Chapter 2

dbythethoughtofdentistrywithinthosewalls. Thetownabovethemswungtotheleft,totheright,totheleftagain,astheroadwoundupwardthroughthetrees,andthetowersbegantoglowinthedescendingsun.Astheydrewnear,Philipsawtheheadsofpeoplegatheringblackuponthewalls,andheknewwellwhatwashappening—howthenewswasspreadingthatastrangerwasinsight,andthebeggarswerearousedfromtheircontentandbidtoadjusttheirdeformitieshowthealabastermanwasrunningforhiswares,andtheAuthorizedGuiderunningforhispeakedcapandhistwocardsofrecommendation—onefromMissM’Gee,MaidaVale,theother,lessvaluable,fromanEquerrytotheQueenofPeruhowsomeoneelsewasrunningtotellthelandladyoftheStellad’ItaliatoputonherpearlnecklaceandbrownbootsandemptytheslopsfromthesparebedroomandhowthelandladywasrunningtotellLiliaandherboythattheirfatewasathand. PerhapsitwasapityPhiliphadtalkedsoprofusely.HehaddrivenMissAbbotthalfdemented,buthehadgivenhimselfnotimetoconcertaplan.Theendcamesosuddenly.Theyemergedfromthetreesontotheterracebeforethewalk,withthevisionofhalfTuscanyradiantinthesunbehindthem,andthentheyturnedinthroughtheSienagate,andtheirjourneywasover.TheDoganamenadmittedthemwithanairofgraciouswelcome,andtheyclatteredupthenarrowdarkstreet,greetedbythatmixtureofcuriosityandkindnesswhichmakeseachItalianarrivalsowonderful. Hewasstunnedandknewnotwhattodo.Atthehotelhereceivednoordinaryreception.Thelandladywrunghimbythehandonepersonsnatchedhisumbrella,anotherhisbagpeoplepushedeachotheroutofhisway.Theentranceseemedblockedwithacrowd.Dogswerebarking,bladderwhistlesbeingblown,womenwavingtheirhandkerchiefs,excitedchildrenscreamingonthestairs,andatthetopofthestairswasLiliaherself,veryradiant,withherbestblouseon. “Welcome!”shecried.“WelcometoMonteriano!”Hegreetedher,forhedidnotknowwhatelsetodo,andasympatheticmurmurrosefromthecrowdbelow. “Youtoldmetocomehere,”shecontinued,“andIdon’tforgetit.LetmeintroduceSignorCarella!” Philipdiscernedinthecornerbehindherayoungmanwhomighteventuallyprovehandsomeandwell-made,butcertainlydidnotseemsothen.Hewashalfenvelopedinthedraperyofacolddirtycurtain,andnervouslystuckoutahand,whichPhiliptookandfoundthickanddamp.Thereweremoremurmursofapprovalfromthestairs. “Well,din-din’snearlyready,”saidLilia.“Yourroom’sdownthepassage,Philip.Youneedn’tgochanging.” Hestumbledawaytowashhishands,utterlycrushedbyhereffrontery. “DearCaroline!”whisperedLiliaassoonashehadgone.“Whatanangelyou’vebeentotellhim!Hetakesitsowell.ButyoumusthavehadaMAUVAISQUARTD’HEURE.” MissAbbott’slongterrorsuddenlyturnedintoacidity.“I’vetoldnothing,”shesnapped.“It’sallforyou—andifitonlytakesaquarterofanhouryou’llbelucky!” Dinnerwasanightmare.Theyhadthesmellydining-roomtothemselves.Lilia,verysmartandvociferous,wasattheheadofthetableMissAbbott,alsoinherbest,satbyPhilip,looking,tohisirritatednerves,morelikethetragedyconfidanteeverymoment.ThatscionoftheItaliannobility,SignorCarella,satopposite.Behindhimloomedabowlofgoldfish,whoswamroundandround,gapingattheguests. ThefaceofSignorCarellawastwitchingtoomuchforPhiliptostudyit.Buthecouldseethehands,whichwerenotparticularlyclean,anddidnotgetcleanerbyfidgetingamongsttheshiningslabsofhair.Hisstarchedcuffswerenotcleaneither,andasforhissuit,ithadobviouslybeenboughtfortheoccasionassomethingreallyEnglish—agiganticcheck,whichdidnotevenfit.Hishandkerchiefhehadforgotten,butnevermissedit.Altogether,hewasquiteunpresentable,andveryluckytohaveafatherwhowasadentistinMonteriano.Andwhy,evenLilia—ButassoonasthemealbeganitfurnishedPhilipwithanexplanation. Fortheyouthwashungry,andhisladyfilledhisplatewithspaghetti,andwhenthosedeliciousslipperywormswereflyingdownhisthroat,hisfacerelaxedandbecameforamomentunconsciousandcalm.AndPhiliphadseenthatfacebeforeinItalyahundredtimes—seenitandlovedit,foritwasnotmerelybeautiful,buthadthecharmwhichistherightfulheritageofallwhoarebornonthatsoil.Buthedidnotwanttoseeitoppositehimatdinner.Itwasnotthefaceofagentleman. Conversation,togiveitthatname,wascarriedoninamixtureofEnglishandItalian.Liliahadpickeduphardlyanyofthelatterlanguage,andSignorCarellahadnotyetlearntanyoftheformer.OccasionallyMissAbbotthadtoactasinterpreterbetweenthelovers,andthesituationbecameuncouthandrevoltingintheextreme.YetPhilipwastoocowardlytobreakforthanddenouncetheengagement.HethoughtheshouldbemoreeffectivewithLiliaifhehadheralone,andpretendedtohimselfthathemusthearherdefencebeforegivingjudgment. SignorCarella,heartenedbythespaghettiandthethroat-raspingwine,attemptedtotalk,and,lookingpolitelytowardsPhilip,said,“Englandisagreatcountry.TheItaliansloveEnglandandtheEnglish.” Philip,innomoodforinternationalamenities,merelybowed. “Italytoo,”theothercontinuedalittleresentfully,“isagreatcountry.Shehasproducedmanyfamousmen—forexampleGaribaldiandDante.Thelatterwrotethe‘Inferno,’the‘Purgatorio,’the‘Paradiso.’The‘Inferno’isthemostbeautiful.”Andwiththecomplacenttoneofon