the diary of a man of fifty-第2章

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〃I　was　speaking　of　the　daughter；〃　I　said；　understanding　his　smile。　　

〃But　I　was　thinking　of　the　mother。〃



〃Of　the　mother？〃



〃Of　a　person　I　knew　twenty…seven　years　agothe　most　charming　woman　I　

have　ever　known。　　She　was　the　Countess　Salvishe　lived　in　a　

wonderful　old　house　in　Via　Ghibellina。〃



〃A　wonderful　old　house！〃　my　young　Englishman　repeated。



〃She　had　a　little　girl；〃　I　went　on；　〃and　the　little　girl　was　very　

fair；　like　her　mother；　and　the　mother　and　daughter　had　the　same　name…

…Bianca。〃　　I　stopped　and　looked　at　my　companion；　and　he　blushed　a　

little。　　〃And　Bianca　Salvi；〃　I　continued；　〃was　the　most　charming　

woman　in　the　world。〃　　He　blushed　a　little　more；　and　I　laid　my　hand　on　

his　shoulder。　　〃Do　you　know　why　I　tell　you　this？　　Because　you　remind　

me　of　what　I　was　when　I　knew　herwhen　I　loved　her。〃　　My　poor　young　

Englishman　gazed　at　me　with　a　sort　of　embarrassed　and　fascinated　

stare；　and　still　I　went　on。　　〃I　say　that's　the　reason　I　told　you　

thisbut　you'll　think　it　a　strange　reason。　　You　remind　me　of　my　

younger　self。　　You　needn't　resent　thatI　was　a　charming　young　

fellow。　　The　Countess　Salvi　thought　so。　　Her　daughter　thinks　the　same　

of　you。〃



Instantly；　instinctively；　he　raised　his　hand　to　my　arm。　　〃Truly？〃



〃Ah；　you　are　wonderfully　like　me！〃　I　said；　laughing。　　〃That　was　just　

my　state　of　mind。　　I　wanted　tremendously　to　please　her。〃　　He　dropped　

his　hand　and　looked　away；　smiling；　but　with　an　air　of　ingenuous　

confusion　which　quickened　my　interest　in　him。　　〃You　don't　know　what　

to　make　of　me；〃　I　pursued。　　〃You　don't　know　why　a　stranger　should　

suddenly　address　you　in　this　way　and　pretend　to　read　your　thoughts。　　

Doubtless　you　think　me　a　little　cracked。　　Perhaps　I　am　eccentric；　but　

it's　not　so　bad　as　that。　　I　have　lived　about　the　world　a　great　deal；　

following　my　profession；　which　is　that　of　a　soldier。　　I　have　been　in　

India；　in　Africa；　in　Canada；　and　I　have　lived　a　good　deal　alone。　　

That　inclines　people；　I　think；　to　sudden　bursts　of　confidence。　　A　

week　ago　I　came　into　Italy；　where　I　spent　six　months　when　I　was　your　

age。　　I　came　straight　to　FlorenceI　was　eager　to　see　it　again；　on　

account　of　associations。　　They　have　been　crowding　upon　me　ever　so　

thickly。　　I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　giving　you　a　hint　of　them。〃　　

The　young　man　inclined　himself　a　little；　in　silence；　as　if　he　had　

been　struck　with　a　sudden　respect。　　He　stood　and　looked　away　for　a　

moment　at　the　river　and　the　mountains。　　〃It's　very　beautiful；〃　I　

said。



〃Oh；　it's　enchanting；〃　he　murmured。



〃That's　the　way　I　used　to　talk。　　But　that's　nothing　to　you。〃



He　glanced　at　me　again。　　〃On　the　contrary；　I　like　to　hear。〃



〃Well；　then；　let　us　take　a　walk。　　If　you　too　are　staying　at　this　inn；　

we　are　fellow…travellers。　　We　will　walk　down　the　Arno　to　the　Cascine。　　

There　are　several　things　I　should　like　to　ask　of　you。〃



My　young　Englishman　assented　with　an　air　of　almost　filial　confidence；　

and　we　strolled　for　an　hour　beside　the　river　and　through　the　shady　

alleys　of　that　lovely　wilderness。　　We　had　a　great　deal　of　talk：　　it's　

not　only　myself；　it's　my　whole　situation　over　again。



〃Are　you　very　fond　of　Italy？〃　I　asked。



He　hesitated　a　moment。　　〃One　can't　express　that。〃



〃Just　so；　I　couldn't　express　it。　　I　used　to　tryI　used　to　write　

verses。　　On　the　subject　of　Italy　I　was　very　ridiculous。〃



〃So　am　I　ridiculous；〃　said　my　companion。



〃No；　my　dear　boy；〃　I　answered；　〃we　are　not　ridiculous；　we　are　two　

very　reasonable；　superior　people。〃



〃The　first　time　one　comesas　I　have　doneit's　a　revelation。〃



〃Oh；　I　remember　well；　one　never　forgets　it。　　It's　an　introduction　to　

beauty。〃



〃And　it　must　be　a　great　pleasure；〃　said　my　young　friend；　〃to　come　

back。〃



〃Yes；　fortunately　the　beauty　is　always　here。　　What　form　of　it；〃　I　

asked；　〃do　you　prefer？〃



My　companion　looked　a　little　mystified；　and　at　last　he　said；　〃I　am　

very　fond　of　the　pictures。〃



〃So　was　I。　　And　among　the　pictures；　which　do　you　like　best？〃



〃Oh；　a　great　many。〃



〃So　did　I；　but　I　had　certain　favourites。〃



Again　the　young　man　hesitated　a　little；　and　then　he　confessed　that　

the　group　of　painters　he　preferred；　on　the　whole；　to　all　others；　was　

that　of　the　early　Florentines。



I　was　so　struck　with　this　that　I　stopped　short。　　〃That　was　exactly　my　

taste！〃　　And　then　I　passed　my　hand　into　his　arm　and　we　went　our　way　

again。



We　sat　down　on　an　old　stone　bench　in　the　Cascine；　and　a　solemn　blank…

eyed　Hermes；　with　wrinkles　accentuated　by　the　dust　of　ages；　stood　

above　us　and　listened　to　our　talk。



〃The　Countess　Salvi　died　ten　years　ago；〃　I　said。



My　companion　admitted　that　he　had　heard　her　daughter　say　so。



〃After　I　knew　her　she　married　again；〃　I　added。　　〃The　Count　Salvi　died　

before　I　knew　hera　couple　of　years　after　their　marriage。〃



〃Yes；　I　have　heard　that。〃



〃And　what　else　have　you　heard？〃



My　companion　stared　at　me；　he　had　evidently　heard　nothing。



〃She　was　a　very　interesting　womanthere　are　a　great　many　things　to　

be　said　about　her。　　Later；　perhaps；　I　will　tell　you。　　Has　the　

daughter　the　same　charm？〃



〃You　forget；〃　said　my　young　man；　smiling；　〃that　I　have　never　seen　the　

mother。〃



〃Very　true。　　I　keep　confounding。　　But　the　daughterhow　long　have　you　

known　her？〃



〃Only　since　I　have　been　here。　　A　very　short　time。〃



〃A　week？〃



For　a　moment　he　said　nothing。　　〃A　month。〃



〃That's　just　the　answer　I　should　have　made。　　A　week；　a　monthit　was　

all　the　same　to　me。〃



〃I　think　it　is　more　than　a　month；〃　said　the　young　man。



〃It's　probably　six。　　How　did　you　make　her　acquaintance？〃



〃By　a　letteran　introduction　given　me　by　a　friend　in　England。〃



〃The　analogy　is　complete；〃　I　said。　　〃But　the　friend　who　gave　me　my　

letter　to　Madame　de　Salvi　died　many　years　ago。　　He；　too；　admired　her　

greatly。　　I　don't　know　why　it　never　came　into　my　mind　that　her　

daughter　might　be　living　in　Florence。　　Somehow　I　took　for　granted　it　

was　all　over。　　I　never　thought　of　the　little　girl；　I　never　heard　what　

had　become　of　her。　　I　walked　past　the　palace　yesterday　and　saw　that　

it　was　occupied；　but　I　took　for　granted　it　had　changed　hands。〃



〃The　Countess　Scarabelli；〃　said　my　friend；　〃brought　it　to　her　husband　

as　her　marriage…portion。〃



〃I　hope　he　appreciated　it！　　There　is　a　fountain　in　the　court；　and　

there　is　a　charming　old　garden　beyond　it。　　The　Countess's　sitting…

room　looks　into　that　garden。　　The　staircase　is　of　white　marble；　and　

there　is　a　medallion　by　Luca　della　Robbia　set　into　the　wall　at　the　

place　where　it　makes　a　bend。　　Before　you　come　into　the　drawing…room　

you　stand　a　moment　in　a　great　vaulted　place　hung　round　with　faded　

tapestry；　paved　with　bare　tiles；　and　furnished　only　with　three　

chairs。　　In　the　drawing…room；　above　the　fireplace；　is　a　superb　Andrea　

del　Sarto。　　The　furniture　is　covered　with　pale　sea…green。〃



My　companion　listened　to　all　this。



〃The　Andrea　del　Sarto　is　there；　it's　magnificent。　　But　the　furniture　

is　in　pale　red。〃



〃Ah；　they　have　changed　it；　thenin　twenty…seven　years。〃



〃And　there's　a　portrait　of　Madame　de　Salvi；〃　continued　my　friend。



I　was　silent　a　moment。　　〃I　should　like　to　see　that。〃



He　too　was　silent。　　Then　he　asked；　〃Why　don't　you　go　and　see　it？　　If　

you　knew　the　mother　so　well；　why　don't　you　call　upon　the　daughter？〃



〃From　what　you　tell　me　I　am　afraid。〃



〃What　have　I　told　you　to　make　you　afraid？〃



I　looked　a　little　at　his　ingenuous　countenance。　　〃The　mother　was　a　

very　dangerous　woman。〃



The　young　Englishman　began　to　blush　again。　　〃The　daughter　is　not；〃　he　

said。



〃Are　you　very　sure？〃



He　didn't　say　he　was　sure；　but　he　presently　inquired　in　what　way　the　

Countess　Salvi　had　been　dangerous。



〃You　must　not　ask　me　that；〃　I　answered　〃for　after　all；　I　desire　to　

remember　only　what　was　good　in　her。〃　　And　as　we　walked　back　I　begged　

him　to　render　me　the　service　of　mentioning　my　name　to　his　friend；　and　

of　saying　that　I　had　known　her　mother　well；　and　that　I　asked　

permission　to　come　and　see　her。



9th。I　have　seen　that　poor　boy　half　a　dozen　times　again；　and　a　most　

amiable　young　fellow　he　is。　　He　continues　to　represent　to　me；　in　the　

most　extraordinary　manner；　my　own　young　identity；　the　correspondence　

is　perfect　at　all　points；　save　that　he　is　a　better　boy　than　I。　　He　is　

evidently　acutely　interested　in　his　Countess；　and　leads　quite　the　

same　life　with　her　that　I　led　with　Madame　de　Salvi。　　He　goes　to　see　

her　every　evening　and　stays　half　the　night；　these　Florentines　keep　

the　most　extraordinary　hours。　　I　remember；　towards　3　A。M。；　Madame　de　

Salvi　used　to　turn　me　out。〃Come；　come；〃　she　would　say；　〃it's　time　

to　go。　　If　you　were　to　stay　later　people　might　talk。〃　　I　don't　know　

at　what　time　he　comes　home；　but　I　suppose　his　evening　seems　as　short　

as　mine　did。　　Today　he　brought　me　a　message　from　his　Contessaa　very　

gracious　little　speech。　　She　remembered　often　to　have　heard　her　

mother　speak　of　meshe　called　me　her　English　friend。　　All　her　

mother's　friends　were　dear　to　her；　and　she　begged　I　would　do　her　the　

honour　to　come　and　see　her。　　She　is　always　at　home　of　an　evening。　　

Poor　young　Stanmer　（he　is　of　the　Devonshire　Stanmersa　great　

property）　reported　this　speech　verbatim；　and　of　course　it　can't　in　

the　least　signify　to　him　that　a　poor　grizzled；　battered　soldier；　old　

enough　to　be　his　father；　should　come　to　call　upon　his　inammorata。　　

But　I　remember　how　it　used　to　matter　to　me　when　other　men　came；　

that's　a　point　of　difference。　　However；　it's　only　because　I'm　so　old。　　

At　twenty…five　I　shouldn't　have　been　afraid　of　myself　at　fifty…two。　　

Camerino　was　thirty…fourand　then　the　others！　　She　was　always　at　

home　in　the　evening；　and　they　all　used　to　come。　　They　were　old　

Florentine　names。　　But　she　used　to　let　me　stay　after　them　all；　she　

thought　an　old　English　name　as　good。　　What　a　transcendent　coquette！　。　

。　。　But　basta　cosi　as　she　used　to　say。　　I　meant　to　go　tonight　to　Casa　

Salvi；　but　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　the　point。　　I　don't　know　what　

I'm　afraid　of；　I　used　to　be　in　a　hurry　enough　to　go　there　once。　　I　

suppose　I　am　afraid　of　the　very　look　of　the　placeof　the　old　rooms；　

the　old　walls。　　I　shall　go　tomorrow　night。　　I　am　afraid　of　the　very　

echoes。



10th。She　has　the　most　extraordinary　resemblance　to　her　mother。　　

When　I　went　in　I　was　tremendously　startled；　I　stood　starting　at　her。　　

I　have　just　come　home；　it　is　past　midnight；　I　have　been　all　the　

evening　at　Casa　Salvi。　　It　is　very　warmmy　window　is　openI　can　

look　out　on　the　river　gliding　past　in　the　starlight。　　So；　of　old；　

when　I　came　home；　I　used　to　stand　and　look　out。　　There　are　the　same　

cypresses　on　the　opposite　hills。



Poor　young　Stanmer　was　there；　and　three　or　four　other　admirers；　they　

all　got　up　when　I　came　in。　　I　think　I　had　been　talked　about；　and　

there　was　some　curiosity。　　But　why　should