human
I am legally married under Italian law, he said, after a pause.
gpt
But that is all. My wife bears my name, and lives honourably under it, but that is all there has ever been of marriage in my life. I can honestly say that not even a word of affection ever passed between us.
human
How strange!
gpt
I never saw her but once, Malipieri continued.
human
We met in the morning, we were married at noon, at the municipality, we parted at the railway station twenty minutes later, and have never met again.
gpt
But you are not married at all! cried the Princess.
human
The Church would annul such a marriage without making the least trouble.
gpt
We were not even married in church, said Malipieri.
human
We were married at the municipality only.
gpt
It is not a marriage at all, then.
human
Excuse me. It is perfectly valid in law, and my wife has a certified copy of the register to prove that she has a right to my name.
gpt
Were you mad? What made you do it? It is utterly incomprehensible--to bind yourself for life to a woman you had never seen! What possible motive--
human
I will tell you, said Malipieri.
gpt
It all happened long ago, when I was little more than twenty-one. It is not a very long story, but I beg you not to tell it. You do not suppose me capable of keeping it a secret in order to make another marriage, not really legal do you?
human
Certainly not, answered the Princess.
gpt
I believe you to be an honourable man. I will not tell your story to any one.
human
You may tell Donna Sabina as much of it as you think she need hear. This is what happened. I served my time in a cavalry regiment--no matter where, and I had an intimate friend, nearly of my own age, and a Venetian. He was very much in love with a young girl of a respectable family, but not of his own station. Of course his family would not hear of a marriage, but she loved him, and he promised that he would marry her as soon as he had finished his military service, in spite of his own people. He would have been of age by that time, for he was only a few months younger than I, and he was willing to sacrifice most of his inheritance for love of the girl. Do you understand?
gpt
Yes. Go on.
human
He and I were devotedly attached to each other, said I sympathized with him, of course, and promised to help him if he made a runaway match. He used to get leave for a couple of days, to go and see her, for she lived with her parents in a small city within two hours of our garrison town. You guess what happened.--They were young, they were foolish, and they were madly in love.
gpt
Not long afterwards, my friend was killed by a fall. His horse crushed him. It was a horrible accident, and he lived twelve hours after it, in great pain. He would not let the doctors give him morphia. He said he would die like a man, and he did, with all his senses about him. While he lay dying, I was with him, and then he told me all the truth. The girl would not be able to conceal it much longer. There was no time to bring her to his bedside and marry her while he still breathed. He could not even leave her money, for he was a minor. He could do nothing for her and her parents would turn her into the street; in any case she was ruined. He was in frightful agony of mind for her sake, he was dying before my eyes, powerless to help her and taking his suffering and his fault with him to the next world, and he was my friend. I did what I could. I gave him my word of honour that I would marry her legally, give her and her child my name, and provide for them as well as I could. He thanked me--I shall never forget how he looked--and he died quietly, half an hour afterwards. You know now. I kept my word. That is all.