Chapter 3
關燈
小
中
大
dLilia,“verywell”—asifshewereaddressingasolicitouskitten.Butforallthatshenevertookasolitarywalkagain,withoneexception,tillthedayofherdeath.
Dayspassed,andnoonecalledexceptpoorrelatives.Shebegantofeeldull.Didn’theknowtheSindacoorthebankmanager?EventhelandladyoftheStellad’Italiawouldbebetterthannoone.She,whenshewentintothetown,waspleasantlyreceivedbutpeoplenaturallyfoundadifficultyingettingonwithaladywhocouldnotlearntheirlanguage.Andthetea-party,underGino’sadroitmanagement,recededeverandeverbeforeher.
Hehadagooddealofanxietyoverherwelfare,forshedidnotsettledowninthehouseatall.Buthewascomfortedbyawelcomeandunexpectedvisitor.Ashewasgoingoneafternoonfortheletters—theyweredeliveredatthedoor,butittooklongertogetthemattheoffice—someonehumorouslythrewacloakoverhishead,andwhenhedisengagedhimselfhesawhisverydearfriendSpiridioneTesiofthecustom-houseatChiasso,whomhehadnotmetfortwoyears.Whatjoy!whatsalutations!sothatallthepassersbysmiledwithapprovalontheamiablescene.Spiridione’sbrotherwasnowstation-masteratBologna,andthushehimselfcouldspendhisholidaytravellingoverItalyatthepublicexpense.HearingofGino’smarriage,hehadcometoseehimonhiswaytoSiena,wherelivedhisownuncle,latelymoniedtoo.
“Theyalldoit,”heexclaimed,“myselfexcepted.”Hewasnotquitetwenty-three.“Buttellmemore.SheisEnglish.Thatisgood,verygood.AnEnglishwifeisverygoodindeed.Andsheisrich?”
“Immenselyrich.”
“Blondeordark?”
“Blonde.”
“Isitpossible!”
“Itpleasesmeverymuch,”saidGinosimply.“Ifyouremember,Ialwaysdesiredablonde.”Threeorfourmenhadcollected,andwerelistening.
“Wealldesireone,”saidSpiridione.“Butyou,Gino,deserveyourgoodfortune,foryouareagoodson,abraveman,andatruefriend,andfromtheveryfirstmomentIsawyouIwishedyouwell.”
“Nocompliments,Ibeg,”saidGino,standingwithhishandscrossedonhischestandasmileofpleasureonhisface.
Spiridioneaddressedtheothermen,noneofwhomhehadeverseenbefore.“Isitnottrue?Doesnothedeservethiswealthyblonde?”
“Hedoesdeserveher,”saidallthemen.
Itisamarvellousland,whereyouloveitorhateit.
Therewerenoletters,andofcoursetheysatdownattheCaffeGaribaldi,bytheCollegiateChurch—quiteagoodcaffethatforsosmallacity.Thereweremarble-toppedtables,andpillarsterra-cottabelowandgoldabove,andontheceilingwasafrescoofthebattleofSolferino.Onecouldnothavedesiredaprettierroom.Theyhadvermouthandlittlecakeswithsugaronthetop,whichtheychosegravelyatthecounter,pinchingthemfirsttobesuretheywerefresh.Andthoughvermouthisbarelyalcoholic,Spiridionedrenchedhiswithsoda-watertobesurethatitshouldnotgetintohishead.
Theywereinhighspirits,andelaboratecomplimentsalternatedcuriouslywithgentlehorseplay.Butsoontheyputuptheirlegsonapairofchairsandbegantosmoke.
“Tellme,”saidSpiridione—“Iforgottoask—issheyoung?”
“Thirty-three.”
“Ah,well,wecannothaveeverything.”
“Butyouwouldbesurprised.Hadshetoldmetwenty-eight,Ishouldnothavedisbelievedher.”
“IssheSIMPATICA?”(Nothingwilltranslatethatword.)
Ginodabbedatthesugarandsaidafterasilence,“Sufficientlyso.”
“Itisamostimportantthing.”
“Sheisrich,sheisgenerous,sheisaffable,sheaddressesherinferiorswithouthaughtiness.”
Therewasanothersilence.“Itisnotsufficient,”saidtheother.“Onedoesnotdefineitthus.”Heloweredhisvoicetoawhisper.“LastmonthaGermanwassmugglingcigars.Thecustom-housewasdark.YetIrefusedbecauseIdidnotlikehim.Thegiftsofsuchmendonotbringhappiness.NONERASIMPATICO.Hepaidforeveryone,andthefinefordeceptionbesides.”
“Doyougainmuchbeyondyourpay?”askedGino,divertedforaninstant.
“Idonotacceptsmallsumsnow.Itisnotworththerisk.ButtheGermanwasanothermatter.Butlisten,myGino,forIamolderthanyouandmorefullofexperience.Thepersonwhounderstandsusatfirstsight,whoneverirritatesus,whoneverbores,towhomwecanpourfortheverythoughtandwish,notonlyinspeechbutinsilence—thatiswhatImeanbySIMPATICO.”
“Therearesuchmen,Iknow,”saidGino.“AndIhavehearditsaidofchildren.Butwherewillyoufindsuchawoman?”
“Thatistrue.HereyouarewiserthanI.SONOPOCOSIMPATICHELEDONNE.Andthetimewewast
