CHAPTER XXXIX
ANNA OF LENKENSTEIN
Captain Weisspriess replied to Carlo Ammiani promptly, naming Camerlataby Como, as the place where he would meet him.
He stated at the end of some temperate formal lines, that he had givenCount Ammiani the preference over half-a-dozen competitors for thehonour of measuring swords with him; but that his adversary must notexpect him to be always ready to instruct the young gentlemen of theLombardo-Venetian province in the arts of fence; and therefore he beggedto observe, that his encounter with Count Ammiani would be the lastoccasion upon which he should hold himself bound to accept a challengefrom Count Ammiani's countrymen.
It was quite possible, the captain said, drawing a familiar illustrationfrom the gaming-table, to break the stoutest Bank in the world by aperpetual multiplication of your bets, and he was modest enough toremember that he was but one man against some thousands, to contend withall of whom would be exhausting.
Consequently the captain desired Count Ammiani to proclaim to hiscountrymen that the series of challenges must terminate; and herequested him to advertize the same in a Milanese, a Turin, and aNeapolitan journal.
"I am not a butcher," he concluded. "The task you inflict upon me isscarcely bearable. Call it by what name you will, it is having ten shotsto one, which was generally considered an equivalent to murder. My swordis due to you, Count Ammiani; and, as I know you to be an honourablenobleman, I would rather you were fighting in Venice, though your causeis hopeless, than standing up to match yourself against me. Let me add,that I deeply respect the lady who is engaged to be united to you, andwould not willingly cross steel either with her lover or her husband. Ishall be at Camerlata at the time appointed. If I do not find you there,I shall understand that you have done me the honour to take my humbleadvice, and have gone where your courage may at least appear to havedone better service. I shall sheathe my sword and say no more about it."
All of this, save the concluding paragraph, was written under the eyesof Countess Anna of Lenkenstein.
He carried it to his quarters, where he appended the as he deemedit--conciliatory passage: after which he handed it to Beppo, in a squareof the barracks, with a buon'mano that Beppo received bowing, andtossed to an old decorated regimental dog of many wounds and a veteran'sgravity. For this offence a Styrian grenadier seized him by theshoulders, lifting him off his feet and swinging him easily, while thedog arose from his contemplation of the coin and swayed an expectanttail. The Styrian had dashed Beppo to earth before Weisspriess couldinterpose, and the dog had got him by the throat. In the struggle Beppotore off the dog's medal for distinguished conduct on the field ofbattle. He restored it as soon as he was free, and won unanimousplaudits from officers and soldiers for his kindly thoughtfulness andthe pretty manner with which he dropped on one knee, and assuaged thegrowls, and attached the medal to the old dog's neck. Weisspriess walkedaway. Beppo then challenged his Styrian to fight. The case was laidbefore a couple of sergeants, who shook their heads on hearing hiscondition to be that of a serving-man, the Styrian was ready to waiveconsiderations of superiority; but the "judge" pronounced their veto. Asoldier in the Imperial Royal service, though he was merely a private inthe ranks, could not accept a challenge from civilians below the rankof notary, secretary, hotel- or inn-keeper, and suchlike: servants andtradesmen he must seek to punish in some other way; and they also hadtheir appeal to his commanding officer. So went the decision of themilitary tribunal, until the Styrian, having contrived to make Beppounderstand, by the agency of a single Italian verb, that he wanted ablow, Beppo spun about and delivered a stinging smack on the Styrian'scheek; which altered the view of the case, for, under peculiarcircumstances--supposing that he did not choose to cut him down--asoldier might condescend to challenge his civilian inferiors: "inour regiment," said the sergeants, meaning that they had relaxed thestringency of their laws.
Beppo met his Styrian outside the city walls, and laid him flat. Hedeclined to fight a second; but it was represented to him, by the aidof an interpreter, that the officers of the garrison were subjected tosuccessive challenges, and that the first trial of his skill might havebeen nothing finer than luck; and besides, his adversary had a rightto call a champion. "We all do it," the soldiers assured him. "Now yourblood's up you're ready for a dozen of us;" which was less true ofa constitution that was quicker in expending its heat. He stood outagainst a young fellow almost as limber as himself, much taller, andlonger in the reach, by whom he was quickly disabled with cuts on thighand head. Seeing this easy victory over him, the soldiers, previouslyquite civil, cursed him for having got the better of their fallencomrade, and went off discussing how he had done the trick, leaving himto lie there. A peasant carried him to a small suburban inn, wherehe remained several days oppressed horribly by a sense that he hadforgotten something. When he recollected what it was, he entrusted thecaptain's letter to his landlady;--a good woman, but she chanced tohave a scamp of a husband, who snatched it from her and took it to hismarket. Beppo supposed the letter to be on its Way to Pallauza, when itwas in General Schoneck's official desk; and soon after the breath of ascandalous rumour began to circulate.
Captain Weisspriess had gone down to Camerlata, accompanied by a ColonelVolpo, of an Austro-Italian regiment, and by Lieutenant Jenna. AtCamerlata a spectacled officer, Major Nagen, joined them. Weisspriesswas the less pleased with his company on hearing that he had come towitness the meeting, in obedience to an express command of a personwho was interested in it. Jenna was the captain's friend: Volpo wasseconding him for the purpose of getting Count Ammiani to listen toreason from the mouth of a countryman. There could be no doubt in thecaptain's mind that this Major Nagen was Countess Anna's spy as wellas his rival, and he tried to be rid of him; but in addition tothe shortness of sight which was Nagen's plea for pushing his thintransparent nose into every corner, he enjoyed at will an intermittentdeafness, and could hear anything without knowing of it. Brotherofficers said of Major Nagen that he was occasionally equally senselessin the nose, which had been tweaked without disturbing the repose of hisfeatures. He waited half-an-hour on the ground after the appointed time,and then hurried to Milan. Weisspriess waited an hour. Satisfied thatCount Ammiani was not coming, he exacted from Volpo and from Jenna theirword of honour as Austrian officers that they would forbear-to cast anyslur on the courage of his adversary, and would be so discreet on thesubject as to imply that the duel was a drawn affair. They pledgedthemselves accordingly. "There's Nagen, it's true," said Weisspriess,as a man will say and feel that he has done his best to prevent a thinginevitable.
Milan, and some of the journals of Milan, soon had Carlo Ammiani's nameup for challenging Weisspriess and failing to keep his appointment. Itgrew to be discussed as a tremendous event. The captain received fifteenchallenges within two days; among these a second one from LucianoRomara, whom he was beginning to have a strong desire to encounter. Herepressed it, as quondam drunkards fight off the whisper of their lipsfor liquor. "No more blood," was his constant inward cry. He wantedpeace; but as he also wanted Countess Anna of Lenkenstein and herestates, it may possibly be remarked of him that what he wanted he didnot want to pay for.
At this period Wilfrid had resumed the Austrian uniform as a commonsoldier in the ranks of the Kinsky regiment. General Schoneck hadobtained the privilege for him from the Marshal, General Piersonrefusing to lift a finger on his behalf. Nevertheless the uncle was notsorry to hear the tale of his nephew's exploits during the campaign, orof the eccentric intrepidity of the white umbrella; and both to pleasehim, and to intercede for Wilfrid, the tatter's old comrades recitedhis deeds as a part of the treasured familiar history of the army in itslate arduous struggle.
General Pierson was chiefly anxious to know whether Countess Lena wouldbe willing to give her hand to Wilfrid in the event of his restorationto his antecedent position in the army. He found her extremely excitedabout Carlo Ammiani, her old playmate, and once her dear friend. Shewould not speak of Wilfrid at all. To
appease the chivalrous littlewoman, General Pierson hinted that his nephew, being under theprotection of General Schoneck, might get some intelligence fromthat officer. Lena pretended to reject the notion of her coming intocommunication with Wilfrid for any earthly purpose. She said to herself,however, that her object was pre-eminently unselfish; and as the Generalpointedly refused to serve her in a matter that concerned an Italiannobleman, she sent directions to Wilfrid to go before General Schoeneckthe moment he was off duty, and ask his assistance, in her name, toelucidate the mystery of Count Ammiani's behaviour. The answer was atransmission of Captain Weisspriess's letter to Carlo. Lena causedthe fact of this letter having missed its way to be circulated in thejournals, and then she carried it triumphantly to her sister, saying:
"There! I knew these reports were abase calumny."
"Reports, to what effect?" said Anna.
"That Carlo Ammiani had slunk from a combat with your duellist."
"Oh! I knew that myself," Anna remarked.
"You were the loudest in proclaiming it."
"Because I intend to ruin him."
"Carlo Ammiani? What has he done to you?"
Anna's eyes had fallen on the additional lines of the letter which shehad not dictated. She frowned and exclaimed:
"What is this? Does the man play me false? Read those lines, Lena, andtell me, does the man mean to fight in earnest who can dare to writethem? He advises Ammiani to go to Venice. It's treason, if it is notcowardice. And see here--he has the audacity to say that he deeplyrespects the lady Ammiani is going to marry. Is Ammiani going to marryher? I think not."
Anna dashed the letter to the floor.
"But I will make use of what's within my reach," she said, picking itup.
"Carlo Ammiani will marry her, I presume," said Lena.
"Not before he has met Captain Weisspriess, who, by the way, hasobtained his majority. And, Lena, my dear, write to inform him that wewish to offer him our congratulations. He will be a General officer ingood time."
"Perhaps you forget that Count Ammiani is a perfect swordsman, Anna."
"Weisspriess remembers it for me, perhaps;--is that your idea, Lena?"
"He might do so profitably. You have thrown him on two swords."
"Merely to provoke the third. He is invincible. If he were not, wherewould his use be?"
"Oh, how I loathe revenge!" cried Lena.
"You cannot love!" her sister retorted. "That woman calling herselfVittoria Campa shall suffer. She has injured and defied me. How was itthat she behaved to us at Meran? She is mixed up with assassins; she isinsolent--a dark-minded slut; and she catches stupid men. My brother, mycountry, and this weak Weisspriess, as I saw him lying in the Ultenthal,cry out against her. I have no sleep. I am not revengeful. Say it, sayit, all of you! but I am not. I am not unforgiving. I worship justice,and a black deed haunts me. Let the wicked be contrite and washed intears, and I think I can pardon them. But I will have them on theirknees. I hate that woman Vittoria more than I hate Angelo Guidascarpi.Look, Lena. If both were begging for life to me, I would send him to thegallows and her to her bedchamber; and all because I worship justice,and believe it to be the weapon of the good and pious. You have a baby'sheart; so has Karl. He declines to second Weisspriess; he will havenothing to do with duelling; he would behold his sisters mocked in thestreets and pass on. He talks of Paul's death like a priest. Priestsare worthy men; a great resource! Give me a priests lap when I need it.Shall I be condemned to go to the priest and leave that woman singing?If I did, I might well say the world's a snare, a sham, a pitfall, ahorror! It's what I don't think in any degree. It's what you think,though. Yes, whenever you are vexed you think it. So do the priests, andso do all who will not exert themselves to chastise. I, on the contrary,know that the world is not made up of nonsense. Write to Weisspriessimmediately; I must have him here in an hour."
Weisspriess, on visiting the ladies to receive their congratulations,was unprepared for the sight of his letter to Carlo Ammiani, which Annathrust before him after he had saluted her, bidding him read it aloud.He perused it in silence. He was beginning to be afraid of his mistress.
"I called you Austria once, for you were always ready," Anna said, andwithdrew from him, that the sung of her words might take effect.
"God knows, I have endeavoured to earn the title in my humble way,"Weisspriess appealed to Lena.
"Yes, Major Weisspriess, you have," she said. "Be Austria still, andforbear toward these people as much as you can. To beat them is enough,in my mind. I am rejoiced that you have not met Count Ammiani, for ifyou had, two friends of mine, equally dear and equally skilful, wouldhave held their lives at one another's mercy."
"Equally!" said Weisspriess, and pulled out the length of his moustache.
"Equally courageous," Lena corrected herself. "I never distrusted CountAmmiani's courage, nor could distrust yours."
"Equally dear!" Weisspriess tried to direct a concentrated gaze on her.
Lena evaded an answer by speaking of the rumour of Count Ammiani'smarriage.
Weisspriess was thinking with all the sagacious penetration of themilitary mind, that perhaps this sister was trying to tell him that shewould be willing to usurp the piece of the other in his affections; andif so, why should she not?
"I may cherish the idea that I am dear to you, Countess Lena?"
"When you are formally betrothed to my sister, you will know you arevery dear to me, Major Weisspriess."
"But," said he, perceiving his error, "how many persons am I to call outbefore she will consent to a formal betrothal?"
Lena was half smiling at the little tentative bit of sentiment she hadso easily turned aside. Her advice to him was to refuse to fight, seeingthat he had done sufficient for glory and his good name.
He mentioned Major Nagen as a rival.
Upon this she said: "Hear me one minute. I was in my sister's bed-roomon the first night when she knew of your lying wounded in the Ultenthal.She told you just now that she called you Austria. She adores ourAustria in you. The thought that you had been vanquished seemed like ourAustria vanquished, and she is so strong for Austria that it is reallyout of her power to fancy you as defeated without suspecting foul play.So when she makes you fight, she thinks you safe. Many are to go downbecause you have gone down. Do you not see? And now, Major Weisspriess,I need not expose my sister to you any more, I hope, or depreciate MajorNagen for your satisfaction."
Weisspriess had no other interview with Anna for several days. Sheshunned him openly. Her carriage moved off when he advanced to meet herat the parade, or review of arms; and she did not scruple to speak inpublic with Major Nagen, in the manner of those who have begun to speaktogether in private. The offender received his punishment gracefully,as men will who have been taught that it flatters them. He refused everychallenge. From Carlo Ammiani there came not a word.
It would have been a deadly lull to any fiery temperament engaged inplotting to destroy a victim, but Anna had the patience of hatred--thatabsolute malignity which can measure its exultation rather by thegathering of its power to harm than by striking. She could lay it aside,or sink it to the bottom of her emotions, at will, when circumstancesappeared against it. And she could do this without fretful regrets,without looking to the future. The spirit of her hatred extracted itsown nourishment from things, like an organized creature. When foiledshe became passive, and she enjoyed--forced herself compliantly toenjoy--her redoubled energy of hatred voluptuously, if ever a turn inevents made wreck of her scheming. She hated Vittoria for many reasons,all of them vague within her bosom because the source of them wasindefinite and lay in the fact of her having come into collision with anopposing nature, whose rivalry was no visible rivalry, whose triumphwas an ignorance of scorn--a woman who attracted all men, who scatteredinjuries with insolent artlessness, who never appealed to forgiveness,and was a low-born woman daring to be proud. By repute Anna wasimplacable, but she had, and knew she had, the capacity for magnanimityof a certain kind
; and her knowledge of the existence of thisunsuspected fund within her justified in some degree her recklessefforts to pull her enemy down on her knees. It seemed doubly right thatshe should force Vittoria to penitence, as being good for the woman, andan end that exonerated her own private sins committed to effect it.
Yet she did not look clearly forward to the day of Vittoria's imploringfor mercy. She had too many vexations to endure: she was an insufficientschemer, and was too frequently thwarted to enjoy that ulteriorprospect. Her only servile instruments were Major Nagen, and Irma, whocame to her from the Villa Ricciardi, hot to do her rival any deadlyinjury; but though willing to attempt much, these were apparently ableto perform little more than the menial work of vengeance. Major Nagenwrote in the name of Weisspriess to Count Ammiani, appointing a secondmeeting at Como, and stating that he would be at the villa of theDuchess of Graatli there. Weisspriess was unsuspectingly taken down tothe place by Anna and Lena. There was a gathering of such guests as theduchess alone among her countrywomen could assemble, under the patronageof the conciliatory Government, and the duchess projected to give aseries of brilliant entertainments in the saloons of the Union, asshe named her house-roof. Count Serabiglione arrived, as did numerousModerates and priest-party men, Milanese garrison officers and others.Laura Piaveni travelled with Countess d'Isorella and the happy AdelaSedley, from Lago Maggiore.
Laura came, as she cruelly told her friend, for the purpose of makingVictoria's excuses to the duchess. "Why can she not come herself?"Amalia persisted in asking, and began to be afflicted with womanlycuriosity. Laura would do nothing but shrug and smile, and repeather message. A little after sunset, when the saloons were lighted,Weisspriess, sitting by his Countess Anna's side, had a slip of paperplaced in his hands by one of the domestics. He quitted his postfrowning with astonishment, and muttered once, "My appointment!" Lauranoticed that Anna's heavy eyelids lifted to shoot an expressive glanceat Violetta d'Isorella. She said: "Can that have been anything hostile,do you suppose?" and glanced slyly at her friend.
"No, no," said Amalia; "the misunderstanding is explained, and MajorWeisspriess is just as ready as Count Ammiani to listen to reason.Besides, Count Ammiani is not so unfriendly but that if he came so nearhe would come up to me, surely."
Laura brought Amalia's observation to bear upon Anna and Violetta byturning pointedly from one to the other as she said: "As for reason,perhaps you have chosen the word. If Count Ammiani attended anappointment this time, he would be unreasonable."
A startled "Why?"--leaped from Anna's lips. She reddened at herimpulsive clumsiness.
Laura raised her shoulders slightly: "Do you not know?" The expressionof her face reproved Violetta, as for remissness in transmitting secretintelligence. "You can answer why, countess," she addressed thelatter, eager to exercise her native love of conflict with thisdoubtfully-faithful countrywoman;--the Austrian could feel that she hadbeaten her on the essential point, and afford to give her any number ofdialectical victories.
"I really cannot answer why," Violetta said; "unless Count Ammiani is,as I venture to hope, better employed."
"But the answer is charming and perfect," said Laura.
"Enigmatical answers are declared to be so when they come from uswomen," the duchess remarked; "but then, I fancy, women must not be thehearers, or they will confess that they are just as much bewildered andirritated as I am. Do speak out, my dearest. How is he better employed?"
Laura passed her eyes around the group of ladies. "If any hero of yourshad won the woman he loves, he would be right in thinking it folly to bebound by the invitation to fight, or feast, or what you will, within aspace of three months or so; do you not agree with me?"
The different emotions on many visages made the scene curious.
"Count Ammiani has married her!" exclaimed the duchess.
"My old friend Carlo is really married!" said Lena.
Anna stared at Violetta.
The duchess, recovering from her wonder, confirmed the news by sayingthat she now knew why M. Powys had left Milan in haste, three or fourdays previously, as she was aware that the bride had always wished himto be present at the ceremony of her marriage.
"Signora, may I ask you, were you present?" Violetta addressed Laura.
"I will answer most honestly that I was not," said Laura.
"The marriage was a secret one; perhaps?"
"Even for friends, you see."
"Necessarily, no doubt," Lena said, with an idea of easing her sister'sstupefaction by a sarcasm foreign to her sentiments.
Adela Sedley, later in exactly comprehending what had been spoken,glanced about for some one who would not be unsympathetic to herexclamation, and suddenly beheld her brother entering the room withWeisspriess. "Wilfrid! Wilfrid! do you know she is married?"
"So they tell me," Wilfrid replied, while making his bow to the duchess.He was much broken in appearance, but wore his usual collected manner.Who had told him of the marriage? A person downstairs, he said; notCount Ammiani; not signor Balderini; no one whom he saw present, no onewhom he knew.
"A very mysterious person," said the duchess.
"Then it's true after all," cried Laura. "I did but guess it." Sheassured Violetta that she had only guessed it.
"Does Major Weisspriess know it to be true?" The question came fromAnna.
Weisspriess coolly verified it, on the faith of a common servant'scommunication.
The ladies could see that some fresh piece of mystery lay between himand Wilfrid.
"With whom have you had an interview, and what have you heard?" askedLena, vexed by Wilfrid's pallid cheeks.
Both men stammered and protested, out of conceit, and were as foolish asmen are when pushed to play at mutual concealment.
The duchess's chasseur, Jacob Baumwalder Feckelwitz, stepped up to hismistress and whispered discreetly. She gazed straight at Laura. Afterhesitation she shook her head, and the chasseur retired. Amalia thencame to the rescue of the unhappy military wits that were standing across-fire of sturdy interrogation.
"Do you not perceive what it is?" she said to Anna. "Major Weisspriessmeets Private Pierson at the door of my house, and forgets that he iswell-born and my guest. I may be revolutionary, but I declare that inplain clothes Private Pierson is the equal of Major Weisspriess. Ifbravery made men equals, who would be Herr Pierson's superior? Ire hasdone me the honour, at a sacrifice of his pride, I am sure, to come hereand meet his sister, and rejoice me with his society. Major Weisspriess,if I understand the case correctly, you are greatly to blame."
"I beg to assert," Weisspriess was saying as the duchess turned hershoulder on him.
"There is really no foundation," Wilfrid began, with similar simplicity.
"What will sharpen the wits of these soldiers!" the duchess murmureddolefully to Laura.
"But Major Weisspriess was called out of his room by a message--was thatfrom Private Pierson?" said Anna.
"Assuredly; I should presume so," the duchess answered for them.
"Ay; undoubtedly," Weisspriess supported her.
"Then," Laura smiled encouragement to Wilfrid, "you know nothing ofCount Ammiani's marriage after all?"
Wilfrid launched his reply on a sharp repression of his breath, "Nothingwhatever."
"And the common servant's communication was not made to you?" Annainterrogated Weisspriess.
"I simply followed in the track of Pierson," said that officer, maskinghis retreat from the position with a duck of his head and a smile, toothon lip.
"How could you ever suppose, child, that a common servant would besent to deliver such tidings? and to Major Weisspriess!" the duchessinterposed.
This broke up the Court of inquiry.
Weisspriess shortly after took his leave, on the plea that he wished toprove his friendliness by accompanying Private Pierson, who had to be onduty early next day in Milan. Amalia had seen him breaking from Annain extreme irritation, and he had only to pledge his word that he wasreally bound for Milan to satisf
y her. "I believe you to be at hearthumane," she said meaningly.
"Duchess, you may be sure that I would not kill an enemy save on thepoint of my sword," he answered her.
"You are a gallant man," said Amalia, and pride was in her face as shelooked on him.
She willingly consented to Wilfrid's sudden departure, as it was evidentthat some shot had hit him hard.
On turning to Laura, the duchess beheld an aspect of such shrewd disgustthat she was provoked to exclaim: "What on earth is the matter now?"
Laura would favour her with no explanation until they were alone in theduchess's boudoir, when she said that to call Weisspriess a gallant manwas an instance of unblushing adulation of brutal strength: "Gallant forslaying a boy? Gallant because he has force of wrist?"
"Yes; gallant;--an honour to his countrymen: and an example to some ofyours," Amalia rejoined.
"See," cried Laura, "to what a degeneracy your excess of nationalsentiment reduces you!"
While she was flowing on, the duchess leaned a hand across her shoulder,and smiling kindly, said she would not allow her to utter words that shewould have to eat. "You saw my chasseur step up to me this evening, myLaura? Well, not to torment you, he wished to sound an alarm cry afterAngelo Guidascarpi. I believe my conjecture is correct, that AngeloGuidascarpi was seen by Major Weisspriess below, and allowed to passfree. Have you no remark to make?"
"None," said Laura.
"You cannot admit that he behaved like a gallant man?" Laura sigheddeeply. "Perhaps it was well for you to encourage him!"
The mystery of Angelo's interview with Weisspriess was cleared thenext night, when in the midst of a ball-room's din, Aennchen, Amalia'sfavourite maid, brought a letter to Laura from Countess Ammiani. Thesewere the contents:
"DEAREST SIGNORA,
"You now learn a new and blessed thing. God make the marriage fruitful!I have daughter as well as son. Our Carlo still hesitated, for hearingof the disgraceful rumours in Milan, he fancied a duty lay there for himto do. Another menace came to my daughter from the madman Barto Rizzo.God can use madmen to bring about the heavenly designs. We decided thatCarlo's name should cover her. My son was like a man who has awakenedup. M. Powys was our good genius. He told her that he had promised youto bring it about. He, and Angelo, and myself, were the witnesses. Somuch before heaven! I crossed the lake with them to Stress. I was hertirewoman, with Giacinta, to whom I will give a husband for the tears ofjoy she dropped upon the bed. Blessed be it! I placed my daughter in myCarlo's arms. Both kissed their mother at parting.
"This is something fixed. I had great fears during the war. You do notyet know what it is to have a sonless son in peril. Terror and remorsehaunted me for having sent the last Ammiani out to those fields,unattached to posterity.
"An envelope from Milan arrived on the morning of his nuptials. It wasintercepted by me. The German made a second appointment at Como. Angeloundertook to assist me in saving my son's honour. So my Carlo hadnothing to disturb his day. Pray with me, Laura Piaveni, that the dayand the night of it may prove fresh springs of a river that shall passour name through the happier mornings of Italy! I commend you to God, mydear, and am your friend,
"MARCCELLINA, COUNTESS AMMIANI.
"P.S. Countess Alessandra will be my daughter's name."
The letter was read and re-read before the sweeter burden it containedwould allow Laura to understand that Countess Ammiani had violated aseal and kept a second hostile appointment hidden from her son.
"Amalia, you detest me," she said, when they had left the guests for ashort space, and the duchess had perused the letter, "but acknowledgeAngelo Guidascarpi's devotion. He came here in the midst of you Germans,at the risk of his life, to offer battle for his cousin."
The duchess, however, had much more to say for the magnanimity of MajorWeisspriess, who, if he saw him, had spared him; she compelled Laura toconfess that Weisspriess must have behaved with some nobleness, whichLaura did, humming and I 'brumming,' and hinting at the experience hehad gained of Angelo's skill. Her naughtiness provoked first, and thenaffected Amalia; in this mood the duchess had the habit of putting on agrand air of pitying sadness. Laura knew it well, and never could makehead against it. She wavered, as a stray floating thing detached from aneddy whirls and passes on the flood. Close on Amalia's bosom she sobbedout: "Yes; you Austrians have good qualities some: many! but you chooseto think us mean because we can't readily admit them when we are underyour heels. Just see me; what a crumb feeds me! I am crying with delightat a marriage!"
The duchess clasped her fondly.
"It's not often one gets you so humble, my Laura."
"I am crying with delight at a marriage! Amalia, look at me: you wouldsuppose it a mighty triumph. A marriage! two little lovers lying cheekto cheek! and me blessing heaven for its goodness! and there may be deadmen unburied still on the accursed Custozza hill-top!"
Amalia let her weep. The soft affection which the duchess bore to herwas informed with a slight touch of envy of a complexion that could betorn with tears one minute, and the next be fit to show in public.No other thing made her regard her friend as a southern--that is, aforeign-woman.
"Be patient," Laura said.
"Cry; you need not be restrained," said Amalia.
"You sighed."
"No!"
"A sort of sigh. My fit's over. Carlo's marriage is too surprising anddelicious. I shall be laughing presently. I hinted at his marriage--Ithought it among the list of possible things, no more--to see if thatcrystal pool, called Violetta d'Isorella, could be discoloured bystirring. Did you watch her face? I don't know what she wanted withCarlo, for she's cold as poison--a female trifler; one of those womenwhom I, and I have a chaste body, despise as worse than wantons; butshe certainly did not want him to be married. It seems like avictory--though we're beaten. You have beaten us, my dear!"
"My darling! it is your husband kisses you," said Amalia, kissingLaura's forehead from a full heart.