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〃It is the truth； and when you have seen her； you will acknowledge that
I do not exaggerate。 I have known her nearly two months now。 I became
acquainted with her accidentallyshe dropped her handkerchief in a shop；
and I took it to her； and so we got to be upon speaking terms； andand
But I need not give you the whole history。 We have discovered that we are
all the world to each other； we have sworn to remain faithful to each other
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all our lives long； and we renew the oath whenever we meet。 But that；
unhappily； is very seldom！ for her father； the Marchese Marinelli； scarcely
ever lets her out of his sight； and he is a sour； narrow…minded old fellow；
as proud as he is poor； an intense hater of all Austrians； and if he were to
discover our attachment； I shudder to think of what the consequences
might be。〃
〃And your own fatherthe stern old general of whom you told me
what would he say to it all？〃
〃Oh； he； of course； would not hear of such a marriage for a moment。
He detests and despises the Venetians as cordially as the marchese abhors
the /Tedeschi/； and； as I am entirely dependent upon him； I should not
dream of saying a word to him about the matter until I was married； and
nothing could be done to separate me from Bianca。〃
〃So that； upon the whole； you appear to stand a very fair chance of
starvation； if everything turns out according to your wishes。 And pray； in
what way do you imagine that I can assist you toward this desirable end？
For I take it for granted that you have some reason for letting me into your
secret。〃
Von Rosenau laughed good…humouredly。
〃You form conclusions quickly；〃 he said。 〃Well； I will confess to you
that I have thought lately that you might be of great service to me without
inconveniencing yourself much。 The other day； when you did me the
honour to introduce me to your sister； I was very nearly telling her all。 She
has such a kind countenance； and I felt sure that she would not refuse to
let my poor Bianca visit her sometimes。 The old marchese； you see； would
have no objection to leaving his daughter for hours under the care of an
English lady； and I thought that perhaps when Miss Jenkinson went out to
work at her paintingI might come in。〃
〃Fortunate indeed is it for you；〃 I said； 〃that your confidence in the
kind countenance of my sister Anne did not carry you quite to the point of
divulging this precious scheme to her。 I； who know her pretty well； can tell
you exactly the course she would have pursued if you had。 Without one
moment's hesitation； she would have found out the address of the young
lady's father； hurried off thither； and told him all about it。 Anne is a
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thoroughly good creature； but she has little sympathy with love…making；
still less with surreptitious love…making； and she would as soon think of
accepting the part you are so good as to assign to her as of forging a
check。〃
He sighed； and said he supposed； then； that they must continue to meet
as they had been in the habit of doing； but that it was rather unsatisfactory。
〃It says something for your ingenuity that you contrive to meet at all；〃
I remarked。
〃Well； yes； there are considerable difficulties； because the old man's
movements are so uncertain； and there is some risk too； for； as you heard
the other day； we have been seen together。 Moreover； I have been obliged
to tell everything to my servant Johann； who waylays the marchese's
housekeeper at market in the mornings； and finds out from her when and
where I can have an opportunity of meeting Bianca。 I would rather not
have trusted him； but I could think of no other plan。〃
〃At any rate； I should have thought you might have selected some
more retired rendezvous than the most frequented church in Venice。〃
He shrugged his shoulders。 〃I wish you would suggest one within
reach；〃 he said。 〃There are no retired places in this accursed town。 But； in
fact； we see each other very seldom。 Often for days together the only way
in which I can get a glimpse of her is by loitering about in my boat in front
of her father's house； and watching till she shows herself at the window。
We are in her neighborhood now； and it is close upon the hour at which I
can generally calculate upon her appearing。 Would you mind my making a
short detour that way before I set you down at your hotel？〃
We had entered the Grand Canal while Von Rosenau had been relating
his love…tale； and some minutes before he had lowered his sail and taken to
the oars。 He now slewed the boat's head round abruptly； and we shot into a
dark and narrow waterway； and so； after sundry twistings and turnings；
arrived before a grim； time…worn structure； so hemmed in by the
surrounding buildings that it seemed as if no ray of sunshine could ever
penetrate within its walls。
〃That is the Palazzo Marinelli；〃 said my companion。 〃The greater part
of it is let to different tenants。 The family has long been much too poor to
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inhabit the whole of it； and now the old man only reserves himself four
rooms on the third floor。 Those are the windows； in the far corner； and
thereno！yes！there is Bianca。〃
I brought my eyeglass to bear upon the point indicated just in time to
catch sight of a female head； which was thrust out through the open
window for an instant； and then withdrawn with great celerity。
〃Ah；〃 sighed the count； 〃it is you who have driven her away。 I ought to
have remembered that she would be frightened at seeing a stranger。 And
now she will not show herself again； I fear。 Come； I will take you home。
Confess nowis she not more beautiful than you expected？〃
〃My dear sir； I had hardly time to see whether she was a man or a
woman； but I am quite willing to take your word for it that there never was
anybody like her。〃
〃If you would like to wait a little longerhalf an hour or soshe
/might/ put her head out again；〃 said the young man； wistfully。
〃Thank you very much； but my sister will be wondering why I do not
come to take her down to the /table d'hote/。 And besides； I am not in love
myself； I may perhaps be excused for saying that I want my dinner。〃
〃As you please；〃 answered the count； looking the least bit in the world
affronted； and so he pulled back in silence to the steps of the hotel； where
we parted。
I don't know whether Von Rosenau felt aggrieved by my rather
unsympathetic reception of his confidence； or whether he thought it
useless to discuss his projects further with one who could not or would not
assist him in carrying them out； but although we continued to meet daily；
as before； he did not recur to the interesting subject； and it was not for me
to take the initiative in doing so。 Curiosity； I confess； led me to direct my
gondolier more than once to the narrow canal over which the Palazzo
Martinelli towered； and on each occasion I was rewarded by descrying；
from the depths of the miniature mourning…coach which concealed me； the
faithful count； seated in his boat and waiting in patient faith； like another
Ritter Toggenburg； with his eyes fixed upon the corner window； but of the
lady I could see no sign。 I was rather disappointed at first； as day after day
went by and my young friend showed no disposition to break the silence
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in which he had chosen to wrap himself； for I had nothing to do in Venice；
and I thought it would have been rather amusing to watch the progress of
this incipient romance。 By degrees； however； I ceased to trouble myself
about it； and at the end of a fortnight I had other things to think of； in the
shape of plans for the summer； my sister Anne having by that time
satisfied herself that； all things considered； Titian's 〃Assumption〃 was a