IWENTtotheMoratiniPalace,andwithbeatingheartlookedroundforGiulia.Shewassurroundedbyherusualcourt,andseemedmorelivelyandexcitedthanever.Ihadneverseenhermorebeautiful.Shewasdressedallinwhite,andhersleevesweresewnwithpearlsshelookedlikeabride.Shecaughtsightofmeatonce,butpretendednottoseeme,andwentontalking.
IapproachedherbrotherAlessandroandsaidtohimcasually,—
'IamtoldacousinofyoursisterhascometoForli.Ishehereto-day?'
Helookedatmeinquiringly,notimmediatelyunderstanding.
'Giorgiodall'Aste,'Iexplained.
'Oh,Ididn'tknowyoumeanthim.No,he'snothere.HeandGiulia'shusbandwerenotfriends,andso—'
'Whyweretheynotfriends?'Iinterrupted,onthespurofthemoment,notseeingtheimpertinenceofthequestiontillIhadmadeit.
'Oh,Idon'tknow.Relationsalwaysareatenmitywithoneanotherprobablysomedisagreementwithregardtotheirestates.'
'Wasthatall?'
'SofarasIknow.'
Irecollectedthatinascandalthepersonsmostinterestedarethelasttohearit.Thehusbandhearsnothingofhiswife'streacherytillallthetownknowseverydetail.
'Ishouldliketohaveseenhim,'Iwenton.
'Giorgo?Oh,he'saweaksortofcreatureoneofthosemenwhocommitsinsandrepent!'
'Thatisnotafaultofwhichyouwilleverbeguilty,Alessandro,'Isaid,smiling.
'Isincerelyhopenot.Afterall,ifamanhasaconscienceheoughtnottodowrong.Butifhedoeshemustbeaverypoorsortofafooltorepent.'
'Youcannothavetherosewithoutthethorn.'
'Whynot?Itonlyneedscare.Therearedregsatthebottomofeverycup,butyouarenotobligedtodrinkthem.'
'Youhavemadeupyourmindthatifyoucommitsinsyouarereadytogotohellforthem?'Isaid.
'ItisbraverthangoingtoHeavenbythebackdoor,turningpiouswhenyouaretoooldtodoanythingyoushouldn't.'
'Iagreewithyouthatonehaslittlerespectforthemanwhoturnsmonkwhenthingsgowrongwithhim.'
IsawthatGiuliawasalone,andseizedtheopportunitytospeakwithher.
'Giulia,'Isaid,approaching.
Shelookedatmeforamomentwithanairofperplexity,asifshereallycouldnotrememberwhomIwas.
'Ah,MesserFilippo!'shesaid,asifsuddenlyrecollecting.
'Itisnotsolong