madeGinobuyitforher,becauseitwasthereshehadfirstseenhimsittingonthemudwallthatfacedtheVolterragate.Sherememberedhowtheeveningsunhadstruckhishair,andhowhehadsmileddownather,andbeingbothsentimentalandunrefined,wasdeterminedtohavethemanandtheplacetogether.ThingsinItalyarecheapforanItalian,and,thoughhewouldhavepreferredahouseinthepiazza,orbetterstillahouseatSiena,or,blissabovebliss,ahouseatLeghorn,hedidassheasked,thinkingthatperhapssheshowedhergoodtasteinpreferringsoretiredanabode.
Thehousewasfartoobigforthem,andtherewasageneralconcourseofhisrelativestofillitup.Hisfatherwishedtomakeitapatriarchalconcern,whereallthefamilyshouldhavetheirroomsandmeettogetherformeals,andwasperfectlywillingtogiveupthenewpracticeatPoggibonsiandpreside.Ginowasquitewillingtoo,forhewasanaffectionateyouthwholikedalargehome-circle,andhetolditasapleasantbitofnewstoLilia,whodidnotattempttoconcealherhorror.
Atoncehewashorrifiedtoosawthattheideawasmonstrousabusedhimselftoherforhavingsuggesteditrushedofftotellhisfatherthatitwasimpossible.Hisfathercomplainedthatprosperitywasalreadycorruptinghimandmakinghimunsympatheticandhardhismothercriedhissistersaccusedhimofblockingtheirsocialadvance.Hewasapologetic,andevencringing,untiltheyturnedonLilia.Thenheturnedonthem,sayingthattheycouldnotunderstand,muchlessassociatewith,theEnglishladywhowashiswifethatthereshouldbeonemasterinthathouse—himself.
Liliapraisedandpettedhimonhisreturn,callinghimbraveandaheroandotherendearingepithets.ButhewasratherbluewhenhisclanleftMonterianoinmuchdignity—adignitywhichwasnotatallimpairedbytheacceptanceofacheque.TheytookthechequenottoPoggibonsi,afterall,buttoEmpoli—alively,dustytownsometwentymilesoff.Theretheysettleddownincomfort,andthesisterssaidtheyhadbeendriventoitbyGino.
Thechequewas,ofcourse,Lilia’s,whowasextremelygenerous,andwasquitewillingtoknowanybodysolongasshehadnottolivewiththem,relations-in-lawbeingonhernerves.Shelikednothingbetterthanfindingoutsomeobscureanddistantconnection—th