V

icate,soweak,thatonefeltitnecessarytobeverygentlewithher.Icouldnotimaginehowanyonecoulduseahardwordtoherface. Hereyeslitupasshesawme. 'Howlongyou'vebeen,'shesaid.'Ithoughtyouwerenevercoming.' Shealwaysseemedsogladsoseeyouthatyouthoughtshemusthavebeenanxiouslyawaitingyou,andthatyouweretheverypersonofallothersthatshewishedtohavewithher.Ofcourse,Iknewitwasanaffectation,butitwasaverycharmingone. 'Comeandsitbymehere,'shesaid,makingroomformeonacouchthenwhenIhadsatdown,shenestledcloseuptomeinherprettychildishway,asifseekingprotection.'Now,tellmeallyou'vebeendoing.' 'I'vebeentalkingtoMatteo,'Isaid. 'Whatabout?' 'You.' 'Tellmewhathesaid.' 'Nothingtoyourcredit,mydear,'Isaid,laughing. 'PoorMatteo,'sheanswered.'He'ssuchaclumsy,lumberingcreature,onecanseehe'sspenthalfhislifeincamps.' 'AndI?IhavespentthesamelifeasMatteo.AmIaclumsy,lumberingcreature?' 'Oh,no,'sheanswered,'youarequitedifferent.'Sheputthepleasantestcomplimentsinthelookofhereyes. 'Matteotoldmeallsortsofscandalaboutyou.'Sheblushedalittle. 'Didyoubelieveit?' 'IsaidIdidnotmuchcareifitweretrueornot.' 'Butdoyoubelieveit?'sheasked,insisting. 'Ifyou'lltellmeitisnottrue,Iwillbelieveabsolutelywhatyousay.' Thelittleanxiouslookonherfacegavewaytoabrightsmile. 'Ofcourse,itisnottrue.' 'Howbeautifulyouarewhenyousmile,'Iremarkedirrelevantly.'Youshouldalwayssmile.' 'Ialwaysdoonyou,'sheanswered.Sheopenedhermouth,asifabouttospeak,heldback,asifunabletomakeuphermind,thensaid,'DidMatteotellyouhemadelovetomeonce,andwasveryangrybecauseIwo