按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
satisfied herself that； all things considered； Titian's 〃Assumption〃 was a
little too much for her。
It was Captain Janovicz who informed me casually one evening that
Von Rosenau was going away in a few days on leave； and that he would
probably be absent for a considerable time。
〃For my own part；〃 remarked my informant； 〃I shall be surprised if we
see him back in the regiment at all。 He was only sent to us as a sort of
punishment for having been a naughty boy； and I suppose now he will be
forgiven； and restored to the hussars。〃
〃So much for undying love；〃 thinks I； with a cynical chuckle。 〃If there
is any gratitude in man； that young fellow ought to be showering blessings
on me for having refused to hold the noose for him to thrust his head into。〃
Alas！ I knew not of what I was speaking。 I had not yet heard the last of
Herr von Rosenau's entanglement； nor was I destined to escape from
playing my part in it。 The very next morning； after breakfast； as I was
poring over a map of Switzerland； 〃Murray〃 on my right hand and
〃Bradshaw〃 on my left； his card was brought to me； together with an
urgent request that I would see him immediately and alone； and before I
had had time to send a reply； he came clattering into the room； trailing his
sabre behind him； and dropped into the first arm…chair with a despairing
self…abandonment which shook the house to its foundations。
〃Mr。 Jenkinson；〃 said he； 〃I am a ruined man！〃
I answered rather drily that I was very sorry to hear it。 If I must
confess the truth； I thought he had come to borrow money of me。
〃A most cruel calamity has befallen me；〃 he went on； 〃and unless you
will consent to help me out of it〃
〃I am sure I shall be delighted to do anything in my power；〃 I
interrupted； apprehensively； 〃but I am afraid〃
〃You cannot refuse me till you have heard what I have to say。 I am
22
… Page 23…
STORIES
aware that I have no claim whatever upon your kindness； but you are the
only man in the world who can save me； and； whereas the happiness of my
whole life is at stake； the utmost you can have to put up with will be a
little inconvenience。 Now I will explain myself in as few words as
possible； because I have only a minute to spare。 In fact； I ought to be out
on the ramparts at this moment。 You have not forgotten what I told you
about myself and the Signorina Martinelli； and how we had agreed to seize
the first opportunity that offered to be privately married； and to escape
over the mountains to my father's house； and throw ourselves upon his
mercy？〃
〃I don't remember your having mentioned any such plan。〃
〃No matterso it was。 Well； everything seemed to have fallen out most
fortunately for us。 I found out some time ago that the marchese would be
going over to Padua this evening on business； and would be absent at least
one whole day； and I immediately applied for my leave to begin to…
morrow。 This I obtained at once through my father； who now expects me
to be with him in a few days； and little knows that I shall not come alone。
Johann and the marchese's housekeeper arranged the rest between them。 I
was to meet my dear Bianca early in the morning on the Lido； thence we
were to go by boat to Mestre； where a carriage was to be in waiting for us；
and the same evening we were to be married by a priest； to whom I have
given due notice； at a place called Longarone。 And so we should have
gone on； across the Ampezzo Pass homeward。 Now would you believe
that all this has been defeated by a mere freak on the part of my colonel？
Only this morning； after it was much too late to make any alteration in our
plans； he told me that he should require me to be on duty all to…day and to…
morrow； and that my leave could not begin until the next day。 Is it not
maddening？ And the worst of it is that I have no means of letting Bianca
know of this； for I dare not send a message to the palazzo； and there is no
chance of my seeing her myself； and of course she will go to the Lido to…
morrow morning； and will find no one there。 Now； my dear Mr。 Jenkinson…
…my good； kind frienddo you begin to see what I want you to do for me？〃
〃Not in the very least。〃
〃No？ But it is evident enough。 Now listen。 You must meet Bianca to…
23
… Page 24…
STORIES
morrow morning； you explain to her what has happened； you take her in
the boat； which will be waiting for you； to Mestre； you proceed in the
travelling…carriage； which will also be waiting for you； to Longarone； you
see the priest； and appoint with him for the following evening； and the
next day I arrive； and you return to Venice。 Is that clear？〃
The volubility with which this programme was enunciated so took
away my breath that I scarcely realised its audacity。
〃You will not refuse； I am sure you will not；〃 said the count； rising and
hooking up his sword； as if about to depart。
〃Stop； stop！〃 I exclaimed。 〃You don't consider what you are asking。 I
can't elope with young women in this casual sort of way。 I have a
characterand a sister。 How am I to explain all this to my sister； I should
like to know？〃
〃Oh； make any excuse you can think of to her。 Now； Mr。 Jenkinson；
you know there cannot be any real difficulty in that。 You consent then？ A
thousand； thousand thanks！ I will send you a few more instructions by
letter this evening。 I really must not stay any longer now。 Good…bye。〃
〃Stop！ Why can't your servant Johann do all this instead of me？〃
〃Because he is on duty like myself。 Good…bye。〃
〃Stop！ Why can't you postpone your flight for a day？ I don't so much
mind meeting the young lady and telling her all about it。〃
〃Quite out of the question； my dear sir。 It is perfectly possible that the
marchese may return from Padua to…morrow night； and what should we do
then？ No； no； there is no help for it。 Good…bye。〃
〃Stop！ Hi！ Come back！〃
But it was too late。 My impetuous visitor was down the staircase and
away before I had descended a single flight in pursuit； and all I could do
was to return to my room and register a vow within my own heart that I
would have nothing to do with this preposterous scheme。
Looking back upon what followed across the interval of fifteen years； I
find that I can really give no satisfactory reason for my having failed to
adhere to this wise resolution。 I had no particular feeling of friendship for
Von Rosenau； I did not care two straws about the Signorina Bianca； whom
I had never seen； and certainly I am not； nor ever was； the sort of person
24
… Page 25…
STORIES
who loves romantic adventures for their own sake。 Perhaps it was good…
nature； perhaps it was only an indolent shrinking from disobliging
anybody； that influenced meit does not much matter now。 Whatever the
cause of my yielding may have been； I did yield。 I prefer to pass over in
silence the doubts and hesitations which beset me for the remainder of the
day； the arrival； toward evening； of the piteous note from Von Rosenau；
which finally overcame my weak resistance to his will； and the series of
circumstantial false statements （I blush when I think of them） by means of
which I accounted to my sister for my proposed sudden departure。
Suffice it to say that； very early on the following morning； there might
have been seen； pacing up and down the shore on the seaward side of the
Lido； and peering anxiously about him through an eyeglass； as if in search
of somebody or something； the figure of a tall； spare Englishman； clad in a
complete suit of shepherd's tartan； with a wide… awake on his head； a
leather bag slung by a strap across his shoulder； and a light coat over his
arm。 Myself； in point of act； in the travelling…costume of the epoch。
I was kept waiting a long timelonger than I liked； for； as may be
supposed； I was most anxious to be well away from Venice before the rest
of the world was up and about； but at length th