XXXIX
關燈
小
中
大
santtopicofconversation.'
'Really!'Iwasgettingalittleangry.'Andwhathasthetowntosayofme?'
'Oh,Idonotwanttotroubleyourpeaceofmind.'
'Willyouhavethegoodnesstotellmewhatyoumean?'
Sheshruggedhershouldersandsmiledenigmatically.
'Well?'Isaid.
'Ifyouinsist,Iwilltellyou.Theysaythatyouareacomplaisanthusband.'
'Thatisalie!'
'Youarenotpolite,'sheansweredcalmly.
'Howdareyousaysuchthings,youimpudentwoman!'
'Mygoodsir,itistrue,perfectlytrue.AskMatteo.'
SuddenlyIrememberedMatteo'squestion,andhislookofrelief.Asuddenfearranthroughme.ItookholdofClaudia'swristsandsaid,—
'Whatdoyoumean?Whatdoyoumean?'
'Leavegoyouhurtme!'
'Answer,Itellyou.Iknowyouaredyingtotellme.Isthiswhyyoulayinwaitforme,andbroughtmehere?Tellme.'
AsuddentransformationtookplaceinClaudiarageandhatebrokeoutandcontortedherface,sothatonewouldnothaverecognisedit.
'Doyousupposeyoucanescapetheordinaryfateofhusbands?'Shebrokeintoasavagelaugh.
'Itisalie.YouslanderGiuliabecauseyouareyourselfimpure.'
'Youwerewillingenoughtotakeadvantageofthatimpurity.DoyousupposeGiulia'scharacterhasalteredbecauseyouhavemarriedher?Shemadeherfirsthusbandacuckold,anddoyousupposethatshehassuddenlyturnedvirtuous?Youfool!'
'Itisalie.Iwillnotbelieveawordofit.'
'ThewholetownhasbeenringingwithherloveforGiorgiodall'Aste.'
Igaveacryitwasforhimthatsheabandonedmebefore....
'Ah,youbelievemenow!'
'Listen!'Isaid.'Ifthisisnottrue,IswearbyallthesaintsthatIwillkillyou.'
'Goodifitisnottrue,killme.But,byallthesaints,Iswearitistrue,true,true!'Sherepeatedthewordsintriumph,andeachonefelllikethestabofadaggerinmyheart.
Ilefther.AsIwalkedhome,Ifanciedthepeoplewerelookingatme,andsmiling.OnceIwasonthevergeofgoinguptoaman,andaskinghimwhyhelaughed,butIcontainedmyself.HowIwassuffering!IrememberedthatGiuliahadnotseemedsopleasedtoseemeatthetimeIchidmyself,andcalledmyselfexacting,butwasittrue?IfanciedsheturnedawayherlipswhenIwasimprintingmypassionatekissesonthem.ItoldmyselfIwasafool,butwasittrue?IrememberedaslightmovementofwithdrawalwhenIclaspedherinmyarms.Wasittrue?OhGod!wasittrue?
IthoughtofgoingtoMatteo,butIcouldnot.Heknewhe
