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〃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 I have been talked about？
They were all youngish mennone of them of my time。 She is a
wonderful likeness of her mother； I couldn't get over it。 Beautiful
like her mother； and yet with the same faults in her face； but with
her mother's perfect head and brow and sympathetic； almost pitying；
eyes。 Her face has just that peculiarity of her mother's； which； of
all human countenances that I have ever known； was the one that
passed most quickly and completely from the expression of gaiety to
that of repose。 Repose in her face always suggested sadness； and
while you were watching it with a kind of awe； and wondering of what
tragic secret it was the token； it kindled； on the instant； into a
radiant Italian smile。 The Countess Scarabelli's smiles tonight；
however； were almost uninterrupted。 She greeted medivinely； as her
mother used to do； and young Stanmer sat in the corner of the sofa
as I used to doand watched her while she talked。 She is thin and
very fair； and was dressed in light； vaporous black that completes
the resemblance。 The house； the rooms； are almost absolutely the
same； there may be changes of detail； but they don't modify the
general effect。 There are the same precious pictures on the walls of
the salonthe same great dusky fresco in the concave ceiling。 The
daughter is not rich； I suppose； any more than the mother。 The
furniture is worn and faded； and I was admitted by a solitary
servant； who carried a twinkling taper before me up the great dark
marble staircase。
〃I have often heard of you；〃 said the Countess； as I sat down near
her； 〃my mother often spoke of you。〃
〃Often？〃 I answered。 〃I am surprised at that。〃
〃Why are you surprised？ Were you not good friends？〃
〃Yes； for a certain timevery good friends。 But I was sure she had
forgotten me。〃
〃She never forgot；〃 said the Countess； looking at me intently and
smiling。 〃She