ereyes.AndIwasterrified....Mylovewasnotdeaditwasalive,alive!Oh,howIadoredthatwoman!Iburnedtotakeherinmyarmsandcoverhersoftmouthwithkisses.
Oh,whyhadIcome?Iwasmad.Icursedmyweakness....And,whenIsawherstandingthere,coldandindifferentasever,IfeltsofuriousaragewithinmethatIcouldhavekilledher.AndIfeltsickwithlove....
'MesserFilippo,'shesaid,'willyouhelpmenow?IhavebeenwarnedbyoneoftheCountess'swomenthattheguardhaveorderstoarrestmeto-morrowandIknowwhatthedaughterofBartolomeoMoratinimayexpect.Imustflyto-night—atonce.'
'Iwillhelpyou,'Ianswered.
'WhatshallIdo?'
'Icandisguiseyouasacommonwoman.ThemotherofmyfriendAndreawilllendyouclothesandAndreaandIwillaccompanyyou.Or,ifyouprefer,afterwehavesafelypassedthegates,heshallaccompanyyoualonewhereveryouwishtogo.'
'Whywillyounotcome?'
'Ifearedmypresencewouldmakethejourneymoretedioustoyou.'
'Andtoyou?'
'Tomeitwouldbeamatterofcompleteindifference.'
Shelookedatmeamoment,thenshecried,—
'No,Iwillnotcome!'
'Whynot?'
'Becauseyouhateme.'
Ishruggedmyshoulders.
'Ishouldhavethoughtmysentimentswereofnoconsequence.'
'Iwillnotbehelpedbyyou.Youhatemetoomuch.IwillstayinForli.'
'Youareyourownmistress....Whydoyoumind?'
'WhydoImind?ShallItellyou?'Shecamecloseuptome.'Because—becauseIloveyou.'
Myheadswam,andIfeltmyselfstagger....Ididnotknowwhatwashappening.
'Filippo!'
'Giulia!'
Iopenedmyarms,andshefellintothem,andIheldherclosetomyheart,andIcoveredherwithkisses....Icoveredhermouthandeyesandneckwithkisses.
'Giulia!Giulia!'
ButIwrenchedmyselfaway,andtakingholdofhershoulders,saidalmostsavagely.
'ButthistimeIm