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sed,forIhadnotmyselfthefaintestnotionofmymeaning.Stillshesawitwasacompliment.
'Ah,youareverypolite!'
Wepausedamoment,duringwhichwebothlookedunutterablethingsatoneanother.Thenshegaveadeepsigh.
'Whysosad,sweetlady?'Iasked.
'MesserFilippo,'sheanswered,'Iamanunhappywoman.'Shehitherbreastwithherhand.
'Youaretoobeautiful,'Iremarkedgallantly.
'Ahno!ahno!Iamunhappy.'
Iglancedatherhusband,whowasstalkinggrimlyabouttheroom,lookinglikearetiredsoldierwiththegoutandIthoughtthattobeinthesocietyofsuchapersonwasenoughtomakeanyonemiserable.
'Youareright,'shesaid,followingmyeyes'itismyhusband.Heissounsympathetic.'
Icondoledwithher.
'Heissojealousofme,and,asyouknow,IamapatternofvirtuetoForli!'
Ihadneverheardhercharactersodescribed,but,ofcourse,Isaid,—
'Tolookatyouwouldbeenoughtoreassurethemostviolentofhusbands.'
'Oh,Ihavetemptationenough,Iassureyou,'sheansweredquickly.
'Icanwellbelievethat.'
'ButIamasfaithfultohimasifIwereoldanduglyandyetheisjealous.'
'Weallhaveourcrossesinthislife,'Iremarkedsententiously.
'HeavenknowsIhaveminebutIhavemyconsolations.'
SoIsupposed,andanswered,—
'Oh!'
'Ipouroutmysoulinaseriesofsonnets.'
'AsecondPetrarch!'
'Myfriendssaysomeofthemarenotunworthyofthatgreatname.'
'Icanwellbelieveit.'
Herereliefcame,andlikethetiredsentinel,Ileftthepostofduty.IthoughtofmysweetGiulia,andwonderedatherbeautyandcharmitwasallsomuchclearerandcleanerthanthedrossIsawaroundme.Icameaway,forIwaspiningforsolitude,andthenIgavemyselfuptotheexquisitedreamsofmylove.
Atlastthetimecame,thelongdayhadatlastwornaway,andthenight,thefriendoflovers,gavemeleavetogotoGiulia.