I looked at these events as I might have looked at a comedy of Plautus;
it was very amusing, but perhaps a little vulgar. I was wrapped up in my
own happiness, and I had forgotten Nemesis.
One day, perhaps two months from my arrival in Forli, I heard Checco
tell his cousin that a certain Giorgio dall' Aste had returned. I paid
no particular attention to the remark; but later, when I was alone with
Matteo, it occurred to me that I had not heard before of this person. I
did not know that Giulia had relations on her husband's side. I asked,--
'By the way, who is that Giorgio dall' Aste, of whom Checco was
speaking?'
'A cousin of Donna Giulia's late husband.'
'I have never heard him spoken of before.'
'Haven't you? He enjoys quite a peculiar reputation, as being the only
lover that the virtuous Giulia has kept for more than ten days.'
'Another of your old wives' tales, Matteo! Nature intended you for a
begging friar.'
'I have often thought I have missed my vocation. With my brilliant gift
for telling lies in a truthful manner, I should have made my way in the
Church to the highest dignities. Whereas, certain antiquated notions of
honour having been instilled into me during my training as a soldier, my
gifts are lost; with the result, that when I tell the truth people think
I am lying. But this is solemn truth!'
'All your stories are!' I jeered.
'Ask anyone. This has been going on for years. When Giulia was married
by old Tommaso, whom she had never seen in her life before the
betrothal, the first thing she did was to fall in love with Giorgio. He
fell in love with her, but being a fairly honest sort of man, he had
some scruples about committing adultery with his cousin's wife,
especially as he lived on his cousin's money. However, when a woman is
vicious, a man's scruples soon go to the devil. If Adam couldn't refuse
the apple, you can't expect us poor fallen creatures to do so either.
The result was that Joseph did not run away from Potiphar's wife so fast
as to prevent her from catching him.'
'How biblical you are.'
'Yes,' answered Matteo; 'I'm making love to a parson's mistress, and I
am cultivating the style which I find she is used to.... But, however,
Giorgio, being youthful, after a short while began to have prickings of
conscience, and went away from Forli. Giulia was heart-broken, and her
grief was so great that she must have half the town to console her. Then
Giorgio's conscience calmed down, and he came back, and Giulia threw
over all her lovers.'
'I don't believe a single word you say.'
'On my honour, it's true.'
'On the face of it, the story is false. If she really loves him, why do
they not keep together now that there is no hindrance?'
'Because Giulia has the heart of a strumpet and can't be faithful to any
one man. She's very fond of him, but they quarrel, and she takes a
sudden fancy for somebody else, and for a while they won't see one
another. But there seems some magical charm between them, for sooner or
later they always come back to one another. I believe, if they were at
the ends of the world, eventually they would be drawn together, even if
they struggled with all their might against it. And, I promise you,
Giorgio has struggled; he tries to part with her for good and all, and
each time they separate he vows it shall be for ever. But there is an
invisible chain and it always brings him back.'
I stood looking at him in silence. Strange, horrible thoughts passed
through my head and I could not drive them away. I tried to speak quite
calmly.
'And how is it when they are together?'
'All sunshine and storm, but as time goes on the storm gets longer and
blacker; and then Giorgio goes away.'
'But, good God! man, how do you know?' I cried in agony.
He shrugged his shoulders.
'They quarrel?' I asked.
'Furiously! He feels himself imprisoned against his will, with the door
open to escape, but not the strength to do it; and she is angry that he
should love her thus, trying not to love her. It rather seems to me that
it explains her own excesses; her other loves are partly to show him
how much she is loved, and to persuade herself that she is lovable.'
I did not believe it. Oh, no, I swear I did not believe it, yet I was
frightened, horribly frightened; but I would not believe a single word
of it.
'Listen, Matteo,' I said. 'You believe badly of Giulia; but you do not
know her. I swear to you that she is good and pure, whatever she may
have been in the past; and I do not believe a word of these scandals. I
am sure that now she is as true and faithful as she is beautiful.'
Matteo looked at me for a moment.
'Are you her lover?' he asked.
'Yes!'
Matteo opened his mouth as if about to speak, then stopped, and after a
moment's hesitation turned away.
* * * * *
That evening I went to Giulia. I found her lying full length on a divan,
her head sunken in soft cushions. She was immersed in reverie. I
wondered whether she was thinking of me, and I went up to her silently,
and, bending over her, lightly kissed her lips. She gave a cry, and a
frown darkened her eyes.
'You frightened me!'
'I am sorry,' I answered humbly. 'I wanted to surprise you.'
She did not answer, but raised her eyebrows, slightly shrugging her
shoulders. I wondered whether something had arisen to vex her. I knew
she had a quick temper, but I did not mind it; a cross word was so soon
followed by a look of repentance and a word of love. I passed my hand
over her beautiful soft hair. The frown came again, and she turned her
head away.
'Giulia,' I said, 'what is it?' I took her hand; she withdrew it
immediately.
'Nothing,' she answered.
'Why do you turn away from me and withdraw your hand?'
'Why should I not turn away from you and withdraw my hand?'
'Don't you love me, Giulia?'
She gave a sigh, and pretended to look bored. I looked at her, pained at
heart and wondering.
'Giulia, my dear, tell me what it is. You are making me very unhappy.'
'Oh, don't I tell you, nothing, nothing, nothing!'
'Why are you cross?'
I put my face to her's, and my arms round her neck. She disengaged
herself impatiently.
'You refuse my kisses, Giulia!'
She made another gesture of annoyance.
'Giulia, don't you love me?' My heart was beginning to sink, and I
remembered what I had heard from Matteo. Oh, God! could it be true?...
'Yes, of course I love you, but sometimes I must be left in peace.'
'You have only to say the word, and I will go away altogether.'
'I don't want you to do that, but we shall like one another much better
if we don't see too much of one another.'
'When one is in love, really and truly, one does not think of such wise
precautions.'
'And you are here so often that I am afraid of my good name.'
'You need have no fear about your character,' I answered bitterly. 'One
more scandal will not make much difference.'
'You need not insult me!'
I could not be angry with her, I loved her too much, and the words I had
said hurt me ten times more than they hurt her. I fell on my knees by
her side and took hold of her arms.
'Oh, Giulia, Giulia, forgive me! I don't mean to say anything to wound
you. But, for God's sake! don't be so cold. I love you, I love you. Be
good to me.'
'I think I have been good to you.... After all, it is not such a very
grave matter. I have not taken things more seriously than you.'
'What do you mean?' I cried, aghast.
She shrugged her shoulders.
'I suppose you found me a pretty woman, and thought you could occupy a
few spare moments with a pleasant amour. You can hardly have expected me
to be influenced by sentiments very different from your own.'
'You mean you do not love me?'
'I love you as much as you love me. I don't suppose either you are
Lancelot, or I Guinevere.'
I still knelt at her side in silence, and my head felt as if the vessels
in it were bursting....
'You know,' she went on quite calmly, 'one cannot love for ever.'
'But I love you, Giulia; I love you with all my heart and soul! I have
had loves picked up for the opportunity's sake, or for pure idleness;
but my love for you is different. I swear to you it is a matter of my
whole life.'
'That has been said to me so often....'