Before I would allow Nasi to return to Alezia, I took him aside and told him that everything that had happened had come about against my wish; that I had never intended to seduce or elope with or marry Signora Aldini, and that it was my firm determination to part from her instantly and forever, unless honor made it obligatory upon me to marry her, in order to repair the harm she had done herself on my account. I desired Nasi to decide that question.
"But before I tell you the whole story," I said, "we must consider the question that is most urgent at this moment, and take such measures that our young guest may be compromised as little as possible. I must tell you one thing that she doesn't know, that her mother will be here to-morrow evening. I propose to send a man to the first relay station, so that she may be told to come here directly and join her daughter, instead of looking for her at Villa Grimani. As soon as I have placed Signora Alezia in her mother's hands, I trust that everything will be straightened out; but, until then, what explanation am I to give her of the extreme reserve with which I propose to treat her?"
"The best way," said Nasi, "would be to persuade her to leave here and go back to her aunt, or, failing that, to go into a convent for twenty-four hours. I will try to make her understand that her position here is not tenable."
He joined Alezia. But all his excellent arguments were thrown away. Checca, faithful to her habit of boasting, had told the girl that she was Nasi's mistress, that the count had left her after a quarrel, and that it was then that he had proposed for Alezia's hand; but that, being fully cured by her refusal, and drawn back by an unconquerable passion to his mistress's feet, he was ready to marry her. So that Alezia considered that it was perfectly proper for her to be in Nasi's house, and she was overjoyed to learn that he, like herself, had made up his mind to yield to the craving of his heart, and to break with public opinion. She promised herself that she would find in that happy couple congenial companionship for her whole life and friendship proof against any trial. She was afraid of my scruples, if she left Nasi's house, and of the efforts of her family to reconcile her with society. So she obstinately persisted in ruining herself, and finally informed Nasi that she would not leave his house unless she was compelled by force to do so.
"In that case, signora," said the count, "you will permit me to take the course which honor enjoins upon me. I am your brother, as that is your wish. I accept that rôle with gratitude and resignation, and I have already acted the part by standing between you and Count Hector's insolent demands. I shall continue to act in accordance with the counsels of my respect and devotion; but if a brother's rights do not go to the extent of ordering his sister to do this thing or that, they certainly authorize him to put away from her anything that can injure her reputation. You will allow me therefore to exclude Lelio from this house until your mother is here, and I have just sent a messenger to her, so that you will be able to embrace her to-morrow evening."
"To-morrow evening?" cried Alezia; "that is too soon. No, I don't want her to come yet. Happy as I shall be to see my darling mother, I am determined to have time enough to be compromised in the eyes of society, and irrevocably ruined in its opinion. I insist upon starting off with Lelio to meet my mother. When it is known that I have actually travelled with him, no one will find excuse for me, no one will be able to forgive me, except my mother."
"Lelio will not comply with your desire, my dear sister," replied Nasi; "he will do just what I advise; for his heart is all delicacy and honor, and he has made me the final judge."
"Very well!" said Alezia, with a laugh; "go and order him, in my name, to come here."
"I will go to him," replied Nasi, "for I see that you are not disposed to listen to any prudent counsel. And I will go with him and take rooms for him and myself in the village inn, which you see at the end of the avenue. If you should be exposed to any fresh outrage on the part of Signor Ettore Grimani, you have only to signal from your window and ring the garden bell, and we shall be under arms instantly. But you need have no fear, he will not return. You can take possession of Lelio's room, which is much more suitable for you than this one. Your maid will remain here to wait upon you and bring me your orders, if it is your pleasure to give me any."
Nasi having joined me, and given me an account of this interview, I opened my heart to him and told him almost everything, but without mentioning Bianca. I explained to him how I had thoughtlessly become involved in an adventure, the heroine of which had at first seemed to me coquettish even to the point of impudence, and how, as I discovered from day to day the purity of her heart and the moral elevation of her character, I had been led on in spite of myself to play the part of a man ready to attempt anything.
"Then you do not love Signora Aldini?" said the count, in a tone of amazement in which I fancied that I could detect a slight touch of contempt for me. I was not hurt, for I knew that I did not deserve that contempt; and his esteem for me was restored when he learned how hard I had fought to remain virtuous, although consumed by love and desire. But when it became necessary to explain to the count how it happened that I was so positively determined not to marry Alezia, however indulgent her mother's heart might prove to be, I was embarrassed. I asked him this question: whether Alezia's reputation would be so seriously compromised by what she had done, that it would be my duty to marry her in order to make her honor whole. The count smiled and replied, taking my hand affectionately:
"My dear Lelio, you do not yet know how much rank idiocy there is in the social circle in which Alezia was born, nor how much corruption its stern censorship conceals. Let me tell you, so that you may laugh at such ideas and despise them as I do, that Alezia, after being seduced by you in her aunt's house and being your mistress for a year—provided there had been no noise or scandal about it,—could still make what is called a good match, and that no great family would close its doors to her. She would hear more or less whispering about her, and some rigidly virtuous women would forbid their newly married daughters to become intimate with her; but she would be all the more popular for that, and receive all the more attention from the men. But if you should marry Alezia, even though it should be proved that she had remained pure to the day of her marriage, she would never be forgiven for being the wife of an actor. You are one of those men upon whom calumny can gain no hold. Many sensible persons might think Alezia had made a noble choice, and done a praiseworthy thing in marrying you; very few would dare say so aloud, and even if she should become a widow, the doors that had been closed to her would never be reopened; for she would never find a man in society who would care to marry her after you; her family would look upon her as dead, and not even her mother would be allowed to mention her name. Such is the fate that awaits Alezia if you marry her. Reflect, and if you are not sure that you still love her, beware of an unhappy marriage; for it will be impossible for you to give her back to her family and friends after she has once borne your name. If, on the other hand, you feel confident that you will always love her, marry her; for her devotion to you is something sublime, and no man on earth is more deserving of it than you."
I was lost in thought, and the count feared that he had wounded me by his plain-speaking, despite the complimentary remarks with which he had tried to soften its bitterness. I reassured him.
"That is not what I am thinking about," I said; "I am thinking of Signora Bianca,—Princess Grimani, I mean,—and of the sorrow that would make her life a burden if I should marry her daughter."
"It would be very bitter, in truth," replied the count; "and if you know that amiable and charming young woman, you will think twice before exposing her to the wrath of those arrogant and implacable Grimanis."
"I will not expose her to it," I exclaimed earnestly, as if speaking to myself.
"I doubt if that resolution comes from a heart that is very deeply in love," said the count; "but it comes from a noble and generous heart, and that is much better. Whatever you may do, I am your friend, and I will uphold your decision against the whole world."
I embraced him, and we passed the rest of the day together at the inn near by. He made me tell him the whole story again, and the interest with which he questioned me concerning the most trivial details, the secret anxiety with which he listened to the narration of the perilous episode when my virtue had been put to the test, showed me plainly enough that that noble heart was deeply smitten with Alezia Aldini. While it made him wince to hear what I had to tell, it was evident to me that each new proof of courage and devotion which Alezia had given me quickened his enthusiasm and rekindled his love in spite of him. He constantly interrupted me to say: "That was fine, Lelio! that was fine! that was noble of you! If I had been in your place, I should not have had so much courage! I would commit a thousand follies for that woman."—And yet, when I gave him my reasons—and I gave them all to him, without, however, mentioning the love I had once felt for Bianca—he approved my virtue and resolution; and when I became sad in spite of myself, he said to me: "Courage, courage! Eighteen or twenty hours more, and Alezia will be saved. I think that we will treat the Grimanis to-morrow in such fashion as to take away any desire on their part to talk about the affair. The princess will take her daughter away, and some day Alezia will bless you because you were wiser than she; for love lives but a day, and prejudices have ineradicable roots."
We passed several hours of the night putting our affairs in order. Nasi bequeathed his villa to Checchina in case of emergency. The excellent creature's behavior toward Alezia had filled the count's generous heart with esteem and gratitude.
When we had finished, we snatched a few hours' sleep, and I awoke at daybreak. Someone entered my room: it was Checca.
"You have made a mistake," I said; "the next room is Nasi's."
"I am not looking for him, but for you," she said. "Listen to me: you mustn't marry this marchesina."
"Why not, my dear Francesca?"
"I will tell you. Obstacles and dangers kindle her love for you; but she hasn't so much strength of mind, nor is she so free from prejudices, as she pretends. She is a kind, charming, lovable creature. Seriously, I love her with all my heart; but she has told me unconsciously, while talking with me, more than a hundred things which prove that she thinks that she is making an enormous sacrifice for you, and that she will regret it some day unless you appreciate its extent as fully as she does. And, tell me, can we actors, who are full of perfectly just prejudices against society, and despise it as much as it despises us, can we, I say, appreciate such sacrifices? No, no; the day would come, Lelio, I tell you, when, even though she did not sigh for society, she would accuse you of ingratitude at the first grievance she had against you; and it is a pitiful thing for a man to be the bankrupt debtor of his wife."
In three words I told Checca what my plans were with respect to Alezia. When she saw that I fully agreed with her, she said:
"My dear Lelio, I have an idea. This is not the time to think for ourselves alone, or at all events our thoughts even for ourselves should be noble thoughts, and such as to assure us a clear conscience for the future. Nasi loves Alezia. She has not been your mistress; there is no reason why he should not marry her; he must marry her."
I was not altogether sure that Checca was not impelled by a feeling of jealous disquiet to talk to me in that way, in order to make me talk; but she continued, giving me no time to reply:
"Be sure that what I tell you is true, Lelio; Nasi is wild over her. He is as melancholy as death. He looks at her with eyes which seem to say: 'If only I were Lelio!' And when he gives me any token of affection, I can see that he does it from gratitude for what I am doing for her."
"Do you really think so, my dear Checca?" I said, marvelling at her penetration and the great good sense which she displayed on great occasions, ridiculous as she was in trifles.
"I tell you I am sure of it. So they must be married. Let us leave them together. Let us go away at once."
"Let us go to-night; I agree to that," said I; "until then it is impossible. I will tell you the reason in two or three hours. Go back to Alezia before she wakes."
"Oh! she is not asleep," replied Checca; "she has done nothing but pace the floor in great agitation all night long. Her maid Lila, who insisted on sleeping in her room, talks with her from time to time, and irritates her exceedingly by her remonstrances; for, I warn you, she doesn't approve of her mistress's love for you. But when she begins to sigh and say: 'Povera Signora Bianca!povera principessa madre!' the fair Alezia bursts into tears and throws herself sobbing on her bed. At that the soubrette implores her not to kill her mother with grief. I can hear all this from my room.Addio; I am going back. If you are fully decided to decline this marriage, think of my plan, and prepare to lend a hand to the poor count's love."
At eight o'clock in the morning we repaired to the battle-field. Count Hector handled his sword like Saint-Georges; and it was a good thing for him that he had had much practice in that detestable kind of argument, for it was the only kind that he had at his service. Nasi was slightly wounded; luckily, Hector behaved reasonably well; without apologizing for his conduct with respect to Nasi, he agreed that he had spoken ill of his cousin in the first outburst of his anger, and he requested Nasi to beg her pardon in his behalf. He concluded by asking his two friends to give him their word of honor to keep the whole affair a profound secret, and they gave it. As Nasi and I acted as seconds for each other, he refused to leave the field until I had fought. His servant dressed his wound on the spot, and the battle between Signor de Monteverbasco and myself began. I wounded him quite severely, but not mortally, and when his physician had taken him away in his carriage, Nasi and I returned to the villa. As he did not wish it to be known at the inn that he was wounded, he was taken to the summer-house in his garden. Checchina, being secretly informed of what had taken place, joined us there, and gave him such care as his condition demanded. When he was able to show himself, he asked Checchina to tell Alezia that he had had a fall from his horse; then he appeared and bade her good-morning. But old Cattina, who had been released, and who, despite the lesson she had received, could not refrain from prying into everything, in order to gossip with all the neighbors, knew that we had fought, and had already told Alezia, who threw herself into the count's arms as soon as he entered the salon. When she had thanked him with the most effusive warmth, she asked where I was. In vain did the count reply that I was under arrest in the summer-house by his order; she persisted in believing that I was dangerously wounded and that they were trying to conceal the fact from her. She threatened to go down to the garden to find out for herself. The count was exceedingly anxious that she should do nothing imprudent before the servants. He preferred to come after me and take me to her. Thereupon Alezia, undisturbed by the presence of Nasi and Checca, reproached me warmly for what she called my exaggerated scruples.
"You cannot love me very much," she said, "since you refuse to assist me when I am absolutely determined to compromise myself for you."
She said the wildest and most loving words to me, but did not once lose the exquisite instinct of modesty which belongs to all young girls not absolutely devoid of mind. Checchina, who listened to this dialogue from an artistic standpoint, was utterly amazed, so she told me afterward,della parte della marchesina. As for Nasi, a score of times I surprised his melancholy gaze fixed upon Alezia and myself with indescribable emotion.
Alezia's vehemence became decidedly embarrassing. She called me cold, constrained; she declared that there was no joy, that is to say, no frankness in my glance. She took alarm at my conduct, she waxed indignant at my lack of courage. She was intensely excited, she was as lovely as Domenichino's sibyl. I was very miserable at that moment, for my love reawoke, and I realized the full extent of the sacrifice I must make.
A carriage drove into the garden, and we did not hear it, we were talking so earnestly. Suddenly the door opened and Princess Grimani appeared.
Alezia uttered a piercing shriek and rushed into her mother's arms, who held her there a long time without speaking; then she fell gasping upon a chair. Her daughter and Lila knelt at her feet and covered her with caresses. I do not know what Nasi said to her, nor what she replied as she pressed his hand. I was rooted to the spot where I stood; I saw Bianca again after ten years. How changed she was! but how touchingly beautiful she still seemed to me, despite the loss of her early bloom!
Her great blue eyes, sunken in their orbits which tears had deepened, seemed even softer and sweeter than I remembered them. Her pallor moved me deeply, and her figure, more slender and slightly bent, seemed to me better suited to that loving, weary heart. She did not recognize me; and when Nasi called me by name she seemed surprised; for the name Lelio told her nothing. At last I decided to speak to her; but she had no sooner heard the first word than she sprang to her feet, recognizing me by my voice, and held out her arms to me, crying:
"O my dear Nello!"
"Nello!" cried Alezia, rising hastily; "Nello the gondolier?"
"Did you not know him?" said her mother; "haven't you recognized him until this moment?"
"Ah! I understand," said Alezia in a stifled voice, "I understand why he cannot love me!"
And she fell at full length on the floor in a swoon.
I passed the rest of the day in the salon with Nasi and Checca. Alezia was in bed, wildly hysterical and delirious. Her mother alone was with her. We were all very melancholy at supper. At last, about ten o'clock, Bianca came and told us that her daughter was calmer, and that she would soon return and talk with me. About midnight she returned, and we passed two hours together, while Nasi and Checca sat with Alezia, who was much better and had asked to see them. Bianca was as lovely as an angel with me. Under any other circumstances she might, perhaps, have been embarrassed by her title of princess and her new social position; but motherly affection stifled all other feelings. She thought of nothing but expressing her gratitude to me; she did so in the most flattering terms and with the most affectionate manner imaginable. She did not seem to have dreamed for a single instant that I could hesitate to give her daughter back to her and put aside all thought of marrying her. I was grateful to her for it. It was the only way in which she gave me to understand that the past was still living in her memory. I had the delicacy to refrain from alluding to it; however, I should have been very happy if she had not feared to talk of it with perfect freedom; it would have been a greater token of esteem than all the rest.
Doubtless Alezia had told her everything; doubtless she had made a general confession of all the thoughts of her whole life, from the night on which she had surprised her love-affair with the gondolier down to that on which she had confided that secret to Lelio, the actor. Doubtless the mutual suffering caused by such an outpouring of the heart had been purified by the flame of maternal and filial love. Bianca told me that her daughter was calm and resigned, and that she hoped to see me some day and express her unchangeable affection, her great esteem, her cordial gratitude —— In a word, the sacrifice was consummated.
I did not leave the princess until I had told her of my earnest hope that Alezia would some day accept Nasi's love, and I urged her to cultivate the present inclinations of that honorable and excellent young man.
I returned to my inn at four o'clock in the morning. I found Nasi there; he had, in accordance with my instructions, made all necessary preparations for my departure. When I appeared with Francesca, he thought that she had come to see me off and bid me good-bye. Imagine his surprise when she embraced him and said, in a truly imperial tone:
"Be free, Nasi! win Alezia's love; I give you back your promise and remain your friend."
"Lelio," he cried, "so you are robbing me of her too?"
"Do you not trust my honor?" I said. "Haven't I given you proofs enough of it since yesterday? And do you doubt Francesca's grandeur of soul?"
He threw himself into our arms, weeping. We entered our carriage just at sunrise. As we passed Villa Nasi, a blind was cautiously opened and a woman leaned out to look after us. She had one hand on her heart, the other she waved to me by way of farewell, and raised her eyes to heaven to express her thanks: it was Bianca.
Three months later, Checca and I arrived at Venice one lovely evening in autumn. We had an engagement at La Fenice, and we took rooms on the Grand Canal, at the best hotel in the city. We passed the first hours after our arrival unpacking our trunks and putting our stage wardrobe in order. Not until that was done did we dine. It was quite late. At dessert they brought me several packages of letters, one of which caught my eye at once. After looking through it, I opened the window on the balcony, called to Checca to go out with me, and told her to look across the canal. Among the numerous palaces which cast their shadows on the placid water, there was one, directly opposite our apartments, easily distinguishable by its size and its antiquity. It had been magnificently restored. Everything about it had a festive air. Through the windows we could see, by the light of countless candles, superb bouquets and gorgeous curtains, and we could hear the melodious strains of a large orchestra. Gondolas, brilliantly illuminated, glided silently along the Grand Canal and deposited at the palace door women bedecked with flowers and gleaming jewels, and their escorts in ceremonious costume.
"Do you know," I asked Checca, "what palace this is opposite us, and the occasion of this party?"
"No, and I am not at all curious."
"It is the Aldini Palace, where the marriage of Alezia Aldini and Count Nasi is being celebrated."
"Bah!" she said, with a half-surprised, half-indifferent air.
I showed her the packet I had received. It was from Nasi. It contained two invitations and two letters, one from Nasi to her, one from Alezia to me, both charming.
"You see," I continued, when Checca had finished hers, "that we have no reason to complain of their treatment of us. These letters followed us to Florence and to Milan, and our constant journeyings are to blame for their not having reached us until now. And the letters are as kind and agreeable as it is possible for them to be. It is easy to see that they were dictated by noble hearts. Great nobles as they are, they are not afraid to speak to us, one of his friendship, the other of her gratitude."
"Yes, but meanwhile they don't invite us to their wedding."
"In the first place, they don't know that we are here; and in the second place, my dear sister, the rich people and the nobles do not invite singers to their parties, except to have them sing; and those who don't choose to sing to entertain their hosts are not invited at all. That is the justice of society; and kind-hearted and sensible as our young friends are, as they live in that society, they are obliged to submit to its laws."
"Faith! so much the worse for them, my dear Lelio! Let them do as they please. They leave us to amuse ourselves without them, let us leave them to be bored to death without us. Let us snap our fingers at the pride of the great, laugh at their follies, spend money merrily when we have it, and accept poverty cheerfully if it comes; above all things, let us cling to our liberty, let us enjoy life while we can, and long live Bohemia!"
Here Lelio's story came to an end. When he had ceased to speak, none of us broke the melancholy silence. Our friend seemed even more depressed than the rest of us. Suddenly he raised his head, which he had rested on his hand, and said:
"On the last evening that I referred to, there were many French people among the guests; and as they were infatuated with German music, they made the orchestra play Weber's and Beethoven's waltzes all the evening. That is why those waltzes are so dear to me; they always recall a period of my life which I shall never cease to regret, despite the suffering with which it was filled. You must admit, my friends, that destiny has been very cruel to me, in placing in my path two passions so ardent, so sincere, so self-sacrificing, and not permitting me to enjoy either of them. Alas! my time has passed now, and I shall never again know aught of those noble passions of which one must have drained at least one to the dregs in order to be able to say that he has known life."
"Do not complain," said Beppa, aroused by her companion's melancholy; "you have an irreproachable life behind you, fair renown and kind friends around you, and independence in the future and forever; and I tell you that love will not fail you when you seek it. So fill your glass once more with this generous wine, drink gayly with us, and lead us as we sing the sacred refrain in chorus."
Lelio hesitated a moment, filled his glass, and heaved a deep sigh; then a gleam of youth and merriment flashed from his fine black eyes, moist with tears, and he sang in a resounding voice, to which we answered in chorus:
"Long live Bohemia!"
[6]The glance of the evil eye. This superstition is common all over Italy. At Naples they wear coral talismans as a safeguard.
[6]The glance of the evil eye. This superstition is common all over Italy. At Naples they wear coral talismans as a safeguard.
[7]In God's name, don't row! we are not on the Adriatic.
[7]In God's name, don't row! we are not on the Adriatic.