ecilia could
not possibly have known each other more than a fortnight, his natural
indolence returned. Of course it was very extraordinary that Cecilia
should have felt such a strong dislike for Lamberti at first sight, for
it could be nothing else, since she seemed displeased whenever his name
was mentioned; and it was equally strange that Lamberti should feel the
same antipathy for her. But since it was so, she would naturally draw
back from telling Guido that his best friend was repulsive to her, and
Lamberti would not like to acknowledge that the young girl Guido wished
to marry produced a disagreeable impression on him. It was quite
natural, too, that after what Guido had said to each of them, each
should have been anxious to show him that he was mistaken, and that they
should have taken the first opportunity of talking together just when he
should most notice it.

Everything was accounted for by this ingenious theory. Guido knew a man
who turned pale when a cat came near him, though he was a manly man,
good at sports and undeniably courageous. Those things could not be
explained, but it was much easier to understand that a sensitive young
girl might be violently affected by an instinctive antipathy for a man,
than that a strong man's teeth should chatter if a cat got under his
chair at dinner. That was undoubtedly what happened. How could either of
them tell him so, since he was so fond of both? Lamberti had said that
as a last resource, he would try to explain what the trouble was. Guido
would spare him that. He knew what he had felt almost daily in the
presence of Monsieur Leroy, ever since he had been a boy. Lamberti and
Cecilia probably acted on each other in the same way. It was a
misfortune, of course, that his best friend and his future wife should
hate the sight and presence of one another, but it was not their fault,
and they would probably get over it.

It was wonderful to see how everything that had happened exactly fitted
into Guido's simple explanation, the passing shadow on Cecilia's face,
the evident embarrassment of both when Guido asked each the same
question, the agreement of their answers, the readiness both had shown
to try and overcome their mutual dislike--it was simply wonderful! By
the time Guido laid his head on his pillow, he was serenely calm and
certain of the future. With the words of sincere regret he had written
to Lamberti, and with the decision to say much the same thing to Cecili