The Collected Works of W. Somerset Maugham (33 Works in One Edition). Уильям Сомерсет Моэм

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      XIV

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       I went to the Moratini Palace, and with beating heart looked round for Giulia. She was surrounded by her usual court, and seemed more lively and excited than ever. I had never seen her more beautiful. She was dressed all in white, and her sleeves were sewn with pearls; she looked like a bride. She caught sight of me at once, but pretended not to see me, and went on talking.

      I approached her brother Alessandro and said to him casually,—

      'I am told a cousin of your sister has come to Forli. Is he here to-day?'

      He looked at me inquiringly, not immediately understanding.

      'Giorgio dall' Aste,' I explained.

      'Oh, I didn't know you meant him. No, he's not here. He and Giulia's husband were not friends, and so—'

      'Why were they not friends?' I interrupted, on the spur of the moment, not seeing the impertinence of the question till I had made it.

      'Oh, I don't know. Relations always are at enmity with one another; probably some disagreement with regard to their estates.'

      'Was that all?'

      'So far as I know.'

      I recollected that in a scandal the persons most interested are the last to hear it. The husband hears nothing of his wife's treachery till all the town knows every detail.

      'I should like to have seen him,' I went on.

      'Giorgo? Oh, he's a weak sort of creature; one of those men who commit sins and repent!'

      'That is not a fault of which you will ever be guilty, Alessandro,' I said, smiling.

      'I sincerely hope not. After all, if a man has a conscience he ought not to do wrong. But if he does he must be a very poor sort of a fool to repent.'

      'You cannot have the rose without the thorn.'

      'Why not? It only needs care. There are dregs at the bottom of every cup, but you are not obliged to drink them.'

      'You have made up your mind that if you commit sins you are ready to go to hell for them?' I said.

      'It is braver than going to Heaven by the back door, turning pious when you are too old to do anything you shouldn't.'

      'I agree with you that one has little respect for the man who turns monk when things go wrong with him.'

      I saw that Giulia was alone, and seized the opportunity to speak with her.

      'Giulia,' I said, approaching.

      She looked at me for a moment with an air of perplexity, as if she really could not remember whom I was.

      'Ah, Messer Filippo!' she said, as if suddenly recollecting.

      'It is not so long since we met that you can have forgotten me.'

      'Yes. I remember last time you did me the honour to visit me you were very rude and cross.'

      I looked at her silently, wondering.

      'Well?' she said, steadily answering my gaze and smiling.

      'Have you nothing more to say to me than that?' I asked in an undertone.

      'What do you want me to say to you?'

      'Are you quite heartless?'

      She gave a sigh of boredom, and looked to the other end of the room, as if for someone to come and break a tedious conversation.

      'How could you!' I whispered.

      Notwithstanding her self-control, a faint blush came over her face. I stood looking at her for a little while and then I turned away. She was quite heartless. СКАЧАТЬ