human
Any way, said the discomfited poet,
gpt
Per Bacco, no! Leandro is in the right of it! said the young Conte Beppo Farini;
human
Riconciliato col bel sesso! I should think you were, indeed! cried another;
gpt
I don't haunt the street before her door. Envy, Jealousy, ye green-eyed and loathsome monsters, how miserably small and mean can ye make the hearts of men!
human
Bravo, Leandro, bravo! get upon the table, man!
gpt
Get home to bed, rather. It is too bad, because no human being will read his poetry, he takes to spouting it!
human
Let us look what she says, cried Ludovico di Castelmare; putting out his hand to take the little note.
gpt
Upon my word she writes a pretty hand. It is a very neatly expressed note.
human
Oh, you can see that much, can you? returned Leandro.
gpt
I should think it was too! Is there any one of you here can show such a note from any woman, let her be who she may? She says she will read the poem I have been good enough to send her--good enough to send her, mark that!--as soon as she can find time to do so! What could she say more, I should like to know? Of course she is occupied. It stands to reason. But she will read my poem; and then you will see!
human
Ay, then we shall see our little Leandro duly appreciated at last! said the Barone Manutoli.
gpt
As soon as the Diva has found time to read the poem there will come another little pink note, adorably perfumed: he will be summoned to her august presence, and installed as her poet in ordinary, and who knows what else besides,--her Magnus Apollo? It is a pity there are not eight other prime donne to make up the sacred number. Then we should see our Leandro in his true position and vocation. Give me a sheet of paper, and I will show you a new presentation of Apollo and the Muses. They are all presenting him with pasticcerie and bonbons. He has one hand on the lyre, and the other on his stomach, for the homage of the goddesses has made him somewhat sick; his eyes, you observe, are cast heavenwards, partly by reason of poetic inspiration, and partly by reason of nausea!
human
Bravo! bravo, Manutoli!
gpt
Envy and jealousy, envy and jealousy, all envy and jealousy. It is pitiable to see what they can reduce men to,
human
Never mind them, Leandro mio--never mind them. It is the universal penalty of true merit, you know; the same thing all the world over,
gpt
But, I say, Ludovico, rejoined Manutoli,
human
Well, you ought to be able to answer that question yourself, Manutoli, replied Ludovico;
gpt
A look? Yes; and I looked all I could look. I saw a charming face, younger and fresher looking than might have been expected from the length of time she has been on the boards,--a very pretty figure, as far as her travelling-dress would show it one; and the loveliest foot and ankle I ever saw in my life. I could swear to that again at any time. Don't you remember how she stood with her foot down on the step, when she was getting out of the carriage. I thought at the time that she knew what she was about very well.
human
Of course she did. Do you think they don't always know very well, every one of them, off the stage or on the stage?
gpt
But I want to know what sort of body, she is? returned Manutoli;
human
I don't need to be told that she is a very lovely woman; but of what sort is she? Why does she keep us all at a distance? What is her game?
gpt
Upon my life I don't know, answered Ludovico,
human
You don't want to make us believe that you have been seeing her frequently all this time,--passing hours with her a quattro occhi, and have never made love to her, Ludovico?
gpt
No; I don't want to make you believe don't care a straw whether you have it or not; but it is the the fact, for all that,
human
Ludovico has enough on his hands in quarter. What would they say about it in the Via Santa Eufemia if he were to bow down to new and strange goddesses?
gpt
That, if you please, Manutoli, we will not discuss either now or at any other time, said Ludovico, with a look that showed he was in earnest.
human
But, as for La Diva Bianca, I have no objection to tell all I know to anybody. My belief is that she is as correct and proper, and all that sort of thing, as a Vestal.
gpt
Che!
human
Che!
gpt
Che!
human
What, after all we heard of her doings at Milan--after all the histories of her goddess-ship in every city of Italy?
gpt
Well, what did we hear of her doings at Milan? The fact is, we know nothing about the matter; and as to her previous history--of course I don't suppose that she is, and always has been, a Diana; but it may be that she has come to the time when she has thought it well to turn over a new leaf. Such times do come to such women; but all I know is, that I firmly believe that since she has been here she has lived the life of a nun,
human
Per Bacco, it's queer! said Farini, slapping his hand against his thigh.
gpt
I have heard, he continued in the tone of one speaking of some strange and almost incredible monstrosity,--
human
I have heard of such women taking a turn to devozione. It's not that with La Lalli, is it?
gpt
Che! Nothing of the sort; she is as full of frolic as a kitten--up to any fun. And she is a very clever woman, too, let me tell you--a good deal of education. If you will put making love to her out of your head, I never knew a woman who was pleasanter company,
human
And you really mean that you have never tried to make love to her in any way?
gpt
I do mean it, upon my soul; but I don't care a rap whether you believe it or not,
human
And you are with her very frequently?
gpt
Yes, I have seen a good deal of her altogether. I like her; and I fancy she likes me to go there; she seems to wish me to come. Perhaps it is a novelty to her to have a man about her who doesn't try to make love to her.
human
The Marchese Lamberto sees her a good deal?
gpt
Yes; naturally. If it had not been for that I should probably never have made acquaintance with her at all. Lo zio is continually there. He ought to have been an impresario. In fact, he is the real impresario. Little Ercole only does what my uncle tells him. I don't believe she ever sings a note on the stage that he has not heard and approved beforehand.
human
Suppose he is the dark horse; suppose she is his mistress all this time; and he takes care to keep her all to himself,
gpt
What, lo zio. Bah! I should have thought that you knew him better than that, Manutoli. To him a woman is a voice, and nothing else. If the same sounds could be got out of a flute or a fiddle he would like it much better, and think it far more convenient. I don't think my uncle Lamberto ever knew whether a woman was pretty or plain. I wish to heaven he would get caught for once in his life; it would suit my book very well. He would have less leisure to think of other things.