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wiles。 That would be more loyal。〃 And he began to laugh again。
It is not the first time he has laughed at me； but I have never
minded it； because I have always understood it。
〃Is that what you recommend me to say to the Countess？〃 I asked。
〃Recommend you！〃 he exclaimed； laughing again； 〃I recommend nothing。
I may be the victim to be rescued； but I am at least not a partner to
the conspiracy。 Besides；〃 he added in a moment； 〃the Countess knows
your state of mind。〃
〃Has she told you so？〃
Stanmer hesitated。
〃She has begged me to listen to everything you may say against her。
She declares that she has a good conscience。〃
〃Ah；〃 said I； 〃she's an accomplished woman！〃
And it is indeed very clever of her to take that tone。 Stanmer
afterwards assured me explicitly that he has never given her a hint
of the liberties I have taken in conversation withwhat shall I call
it？with her moral nature； she has guessed them for herself。 She
must hate me intensely； and yet her manner has always been so
charming to me！ She is truly an accomplished woman！
May 4th。I have stayed away from Casa Salvi for a week； but I have
lingered on in Florence； under a mixture of impulses。 I have had it
on my conscience not to go near the Countess againand yet from the
moment she is aware of the way I feel about her； it is open war。
There need be no scruples on either side。 She is as free to use
every possible art to entangle poor Stanmer more closely as I am to
clip her fine…spun meshes。 Under the circumstances； however； we
naturally shouldn't meet very cordially。 But as regards her meshes；
why； after all； should I clip them？ It would really be very
interesting to see Stanmer swallowed up。 I should like to see how he
would agree with her after she had devoured him（to what vulgar
imagery； by the way； does curiosity reduce a man！） Let him finish
the story in his own way； as I finished it in mine。 It is the same
story； but why； a quarter of a century later； should it have the same
denoument？ Let him make his own denoument。
5th。Hang it； however； I don't want the poor boy to be miserable。
6th。Ah； but did my denoument then prove such a happy one？
7th。He came to my room late last night； he was much excited。
〃What was it she did to you？〃 he asked。
I answered him first with another question。 〃Have you quarrelled
with the Countess？〃
But he only repeated his own。 〃What was it she did to you？〃
〃Sit down and I'll tell you。〃 And he sat there beside she candle；
staring at me。 〃There was a man always thereCount Camerino。〃
〃The man she married？〃
〃The man she married。 I was very much in love with her； and yet I
didn't trust her。 I was sure that she lied； I believed that she
could be cruel。 Nevertheless； at moments； she had a charm which made
it pure pedantry to be conscious of her faults； and while these
moments lasted I would have done anything for her。 Unfortunately
they didn't last long。 But you know what I mean； am I not describing
the Scarabelli？〃
〃The Countess Scarabelli never lied！〃 cried Stanmer。
〃That's just what I would have said to any one who should have made
the insinutation！ But I suppose you are not asking me the question
you put to me just now from dispassionate curiosity。〃
〃A man may want to know！〃 said the innocent fellow。
I couldn't help laughing out。 〃This； at any rate； is my story。
Camerino was always there； he was a sort of fixture in the house。 If
I had moments of dislike for the divine Bianca； I had no moments of
liking for him。 And yet he was a very agreeable fellow； very civil；
very intelligent； not in the least disposed to make a quarrel with
me。 The trouble； of course； was simply that I was jealous of him。 I
don't know； however； on what ground I could have quarrelled with him；
for I had no definite rights。 I can't say what I expectedI can't
say what； as the matter stood； I was prepared to do。 With my name
and my prospects； I might perfectly have offered her my hand。 I am
not sure that she would have accepted itI am by no means clear that
she wanted that。 But she wanted； wanted keenly； to attach me to her；
she wanted to have me about。 I should have been capable of giving up
everythingEngland； my career； my familysimply to devote myself to
her； to live near her and see her every day。〃
〃Why didn't you do it； then？〃 asked Stanmer。
〃Why don't you？〃
〃To be a proper rejoinder to my question；〃 he said； rather neatly；
〃yours should be asked twenty…five years hence。〃
〃It remains perfectly true that at a given moment I was capable of
doing as I say。 That was what she wanteda rich； susceptible；
credulous； convenient young Englishman established near her en
permanence。 And yet；〃 I added； 〃I must do her complete justice。 I
honestly believe she was fond of me。〃 At this Stanmer got up and
walked to the window； he stood looking out a moment； and then he
turned round。 〃You know she was older than I；〃 I went on。 〃Madame
Scarabelli is older than you。 One day in the garden； her mother
asked me in an angry tone why I disliked Camerino； for I had been at
no pains to conceal my feeling about him； and something had just
happened to bring it out。 'I dislike him；' I said； 'because you like
him so much。' 'I assure you I don't like him；' she answered。 'He
has all the appearance of being your lover；' I retorted。 It was a
brutal speech； certainly； but any other man in my place would have
made it。 She took it very strangely； she turned pale； but she was
not indignant。 'How can he be my lover after what he has done？' she
asked。 'What has he done？' She hesitated a good while； then she
said： 'He killed my husband。' 'Good heavens！' I cried； 'and you
receive him！' Do you know what she said？ She said； 'Che voule？'〃
〃Is that all？〃 asked Stanmer。
〃No； she went on to say that Camerino had killed Count Salvi in a
duel； and she admitted that her husband's jealousy had been the
occasion of it。 The Count； it appeared； was a monster of jealousy
he had led her a dreadful life。 He himself； meanwhile； had been
anything but irreproachable； he had done a mortal injury to a man of
whom he pretended to be a friend； and this affair had become
notorious。 The gentleman in question had demanded satisfaction for
his outraged honour； but for some reason or other （the Countess； to
do her justice； did not tell me that her husband was a coward）； he
had not as yet obtained it。 The duel with Camerino had come on
first； in an access of jealous fury the Count had struck Camerino in
the face； and this outrage； I know not how justly； was deemed
expiable before the other。 By an extraordinary arrangement （the
Italians have certainly no sense of fair play） the other man was
allowed to be Camerino's second。 The duel was fought with swords；
and the Count received a wound of which； though at first it was not
expected to be fatal； he died on the following day。 The matter was
hushed up as much as possible for the sake of the Countess's good
name； and so successfully that it was presently observed that； among
the public； the other gentleman had the credit of having put his
blade through M。 de Salvi。 This gentleman took a fancy not to
contradict the impression； and it was allowed to subsist。 So long as
he consented； it was of course in Camerino's interest not to
contradict it； as it left him much more free to keep up his intimacy
with the Countess。〃
Stanmer had listened to all this with extreme attention。 〃Why didn't
SHE contradict it？〃
I shrugged my shoulders。 〃I am bound to believe it was for the same
reason。 I was horrified； at any rate； by the whole story。 I was
extremely shocked at the Countess's want of dignity in continuing to
see the man by whose hand her husband had fallen。〃
〃T