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street； where the shadows had begun to stretch themselves。
〃I don't know what you mean by her being an actress；〃 he said； as we
turned homeward。
〃I suppose not。 Neither should I have known； if any one had said
that to me。〃
〃You are thinking about the mother；〃 said Stanmer。 〃Why are you
always bringing HER in？〃
〃My dear boy； the analogy is so great it forces itself upon me。〃
He stopped and stood looking at me with his modest； perplexed young
face。 I thought he was going to exclaim〃The analogy be hanged！〃
but he said after a moment …
〃Well； what does it prove？〃
〃I can't say it proves anything； but it suggests a great many
things。〃
〃Be so good as to mention a few；〃 he said； as we walked on。
〃You are not sure of her yourself；〃 I began。
〃Never mind thatgo on with your analogy。〃
〃That's a part of it。 You ARE very much in love with her。〃
〃That's a part of it too； I suppose？〃
〃Yes； as I have told you before。 You are in love with her； and yet
you can't make her out； that's just where I was with regard to Madame
de Salvi。〃
〃And she too was an enchantress； an actress； an artist； and all the
rest of it？〃
〃She was the most perfect coquette I ever knew； and the most
dangerous； because the most finished。〃
〃What you mean； then； is that her daughter is a finished coquette？〃
〃I rather think so。〃
Stanmer walked along for some moments in silence。
〃Seeing that you suppose me to be aa great admirer of the
Countess；〃 he said at last； 〃I am rather surprised at the freedom
with which you speak of her。〃
I confessed that I was surprised at it myself。 〃But it's on account
of the interest I take in you。〃
〃I am immensely obliged to you！〃 said the poor boy。
〃Ah； of course you don't like it。 That is； you like my interestI
don't see how you can help liking that； but you don't like my
freedom。 That's natural enough； but； my dear young friend； I want
only to help you。 If a man had said to meso many years agowhat I
am saying to you； I should certainly also； at first； have thought him
a great brute。 But after a little； I should have been gratefulI
should have felt that he was helping me。〃
〃You seem to have been very well able to help yourself；〃 said
Stanmer。 〃You tell me you made your escape。〃
〃Yes； but it was at the cost of infinite perplexityof what I may
call keen suffering。 I should like to save you all that。〃
〃I can only repeatit is really very kind of you。〃
〃Don't repeat it too often； or I shall begin to think you don't mean
it。〃
〃Well；〃 said Stanmer； 〃I think this； at any ratethat you take an
extraordinary responsibility in trying to put a man out of conceit of
a woman who； as he believes； may make him very happy。〃
I grasped his arm； and we stopped； going on with our talk like a
couple of Florentines。
〃Do you wish to marry her？〃
He looked away； without meeting my eyes。 〃It's a great
responsibility；〃 he repeated。
〃Before Heaven；〃 I said； 〃I would have married the mother！ You are
exactly in my situation。〃
〃Don't you think you rather overdo the analogy？〃 asked poor Stanmer。
〃A little more； a little lessit doesn't matter。 I believe you are
in my shoes。 But of course if you prefer it； I will beg a thousand
pardons and leave them to carry you where they will。〃
He had been looking away； but now he slowly turned his face and met
my eyes。 〃You have gone too far to retreat； what is it you know
about her？〃
〃About this onenothing。 But about the other〃
〃I care nothing about the other！〃
〃My dear fellow；〃 I said； 〃they are mother and daughterthey are as
like as two of Andrea's Madonnas。〃
〃If they resemble each other； then； you were simply mistaken in the
mother。〃
I took his arm and we walked on again； there seemed no adequate reply
to such a charge。 〃Your state of mind brings back my own so
completely；〃 I said presently。 〃You admire heryou adore her； and
yet； secretly； you mistrust her。 You are enchanted with her personal
charm； her grace； her wit； her everything； and yet in your private
heart you are afraid of her。〃
〃Afraid of her？〃
〃Your mistrust keeps rising to the surface； you can't rid yourself of
the suspicion that at the bottom of all things she is hard and cruel；
and you would be immensely relieved if some one should persuade you
that your suspicion is right。〃
Stanmer made no direct reply to this； but before we reached the hotel
he said〃What did you ever know about the mother？〃
〃It's a terrible story；〃 I answered。
He looked at me askance。 〃What did she do？〃
〃Come to my rooms this evening and I will tell you。〃
He declared he would； but he never came。 Exactly the way I should
have acted！
14th。I went again； last evening； to Casa Salvi； where I found the
same little circle； with the addition of a couple of ladies。 Stanmer
was there； trying hard to talk to one of them； but making； I am sure；
a very poor business of it。 The Countesswell； the Countess was
admirable。 She greeted me like a friend of ten years； toward whom
familiarity should not have engendered a want of ceremony； she made
me sit near her； and she asked me a dozen questions about my health
and my occupations。
〃I live in the past；〃 I said。 〃I go into the galleries； into the old
palaces and the churches。 Today I spent an hour in Michael Angelo's
chapel at San Loreozo。〃
〃Ah yes； that's the past；〃 said the Countess。 〃Those things are very
old。〃
〃Twenty…seven years old；〃 I answered。
〃Twenty…seven？ Altro！〃
〃I mean my own past；〃 I said。 〃I went to a great many of those
places with your mother。〃
〃Ah； the pictures are beautiful；〃 murmured the Countess； glancing at
Stanmer。
〃Have you lately looked at any of them？〃 I asked。 〃Have you gone to
the galleries with HIM？〃
She hesitated a moment； smiling。 〃It seems to me that your question
is a little impertinent。 But I think you are like that。〃
〃A little impertinent？ Never。 As I say； your mother did me the
honour； more than once； to accompany me to the Uffizzi。〃
〃My mother must have been very kind to you。〃
〃So it seemed to me at the time。〃
〃At the time only？〃
〃Well； if you prefer； so it seems to me now。〃
〃Eh；〃 said the Countess； 〃she made sacrifices。〃
〃To what； cara Signora？ She was perfectly free。 Your lamented
father was deadand she had not yet contracted her second marriage。〃
〃If she was intending to marry again； it was all the more reason she
should have been careful。〃
I looked at her a moment； she met my eyes gravely； over the top of
her fan。 〃Are YOU very careful？〃 I said。
She dropped her fan with a certain violence。 〃Ah； yes； you are
impertinent！〃
〃Ah no；〃 I said。 〃Remember that I am old enough to be your father；
that I knew you when you were three years old。 I may surely ask such
questions。 But you are right； one must do your mother justice。 She
was certainly thinking of her second marriage。〃
〃You have not forgiven her that！〃 said the Countess； very gravely。
〃Have you？〃 I asked； more lightly。
〃I don't judge my mother。 That is a mortal sin。 My stepfather was
very kind to me。〃
〃I remember him；〃 I said； 〃I saw him a great many timesyour mother
already received him。〃
My hostess sat with lowered eyes； saying nothing； but she presently
looked up。
〃She was very unhappy with my father。〃
〃That I can easily believe。 And your stepfatheris he still
living？〃
〃He diedbefore my mother。〃
〃Did he fight any more duels？〃
〃He was killed in a duel；〃 said the Countess； discreetly。
It seems almost monstrous； especially as I can give no reason for it…
…but this announcement； instead of shocking me； caused me to feel a
strange exhilaration。 Mo