ewhohasreceivedasolideducation,hequotedtheopeninglines—
Nelmezzodelcammindinostravita
Miritrovaiperunaselvaoscura
Cheladirittaviaerasmarrita—
aquotationwhichwasmoreaptthanhesupposed.
LiliaglancedatPhiliptoseewhetherhenoticedthatshewasmarryingnoignoramus.Anxioustoexhibitallthegoodqualitiesofherbetrothed,sheabruptlyintroducedthesubjectofpallone,inwhich,itappeared,hewasaproficientplayer.Hesuddenlybecameshyanddevelopedaconceitedgrin—thegrinofthevillageyokelwhosecricketscoreismentionedbeforeastranger.Philiphimselfhadlovedtowatchpallone,thatentrancingcombinationoflawn-tennisandfives.Buthedidnotexpecttoloveitquitesomuchagain.
“Oh,look!”exclaimedLilia,“thepoorweefish!”
Astarvedcathadbeenworryingthemallforpiecesofthepurplequiveringbeeftheyweretryingtoswallow.SignorCarella,withthebrutalitysocommoninItalians,hadcaughtherbythepawandflungherawayfromhim.Nowshehadclimbeduptothebowlandwastryingtohookoutthefish.Hegotup,droveheroff,andfindingalargeglassstopperbythebowl,entirelypluggeduptheaperturewithit.
“Butmaynotthefishdie?”saidMissAbbott.“Theyhavenoair.”
“Fishliveonwater,notonair,”herepliedinaknowingvoice,andsatdown.Apparentlyhewasathiseaseagain,forhetooktospittingonthefloor.PhilipglancedatLiliabutdidnotdetectherwincing.Shetalkedbravelytilltheendofthedisgustingmeal,andthengotupsaying,“Well,Philip,Iamsureyouarereadyforby-bye.Weshallmeetattwelveo’clocklunchtomorrow,ifwedon’tmeetbefore.Theygiveuscaffelaterinourrooms.”
Itwasalittletooimpudent.Philipreplied,“Ishouldliketoseeyounow,please,inmyroom,asIhavecomeallthewayonbusiness.”HeheardMissAbbottgasp.SignorCarella,whowaslightingarankcigar,hadnotunderstood.
Itwasasheexpected.WhenhewasalonewithLiliahelostallnervousness.Theremembranceofhislongintellectualsupremacystrengthenedhim,andhebeganvolubly—
“MydearLilia,don’tlet’shaveascene.BeforeIarrivedIthoughtImighthavetoquestionyou.Itisunnecessary.Iknoweverything.MissAbbotthastoldmeacertainamount,andtherestIseeformyself.”
“Seeforyourself?”sheexclaimed,andherememberedafterwardsthatshehadflushedcrimson.
“Thatheisprobablyaruffianandcertainlyacad.”
“TherearenocadsinItaly,”shesaidquickly.
Hewastakenaback.Itwasoneofhisownremarks.Andshefurtherupsethimbyadding,“Heisthesonofadentist.Whynot?”
“Thankyoufortheinformation.Iknoweverything,asItoldyoubefore.IamalsoawareofthesocialpositionofanItalianwhopullsteethinaminuteprovincialtown.”
Hewasnotawareofit,but