The next morning Mansana took care to be earlier than usual at the
trysting-place; but his two friends had also arrived before their
accustomed time, as though they, as well as he, found pleasure in these
meetings, and were anxious to make the most of them, especially now
when only two more such opportunities were possible.
Mansana forced himself to go through the inevitable political
preliminaries with the old man; then turning suddenly to Amanda,
changed the conversation by asking brusquely, "With whom were you
disputing on the balcony last evening?"
By way of answer her cheeks flushed with a bright, charming colour, as,
in a manner peculiar to herself, she stole a sidelong glance into
Mansana's face from underneath her lowered lids. Seeing her blushes,
and little knowing how easily and quickly a young girl's colour comes
and goes, Mansana's own cheeks grew pale. This frightened her; and as
he saw this, he once again misinterpreted the meaning of her fear.
The girl's father, who had in the meanwhile been looking on in
open-mouthed surprise, broke the silence by exclaiming, "Ah! of course!
now I understand it! It was Luigi, my nephew, Luigi Borghi! He is
staying in the town for a couple of days, in order to be present at the
city festival. Ha, ha! he's a gay youth, is Luigi!"
Mansana waited with impatience till he was alone again, then started
hurriedly in quest of Major Sardi, the friend for whose companionship
he had specially selected this garrison. He would discover from him
details of Luigi's past career. These were not favourable. Mansana
thereupon, without hesitation, made straight for the hotel where the
young man was lodging.
Luigi had just risen; he greeted Mansana with the deference due to a
superior officer, and after both were seated, Mansana began abruptly:
"I am leaving this town to-morrow to make ready for my marriage, which
is shortly to take place. I mention this that you may not misunderstand
my motive in speaking to you as I am about to do. I have, during my
short sojourn in this town, conceived a strong friendship for a certain
young and guileless girl, by name Amanda Brandini."
"Amanda! Yes!"
"Amanda is your cousin?"
"She is."
"I wish to know, is this the only relationship in which you stand to
her? In other words, tell me plainly, is it your intention to marry
her?"
"Well, no! but----"
"I ask you this question as one gentleman of another; you are at
liberty to withhold your answer at your discretion."
"I perfectly understand; but I have no hesitation in repeating that it
is not my intention to make Amanda my wife. She--well--she is not rich
enough for me."
"Very good! Why then, may I ask, do you visit so frequently at her
house? And why do you deliberately deceive her as to your intentions
and fill her mind with ideas and sentiments which are meaningless, to
say the least of it, to you?"
"Am I to understand your last remark as a deliberate accusation?"
"Undoubtedly; it is a matter of public knowledge that you are a
reckless libertine!"
"Signor!" exclaimed Luigi, as he rose indignantly.
The tall captain also rose to his feet.
"It is I," said the latter calmly, "I, Giuseppe Mansana, who make this
assertion. I am at your service."
But the youthful Luigi Borghi was at an age when the love of life is
strong, and he had no fancy for being run through the body by one of
the most formidable duellists in the army; so he kept his eyes fixed
upon the ground in silence.
"Either you must pledge me your word never to enter her house again,
nor make any attempt to see her, or you must take the consequences. I
intend that this matter shall be settled before I leave. Why do you
hesitate?"
"Because, as an officer, I object to being compelled to----"
"To make a virtuous resolution? You may think yourself fortunate that I
make this possible for you." Mansana paused, then added: "But perhaps I
have been hasty. I ought first to have given you the chance of
complying with my request, and have assured you that in that case you
might henceforth regard me as a true and loyal friend."
"I deem it an honour to count such a distinguished officer among my
friends, and shall in future reckon with pride on the comradeship of
Captain Mansana."
"Very good! you pledge me your word?"
"Yes, I promise this."
"I am grateful; your hand upon it."
"With all my heart."
"Farewell!"
"Farewell!"
Two hours later Mansana was making his way down to the boulevard of the
little town. Standing outside one of the shop windows, engaged in what
Mansana judged, from the laughter which he could hear, to be a highly
amusing conversation, were Luigi and Amanda. The father was inside the
shop, evidently settling the account. Neither of them noticed Mansana
till he was close upon them, when the sudden sight of his white, livid
face so scared Amanda that she instantly sought refuge with her father.
The lieutenant, however, more horrified than she was at the unexpected
apparition, stood, as it were, for an instant paralysed, then, moving
involuntarily a step beyond Mansana's reach, found courage to stammer
out: "Signor, I assure you I spoke to her at her own invitation only,
and we--indeed, it was not at you we were laughing!"
The sound of a sharp scream followed at that moment as Amanda, from her
position of safety, suddenly saw Mansana, without a sound or even a
warning movement, make a sort of spring towards the slight figure of
her cousin.
It seemed to her like the leap of a leopard on its prey. Another
instant and Luigi might be a dead man.
But the attention of the passers-by and of those within the shop had
been arrested by Amanda's cry, and was now riveted upon herself, as she
stood holding tightly by her father's arm. They gazed from her to her
companions in the vain hope of discovering the cause of her alarm, but
beyond the fact that two officers were standing quietly talking
together outside, nothing remarkable was to be seen.
What was the excitement about? Curiosity soon collected a little crowd
of idlers, who came clustering round Amanda, plying her with questions
as to the meaning of it all.
Never in her life before had she been the object of so many inquisitive
looks and eager questionings, and she was thoroughly frightened, whilst
her father, himself speechless from bewilderment, was powerless to
answer for her. At that moment Mansana came up, and making his way
through the bystanders, with an air of quiet authority, offered her his
arm. Thankfully she allowed him to lead her away from the gaping crowd,
and her father gladly followed them. Mansana waited till they were out
of earshot, then, turning to his companions, remarked: "I feel it my
duty to inform you that your kinsman, Lieutenant Borghi, is a
profligate, and I intend to see that he receives the chastisement he
merits."
It was startling to Amanda to be told not only that Luigi was a
profligate--though her notions as to the meaning of the term were
somewhat vague--but also that he was to receive castigation for some
offence of which she was ignorant.
For once she allowed her eyes to open to their full extent, as, with a
vain hope of gathering information, she kept them firmly fixed upon
Mansana's.
Her lips were parted as in surprise; an uncontrollable curiosity had
broken through her fears. He saw this clearly, and, angry as he had
lately been, he could not resist a smile at her simple innocence and at
the curious charm and beauty of her expression. And so, restored
suddenly to good humour, Mansana gave way to a feeling of amusement at
the old man, who stood looking for all the world like a half-frightened
schoolboy listening to ghost stories in the dusk.
Anxious to show that he was thoroughly alive to the realities of the
situation, he expressed a gratitude which culminated in an invitation
to Mansana to accompany them home; and this Mansana accepted.
Amanda--still half afraid lest something dreadful was about to
happen--tried to disarm him by the smiling confidence with which she
clung to him.
He began to have a suspicion of her motive, and was amused, but this
feeling wore away as he listened to the rippling melody of her laughing
voice, as he looked at the sweet, rosy, dimpled mouth, and the clear,
mystic, playful eyes peeping from their half-closed lids. He gave
himself up to the charm of her whole personality, and to the joy of
feeling that this innocent, fresh creature was living, breathing close
to him, and in that one moment he felt as though she were dedicated to
him as his own.
Their last meeting was to take place on the following morning, but as
he was not leaving till the evening of that day he suggested that very
probably he might contrive to meet her once more in the afternoon. And
then he left her as one bewitched. Under the tranquillising influence
which her presence brought, he went that very afternoon to seek Luigi,
found him in his apartments, and apologised. He acknowledged that it
was not Luigi's fault that he should by chance have met his cousin in
the street, nor that she should have spoken to him; and as regarded his
having laughed----
"But we were not laughing at you," declared the terrified Amorin.
"And even if you were, you would have been almost justified. I can see
now how ludicrous I made myself in my excitement."
He held out his hand to Luigi, who grasped it eagerly, and, after a few
incoherent words, Mansana took his leave in the same spirit of
confident self-satisfaction in which he had come. The little
lieutenant, who throughout this interview had felt as though he were in
the presence of his executioner, was now seized with a bewildering
sense of joy at his departure. He jumped about the room, and broke into
a loud peal of laughter. Mansana, who was still upon the staircase,
heard the laughter, and stopped to listen. Luigi shuddered at the
thought of his own carelessness, and the next moment heard some one
knocking at the door. He was too much alarmed to say "Come in," but
Mansana walked in without waiting for this.
"Was it you I heard laughing?" he asked.
"Upon my honour, no," answered Amorin, with a gesture of denial.
Mansana glanced briefly round the room and departed.
But no sooner was he gone than Luigi's sense of elation and relief once
more returned. He could not control it, and as he did not dare to shout
or jump, and felt he must share his joy with somebody, he went off to
the military _cafe_, where his little story created a welcome diversion
amongst his brother officers. To the accompaniment of their wine, they
rained their witticisms over the unfortunate captain, who on the eve of
his marriage with a princess could create a scandal by falling in love
with the daughter of a little pensioner. Of all this Major Sardi,
Mansana's friend, was a witness.
Mansana's last meeting on the hill took place next morning. It began
long before the usual time, and only ended when they reached Amanda's
door. According to his promise, he came again in the afternoon to bid
farewell.
Amanda talked with him of his approaching wedding in a tone which was
half playful and half sentimental, precisely as her feelings prompted
her; for to a well-brought-up Italian girl, marriage is the herald of
all earthly bliss, the entrance to that happy state in which
uncertainty, restraint, and trouble cease, and unchecked freedom, new
dresses, drives, and evenings at the opera, begin. And so her pretty
chatter in some way re-awakened his old feeling of yearning for
Theresa; her charm and personal attraction helped him still further to
a realisation of his own approaching happiness, and he found himself
confessing to her how much she herself had done towards this. A young
girl's tears flow readily at words of praise, and our little maiden
wept as she listened to Mansana's flattering talk. She thought it
necessary in return, to tell him what confidence she too had felt in
him; and though in her own heart she knew she had always, in his
presence, been conscious of a slight sense of fear, she would not
mention this. Then, as though in confirmation of her words, which were
not so truthful as she would have wished, she gave him one of her
smiling glances. The sunshine of her smile caught the glistening
tear-drops on her cheeks, and framed a rainbow of indescribable beauty
in Mansana's mind. He took her little round hand within both his as his
farewell. A blush rose to her cheeks as he murmured something--he did
not himself know what--and then he left her. He saw her pretty figure,
arms, and head, just above him on the stairs, and a minute later on the
balcony, as he looked up. He heard from the other side of the square, a
melodious "farewell," listened for it once again, then turned away down
the side street. So absorbed was he, that he had not noticed the
approach of Sardi, who was making straight towards him; indeed, he was
only awakened to the fact by a lusty slap upon the shoulder.
"Is it really true," asked Sardi, with a laugh, "that you are in love
with the little girl up yonder? Upon my word, it would almost seem so!"
Mansana's face grew copper red, his eyes flashed, his breath came
quickly as he answered:
"What are you talking about? What have you been told--that----?" He
stopped wondering what he could be about to hear; surely no one could
have--Luigi could never have---- "What did you say?" he repeated.
"Upon my soul, you seem bewitched!"
"What did you say?" repeated Mansana, with deepened colour, his brows
knit, and one hand laid, not too gently, upon the major's shoulder.
It was now Sardi's turn to be offended. Mansana's vehemence had so
taken him by surprise, he had no time to consider what he should say,
but in his own defence, and with a desire of still further irritating
the unjustly aroused temper of his friend, he told him what people were
already saying about him, and how the officers at the _cafe_ were
amusing themselves at his expense.
Mansana's anger knew no bounds. He swore that if Sardi would not at
once reveal who had first started these reports, he must himself be
answerable, and for a moment it seemed as though a challenge would be
inevitable between the two friends. But Sardi, almost immediately
recovering his composure, represented to Mansana what an ugly sensation
it would create, were he to fight a duel with him, or with any one
else, over such a subject as his relationship with Amanda Brandini, the
very day before leaving to celebrate his wedding with the Princess
Leaney.
Surely the best answer he could give to such a calumny would be to
start at once, and make the princess his bride without delay. Thereupon
followed a fresh ebullition from Mansana. He would look after his own
affairs, and protect his own reputation; Sardi must give the names of
his detractors! The major saw no reason for concealment, and gave the
names, one by one, merely adding quietly, that if Mansana felt an
inclination to kill off all this small fry, he was quite welcome to the
task!
Mansana was eager to make straight for the _cafe_, where all these
officers would now be assembled. Sardi, however, convinced him of the
folly of such a course.
Then, Mansana declared, he would at any rate seek Luigi. But Sardi
undertook himself to carry the challenge to the lieutenant. "Though,
after all," he added, "what is he to be challenged for?"
"For what he has said of me," shouted Mansana.
"But what has he said of you? That you are in love with Amanda
Brandini? Is this not true?"
Now, had Mansana started on his journey without meeting Major Sardi, it
is tolerably certain that he would, in two or three days' time, have
been married to the Princess Leaney; whereas the following conversation
now took place.
"Have you the boldness to assert that I love Amanda?"
"I refuse to answer that; but if you do not love her, what the devil
does it concern you if the young whelp says so, or whether he cares for
her himself; or even whether he attempts to seduce her?"
"You are a boor and a scoundrel to use such language!"
"And what are you, pray, who can openly abuse a young man for the crime
of talking and jesting with his cousin?"
"Jesting with her!" repeated Mansana scornfully, with clenched fists
and knitted brows; whilst Sardi interjected:
"Who is to look after her when you are gone?"
"I shall not go!" shouted Mansana.
"You will not go? Have you lost your senses?"
"I shall not go," repeated Mansana, his hands and arms raised above his
head as if in confirmation of an oath.
Sardi was taken aback.
"Then you really do love her?" he whispered.
Mansana recoiled. A groan, as from the strength of his whole frame,
alarmed Sardi, who feared an attack of apoplexy, but after a brief
struggle with himself, Mansana's countenance cleared, and slowly, as
though unconsciously and to himself, he murmured:
"Yes, I love her!" Then, turning to Sardi, he added: "And I shall not
go away!"
And from that moment he was like a driven hurricane of wind.
He turned and hurried away, in a storm of passion.
"Where are you making for?" asked Sardi, as he hastened after him.
"I am going to Borghi."
"But we had agreed that I was to see him."
"Very well, then, go!"
"But where are you going?"
"To find Borghi!" Then he added passionately, "I love her, and whoever
tries to take her from me shall die!" And again he turned to go.
"But does she love you?" shouted Sardi, quite forgetting that they were
in the public street.
And once more raising his strong, sinewy hands above his head, Mansana
answered, in a hollow voice:
"She _shall_ love me!"
Sardi grew alarmed.
"Giuseppe, you are mad! You have been over excited, and it is only this
unnatural condition of your mind which causes you to feel and speak
like this. You are not yourself, Giuseppe! Do not run away from me!
Don't you see that you are attracting the attention of the people in
the street?"
At that Mansana stopped.
"Do you know what it is that makes me furious, Cornelius? It is the
thought that I ever paid attention to those people in the street! I
must needs hold my tongue, suffer, and be trampled on! This is what
makes me furious."
He drew a step nearer Sardi.
"And now," he said, "I mean to proclaim it aloud to all the world; I
love her!"
He actually shouted the words as he walked on with proud step. Sardi
followed, and, taking him by the arm, guided him quietly into a less
frequented street. But Mansana paid no heed, and with loud voice and
vigorous gesticulations, gave his secretly wounded egotism vent.
"After all, what should I gain," he cried, "by becoming the husband of
the Princess Leaney, the steward of her ladyship's estates, the slave
of her ladyship's caprices? Now, for the first time, I can acknowledge
to myself the truth; such a life would have been unworthy of Giuseppe
Mansana."
Sardi came to the conclusion that if Mansana could so belie the usual
taciturnity and reserve of his nature as to bawl and shout in this
outrageous manner, almost any mad feat might be possible; so, with an
ingenuity and perseverance that did him credit, he sought to induce him
to take a little journey, just to give time for the confused condition
of his mind and his affairs to settle themselves. But he might as well
have expected a hurricane to heed his words.