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forgotten me。〃
〃She never forgot；〃 said the Countess； looking at me intently and
smiling。 〃She was not like that。〃
〃She was not like most other women in any way；〃 I declared。
〃Ah； she was charming；〃 cried the Countess； rattling open her fan。
〃I have always been very curious to see you。 I have received an
impression of you。〃
〃A good one； I hope。〃
She looked at me； laughing； and not answering this： it was just her
mother's trick。
〃'My Englishman；' she used to call you'il mio Inglese。'〃
〃I hope she spoke of me kindly；〃 I insisted。
The Countess； still laughing； gave a little shrug balancing her hand
to and fro。 〃So…so； I always supposed you had had a quarrel。 You
don't mind my being frank like thiseh？〃
〃I delight in it； it reminds me of your mother。〃
〃Every one tells me that。 But I am not clever like her。 You will
see for yourself。〃
〃That speech；〃 I said； 〃completes the resemblance。 She was always
pretending she was not clever； and in reality〃
〃In reality she was an angel； eh？ To escape from dangerous
comparisons I will admit； then； that I am clever。 That will make a
difference。 But let us talk of you。 You are veryhow shall I say
it？very eccentric。〃
〃Is that what your mother told you？〃
〃To tell the truth； she spoke of you as a great original。 But aren't
all Englishmen eccentric？ All except that one！〃 and the Countess
pointed to poor Stanmer； in his corner of the sofa。
〃Oh； I know just what he is；〃 I said。
〃He's as quiet as a lambhe's like all the world；〃 cried the
Countess。
〃Like all the worldyes。 He is in love with you。〃
She looked at me with sudden gravity。 〃I don't object to your saying
that for all the worldbut I do for him。〃
〃Well；〃 I went on； 〃he is peculiar in this： he is rather afraid of
you。〃
Instantly she began to smile； she turned her face toward Stanmer。 He
had seen that we were talking about him； he coloured and got upthen
came toward us。
〃I like men who are afraid of nothing；〃 said our hostess。
〃I know what you want；〃 I said to Stanmer。 〃You want to know what
the Signora Contessa says about you。〃
Stanmer looked straight into her face； very gravely。 〃I don't care a
straw what she says。〃
〃You are almost a match for the Signora Contessa；〃 I answered。 〃She
declares she doesn't care a pin's head what you think。〃
〃I recognise the Countess's style！〃 Stanmer exclaimed； turning away。
〃One would think；〃 said the Countess； 〃that you were trying to make a
quarrel between us。〃
I watched him move away to another part of the great saloon； he stood
in front of the Andrea del Sarto； looking up at it。 But he was not
seeing it； he was listening to what we might say。 I often stood
there in just that way。 〃He can't quarrel with you； any more than I
could have quarrelled with your mother。〃
〃Ah； but you did。 Something painful passed between you。〃
〃Yes； it was painful； but it was not a quarrel。 I went away one day
and never saw her again。 That was all。〃
The Countess looked at me gravely。 〃What do you call it when a man
does that？〃
〃It depends upon the case。〃
〃Sometimes；〃 said the Countess in French； 〃it's a lachete。〃
〃Yes； and sometimes it's an act of wisdom。〃
〃And sometimes；〃 rejoined the Countess； 〃it's a mistake。〃
I shook my head。 〃For me it was no mistake。〃
She began to laugh again。 〃Caro Signore； you're a great original。
What had my poor mother done to you？〃
I looked at our young Englishman； who still had his back turned to us
and was staring up at the picture。 〃I will tell you some other
time；〃 I said。
〃I shall certainly remind you； I am very curious to know。〃 Then she
opened and shut her fan two or three times； still looking at me。
What eyes they have！ 〃Tell me a little；〃 she went on； 〃if I may ask
without indiscretion。 Are you married？〃
〃No； Signora Contessa。〃
〃Isn't that at least a mistake？〃
〃Do I look very unhappy？〃
She dropped her head a little to one side。 〃For an Englishmanno！〃
〃Ah；〃 said I； laughing； 〃you are quite as clever as your mother。〃
〃And they tell me that you are a great soldier；〃 she continued； 〃you
have lived in India。 It was very kind of you； so far away； to have
remembered our poor dear Italy。〃
〃One always remembers Italy； the distance makes no difference。 I
remembered it well the day I heard of your mother's death！〃
〃Ah； that was a sorrow！〃 said the Countess。 〃There's not a day that
I don't weep for her。 But che vuole？ She's a saint its paradise。〃
〃Sicuro；〃 I answered； and I looked some time at the ground。 〃But
tell me about yourself； dear lady；〃 I asked at last； raising my eyes。
〃You have also had the sorrow of losing your husband。〃
〃I am a poor widow； as you see。 Che vuole？ My husband died after
three years of marriage。〃
I waited for her to remark that the late Count Scarabelli was also a
saint in paradise； but I waited in vain。
〃That was like your distinguished father；〃 I said。
〃Yes； he too died young。 I can't be said to have known him； I was
but of the age of my own little girl。 But I weep for him all the
more。〃
Again I was silent for a moment。
〃It was in India too；〃 I said presently； 〃that I heard of your
mother's second marriage。〃
The Countess raised her eyebrows。
〃In India； then； one hears of everything！ Did that news please you？〃
〃Well； since you ask meno。〃
〃I understand that；〃 said the Countess； looking at her open fan。 〃I
shall not marry again like that。〃
〃That's what your mother said to me；〃 I ventured to observe。
She was not offended； but she rose from her seat and stood looking at
me a moment。 Then〃You should not have gone away！〃 she exclaimed。
I stayed for another hour； it is a very pleasant house。
Two or three of the men who were sitting there seemed very civil and
intelligent； one of them was a major of engineers； who offered me a
profusion of information upon the new organisation of the Italian
army。 While he talked； however； I was observing our hostess； who was
talking with the others； very little； I noticed； with her young
Inglese。 She is altogether charmingfull of frankness and freedom；
of that inimitable disinvoltura which in an Englishwoman would be
vulgar； and which in her is simply the perfection of apparent
spontaneity。 But for all her spontaneity she's as subtle as a
needle…point； and knows tremendously well what she is about。 If she
is not a consummate coquette 。 。 。 What had she in her head when she
said that I should not have gone away？Poor little Stanmer didn't go
away。 I left him there at midnight。
12th。I found him today sitting in the church of Santa Croce； into
which I wandered to escape from the heat of the sun。
In the nave it was cool and dim； he was staring at the blaze of
candles on the great altar； and thinking； I am sure； of his
incomparable Countess。 I sat down beside him； and after a while； as
if to avoid the appearance of eagerness； he asked me how I had
enjoyed my visit to Casa Salvi； and what I thought of the padrona。
〃I think half a dozen things；〃 I said； 〃but I can only tell you one
now。 She's an enchantress。 You shall hear the rest when we have
left the church。〃
〃An enchantress？〃 repeated Stanmer； looking at me askance。
He is a very simple youth； but who am I to blame him？
〃A charmer；〃 I said 〃a fascinatress！〃
He turned away； staring at the altar candles。
〃An artistan actress；〃 I went on； rather brutally。
He gave me another glance。
〃I think you are telling me all；〃 he said。
〃No； no； there is more。〃 And we sat a long time in silence。
At last he proposed that we should go out； and we passed in the
street； where the shadows had begun to stretch themselve