FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167  
168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   >>   >|  
otion to objects that were worthless, much weakness, tremendous disappointments." Hermione said nothing, but sat still looking grave. "Well? Don't you recognize something of yourself in the catalogue, my friend?" "Have I a great facility for illusions? Am I capable of heroic devotion to worthless objects?" Suddenly Artois remembered all he knew and she did not know. "At least you act hastily often," he said evasively. "And I think you are often so concentrated upon the person who stands, perhaps suffering, immediately before you, that you forget who is on the right, who is on the left." "Emile, I asked your advice yesterday, and you would not give it me." "A fair hit!" he said. "And so Peppina is here. How did the servants receive her?" "I think they were rather surprised. Of course they don't know the truth." "They will within--shall we say twenty-four hours, or less?" "How can they? Peppina won't tell them." "You are sure? And when Gaspare goes into Naples to 'fare la spesa'?" "I told Gaspare last night." "That was wisdom. You understand your watch-dog's character." "You grant that Gaspare is not an instance of a worthless object made the recipient of my heroic devotion?" "Give him all you like," said Artois, with warmth. "You will never repent of that. Was he angry when you told him?" "I think he was." "Why?" "I heard him saying 'Testa della Madonna!' as he was leaving me." Artois could not help smiling. "And Vere?" he said, looking directly at her. "I have not told Vere anything about Peppina's past," Hermione said, rather hastily. "I do not intend to. I explained that Peppina had had a sad life and had been attacked by a man who had fallen in love with her, and for whom she didn't care." "And Vere was all sympathy and pity?" said Artois, gently. "She didn't seem much interested, I thought. She scarcely seemed to be listening. I don't believe she has seen Peppina yet. When we arrived she was shut up in her room." As she spoke she was looking at him, and she saw a slight change come over his face. "Do you think--" she began, and paused. "I wonder if she was reading," she added, slowly, after a moment. "Even the children have their secrets," he answered. As he spoke he turned his head and looked out of the window towards Ischia. "How clear it is to-night! There will be no storm." "No. We can dine outside. I have told them." Her voice sounded slightly cons
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167  
168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Peppina
 

Artois

 

worthless

 

Gaspare

 

hastily

 
Hermione
 
devotion
 

heroic

 
objects
 

gently


Madonna

 

thought

 
leaving
 

smiling

 
directly
 

sympathy

 
interested
 
attacked
 

scarcely

 

fallen


explained

 

intend

 

looked

 

window

 

Ischia

 

turned

 

children

 

secrets

 

answered

 

sounded


slightly

 
moment
 

arrived

 

listening

 

slight

 
change
 

reading

 
slowly
 

paused

 
Naples

person
 

stands

 
concentrated
 
evasively
 

suffering

 

immediately

 
advice
 

yesterday

 
forget
 

remembered