XII

day,orthedaybefore?Whyto-dayparticularly?' Shedidnotanswer. 'IsitbecauseGiorgiodall'Astehasjustreturned?' Shestartedupandhereyesflashed. 'Whathavetheybeentellingyouabouthim?' 'Hashebeenhereto-day?WereyouthinkingofhimwhenIcame?Wereyoulanguorousfromhisembraces?' 'Howdareyou!' 'Theonlylovertowhomyouhavebeenfaithful,moreorless!' 'Youvowedyoudidnotbelievethescandalsaboutme,andnow,whenIrefuseyouthesmallestthing,youarereadytobelieveeveryword.Whataloveisthis!IthoughtIhadheardyoutalksooftenofboundlessconfidence.' 'IbelieveeverywordIhaveheardagainstyou.Ibelieveyouareaharlot.' Shehadraisedherselffromhercouch,andwewerestandingfacetoface. 'Doyouwantmoney?Look!Ihaveasgoodmoneyasanother.Iwillpayyouforyourlovehere,takeit.' Itookgoldpiecesfrommypocketandflungthematherfeet. 'Ah,'shecriedinindignation,'youcur!Go,go!' Shepointedtothedoor.ThenIfeltasuddenrevulsion.Ifellonmykneesandseizedherhands. 'Oh,forgiveme,Giulia.Idon'tknowwhatIamsayingIammad.Butdon'trobmeofyourloveitistheonlythingIhavetolivefor.ForGod'ssake,forgiveme!Oh,Giulia,Iloveyou,Iloveyou.Ican'tlivewithoutyou.'Thetearsbrokefrommyeyes.Icouldnotstopthem. 'Leaveme!leaveme!' IwasashamedofmyabjectnessIroseupindignant. 'Oh,youarequiteheartless.Youhavenorighttotreatmeso.Youwerenotobligedtogivemeyourlovebutwhenonceyouhavegivenityoucannottakeitaway.Noonehastherighttomakeanotherunhappyasyoumakeme.Youareabad,evilwoman.Ihateyou!' Istoodoverherwithclenchedfists.Sheshrankback,afraid. 'Don'tbefrightened,'Isaid'Iwon'ttouchyou.Ihateyoutoomuch.' ThenIturnedtothecrucifix,andliftedmyhands. 'Oh,God!Iprayyou,letthiswomanbetreatedasshehastreatedme.'Andtoher,'IhopetoGodyouareasunhappyasIam.AndIhopetheunhappinesswillcomesoon—youharlot!' Ilefther,andinmyrageslammedthedoor,sothatthelockshatteredbehindme.