tion.Toberunbyhismotherandhectoredbyhissisterwasasmuchashecouldstand.Theinterventionofathirdfemaledrovehimsuddenlybeyondpoliteness.Hewasabouttosayexactlywhathethoughtaboutthethingfrombeginningtoend.ButbeforehecoulddosoHarrietalsohadseenMissAbbott.Sheutteredashrillcryofjoy.
“You,Caroline,hereofallpeople!”Andinspiteoftheheatshedartedupthestairsandimprintedanaffectionatekissuponherfriend.
Philiphadaninspiration.“YouwillhavealottotellMissAbbott,Harriet,andshemayhaveasmuchtotellyou.SoI’llpaymycallonSignorCarella,asyousuggested,andseehowthingsstand.”
MissAbbottutteredsomenoiseofgreetingoralarm.Hedidnotreplytoitorapproachnearertoher.Withoutevenpayingthecabman,heescapedintothestreet.
“Teareachother’seyesout!”hecried,gesticulatingatthefacadeofthehotel.“Giveittoher,Harriet!Teachhertoleaveusalone.Giveittoher,Caroline!Teachhertobegratefultoyou.Goit,ladiesgoit!”
Suchpeopleasobservedhimwereinterested,butdidnotconcludethathewasmad.ThisaftermathofconversationisnotunknowninItaly.
Hetriedtothinkhowamusingitwasbutitwouldnotdo—MissAbbott’spresenceaffectedhimtoopersonally.Eithershesuspectedhimofdishonesty,orelseshewasbeingdishonestherself.Hepreferredtosupposethelatter.PerhapsshehadseenGino,andtheyhadpreparedsomeelaboratemortificationfortheHerritons.PerhapsGinohadsoldthebabycheaptoherforajoke:itwasjustthekindofjokethatwouldappealtohim.Philipstillrememberedthelaughterthathadgreetedhisfruitlessjourney,andtheuncouthpushthathadtoppledhimontothebed.Andwhateveritmightmean,MissAbbott’spresencespoiltthecomedy:shewoulddonothingfunny.
Duringthisshortmeditationhehadwalkedthroughthecity,andwasoutontheotherside.“WheredoesSignorCarellalive?”heaskedthemenattheDogana.
“I’llshowyou,”saidalittlegirl,springingoutofthegroundasItalianchildrenwill.
“Shewillshowyou,”saidtheDoganamen,noddingreassuringly.“Followheralways,always,andyouwillcometonoharm.Sheisatrustworthyguide.Sheismy
daughter.”
cousin.”
sister.”
Philipknewtheserelativeswell:theyramify,ifneedbe,alloverthepeninsula.
“DoyouchancetoknowwhetherSignorCarellaisin?”heaskedher.
Shehadjustseenhimgoin.Philipnodded.Hewaslookingforwardtotheinterviewthistime:itwouldbeanintellectualduetwithamanofnogreatintellect.WhatwasMissAbbottupto?Thatwasoneofthethingshewasgoingtodiscover.WhileshehaditoutwithHarriet,hewouldhaveitoutwithGino.HefollowedtheDogana’srelativesoftly,likeadiplomatist.
Hedidnotfollowherlong,forthiswastheVolterragate,andthehousewasexactlyoppositetoit.Inhalfaminutetheyhadscrambleddownthemule-trackandreachedtheonlypracticableentrance.Philiplaughed,partlyatthethoughtofLiliainsuchabuilding,partlyintheconfidenceofvictory.MeanwhiletheDogana’srelativelifteduphervoiceandgaveashout.
Foranimpressiveintervaltherewasnoreply.Thenthefigureofawomanappearedhighupontheloggia.
“ThatisPerfetta,”saidthegirl.
“IwanttoseeSignorCarella,”criedPhilip.
“Out!”
“Out,”echoedthegirlcomplacently.
“Whyonearthdidyousayhewasin?”Hecouldhavestrangledherfortemper.Hehadbeenjustripeforaninterview—justtherightcombinationofindignationandacuteness:bloodhot,braincool.ButnothingeverdidgorightinMonteriano.“Whenwillhebeback?”hecalledtoPerfetta.Itreallywastoobad.
Shedidnotknow.Hewasawayonbusiness.Hemightbebackthisevening,hemightnot.HehadgonetoPoggibonsi.
Atthesoundofthiswordthelittlegirlputherfingerstohernoseandsweptthemattheplain.Shesangasshedidso,evenasherforemothershadsungsevenhundredyearsback—
Poggibonizzi,fattiinla,
CheMonterianosifacitta!
ThensheaskedPhilipforahalfpenny.AGermanlady,friendlytothePast,hadgivenheronethatveryspring.
“Ishallhavetoleaveamessage,”hecalled.
“NowPerfettahasgoneforherbasket,”saidthelittlegirl.“Whenshereturnsshewilllowerit—so.Thenyouwillputyourcardintoit.Thenshewillraiseit—thus.Bythismeans—”
WhenPerfettareturned,Philiprememberedtoaskafterthebaby.Ittooklongertofindthanthebasket,andhestoodperspiringintheeveningsun,tryingtoavoidthesmellofthedrainsandtopreventthelittlegirlfromsingingagainstPoggibonsi.Theolive-treesbesidehimweredrapedwiththeweekly—ormoreprobablythemonthly—wash.Whatafrightfulspottyblouse!He