Casa Braccio, Volumes 1 and 2

he truth, it was very superior to the ordinary wine shops of Subiaco and had an exceptional reputation. The common people never came there, because

ns with Gigetto's family, he assumed as far as possible the position of a wine-dealer rat

y wish a mouthful of food, there is what there is. But I am not the village host, a

average public, survives still in polite societ

him. Stefanone was absent in Rome, with a load of wine. Sora Nanna sat on Dalrymple's right, industriously knitting in Italian fashion, one of the needles stuck into and supported by a wooden

nglishman is making love with a nun in the convent! Eh-what do you think of it? Only this was wanting. A little more and the lig

r! what are

up, but the deep furrow showed itself in her thick peasant's forehead, a

th. Ask rather of the Sign

naturally red, and looking up sharply at

ed her whether the abbess was satisfied with the new doctor, and she answered that he was a very wise man, much wiser than Sor Tommaso. So I told her that it was a pity, because Sor Tommaso was getting well and would not allow the English doctor to come instead of him much longer. Then

was something very different from laughter in her eyes. During the long speech, Sora Nanna had stopped kni

sins!" she ex

Maria Addolorata-oh, she! I told you that she sinned in her throat. Well, the sin is ready, now. What is she waiting for? For the abbess to die? Or for Sor Tommaso to get well? Then she will not see th

rved Sora Nanna. "You have certain thoughts in your

them a little together. I am sure that she shows him her face, and that it is 'Signor Doctor' here, and

regained his self-possession.

lite nun to show her face

veiled to her chin," insisted

it matter to me? Make love with a nun, if it goes, Signore. Youth

she says. Eat, drink, and manage your own affairs. It is better. What can a child understand? It is like a little dog that sees and barks, wi

e vanity which makes a man readily believe that every woman he meets is in love with him. He had not the slightest idea at that time that A

. The contradiction is a common one. The miser is half mad with joy on discovering that he has much more th

though she had taken a sort of vague delight in teasing Dalrymple. She relapsed into silence now, alternately wishing that he loved her, and then, that she might kill him. If she could not have

uth would make a difference in his life. He showed no inclination to talk any more, and finished his supper in a rather morose s

himself that he had been foolish in his behaviour towards Maria Addolorata on the previous day. He felt tired, too, and his colour was less brilliant than usual. It was Sunday, and he remembered th

however, he felt a constraint coming upon him as soon as he was in the nun's presence. She received him as usual, there

, after a moment's silence which, sho

or his welfare, but he did not think of that. He only realized that his manner must seem to her very unusual, since she asked

he Scotchman, simply, and in h

sterday?" asked Maria Addolorata, less col

ter-at least, nothing tha

-chair and, as formerly, he

, speaking thoughtfully. "You cann

d and looked at

but a doctor," he answered. "I suppose I mig

ked Maria Addolorata, and he k

give me if I answe

nce I am obliged to meet you every da

I tel

and turned her veiled face towards the abbess's door.

eel that her eyes were growing deep and the pupils

e never seen your face?" he asked. "I shall never know-for in a few day

head, and in a flash he knew that all Annetta had told him was true. The silence tha

soon," she said i

broke in his throat, and he felt that his own hands were twisting each other, as

a short silence

e, Maria Addolorata threw back the veil from her fa

exclaimed. "Look at

red-gold hair had escaped from the bands of white that crossed her forehead in an even line and were drawn down straight on either side, for in the

r face with the vei

th all his being, at her face, her throat, her eyes, the ringlet of her

tears welling up in her eyes, and in an instant the vision was gone. With a passionate movement she had covered her face with the veil, and throwing herself sideways against the high back of the chair, s

have felt as soon as she appreciated what she had done. He at once accused himself of having looked too rudely at her, but at the same time he was himself too much disturbed to argue t

nd broken voice, between h

bey her. He only drew back a little and watched her, all

calm. She even arranged the veil itself a little better,

was calling her, hoarsely and alm

re desperate, less loud. With a quick skill which seemed marvellous in Dalry

id. "Something

n instant, and in an instant mor

bess's voice faintly, as she fe

did not hesitate as he hastily

ied Maria

ther side of the bed, pouring some

o the convent without a small supply of a powerful stimulant of his own invention. The liquid, however, was of such a nature that he did not like to leave the u

o lie again upon the pillow. She looked almost as though she were dead. Her eyes w

e said. "Let us l

withdraw as soon as a dying person is uncons

hrough this," answered Da

nce of the stimulant, the heart beat less faintly, and the mouth slowly closed, while the eyelids shut th

will not come again to-day. We can

me sleep." Her voice was faint, but t

ly realizing that she was not veiled, she drew the coverlet up over her face. It is a peculiarity of such ca

might have been expected. "This is a r

window. The excitement of the last half-hour had cut off from his present state of mind the emotion he had felt before the abbess's cry for help, but had not decreased the impression it had left. While he was helping the sick lady there had not been one instant in w

ria Addolorata came up to him, where he stood by the window. She did no

hour," she said at last,

nt in my life," answered Dalrymple. "

, "I thought it

the air of the quiet room. His manly face grew very pale. He slowly bit his lip and looked out of the window. An enormous temptation was upon him. He knew that if she moved to leave his side he should take her and hold her. There was a tiny drop of blo

eyes to her veiled head. Still she neither spoke nor moved. He, in memory, saw her face, her mouth, and her eye

e black and white squares of the pavement. She made a slight, short movement to

N

sing her. In an instant his lips were kissing a face whiter than his own, eyes that flamed like summer lightning between his kisses, lips crushe

e moment facing one another, pale, with fire in their eyes and hearts beating more loudly than before. Dalrymple raised his hand to his forehead, as though he were d

med to meet and live and die a lingering, sweet death. She sank i