XII

uchofoneanother.' 'Whenoneisinlove,reallyandtruly,onedoesnotthinkofsuchwiseprecautions.' 'AndyouareheresooftenthatIamafraidofmygoodname.' 'Youneedhavenofearaboutyourcharacter,'Iansweredbitterly.'Onemorescandalwillnotmakemuchdifference.' 'Youneednotinsultme!' Icouldnotbeangrywithher,Ilovedhertoomuch,andthewordsIhadsaidhurtmetentimesmorethantheyhurther.Ifellonmykneesbyhersideandtookholdofherarms. 'Oh,Giulia,Giulia,forgiveme!Idon'tmeantosayanythingtowoundyou.But,forGod'ssake!don'tbesocold.Iloveyou,Iloveyou.Begoodtome.' 'IthinkIhavebeengoodtoyou....Afterall,itisnotsuchaverygravematter.Ihavenottakenthingsmoreseriouslythanyou.' 'Whatdoyoumean?'Icried,aghast. Sheshruggedhershoulders. 'Isupposeyoufoundmeaprettywoman,andthoughtyoucouldoccupyafewsparemomentswithapleasantamour.Youcanhardlyhaveexpectedmetobeinfluencedbysentimentsverydifferentfromyourown.' 'Youmeanyoudonotloveme?' 'Iloveyouasmuchasyouloveme.Idon'tsupposeeitheryouareLancelot,orIGuinevere.' Istillkneltathersideinsilence,andmyheadfeltasifthevesselsinitwerebursting.... 'Youknow,'shewentonquitecalmly,'onecannotloveforever.' 'ButIloveyou,GiuliaIloveyouwithallmyheartandsoul!Ihavehadlovespickedupfortheopportunity'ssake,orforpureidlenessbutmyloveforyouisdifferent.Isweartoyouitisamatterofmywholelife.' 'Thathasbeensaidtomesooften....' Iwasbeginningtobeoverwhelmed. 'Butdoyoumeanthatitisallfinished?Doyoumeanthatyouwon'thaveanythingmoretodowithme!' 'Idon'tsayIwon'thaveanythingmoretodowithyou.' 'Butlove?ItisloveIwant.' Sheshruggedhershoulders. 'Butwhynot?'Isaiddespairingly.'Whyhaveyougivenitmeatallifyouwanttotakeitaway?' 'Oneisnotmasterofone'slove.Itcomesandgoes.' 'Don'tyoulovemeatall?' 'No!' 'Oh,God!Butwhydoyoutellmethisto-day?' 'Ihadtotellyousometime.' 'Butwhynotyester