Itisamarvellousland,whereyouloveitorhateit.
Therewerenoletters,andofcoursetheysatdownattheCaffeGaribaldi,bytheCollegiateChurch—quiteagoodcaffethatforsosmallacity.Thereweremarble-toppedtables,andpillarsterra-cottabelowandgoldabove,andontheceilingwasafrescoofthebattleofSolferino.Onecouldnothavedesiredaprettierroom.Theyhadvermouthandlittlecakeswithsugaronthetop,whichtheychosegravelyatthecounter,pinchingthemfirsttobesuretheywerefresh.Andthoughvermouthisbarelyalcoholic,Spiridionedrenchedhiswithsoda-watertobesurethatitshouldnotgetintohishead.
Theywereinhighspirits,andelaboratecomplimentsalternatedcuriouslywithgentlehorseplay.Butsoontheyputuptheirlegsonapairofchairsandbegantosmoke.
“Tellme,”saidSpiridione—“Iforgottoask—issheyoung?”
“Thirty-three.”
“Ah,well,wecannothaveeverything.”
“Butyouwouldbesurprised.Hadshetoldmetwenty-eight,Ishouldnothavedisbelievedher.”
“IssheSIMPATICA?”(Nothingwilltranslatethatword.)
Ginodabbedatthesugarandsaidafterasilence,“Sufficientlyso.”
“Itisamostimportantthing.”
“Sheisrich,sheisgenerous,sheisaffable,sheaddressesherinferiorswithouthaughtiness.”
Therewasanothersilence.“Itisnotsufficient,”saidtheother.“Onedoesnotdefineitthus.”Heloweredhisvoicetoawhisper.“LastmonthaGermanwassmugglingcigars.Thecustom-housewasdark.YetIrefusedbecauseIdidnotlikehim.Thegiftsofsuchmendonotbringhappiness.NONERASIMPATICO.Hepaidforeveryone,andthefinefordeceptionbesides.”
“Doyougainmuchbeyondyourpay?”askedGino,divertedforaninstant.
“Idonotacceptsmallsumsnow.Itisnotworththerisk.ButtheGermanwasanothermatter.Butlisten,myGino,forIamolderthanyouandmorefullofexperience.Thepersonwhounderstandsusatfirstsight,whoneverirritatesus,whoneverbores,towhomwecanpourfortheverythoughtandwish,notonlyinspeechbutinsilence—thatiswhatImeanbySIMPATICO.”
“Therearesuchmen,Iknow,”saidGino.“AndIhavehearditsaidofchildren.Butwherewillyoufindsuchawoman?”
“Thatistrue.HereyouarewiserthanI.SONOPOCOSIMPATICHELEDONNE.Andthetimewewast