massimilla doni-第2章

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This　was　all。　The　Venetian　was　thunderstruck；　while　a　voice　in　the
Duchess'　ear　called　out：　〃This　is　he！〃

Anywhere　else　two　persons　more　prudent　and　less　guileless　would　have
studied　and　examined　each　other；　but　these　two　ignorances　mingled　like
two　masses　of　homogeneous　matter；　which；　when　they　meet；　form　but　one。
Massimilla　was　at　once　and　thenceforth　Venetian。　She　bought　the
palazzo　she　had　rented　on　the　Canareggio；　and　then；　not　knowing　how　to
invest　her　wealth；　she　had　purchased　Rivalta；　the　country…place　where
she　was　now　staying。

Emilio；　being　introduced　to　the　Duchess　by　the　Signora　Vulpato；　waited
very　respectfully　on　the　lady　in　her　box　all　through　the　winter。　Never
was　love　more　ardent　in　two　souls；　or　more　bashful　in　its　advances。
The　two　children　were　afraid　of　each　other。　Massimilla　was　no
coquette。　She　had　no　second　string　to　her　bow；　no　/secondo/；　no
/terzo/；　no　/patito/。　Satisfied　with　a　smile　and　a　word；　she　admired
her　Venetian　youth；　with　his　pointed　face；　his　long；　thin　nose；　his
black　eyes；　and　noble　brow；　but；　in　spite　of　her　artless
encouragement；　he　never　went　to　her　house　till　they　had　spent　three
months　in　getting　used　to　each　other。

Then　summer　brought　its　Eastern　sky。　The　Duchess　lamented　having　to　go
alone　to　Rivalta。　Emilio；　at　once　happy　and　uneasy　at　the　thought　of
being　alone　with　her；　had　accompanied　Massimilla　to　her　retreat。　And
now　this　pretty　pair　had　been　there　for　six　months。

Massimilla；　now　twenty；　had　not　sacrificed　her　religious　principles　to
her　passion　without　a　struggle。　Still　they　had　yielded；　though
tardily；　and　at　this　moment　she　would　have　been　ready　to　consummate
the　love　union　for　which　her　mother　had　prepared　her；　as　Emilio　sat
there　holding　her　beautiful；　aristocratic　hand；long；　white；　and
sheeny；　ending　in　fine；　rosy　nails；　as　if　she　had　procured　from　Asia
some　of　the　henna　with　which　the　Sultan's　wives　dye　their　fingertips。

A　misfortune；　of　which　she　was　unconscious；　but　which　was　torture　to
Emilio；　kept　up　a　singular　barrier　between　them。　Massimilla；　young　as
she　was；　had　the　majestic　bearing　which　mythological　tradition
ascribes　to　Juno；　the　only　goddess　to　whom　it　does　not　give　a　lover；
for　Diana；　the　chaste　Diana；　loved！　Jupiter　alone　could　hold　his　own
with　his　divine　better…half；　on　whom　many　English　ladies　model
themselves。

Emilio　set　his　mistress　far　too　high　ever　to　touch　her。　A　year　hence；
perhaps；　he　might　not　be　a　victim　to　this　noble　error　which　attacks
none　but　very　young　or　very　old　men。　But　as　the　archer　who　shoots
beyond　the　mark　is　as　far　from　it　as　he　whose　arrow　falls　short　of　it；
the　Duchess　found　herself　between　a　husband　who　knew　he　was　so　far
from　reaching　the　target；　that　he　had　ceased　to　try　for　it；　and　a
lover　who　was　carried　so　much　past　it　on　the　white　wings　of　an　angel；
that　he　could　not　get　back　to　it。　Massimilla　could　be　happy　with
desire；　not　imagining　its　issue；　but　her　lover；　distressful　in　his
happiness；　would　sometimes　obtain　from　his　beloved　a　promise　that　led
her　to　the　edge　of　what　many　women　call　〃the　gulf；〃　and　thus　found
himself　obliged　to　be　satisfied　with　plucking　the　flowers　at　the　edge；
incapable　of　daring　more　than　to　pull　off　their　petals；　and　smother
his　torture　in　his　heart。

They　had　wandered　out　together　that　morning；　repeating　such　a　hymn　of
love　as　the　birds　warbled　in　the　branches。　On　their　return；　the　youth；
whose　situation　can　only　be　described　by　comparing　him　to　the　cherubs
represented　by　painters　as　having　only　a　head　and　wings；　had　been　so
impassioned　as　to　venture　to　hint　a　doubt　as　to　the　Duchess'　entire
devotion；　so　as　to　bring　her　to　the　point　of　saying：　〃What　proof　do
you　need？〃

The　question　had　been　asked　with　a　royal　air；　and　Memmi　had　ardently
kissed　the　beautiful　and　guileless　hand。　Then　he　suddenly　started　up
in　a　rage　with　himself；　and　left　the　Duchess。　Massimilla　remained　in
her　indolent　attitude　on　the　sofa；　but　she　wept；　wondering　how；　young
and　handsome　as　she　was；　she　could　fail　to　please　Emilio。　Memmi；　on
the　other　hand；　knocked　his　head　against　the　tree…trunks　like　a　hooded
crow。

But　at　this　moment　a　servant　came　in　pursuit　of　the　young　Venetian　to
deliver　a　letter　brought　by　express　messenger。

Marco　Vendramini；a　name　also　pronounced　Vendramin；　in　the　Venetian
dialect；　which　drops　many　final　letters；his　only　friend；　wrote　to
tell　him　that　Facino　Cane；　Prince　of　Varese；　had　died　in　a　hospital　in
Paris。　Proofs　of　his　death　had　come　to　hand；　and　the　Cane…Memmi　were
Princes　of　Varese。　In　the　eyes　of　the　two　young　men　a　title　without
wealth　being　worthless；　Vendramin　also　informed　Emilio；　as　a　far　more
important　fact；　of　the　engagement　at　the　/Fenice/　of　the　famous　tenor
Genovese；　and　the　no　less　famous　Signora　Tinti。

Without　waiting　to　finish　the　letter；　which　he　crumpled　up　and　put　in
his　pocket；　Emilio　ran　to　communicate　this　great　news　to　the　Duchess；
forgetting　his　heraldic　honors。

The　Duchess　knew　nothing　of　the　strange　story　which　made　la　Tinti　an
object　of　curiosity　in　Italy；　and　Emilio　briefly　repeated　it。

This　illustrious　singer　had　been　a　mere　inn…servant；　whose　wonderful
voice　had　captivated　a　great　Sicilian　nobleman　on　his　travels。　The
girl's　beautyshe　was　then　twelve　years　oldbeing　worthy　of　her
voice；　the　gentleman　had　had　the　moderation　to　have　brought　her　up；　as
Louis　XV。　had　Mademoiselle　de　Romans　educated。　He　had　waited　patiently
till　Clara's　voice　had　been　fully　trained　by　a　famous　professor；　and
till　she　was　sixteen；　before　taking　toll　of　the　treasure　so　carefully
cultivated。

La　Tinti　had　made　her　debut　the　year　before；　and　had　enchanted　the
three　most　fastidious　capitals　of　Italy。

〃I　am　perfectly　certain　that　her　great　nobleman　is　not　my　husband；〃
said　the　Duchess。

The　horses　were　ordered；　and　the　Duchess　set　out　at　once　for　Venice；
to　be　present　at　the　opening　of　the　winter　season。

So　one　fine　evening　in　November；　the　new　Prince　of　Varese　was　crossing
the　lagoon　from　Mestre　to　Venice；　between　the　lines　of　stakes　painted
with　Austrian　colors；　which　mark　out　the　channel　for　gondolas　as
conceded　by　the　custom…house。　As　he　watched　Massimilla's　gondola；
navigated　by　men　in　livery；　and　cutting　through　the　water　a　few　yards
in　front；　poor　Emilio；　with　only　an　old　gondolier　who　had　been　his
father's　servant　in　the　days　when　Venice　was　still　a　living　city；
could　not　repress　the　bitter　reflections　suggested　to　him　by　the
assumption　of　his　title。

〃What　a　mockery　of　fortune！　A　princewith　fifteen　hundred　francs　a
year！　Master　of　one　of　the　finest　palaces　in　the　world；　and　unable　to
sell　the　statues；　stairs；　paintings；　sculpture；　which　an　Austrian
decree　had　made　inalienable！　To　live　on　a　foundation　of　piles　of
campeachy　wood　worth　nearly　a　million　of　francs；　and　have　no
furniture！　To　own　sumptuous　galleries；　and　live　in　an　attic　above　the
topmost　arabesque　cornice　constructed　of　marble　brought　from　the　Morea
the　land　which　a　Memmius　had　marched　over　as　conqueror　in　the　time
of　the　Romans！　To　see　his　ancestors　in　effigy　on　their　tombs　of
precious　marbles　in　one　of　the　most　splendid　churches　in　Venice；　and
in　a　chapel　graced　with　pictures　by　Titian　and　Tintoretto；　by　Palma；
Bellini；　Paul　Veroneseand　to　be　prohibited　from　selling　a　marble
Memmi　to　the　English　for　bread　for　the　living　Prince　Varese！　Genovese；
the　famous　tenor；　could　get　in　one　season；　by　his　warbling；　the
capital　of　an　income　on　which　this　son　of　the　Memmi　could　livethis
descendant　of　Roman　senators　as　venerable　as　Caesar　and　Sylla。
Genovese　may　smoke　an　Eastern　hookah；　and　the　Prince　of　Varese　cannot
even　have　enough　cigars！〃

He　tossed　the　end　he　was　smoking　into　the　sea。　The　Prince　of　Varese
found　cigars　at　the　Duchess　Cataneo's；　how　gladly　would　he　have　laid
the　treasures　of　the　world　at　her　feet！　She　studied　all　his　caprices；
and　was　happy　to　gratify　them。　He　made　his　only　meal　at　her　househis
supper；　for　all　his　money　was　spent　in　clothes　and　his　place　in　the
/Fenice/。　He　had　also　to　pay　a　hundred　francs　a　year　as　wages　to　his
father's　old　gondolier；　and　he；　to　serve　him　for　that　sum；　had　to　live
exclusively　on　rice。　Also　he　kept　enough　to　take　a　cup　of　black　coffee
every　morning　at　Florian's　to　keep　himself　up　till　the　evening　in　a
state　of　nervous　excitement；　and　this　habit；　carried　to　excess；　he
hoped　would　in　due　time　kill　him；　as　Vendramin　relied　on　opium。

〃And　I　am　a　prince！〃

As　he　spoke　the　words；　Emilio　Memmi　tossed　Marco　Vendramin's　letter
into　the　lagoon　without　even　reading　it　to　the　end；　and　it　floated
away　like　a　paper　boat　launched　by　a　child。

〃But　Emilio；〃　he　went　on　to　himself；　〃is　but　three　and　twenty。　He　is　a
better　man　than　Lord　Wellington　with　the　gout；　than　the　paralyzed
Regent；　than　the　epileptic　royal　family　of　Austria；　than　the　King　of
France〃

But　as　he　thought　of　the　King　of　France　Emilio's　brow　was　knit；　his
ivory　skin　burned　yellower；　tears　gathered　in　his　black　eyes　and　hung
to　his　long　lashes；　he　raised　a　hand　worthy　to　be　painted　by　Titian　to
push　back　his　thick　brown　hair；　and　gazed　again　at　Massimilla's
gondola。

〃And　this　insolent　mockery　of　fate　is　carried　even　into　my　love
affair；〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃My　heart　and　imagination　are　full　of
precious　gifts；　Massimilla　will　have　none　of　them；　she　is　a
Florentine；　and　she　will　throw　me　over。　I　have　to　sit　by　her　side　like
ice；　while　her　voice　and　her　looks　fire　me　with　heavenly　sensations！
As　I　watch　her　gondola　a　few　hundred　feet　away　from　my　own　I　feel　as
if　a　hot　iron　were　set　on　my　heart。　An　invisible　fluid　courses　through
my　frame　and　scorches　my　nerves；　a　cloud　dims　my　sight；　the　air　seems
to　me　to　glow　as　it　did　at　Rivalta　when　the　sunlight　came　through　a
red　silk　blind；　and　I；　without　her　knowing　it；　could　admire　her　lost
in　dreams；　with　her　subtle　smile　like　that　of　Leonardo's　Mona　Lisa。
Well；　either　my　Highness　will　end　my　days　by　a　pistol…shot；　or　the
heir　of　the　Cane　will　follow　old　Carmagnola's　advice；　we　will　be
sailors；　pirates；　and　it　will　be　amusing　to　see　how　long　we　can　live
without　being　hanged。〃

The　Prince　lighted　another　cigar；　and　watched　the　curls　of　smoke　as
the　wind　wafted　them　away；　as　though　he　saw　in　their　arabesques　an
echo　of　this　last　thought。

In　the　distance　he　could　now　perceive　the　mauresque　pinnacles　that
crowned　his　palazzo；　and　he　was　sadder　than　ever。　The　Duchess'　gondola
had　vanished　in　the　Canareggio。

These　fantastic　pictures　of　a　romantic　and　perilous　existence；　as　the
outcome　of　his　love；　went　out　with　his　cigar；　and　his　lady's　gondola
no　longer　traced　his　path。　Then　he　saw　the　present　in　its　real　light：
a　palace　without　a　soul；　a　soul　that　had　no　effect　on　the　body；　a
principality　without　money；　an　empty　body　and　a　full　hearta　thousand
heartbreaking　contradictions。　The　hapless　youth　mourned　for　Venice　as
she　had　been；as　did　Vendramini；　even　more　bitterly；　for　it　was　a
great　and　common　sorrow；　a　similar　destiny；　that　had　engendered　such　a
warm　friendship　between　these　two　young　men；　the　wreckage　of　two
illustrious　families。

Emilio　could　not　help　dreaming　of　a　time　when　the　palazzo　Memmi　poured
out　light　from　every　window；　and　rang　with　music　carried　far　away　over
the　Adriatic　tide；　when　h