Chapter 2

groundandswallowedhimupinthedepths.Liliaturnedonhergallantdefenderandsaid— “ForonceinmylifeI’llthankyoutoleavemealone.I’llthankyourmothertoo.Fortwelveyearsyou’vetrainedmeandtorturedme,andI’llstanditnomore.DoyouthinkI’mafool?DoyouthinkIneverfelt?Ah!whenIcametoyourhouseapooryoungbride,howyoualllookedmeover—neverakindword—anddiscussedme,andthoughtImightjustdoandyourmothercorrectedme,andyoursistersnubbedme,andyousaidfunnythingsaboutmetoshowhowcleveryouwere!AndwhenCharlesdiedIwasstilltoruninstringsforthehonourofyourbeastlyfamily,andIwastobecoopedupatSawstonandlearntokeephouse,andallmychancesspoiltofmarryingagain.No,thankyou!No,thankyou!‘Bully?’‘Insolentboy?’Who’sthat,pray,butyou?But,thankgoodness,Icanstandupagainsttheworldnow,forI’vefoundGino,andthistimeImarryforlove!” Thecoarsenessandtruthofherattackalikeoverwhelmedhim.Buthersupremeinsolencefoundhimwords,andhetooburstforth. “Yes!andIforbidyoutodoit!Youdespiseme,perhaps,andthinkI’mfeeble.Butyou’remistaken.Youareungratefulandimpertinentandcontemptible,butIwillsaveyouinordertosaveIrmaandourname.Thereisgoingtobesucharowinthistownthatyouandhe’llbesorryyoucametoit.Ishallshrinkfromnothing,formybloodisup.Itisunwiseofyoutolaugh.IforbidyoutomarryCarella,andIshalltellhimsonow.” “Do,”shecried.“Tellhimsonow.Haveitoutwithhim.Gino!Gino!Comein!Avanti!FraFilippoforbidsthebanns!” Ginoappearedsoquicklythathemusthavebeenlisteningoutsidethedoor. “FraFilippo’sblood’sup.Heshrinksfromnothing.Oh,takecarehedoesn’thurtyou!”SheswayedaboutinvulgarimitationofPhilip’swalk,andthen,withaproudglanceatthesquareshouldersofherbetrothed,flouncedoutoftheroom. Didsheintendthemtofight?Philiphadnointentionofdoingsoandnomore,itseemed,hadGino,whostoodnervouslyinthemiddleoftheroomwithtwitchinglipsandeyes. “Pleasesitdown,SignorCarella,”saidPhilipinItalian.“Mrs.Herritonisratheragitated,butthereisnoreasonweshouldnotbecalm.MightIofferyouacigarette?Pleasesitdown.” Herefusedthecigaretteandthechair,andremainedstandinginthefullglareofthelamp.Philip,notaversetosuchassistance,gothisownfaceintoshadow. Foralongtimehewassilent.ItmightimpressGino,anditalsogavehimtimetocollecthimself.Hewouldnotthistimefallintotheerrorofblustering,whichhehadcaughtsounaccountablyfromLilia.Hewouldmakehispowerfeltbyrestraint. Why,whenhelookeduptobegin,wasGinoconvulsedwithsilentlaughter?Itvanishedimmediatelybuthebecamenervous,andwasevenmorepompousthanheintended. “SignorCarella,Iwillbefrankwithyou.IhavecometopreventyoumarryingMrs.Herriton,becauseIseeyouwillbothbeunhappytogether.SheisEnglish,youareItaliansheisaccustomedtoonething,youtoanother.And—pardonmeifIsayit—sheisrichandyouarepoor.” “Iamnotmarryingherbecausesheisrich,”wasthesulkyreply. “Ineversuggestedthatforamoment,”saidPhilipcourteously.“Youarehonourable,Iamsurebutareyouwise?Andletmeremindyouthatwewantherwithusathome.Herlittledaughterwillbemotherless,ourhomewillbebrokenup.Ifyougrantmyrequestyouwillearnourthanks—andyouwillnotbewithoutarewardforyourdisappointment.” “Reward—whatreward?”HebentoverthebackofachairandlookedearnestlyatPhilip.Theywerecomingtotermsprettyquickly.PoorLilia! Philipsaidslowly,“Whataboutathousandlire?” Hissoulwentforthintooneexclamation,andthenhewassilent,withgapinglips.Philipwouldhavegivendouble:hehadexpectedabargain. “Youcanhavethemtonight.” Hefoundwords,andsaid,“Itistoolate.” “Butwhy?” “Because—”Hisvoicebroke.Philipwatchedhisface,—afacewithoutrefinementperhaps,butnotwithoutexpression,—watcheditquiverandre-formanddissolvefromemotionintoemotion.Therewasavariceatonemoment,andinsolence,andpoliteness,andstupidity,andcunning—andletushopethatsometimestherewaslove.Butgraduallyoneemotiondominated,themostunexpectedofallforhischestbegantoheaveandhiseyestowinkandhismouthtotwitch,andsuddenlyhestooderectandroaredforthhiswholebeinginonetremendouslaugh. Philipsprangup,andGino,whohadflungwidehisarmstoletthegloriouscreaturego,tookhimbytheshouldersandshookhim,andsaid,“Becausewearemarried—married—marriedassoonasIknewyouwere,coming.Therewasnotimetotellyou.Oh.oh!Youhavecomeallthewayfornothing.Oh!Andoh,yourgenerosity!”Suddenlyhebecamegrave,andsaid,“PleasepardonmeIamrude.Iamnobetterthanapeasant,andI—”HerehesawPhilip’sface,anditwastoomuchforhim.Hegaspedandexplodedandcrammedhishandsintohismouthandspatthemoutinanotherexplosion,andgavePhilipanaimlesspush,whichtoppledhimontothebed.HeutteredahorrifiedOh!andthengaveup,andboltedawaydownthepassage,shriekinglikeachild,totellthejoketohiswife. ForatimePhiliplayonthebed,pretendingtohimselfthathewashurtgrievously.Hecouldscarcelyseefortemper,andinthepassageheranagainstMissAbbott,whopromptlyburstintotears. “IsleepattheGlobo,”hetoldher,“andstartforSawstontomorrowmorningearly.Hehasassaultedme.Icouldprosecutehim.Butshallnot.” “Ican’tstophere,”shesobbed.“Idaren’tstophere.Youwillhavetotakemewithyou!”