stories by english authors in italy(旅意英国作家的故事)-第12节
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the carriage。〃
〃Oh no； Aunt Margaret； I'm not a bit tired。〃
〃But I have asked you； that is reason enough。〃
〃It's so hot！〃 cried Goneril。
〃That is why I object to your walking。〃
〃But if it's so hot for me； just think how hot is must be for the horse。〃
Goneril cast a commiserating glance at the poor； halting； wheezing
nag。
〃The horse； probably；〃 rejoined Miss Hamelyn； 〃does not suffer from
malaria； neither has he kept his aunt in Florence nursing him till the
middle heat of the summer。〃
〃True！〃 said Goneril。 Then； after a few minutes； 〃I'll get in； Aunt
Margaret； on one condition。〃
〃In my time young people did not make conditions。〃
〃Very well； auntie； I'll get in； and you shall answer all my questions
when you feel inclined。〃
The carriage stopped。 The poor horse panted at his ease； while the girl
seated herself beside Miss Hamelyn。 Then for a few minutes they drove on
in silence past the orchards； past the olive…yards； yellow underneath the
ripening corn； past the sudden wide views of the mountains； faintly
crimson in the mist of heat； and； on the other side； of Florence； the towers
and domes steaming beside the hazy river。
〃How hot it looks down there！〃 cried Goneril。
〃How hot it /feels/！〃 echoed Miss Hamelyn； rather grimly。
〃Yes； I am so glad you can get away at last； dear； poor old auntie。〃
Then； a little later； 〃Won't you tell me something about the old ladies with
whom you are going to leave me？〃
Miss Hamelyn was mollified by Goneril's obedience。
〃They are very nice old ladies；〃 she said； 〃I met them at Mrs。
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Gorthrup's。〃 But this was not at all what the young girl wanted。
〃Only think； Aunt Margaret；〃 she cried； impatiently； 〃I am to stay there
for at least six weeks； and I know nothing about them； not what age they
are； nor if they are tall or short； jolly or prim； pretty； or ugly； not even if
they speak English！〃
〃They speak English；〃 said Miss Hamelyn； beginning at the end。 〃One
of them is English； or at least Irish： Miss Prunty。〃
〃And the other？〃
〃She is an Italian； Signora Petrucci； she used to be very handsome。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Goneril； looking pleased。 〃I'm glad she's handsome； and
that they speak English。 But they are not relations？〃
〃No； they are not connected； they are friends。〃
〃And have they always lived together？〃
〃Ever since Madame Lilli died；〃 and Miss Hamelyn named a very
celebrated singer。
〃Why！〃 cried Goneril； quite excited； 〃were they singers too？〃
〃Madame Petrucci； nevertheless a lady of the highest respectability。
Miss Prunty was Madame Lilli's secretary。〃
〃How nice！〃 cried the young girl； 〃how interesting！ O auntie； I'm so
glad you found them out。〃
〃So am I； child； but please remember it is not an ordinary pension。
They only take you； Goneril； till you are strong enough to travel； as an
especial favour to me and to their old friend； Mrs。 Gorthrup。〃
〃I'll remember； auntie。〃
By this time they were driving under the terrace in front of the little
house。
〃Goneril；〃 said the elder lady； 〃I shall leave you outside； you can play
in the garden or the orchard。〃
〃Very well。〃
Miss Hamelyn left the carriage and ascended the steep little flight of
steps that leads from the road to the cottage garden。
In the porch a singular figure was awaiting her。
〃Good…afternoon； Madame Petrucci；〃 said Miss Hamelyn。
A slender old lady； over sixty； rather tall； in a brown silk skirt； and a
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white burnoose that showed the shrunken slimness of her arms； came
eagerly forward。 She was rather pretty； with small refined features； large
expressionless blue eyes； and long whitish…yellow ringlets down her
cheeks； in the fashion of forty years ago。
〃Oh； /dear/ Miss Hamelyn；〃 she cried； 〃how /glad/ I am to see you！
And have you brought your /charming/ young relation？〃
She spoke with a languid foreign accent； and with an emphatic and
bountiful use of adjectives； that gave to our severer generation an
impression of insincerity。 Yet it was said with truth that Giulia Petrucci
had never forgotten a friend nor an enemy。
〃Goneril is outside；〃 said Miss Hamelyn。 〃How is Miss Prunty？〃
〃Brigida？ Oh； you must come inside and see my invaluable Brigida。
She is； as usual； fatiguing herself with our accounts。〃 The old lady led the
way into the darkened parlour。 It was small and rather stiff。 As one's eyes
became accustomed to the dim green light one noticed the incongruity of
the furniture： the horsehair chairs and sofa； and large accountant's desk
with ledgers； the large Pleyel grand piano； a bookcase； in which all the
books were rare copies or priceless MSS。 of old…fashioned operas； hanging
against the wall an inlaid guitar and some faded laurel crowns； moreover；
a fine engraving of a composer； twenty years ago the most popular man in
Italy； lastly； an oil…colour portrait； by Winterman； of a fascinating blonde；
with very bare white shoulders； holding in her hands a scroll； on which
were inscribed some notes of music； under the title Giulia Petrucci。 In
short； the private parlour of an elderly and respectable diva of the year '40。
〃Brigida！〃 cried Madame Petrucci； going to the door。 〃Brigida！ our
charming English friend is arrived！〃
〃All right！〃 answered a strong； hearty voice from upstairs。 〃I'm
coming。〃
〃You must excuse me； dear Miss Hamelyn；〃 went on Madame Petrucci。
〃You must excuse me for shouting in your presence； but we have only one
little servant； and during this suffocating weather I find that any movement
reminds me of approaching age。〃 The old lady smiled as if that time were
still far ahead。
〃I am sure you ought to take care of yourself；〃 said Miss Hamelyn。 〃I
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hope you will not allow Goneril to fatigue you。〃
〃Gonerilla！ What a pretty name！ Charming！ I suppose it is in your
family？〃 asked the old lady。
Miss Hamelyn blushed a little； for her niece's name was a sore point
with her。
〃It's an awful name for any Christian woman；〃 said a deep voice at the
door。 〃And pray； who's called Goneril？〃
Miss Prunty came forward： a short； thick…set woman of fifty； with fine
dark eyes； and； even in a Florentine summer； with something stiff and
masculine in the fashion of her dress。
〃And have you brought your niece？〃 she said； as she turned to Miss
Hamelyn。
〃Yes； she is in the garden。〃
〃Well； I hope she understands that she'll have to rough it here。〃
〃Goneril is a very simple girl；〃 said Miss Hamelyn。
〃So it's she that's called Goneril？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the aunt； making an effort。 〃Of course I am aware of the
strangeness of the name； butbut； in fact； my brother was devotedly
attached to his wife； who died at Goneril's birth。〃
〃Whew！〃 whistled Miss Prunty。 〃The parson must have been a fool
who christened her！〃
〃He did； in fact； refuse； but my brother would have no baptism saving
with that name； which； unfortunately； it is impossible to shorten。〃
〃I think it is a charming name！〃 said Madame Petrucci； coming to the
rescue。 〃Gonerillait dies on one's lips like music！ And if you do not like
it； Brigida； what's in a name？ as your charming Byron said。〃
〃I hope we shall make her happy；〃 said Miss Prunty。
〃Of course we shall！〃 cried the elder lady。
〃Goneril is easily made happy；〃 asserted Miss Hamelyn。
〃That's a good thing； snapped Miss Prunty； 〃for there's not much here
to make her so！〃
〃O Brigida！ I am sure there are many attractions。 The air； the view； the
historic association！ and； more than all； you know there is always a chance
of the signorino！〃
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〃
