Chapter 3

OppositetheVolterragateofMonteriano,outsidethecity,isaveryrespectablewhite-washedmudwall,withacopingofredcrinkledtilestokeepitfromdissolution.Itwouldsuggestagentleman’sgardeniftherewasnotinitsmiddlealargehole,whichgrowslargerwitheveryrain-storm.Throughtheholeisvisible,firstly,theirongatethatisintendedtocloseitsecondly,asquarepieceofgroundwhich,thoughnotquite,mud,isatthesametimenotexactlygrassandfinally,anotherwall,stonethistime,whichhasawoodendoorinthemiddleandtwowooden-shutteredwindowseachside,andapparentlyformsthefacadeofaone-storeyhouse. Thishouseisbiggerthanitlooks,foritslidesfortwostoreysdownthehillbehind,andthewoodendoor,whichisalwayslocked,reallyleadsintotheattic.Theknowingpersonpreferstofollowtheprecipitousmule-trackroundtheturnofthemudwalltillhecantaketheedificeintherear.Then—beingnowonalevelwiththecellars—heliftsuphisheadandshouts.Ifhisvoicesoundslikesomethinglight—aletter,forexample,orsomevegetables,orabunchofflowers—abasketisletoutofthefirst-floorwindowsbyastring,intowhichheputshisburdensanddeparts.Butifhesoundslikesomethingheavy,suchasalogofwood,orapieceofmeat,oravisitor,heisinterrogated,andthenbiddenorforbiddentoascend.Thegroundfloorandtheupperfloorofthatbatteredhousearealikedeserted,andtheinmateskeepthecentralportion,justasinadyingbodyallliferetirestotheheart.Thereisadooratthetopofthefirstflightofstairs,andifthevisitorisadmittedhewillfindawelcomewhichisnotnecessarilycold.Thereareseveralrooms,somedarkandmostlystuffy—areception-roomadornedwithhorsehairchairs,wool-workstools,andastovethatisneverlit—GermanbadtastewithoutGermandomesticitybroodsoverthatroomalsoaliving-room,whichinsensiblyglidesintoabedroomwhentherefininginfluenceofhospitalityisabsent,andrealbedroomsandlast,butnotleast,theloggia,whereyoucanlivedayandnightifyoufeelinclined,drinkingvermouthandsmokingcigarettes,withleaguesofolive-treesandvineyardsandblue-greenhillstowatchyou. ItwasinthishousethatthebriefandinevitabletragedyofLilia’smarriedlifetookplace.ShemadeGinobuyitforher,becauseitwasthereshehadfirstseenhimsittingonthemudwallthatfacedtheVolterragate.Sherememberedhowtheeveningsunhadstruckhishair,andhowhehadsmileddownather,andbeingbothsentimentalandunrefined,wasdeterminedtohavethemanandtheplacetogether.ThingsinItalyarecheapforanItalian,and,thoughhewouldhavepreferredahouseinthepiazza,orbetterstillahouseatSiena,or,blissabovebliss,ahouseatLeghorn,hedidassheasked,thinkingthatperhapssheshowedhergoodtasteinpreferringsoretiredanabode. Thehousewasfartoobigforthem,andtherewasageneralconcourseofhisrelativestofillitup.Hisfatherwishedtomakeitapatriarchalconcern,whereallthefamilyshouldhavetheirroomsandmeettogetherformeals,andwasperfectlywillingtogiveupthenewpracticeatPoggibonsiandpreside.Ginowasquitewillingtoo,forhewasanaffectionateyouthwholikedalargehome-circle,andhetolditasapleasantbitofnewstoLilia,whodidnotattempttoconcealherhorror. Atoncehewashorrifiedtoosawthattheideawasmonstrousabusedhimselftoherforhavingsuggesteditrushedofftotellhisfatherthatitwasimpossible.Hisfathercomplainedthatprosperitywasalreadycorruptinghimandmakinghimunsympatheticandhardhismothercriedhissistersaccusedhimofblockingtheirsocialadvance.Hewasapologetic,andevencringing,untiltheyturnedonLilia.Thenheturnedonthem,sayingthattheycouldnotunderstand,muchlessassociatewith,theEnglishladywhowashiswifethatthereshouldbeonemasterinthathouse—himself. Liliapraisedandpettedhimonhisreturn,callinghimbraveandaheroandotherendearingepithets.ButhewasratherbluewhenhisclanleftMonterianoinmuchdignity—adignitywhichwasnotatallimpairedbytheacceptanceofacheque.TheytookthechequenottoPoggibonsi,afterall,buttoEmpoli—alively,dustytownsometwentymilesoff.Theretheysettleddownincomfort,andthesisterssaidtheyhadbeendriventoitbyGino. Thechequewas,ofcourse,Lilia’s,whowasextremelygenerous,andwasquitewillingtoknowanybodysolongasshehadnottolivewiththem,relations-in-lawbeingonhernerves.Shelikednothingbetterthanfindingoutsomeobscureanddistantconnection—th