XLI
關燈
小
中
大
Amomentlateragruffvoicebrokeinuponme.
'Ah,MesserFilippoBrandolini!'
Ilookedup.AtthefirstglanceIdidnotrecognisethespeakerbutthenasIclearedmymindIsawitwasErcolePiacentini.Whatwashedoinghere?ThenIrememberedthatitwasontheroadtoForli.IsupposedhehadreceivedorderstoleaveCastelloandwasonhiswaytohisoldhaunts.However,IdidnotwanttospeaktohimIbentdown,andagainclaspedmyheadinmyhands.
'Thatisacivilwayofanswering,'hesaid.'MesserFilippo!'
Ilookedup,ratherbored.
'IfIdonotanswer,itisevidentlybecauseIdonotwishtospeaktoyou.'
'AndifIwishtospeaktoyou?'
'ThenImusttakethelibertyofbeggingyoutoholdyourtongue.'
'Youinsolentfellow!'
Ifelttoomiserabletobeangry.
'Havethegoodnesstoleaveme,'Isaid.'Youboremeintensely.'
'Itellyouthatyouareaninsolentfellow,andIshalldoasIplease.'
'Areyouabeggar,thatyouaresoimportunate?Whatdoyouwant?'
'DoyouremembersayinginForlithatyouwouldfightmewhentheopportunitypresenteditself.Ithas!AndIamready,forIhavetothankyouformybanishmentfromCastello.'
'WhenIofferedtofightyou,sir,Ithoughtyouwereagentleman.NowthatIknowyourcondition,Imustdecline.'
'Youcoward!'
'Surelyitisnotcowardicetorefuseaduelwithapersonlikeyourself?'
BythistimehewaswildwithragebutIwascoolandcollected.
'Haveyousomuchtoboast?'heaskedfuriously.
'HappilyIamnotabastard!'
'Cuckold!'
'Oh!'
Isprangupandlookedathimwithalookofhorror.Helaughedscornfullyandrepeated,—
'Cuckold!'
Nowitwasmyturn.Thebloodrushedtomyheadandaterriblerageseizedme.Ipickedupthetankardofwinewhichwasonthetableandflungitathimwithallmymight.Thewinesplashedoverhis
