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〃Have you found Camerino？〃 I asked； smiling。
〃I have given up the search。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃some day when you find that you have made a great
mistake； remember I told you so。〃
He looked for a minute as if he were trying to anticipate that day by
the exercise of his reason。
〃Has it ever occurred to you that YOU may have made a great mistake？〃
〃Oh yes； everything occurs to one sooner or later。〃
That's what I said to him； but I didn't say that the question；
pointed by his candid young countenance； had； for the moment； a
greater force than it had ever had before。
And then he asked me whether； as things had turned out； I myself had
been so especially happy。
PARIS； December 17th。A note from young Stanmer； whom I saw in
Florencea remarkable little note； dated Rome； and worth
transcribing。
〃My dear GeneralI have it at heart to tell you that I was married a
week ago to the Countess Salvi…Scarabelli。 You talked me into a
great muddle； but a month after that it was all very clear。 Things
that involve a risk are like the Christian faith； they must be seen
from the inside。Yours ever； E。 S。
〃P。 S。A fig for analogies unless you can find an analogy for my
happiness！〃
His happiness makes him very clever。 I hope it will lastI mean his
cleverness； not his happiness。
LONDON； April 19th； 1877。Last night； at Lady H…'s； I met Edmund
Stanmer； who married Bianca Salvi's daughter。 I heard the other day
that they had come to England。 A handsome young fellow； with a fresh
contented face。 He reminded me of Florence； which I didn't pretend
to forget； but it was rather awkward； for I remember I used to
disparage that woman to him。 I had a complete theory about her。 But
he didn't seem at all stiff； on the contrary； he appeared to enjoy
our encounter。 I asked him if his wife were there。 I had to do
that。
〃Oh yes； she's in one of the other rooms。 Come and make her
acquaintance； I want you to know her。〃
〃You forget that I do know her。〃
〃Oh no； you don't； you never did。〃 And he gave a little significant
laugh。
I didn't feel like facing the ci…devant Scarabelli at that moment； so
I said that I was leaving the house； but that I would do myself the
honour of calling upon his wife。 We talked for a minute of something
else； and then； suddenly breaking off and looking at me； he laid his
hand on my arm。 I must do him the justice to say that he looks
felicitous。
〃Depend upon it you were wrong！〃 he said。
〃My dear young friend；〃 I answered； 〃imagine the alacrity with which
I concede it。〃
Something else again was spoken of； but in an instant he repeated his
movement。
〃Depend upon it you were wrong。〃
〃I am sure the Countess has forgiven me；〃 I said； 〃and in that case
you ought to bear no grudge。 As I have had the honour to say； I will
call upon her immediately。〃
〃I was not alluding to my wife；〃 he answered。 〃I was thinking of
your own story。〃
〃My own story？〃
〃So many years ago。 Was it not rather a mistake？〃
I looked at him a moment； he's positively rosy。
〃That's not a question to solve in a London crush。〃
And I turned away。
22d。I haven't yet called on the ci…devant； I am afraid of finding
her at home。 And that boy's words have been thrumming in my ears
〃Depend upon it you were wrong。 Wasn't it rather a mistake？〃 WAS I
wrongWAS it a mistake？ Was I too cautionstoo suspicioustoo
logical？ Was it really a protector she neededa man who might have
helped her？ Would it have been for his benefit to believe in her；
and was her fault only that I had forsaken her？ Was the poor woman
very unhappy？ God forgive me； how the questions come crowding in！
If I marred her happiness； I certainly didn't make my own。 And I
might have made iteh？ That's a charming discovery for a man of my
age！
End