massimilla doni-第7节
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every one expends his lungs and strength in politics; without
contributing any more; single…minded; to the progress of affairs than
a grain of sand can make a cloud of dust。 Liberty; in those strange
lands; consists in the right to squabble over public concerns; to take
care of oneself; to waste time in patriotic undertakings each more
futile than the last; inasmuch as they all weaken that noble; holy
self…concern which is the parent of all great human achievement。 At
Venice; on the contrary; love and its myriad ties; the sweet business
of real happiness; fills up all the time。
In that country; love is so much a matter of course that the Duchess
was regarded as a wonder; for; in spite of her violent attachment to
Emilio; everybody was confident of her immaculate purity。 And women
gave their sincere pity to the poor young man; who was regarded as a
victim to the virtue of his lady…love。 At the same time; no one cared
to blame the Duchess; for in Italy religion is a power as much
respected as love。
Evening after evening Massimilla's box was the first object of every
opera…glass; and each woman would say to her lover; as she studied the
Duchess and her adorer:
〃How far have they got?〃
The lover would examine Emilio; seeking some evidence of success;
would find no expression but that of a pure and dejected passion。 And
throughout the house; as they visited from box to box; the men would
say to the ladies:
〃La Cataneo is not yet Emilio's。〃
〃She is unwise;〃 said the old women。 〃She will tire him out。〃
〃/Forse!/〃 (Perhaps) the young wives would reply; with the solemn
accent that Italians can infuse into that great wordthe answer to
many questions here below。
Some women were indignant; thought the whole thing ill…judged; and
declared that it was a misapprehension of religion to allow it to
smother love。
〃My dear; love that poor Emilio;〃 said the Signora Vulpato to
Massimilla; as they met on the stairs in going out。
〃I do love him with all my might;〃 replied the Duchess。
〃Then why does not he look happy?〃
Massimilla's reply was a little shrug of her shoulders。
We in FranceFrance as the growing mania for English proprieties has
made itcan form no idea of the serious interest taken in this affair
by Venetian society。
Vendramini alone knew Emilio's secret; which was carefully kept
between two men who had; for private pleasure; combined their coats of
arms with the motto /Non amici; frates/。
The opening night of the opera season is an event at Venice; as in
every capital in Italy。 The /Fenice/ was crowded。
The five hours of the night that are spent at the theatre fill so
important a place in Italian life that it is well to give an account
of the customs that have risen from this manner of spending time。
The boxes in Italy are unlike those of any other country; inasmuch as
that elsewhere the women go to be seen; and that Italian ladies do not
care to make a show of themselves。 Each box is long and narrow;
sloping at an angle to the front and to the passage behind。 On each
side is a sofa; and at the end stand two armchairs; one for the
mistress of the box; and the other for a lady friend when she brings
one; which she rarely does。 Each lady is in fact too much engaged in
her own box to call on others; or to wish to see them; also no one
cares to introduce a rival。 An Italian woman almost always reigns
alone in her box; the mothers are not the slaves of their daughters;
the daughters have no mother on their hands; thus there are no
children; no relations to watch and censure and bore; or cut into a
conversation。
In front every box is draped in the same way; with the same silk: from
the cornice hang curtains; also all to match; and these remain drawn
when the family to whom the box belongs is in mourning。 With very few
exceptions; and those only at Milan; there is no light inside the box;
they are illuminated only from the stage; and from a not very
brilliant hanging lustre which; in spite of protests; has been
introduced into the house in some towns; still; screened by the
curtains; they are never very light; and their arrangement leaves the
back of the box so dark that it is very difficult to see what is going
on。
The boxes; large enough to accommodate eight or ten persons; are
decorated with handsome silks; the ceilings are painted and ornamented
in light and pleasing colors; the woodwork is gilt。 Ices and sorbets
are served there; and sweetmeats; for only the plebeian classes ever
have a serious meal。 Each box is freehold property; and of
considerable value; some are estimated at as much as thirty thousand
lire; the Litta family at Milan own three adjoining。 These facts
sufficiently indicate the importance attributed to this incident of
fashionable life。
Conversation reigns supreme in this little apartment; which Stendhal;
one of the most ingenious of modern writers; and a keen student of
Italian manners; has called a boudoir with a window opening on to a
pit。 The music and the spectacle are in fact purely accessory; the
real interest of the evening is in the social meeting there; the all…
important trivialities of love that are discussed; the assignations
held; the anecdotes and gossip that creep in。 The theatre is an
inexpensive meeting…place for a whole society which is content and
amused with studying itself。
The men who are admitted take their seats on one of the sofas; in the
order of their arrival。 The first comer naturally is next to the
mistress of the box; but when both seats are full; if another visitor
comes in; the one who has sat longest rises; takes his leave and
departs。 All move up one place; and so each in turn is next the
sovereign。
This futile gossip; or serious colloquy; these elegant trivialities of
Italian life; inevitably imply some general intimacy。 The lady may be
in full dress or not; as she pleases。 She is so completely at home
that a stranger who has been received in her box may call on her next
day at her residence。 The foreign visitor cannot at first understand
this life of idle wit; this /dolce far niente/ on a background of
music。 Only long custom and keen observation can ever reveal to a
foreigner the meaning of Italian life; which is like the free sky of
the south; and where a rich man will not endure a cloud。 A man of rank
cares little about the management of his fortune; he leaves the
details to his stewards (ragionati); who rob and ruin him。 He has no
instinct for politics; and they would presently bore him; he lives
exclusively for passion; which fills up all his time; hence the
necessity felt by the lady and her lover for being constantly
together; for the great feature of such a life is the lover; who for
five hours is kept under the eye of a woman who has had him at her
feet all day。 Thus Italian habits allow of perpetual satisfaction; and
necessitate a constant study of the means fitted to insure it; though
hidden under apparent light…heartedness。
It is a beautiful life; but a reckless one; and in no country in the
world are men so often found worn out。
The Duchess' box was on the pit tier/pepiano/; as it is called in
Venice; she always sat where the light from the stage fell on her
face; so that her handsome head; softly illuminated; stood out against
the dark background。 The Florentine attracted every gaze by her broad;
high brow; as white as snow; crowned with plaits of black hair that
gave her a really royal look; by the refinement of her features;
resembling the noble features of Andrea del Sarto's heads; by the
outline of her face; the setting of her eyes; and by those velvet eyes
themselves; which spoke of the rapture of a woman dreaming of
happiness; still pure though loving; at once attractive and dignified。
Instead of /Mose/; in which la Tinti was to have appeared with
Genovese; /Il Barbiere/ was given; and the tenor was to sing without
the celebrated prima donna。 The manager announced that he had been
obliged to change the opera in consequence of la Tinti's being ill;
and the Duke was not to be seen in the theatre。
Was this a clever trick on the part of the management; to secure two
full houses by bringing out Genovese and Tinti separately; or was
Clarina's indisposition genuine? While this was open to discussion by
others; Emilio might be better informed; and though the announcement
caused him some remorse; as he remembered the singer's beauty and
vehemence; her absence and the Duke's put both the Prince and the
Duchess very much at their ease。
And Genovese sang in such a way as to drive out all memories of a
night of illicit love; and to prolong the heavenly joys of this
blissful day。 Happy to be alone to receive the applause of the house;
the tenor did his best with the powers which have since achieved
European fame。 Genovese; then but three…and…twenty; born at Bergamo; a
pupil of Veluti's and devoted to his art; a fine man; good…looking;
clever in apprehending the spirit of a part; was already developing
into the great artist destined to win fame and fortune。 He had a wild
success;a phrase which is literally exact only in Italy; where the
applause of the house is absolutely frenzied when a sin