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ourwindow,'Whatanuisancehavingtowaitforone'scousinwhileaprettywomanisflirtingwithhim!' 'Youhavemetotalkto—whatmorecanyouwant!' 'Idon'twanttotalktoyouatall,'heanswered,laughing. GirolamowasstillwithErcole.Hismobileeyesweremovingovertheroom,hardlyeverrestingonErcole'sface,butsometimesonus,moreoftenonChecco.Iwonderedwhetherhewasjealous. AtlastCheccogotupandsaidGood-night.ThenGirolamocameforward. 'Youarenotgoingyet,'hesaid.'Iwanttospeakwithyouonthesubjectofthosetaxes.' Itwasthefirsttimehehadmentionedthem. 'Itisgettingsolate,'saidChecco,'andthesegoodgentlemenaretired.' 'Theycangohome.Really,itisveryurgent.' Checcohesitated,andlookedatus. 'Wewillwaitforyou,'saidMatteo. Girolamo'seyesmovedabouthereandthere,neverrestingamoment,fromCheccotome,frommetoMatteo,andontohiswife,andthenonagain,withextraordinaryrapidity—itwasquiteterrifying. 'OnewouldthinkyouwereafraidofleavingCheccoinourhands,'saidtheCountess,smiling. 'No,'returnedMatteo'butIlookforwardtohavingsomeofyourattentionnowthatCheccoisotherwiseoccupied.Willyouletmelanguish?' Shelaughed,andarapidglancepassedbetweenherandtheCount. 'Ishallbeonlytoopleased,'shesaid,'comeandsitbyme,oneoneachside.' TheCountturnedtoErcole. 'Well,good-night,myfriend,'hesaid.'Good-night!' Ercoleleftus,andGirolamo,takingChecco'sarm,walkedupanddowntheroom,speaking.TheCountessandMatteocommencedagayconversation.AlthoughIwasclosetothemIwasleftalone,andIwatchedtheCount.Hiseyesfascinatedme,movingceaselessly.Whatcouldbebehindthem?Whatcouldbetheman'sthoughtsthathiseyesshouldneverrest?Theyenvelopedthepersontheylookedat—hishead,everyfeatureofhisface,hisbody,hisclothesoneimaginedtherewasnodetailtheyhadnotcaughtitwasasiftheyateintotheverysouloftheman. Thetwomentrampedupanddown,talkingearnestlyIwonderedwhattheyweresaying.AtlastGirolamostopped. 'Ah,well,ImusthavemercyonyouIshalltireyoutodeath.AndyouknowIdonotwishtodoanythingtoharmyou.' Checcosmiled. 'Whateverdifficultytherehasbeenbetweenus,Checco,youknowthattherehasneveronmypartbeenanyill-feelingtowardsyou.Ihavealwayshadforyouaverysincereandaffectionatefriendship.' Andashesaidthewordsanextraordinarychangecameoverhim.Theeyes,themobileeyes,stoppedstillatlastforthefirsttimeIsawthemperfectlysteady,motionless,likeglasstheylookedfixedlyintoChecco'seyes,withoutwinking,andtheirimmobilitywasasstrangeastheirperpetualmovement,andtomeitwasmoreterrifying.ItwasasifGirolamowastryingtoseehisownimageinChecco'ssoul. Webadethemfarewell,andtogetherissuedoutintothesilenceofthenightandIfeltthatbehindusthemotionlesseyes,likeglass,werefollowingusintothedarkness.