dLilia,“verywell”—asifshewereaddressingasolicitouskitten.Butforallthatshenevertookasolitarywalkagain,withoneexception,tillthedayofherdeath.
Dayspassed,andnoonecalledexceptpoorrelatives.Shebegantofeeldull.Didn’theknowtheSindacoorthebankmanager?EventhelandladyoftheStellad’Italiawouldbebetterthannoone.She,whenshewentintothetown,waspleasantlyreceivedbutpeoplenaturallyfoundadifficultyingettingonwithaladywhocouldnotlearntheirlanguage.Andthetea-party,underGino’sadroitmanagement,recededeverandeverbeforeher.
Hehadagooddealofanxietyoverherwelfare,forshedidnotsettledowninthehouseatall.Buthewascomfortedbyawelcomeandunexpectedvisitor.Ashewasgoingoneafternoonfortheletters—theyweredeliveredatthedoor,butittooklongertogetthemattheoffice—someonehumorouslythrewacloakoverhishead,andwhenhedisengagedhimselfhesawhisverydearfriendSpiridioneTesiofthecustom-houseatChiasso,whomhehadnotmetfortwoyears.Whatjoy!whatsalutations!sothatallthepassersbysmiledwithapprovalontheamiablescene.Spiridione’sbrotherwasnowstation-masteratBologna,andthushehimselfcouldspendhisholidaytravellingoverItalyatthepublicexpense.HearingofGino’smarriage,hehadcometoseehimonhiswaytoSiena,wherelivedhisownuncle,latelymoniedtoo.
“Theyalldoit,”heexclaimed,“myselfexcepted.”Hewasnotquitetwenty-three.“Buttellmemore.SheisEnglish.Thatisgood,verygood.AnEnglishwifeisverygoodindeed.Andsheisrich?”
“Immenselyrich.”
“Blondeordark?”
“Blonde.”
“Isitpossible!”
“Itpleasesmeverymuch,”saidGinosimply.“Ifyouremember,Ialwaysdesiredablonde.”Threeorfourmenhadcollected,andwerelistening.
“Wealldesireone,”saidSpiridione.“Butyou,Gino,deserveyourgoodfortune,foryouareagoodson,abraveman,andatruefriend,andfromtheveryfirstmomentIsawyouIwishedyouwell.”
“Nocompliments,Ibeg,”saidGino,standingwithhishandscrossedonhischestandasmileofpleasureonhisface.
Spiridioneaddressedtheothermen,noneofwhomhehadeverseenbefore.“Isitnottrue?Doesnothedeservethiswealthyblonde?”
“Hedoesdeserveher,”saidallthemen.