to be read at dusk-第2章

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still　was；　clinging　to　the　wall　behind　the　frame；　like　a　sort　of

bat。



The　lattice…blinds　were　close　shut；　all　over　the　house。　　There　were

two　ugly；　grey　old　women　in　the　house；　to　take　care　of　it；　one　of

them　with　a　spindle；　who　stood　winding　and　mumbling　in　the　doorway；

and　who　would　as　soon　have　let　in　the　devil　as　the　air。　　Master；

mistress；　la　bella　Carolina；　and　I；　went　all　through　the　palazzo。

I　went　first；　though　I　have　named　myself　last；　opening　the　windows

and　the　lattice…blinds；　and　shaking　down　on　myself　splashes　of

rain；　and　scraps　of　mortar；　and　now　and　then　a　dozing　mosquito；　or

a　monstrous；　fat；　blotchy；　Genoese　spider。



When　I　had　let　the　evening　light　into　a　room；　master；　mistress；　and

la　bella　Carolina；　entered。　　Then；　we　looked　round　at　all　the

pictures；　and　I　went　forward　again　into　another　room。　　Mistress

secretly　had　great　fear　of　meeting　with　the　likeness　of　that　face　…

we　all　had；　but　there　was　no　such　thing。　　The　Madonna　and　Bambino；

San　Francisco；　San　Sebastiano；　Venus；　Santa　Caterina；　Angels；

Brigands；　Friars；　Temples　at　Sunset；　Battles；　White　Horses；

Forests；　Apostles；　Doges；　all　my　old　acquaintances　many　times

repeated？　…　yes。　　Dark；　handsome　man　in　black；　reserved　and　secret；

with　black　hair　and　grey　moustache；　looking　fixedly　at　mistress　out

of　darkness？　…　no。



At　last　we　got　through　all　the　rooms　and　all　the　pictures；　and　came

out　into　the　gardens。　　They　were　pretty　well　kept；　being　rented　by

a　gardener；　and　were　large　and　shady。　　In　one　place　there　was　a

rustic　theatre；　open　to　the　sky；　the　stage　a　green　slope；　the

coulisses；　three　entrances　upon　a　side；　sweet…smelling　leafy

screens。　　Mistress　moved　her　bright　eyes；　even　there；　as　if　she

looked　to　see　the　face　come　in　upon　the　scene；　but　all　was　well。



'Now；　Clara；'　master　said；　in　a　low　voice；　'you　see　that　it　is

nothing？　　You　are　happy。'



Mistress　was　much　encouraged。　　She　soon　accustomed　herself　to　that

grim　palazzo；　and　would　sing；　and　play　the　harp；　and　copy　the　old

pictures；　and　stroll　with　master　under　the　green　trees　and　vines

all　day。　　She　was　beautiful。　　He　was　happy。　　He　would　laugh　and　say

to　me；　mounting　his　horse　for　his　morning　ride　before　the　heat：



'All　goes　well；　Baptista！'



'Yes；　signore；　thank　God；　very　well。'



We　kept　no　company。　　I　took　la　bella　to　the　Duomo　and　Annunciata；

to　the　Cafe；　to　the　Opera；　to　the　village　Festa；　to　the　Public

Garden；　to　the　Day　Theatre；　to　the　Marionetti。　　The　pretty　little

one　was　charmed　with　all　she　saw。　　She　learnt　Italian　…　heavens！

miraculously！　　Was　mistress　quite　forgetful　of　that　dream？　I　asked

Carolina　sometimes。　　Nearly；　said　la　bella　…　almost。　　It　was

wearing　out。



One　day　master　received　a　letter；　and　called　me。



'Baptista！'



'Signore！'



'A　gentleman　who　is　presented　to　me　will　dine　here　to…day。　　He　is

called　the　Signor　Dellombra。　　Let　me　dine　like　a　prince。'



It　was　an　odd　name。　　I　did　not　know　that　name。　　But；　there　had　been

many　noblemen　and　gentlemen　pursued　by　Austria　on　political

suspicions；　lately；　and　some　names　had　changed。　　Perhaps　this　was

one。　　Altro！　　Dellombra　was　as　good　a　name　to　me　as　another。



When　the　Signor　Dellombra　came　to　dinner　（said　the　Genoese　courier

in　the　low　voice；　into　which　he　had　subsided　once　before）；　I　showed

him　into　the　reception…room；　the　great　sala　of　the　old　palazzo。

Master　received　him　with　cordiality；　and　presented　him　to　mistress。

As　she　rose；　her　face　changed；　she　gave　a　cry；　and　fell　upon　the

marble　floor。



Then；　I　turned　my　head　to　the　Signor　Dellombra；　and　saw　that　he　was

dressed　in　black；　and　had　a　reserved　and　secret　air；　and　was　a

dark；　remarkable…looking　man；　with　black　hair　and　a　grey　moustache。



Master　raised　mistress　in　his　arms；　and　carried　her　to　her　own

room；　where　I　sent　la　bella　Carolina　straight。　　La　bella　told　me

afterwards　that　mistress　was　nearly　terrified　to　death；　and　that

she　wandered　in　her　mind　about　her　dream；　all　night。



Master　was　vexed　and　anxious　…　almost　angry；　and　yet　full　of

solicitude。　　The　Signor　Dellombra　was　a　courtly　gentleman；　and

spoke　with　great　respect　and　sympathy　of　mistress's　being　so　ill。

The　African　wind　had　been　blowing　for　some　days　（they　had　told　him

at　his　hotel　of　the　Maltese　Cross）；　and　he　knew　that　it　was　often

hurtful。　　He　hoped　the　beautiful　lady　would　recover　soon。　　He

begged　permission　to　retire；　and　to　renew　his　visit　when　he　should

have　the　happiness　of　hearing　that　she　was　better。　　Master　would

not　allow　of　this；　and　they　dined　alone。



He　withdrew　early。　　Next　day　he　called　at　the　gate；　on　horse…back；

to　inquire　for　mistress。　　He　did　so　two　or　three　times　in　that

week。



What　I　observed　myself；　and　what　la　bella　Carolina　told　me；　united

to　explain　to　me　that　master　had　now　set　his　mind　on　curing

mistress　of　her　fanciful　terror。　　He　was　all　kindness；　but　he　was

sensible　and　firm。　　He　reasoned　with　her；　that　to　encourage　such

fancies　was　to　invite　melancholy；　if　not　madness。　　That　it　rested

with　herself　to　be　herself。　　That　if　she　once　resisted　her　strange

weakness；　so　successfully　as　to　receive　the　Signor　Dellombra　as　an

English　lady　would　receive　any　other　guest；　it　was　for　ever

conquered。　　To　make　an　end；　the　signore　came　again；　and　mistress

received　him　without　marked　distress　（though　with　constraint　and

apprehension　still）；　and　the　evening　passed　serenely。　　Master　was

so　delighted　with　this　change；　and　so　anxious　to　confirm　it；　that

the　Signor　Dellombra　became　a　constant　guest。　　He　was　accomplished

in　pictures；　books；　and　music；　and　his　society；　in　any　grim

palazzo；　would　have　been　welcome。



I　used　to　notice；　many　times；　that　mistress　was　not　quite

recovered。　　She　would　cast　down　her　eyes　and　droop　her　head；　before

the　Signor　Dellombra；　or　would　look　at　him　with　a　terrified　and

fascinated　glance；　as　if　his　presence　had　some　evil　influence　or

power　upon　her。　　Turning　from　her　to　him；　I　used　to　see　him　in　the

shaded　gardens；　or　the　large　half…lighted　sala；　looking；　as　I　might

say；　'fixedly　upon　her　out　of　darkness。'　　But；　truly；　I　had　not

forgotten　la　bella　Carolina's　words　describing　the　face　in　the

dream。



After　his　second　visit　I　heard　master　say：



'Now；　see；　my　dear　Clara；　it's　over！　　Dellombra　has　come　and　gone；

and　your　apprehension　is　broken　like　glass。'



'Will　he　…　will　he　ever　come　again？'　asked　mistress。



'Again？　　Why；　surely；　over　and　over　again！　　Are　you　cold？'　（she

shivered）。



'No；　dear　…　but　…　he　terrifies　me：　　are　you　sure　that　he　need　come

again？'



'The　surer　for　the　question；　Clara！'　replied　master；　cheerfully。



But；　he　was　very　hopeful　of　her　complete　recovery　now；　and　grew

more　and　more　so　every　day。　　She　was　beautiful。　　He　was　happy。



'All　goes　well；　Baptista？'　he　would　say　to　me　again。



'Yes；　signore；　thank　God；　very　well。'



We　were　all　（said　the　Genoese　courier；　constraining　himself　to

speak　a　little　louder）；　we　were　all　at　Rome　for　the　Carnival。　　I

had　been　out；　all　day；　with　a　Sicilian；　a　friend　of　mine；　and　a

courier；　who　was　there　with　an　English　family。　　As　I　returned　at

night　to　our　hotel；　I　met　the　little　Carolina；　who　never　stirred

from　home　alone；　running　distractedly　along　the　Corso。



'Carolina！　　What's　the　matter？'



'O　Baptista！　　O；　for　the　Lord's　sake！　where　is　my　mistress？'



'Mistress；　Carolina？'



'Gone　since　morning　…　told　me；　when　master　went　out　on　his　day's

journey；　not　to　call　her；　for　she　was　tired　with　not　resting　in　the

night　（having　been　in　pain）；　and　would　lie　in　bed　until　the

evening；　then　get　up　refreshed。　　She　is　gone！　…　she　is　gone！

Master　has　come　back；　broken　down　the　door；　and　she　is　gone！　　My

beautiful；　my　good；　my　innocent　mistress！'



The　pretty　little　one　so　cried；　and　raved；　and　tore　herself　that　I

could　not　have　held　her；　but　for　her　swooning　on　my　arm　as　if　she

had　been　shot。　　Master　came　up　…　in　manner；　face；　or　voice；　no　more

the　master　that　I　knew；　than　I　was　he。　　He　took　me　（I　laid　the

little　one　upon　her　bed　in　the　hotel；　and　left　her　with　the

chamber…women）；　in　a　carriage；　furiously　through　the　darkness；

across　the　desolate　Campagna。　　When　it　was　day；　and　we　stopped　at　a

miserable　post…house；　all　the　horses　had　been　hired　twelve　hours

ago；　and　sent　away　in　different　directions。　　Mark　me！　by　the　Signor

Dellombra；　who　had　passed　there　in　a　carriage；　with　a　frightened

English　lady　crouching　in　one　corner。



I　never　heard　（said　the　Genoese　courier；　drawing　a　long　breath）

that　she　was　ever　traced　beyond　that　spot。　　All　I　know　is；　that　she

vanished　into　infamous　oblivion；　with　the　dreaded　face　beside　her

that　she　had　seen　in　her　dream。



'What　do　you　call　THAT？'　said　the　German　courier；　triumphantly。

'Ghosts！　　There　are　no　ghosts　THERE！　　What　do　you　call　this；　that　I

am　going　to　tell　you？　　Ghosts！　　There　are　no　ghosts　HERE！'





I　took　an　engagement　once　（pursued　the　German　courier）　with　an

English　gentleman；　elderly　and　a　bachelor；　to　travel　through　my

country；　my　Fatherland。　　He　was　a　merchant　who　traded　with　my

country　and　knew　the　language；　but　who　had　never　been　there　since

he　was　a　boy　…　as　I　judge；　some　sixty　years　before。



His　name　was　James；　and　he　had　a　twin…brother　John；　also　a

bachelor。　　Between　these　brothers　there　was　a　great　affection。

They　were　in　business　together；　at　Goodman's　Fields；　but　they　did

not　live　together。　　Mr。　James　dwelt　in　Poland　Street；　turning　out

of　Oxford　Street；　London；　Mr。　John　resided　by　Epping　Forest。



Mr。　James　and　I　were　to　start　for　Germany　in　about　a　week。　　The

exact　day　depended　on　business。　　Mr。　John　came　to　Poland　Street

（where　I　was　staying　in　the　house）；　to　pass　that　week　with　Mr。

James。　　But；　he　said　to　his　brother　on　the　second　day；　'I　don't

feel　very　well；　James。　　There's　not　much　the　matter　with　me；　but　I

think　I　am　a　little　gouty。　　I'll　go　home　and　put　myself　under　the

care　of　my　old　housekeeper；　who　understands　my　ways。　　If　I　get

quite　better；　I'll　come　back　and　see　you　before　you　go。　　If　I　don't

feel　well　enough　to　resume　my　visit　where　I　leave　it　off；　why　YOU

will　come　and　see　me　before　you　go。'　　Mr。　James；　of　course；　said　he

would；　and　they　shook　hands　…　both　hands；　as　they　always　did　…　and

Mr。　John　ordered　out　his　old…fashioned　chariot　and　rumbled　home。



It　was　on　the　second　night　after　that　…　that　is　to　say；　the　fourth

in　the　week　…　when　I　was　awoke　out　of　my　sound　sleep　by　Mr。　James

coming　into　my　bedroom　in　his　flannel…gown；　with　a　lighted　candle。

He　sat　upon　the　side　of　my　bed；　and　looking　at　me；　said：



'Wilhelm；　I　have　reason　to　think　I　have　got　some　strange　illness

upon　me。'



I　then　perceived　that　there　was　a　very　unusual　expression　in　his

face。



'Wilhelm；'　said　he；　'I　am　not　afraid　or　ashamed　to　tell　you　what　I

might　be　afraid　or　ashamed　to　tell　another　man。　　You　come　from　a

sensible　country；　where　mysterious　things