〃 said the signorino； rather anxiously。 〃I should
scarcely call her that； though of course she is a good deal older than either
of us。〃
〃Either of us！〃 Goneril looked up astounded。 Could the signorino have
suddenly gone mad？
He blushed a little under his brown skin that had reminded her of a
coffee…bean。
〃She is a good ten years older than I am；〃 he explained。
〃Ah； well； ten years isn't much。〃
〃You don't think so？〃 he cried； delighted。 Who knows？ she might not
think even thirty too much。
〃Not at that age；〃 said Goneril； blandly。
Signor Graziano could think of no reply。
But from that day one might have dated a certain assumption of
youthfulness in his manners。 At cards it was always the signorino and
Goneril against the two elder ladies； in his conversation； too； it was to the
young girl that he constantly appealed； as if she were his natural
companionshe； and not his friends of thirty years。 Madame Petrucci；
always serene and kind； took no notice of these little changes； but they
were particularly irritating to Miss Prunty； who was； after all； only four
years older than the signorino。
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That lady had； indeed； become more than usually sharp and foreboding。
She received the signorino's gay effusions in ominous silence； and would
frown darkly while Madame Petrucci petted her 〃little bird；〃 as she called
Goneril。 Once； indeed； Miss Prunty was heard to remark that it was
tempting Providence to have dealings with a creature whose very name
was a synonym for ingratitude。 But the elder lady only smiled and
declared that her Gonerilla was charming； delicious； a real sunshine in the
house。
〃Now I call on you to support me； signorino；〃 she cried one evening；
when the three elders sat together in the room； while Goneril watered the
roses on the terrace。 〃Is not my Gonerilla a charming little /bebe/？〃
Signor Graziano withdrew his eyes from the window。
〃Most charming； certainly； but scarcely such a child。 She is seventeen；
you know； my dear signora。〃
〃Seventeen！ /Santo Dio！/ And what is one at seventeen but an innocent；
playful； charming little kitten？〃
〃You are always right； madame；〃 agreed the signorino； but he looked
as if he thought she were very wrong。
〃Of course I am right；〃 laughed the little lady。 〃Come here； my
Gonerilla； and hold my skein for me。 Signor Graziano is going to charm us
with one of his delightful airs。〃
〃I hoped she would sing；〃 faltered the signorino。
〃Who？ Gonerilla？ Nonsense； my friend。 She winds silk much better
than she sings。〃
Goneril laughed； she was not at all offended。 But Signor Graziano
made several mistakes in his playing。 At last he left the piano。 〃I cannot
play to…night；〃 he cried。 〃I am not in the humour。 Goneril； will you come
and walk with me on the terrace？〃
Before the girl could reply Miss Prunty had darted an angry glance at
Signor Graziano。
〃Good Lord； what fools men are！〃 she ejaculated。 〃And do you think；
now； I'm going to let that girl； who's just getting rid of her malaria； go star…
gazing with any old idiot while all the mists are curling out of the
valleys？〃
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〃Brigida； my love； you forget yourself；〃 said Madame Petrucci。
〃Bah！〃 cried the signorino。 He was evidently out of temper。
The little lady hastened to smooth the troubled waters。 〃Talking of
malaria；〃 she began； in her serenest manner； 〃I always remember what my
dearest Madame Lilli told me。 It was at one of Prince Teano's concerts。
You remember； signorino？〃
〃/Che！/ How should I remember？〃 he exclaimed。 〃It was a lifetime ago；
dead and forgotten。〃
The old lady shrank； as if a glass of water had been rudely thrown in
her face。 She said nothing； staring blindly。
〃Go to bed； Goneril！〃 cried Miss Prunty； in a voice of thunder。
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CHAPTER IV
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
A few mornings after these events the postman brought a letter for
Goneril。 This was such a rare occurrence that she blushed rose red at the
very sight of it and had to walk up and down the terrace several times
before she felt calm enough to read it。 Then she went upstairs and knocked
at the door of Madame Petrucci's room。〃
〃Come in； little bird。〃
The old lady； in pink merino and curl…papers； opened the door。 Goneril
held up her letter。
〃My cousin Jack is coming to Florence； and he is going to walk over
to see me this afternoon。 And may he stay to dinner； /cara/ signora？〃
〃Why； of course； Gonerilla。 I am charmed！〃
Goneril kissed the old lady； and danced downstairs brimming over
with delight。
Later in the morning Signor Graziano called。
〃Will you come out with me； Mees Goneril？〃 he said。 〃On my land the
earliest vintage begins to…day。〃
〃Oh； how nice！〃 she cried。
〃Come； then；〃 said the signorino； smiling。
〃Oh； I can't come to…day； because of Jack。〃
〃Jack？〃
〃My cousin； he may come at any time。〃
〃Your cousin！〃 The signorino frowned a little。 〃Ah； you English；〃 he
said； 〃you consider all your cousins brothers and sisters！〃
Goneril laughed。
〃Is it not so？〃 he asked； a little anxiously。
〃Jack is much nicer than my brothers；〃 said the young girl。
〃And who is he； this Jack？〃
〃He's a dear boy；〃 said Goneril； 〃and very clever； he is going home for
the Indian civil…service exam； he has been out to Calcutta to see my
father。〃
The signorino did not pay any attention to the latter part of this
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