stories by english authors in italy(旅意英国作家的故事)-第8章
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by the terrific salute of Teutonic expletives with which he greeted my
advance。 Then he； too； desisted as suddenly as I had done； and we both fell
back a few paces； and stared at each other blankly。 The new…comer was the
first to recover himself。
〃This is some accursed mistake；〃 said he； in German。
〃Evidently；〃 said I。
〃But they told me that you and an Italian young lady were the only
strangers in the house。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 I said； 〃I can't help it if we are。 The house is not of a kind
likely to attract strangers； and I assure you that； if I could consult my own
wishes； the number of guests would soon be reduced by one。〃
He appeared to be a very choleric old person。 〃Sir；〃 said he； 〃you seem
disposed to carry things off with a high hand； but I suspect that you know
more than you choose to reveal。 Be so good as to tell me the name of the
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lady who is staying here。〃
〃I think you are forgetting yourself；〃 I answered with dignity。 〃I must
decline to gratify your curiosity。〃
He stuck his arms akimbo； and planted himself directly in front of me；
frowning ominously。 〃Let us waste no more words；〃 he said。 〃If I have
made a mistake； I shall be ready to offer you a full apology。 If not But
that is nothing to the purpose。 I am Lieutenant…General Graf von Rosenau；
at your service； and I have reason to believe that my son； Graf Albrecht
von Rosenau； a lieutenant in his Imperial and Royal Majesty's 99th Croat
Regiment； has made a runaway match with a certain Signorina Bianca
Marinelli of Venice。 Are you prepared to give me your word of honour as
a gentleman and an Englishman that you are not privy to this affair？〃
At these terrible words I felt my blood run cold。 I may have lost my
presence of mind； but I don't know how I could have got out of the
dilemma even if I had preserved it。
〃Your son has not yet arrived；〃 I stammered。
He pounced upon me like a cat upon a mouse； and gripped both my
arms above the elbow。 〃Is he married？〃 he hissed； with his red nose a
couple of inches from mine。
〃No；〃 I answered； 〃he is not。 Perhaps I had better say at once that if
you use personal violence I shall defend myself； in spite of your age。〃
Upon this he was kind enough to relax his hold。
〃And pray； sir；〃 he resumed； in a somewhat more temperate tone； after
a short period of reflection； 〃what have you to do with all this？〃
〃I am not bound to answer your questions； Herr Graf；〃 I replied； 〃but；
as things have turned out； I have no special objection to doing so。 Out of
pure good…nature to your son； who was detained by duty in Venice at the
last moment； I consented to bring the Signorina Marinelli here yesterday；
and to await his arrival； which I am now expecting。〃
〃So you ran away with the girl； instead of Albrecht； did you？ Ho； ho；
ho！〃
I had seldom heard a more grating or disagreeable laugh。
〃I did nothing of the sort；〃 I answered； tartly。 〃I simply undertook to
see her safely through the first stage of her journey。〃
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〃And you will have the pleasure of seeing her back； I imagine； for as
for my rascal of a boy； I mean to take him off home with me as soon as he
arrives； and I can assure you that I have no intention of providing myself
with a daughter…in…law in the course of the day。〃
I began to feel not a little alarmed。 〃You cannot have the brutality to
leave me here with a young woman whom I am scarcely so much as
acquainted with on my hands！〃 I ejaculated； half involuntarily。 〃What in
the world should I do？〃
The old gentleman gave vent to a malevolent chuckle。 〃Upon my word；
sir；〃 said he； 〃I can only see one course open to you as a man of honour。
You must marry her yourself。〃
At this I fairly lost all patience； and gave the Graf my opinion of his
conduct in terms the plainness of which left nothing to be desired。 I
included him； his son； and the entire German people in one sweeping
anathema。 No Englishman； I said； would have been capable of either
insulting an innocent lady； or of so basely leaving in the lurch one whose
only fault had been a too great readiness to sacrifice his own convenience
to the interests of others。 My indignation lent me a flow of words such as I
should never have been able to command in calmer moments； and I dare
say I should have continued in the same strain for an indefinite time； had I
not been summarily cut short by the entrance of a third person。
There was no occasion for this last intruder to announce himself； in a
voice of thunder； as the Marchese Marinelli。 I had at once recognised the
original of the signorina's photograph； and I perceived that I was now in
about as uncomfortable a position as my bitterest enemy could have
desired for me。 The German old gentleman had been very angry at the
outset； but his wrath； as compared with that of the Italian； was as a breeze
to a hurricane。 The marchese was literally quivering from head to foot
with concentrated fury。 His face was deadly white； his strongly marked
features twitched convulsively； his eyes blazed like those of a wild animal。
Having stated his identity in the manner already referred to； he made two
strides toward the table by which I was seated； and stood glaring at me as
though he would have sprung at my throat。 I thought it might avert
consequences which we should both afterward deplore if I were to place
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the table between us； and I did so without loss of time。 From the other side
of that barrier I adjured my visitor to keep cool； pledging him my word； in
the same breath； that there was no harm done as yet。
〃No harm！〃 he repeated； in a strident shout that echoed through the
bare room。 〃Dog！ Villain！ You ensnare my daughter's affectionsyou
entice her away from her father's houseyou cover my family with eternal
disgraceand then you dare to tell me there is no harm done！ Wait a little；
and you shall see that there will be harm enough for you。 Marry her you
must； since you have ruined her； but you shall die for it the next day！ It is
II； Ludovico Marinelliwho swear it！〃
I am aware that I do but scant justice to the marchese's inimitable style。
The above sentences must be imagined as hurled forth in a series of yells；
with a pant between each of them。 As a melodramatic actor this terrific
Marinelli would； I am sure； have risen to the first rank in his profession。
〃Signore；〃 I said； 〃you are under a misapprehension。 I have ensnared
nobody's affections； and I am entirely guiltless of all the crimes which you
are pleased to attribute to me。〃
〃What？ Are you not； then； the hound who bears the vile and
dishonoured name of Von Rosenau？〃
〃I am not。 I bear the less distinguished； but； I hope； equally respectable
patronymic of Jenkinson。〃
But my modest disclaimer passed unheeded； for now another
combatant had thrown himself into the fray。
〃Vile and dishonoured name！ No one shall permit himself such
language in my presence。 I am Lieutenant…General Graf von Rosenau； sir；
and you shall answer to me for your words。〃
The Herr Graf's knowledge of Italian was somewhat limited； but； such
as it was； it had enabled him to catch the sense of the stigma cast upon his
family； and now he was upon his feet； red and gobbling； like a turkey…cock；
and prepared to do battle with a hundred irate Venetians if need were。
The marchese stared at him in blank amazement。 〃/You！/〃 he
ejaculated〃you Von Rosenau！ It is incrediblepreposterous。 Why； you
are old enough to be her grandfather。〃
〃Not old enough to be in my dotage；as I should be if I permitted my
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son to marry a beggarly Italian；nor too old to punish impertinence as it
deserves；〃 retorted the Graf。
〃Your son？ You are the father then？ It is all the same to me。 I will fight
you both。 But the marriage shall take place first。〃
〃It shall not。〃
〃It shall。〃
〃Insolent slave of an Italian； I will make you eat your words！〃
〃Triple brute of a German； I spit upon you！〃
〃Silence； sir！〃
〃Silence yourself！〃 During this animated dialogue I sat apart； softly
rubbing my hands。 What a happy dispensation it would be； I could not
help thinking； if these two old madmen were to exterminate each other；
like the Kilkenny cats！ Anyhow； their attention was effectually diverted
from my humble person； and that was something to be thankful for。
Never before had I been privileged to listen to so rich a vocabulary of
vituperation。 Each disputant had expressed himself； after the first few
words； in his own language； and between them they were now making
hubbub enough to bring the old house down about their ears。 Up came the
padrona to see the fun； up came her fat husband； in his shirt… sleeves and
slippers； and her long…legged sons； and her tousle…headed daughters； and
the maid…servant； and the cook； and the ostlerthe whole establishment； in
fact； collected at the open folding…doors； and watched with delight the
progress of this battle of words。 Last of all； a poor little trembling figure；
with pale face and eyes big with fright； crept in； and stood； hand on heart；
a little in advance of the group。 I slipped to her side； and offered her a
chair； but she neither answered me nor noticed my presence。 She was
staring at her father as a bird stares at a snake； and seemed unable to
realise anything except the terrible fact that he had followed and found
her。
Presently the old man wheeled round； and became aware of
