vendetta-第15节

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！



to　their　souls　the　enchanting　lights　and　shadows　of　their　passion。

Together；　uniting　their　steps　as　they　did　their　souls；　they　roamed

about　the　country；　finding　everywhere　their　love；in　the　flowers；　in

the　sky；　in　the　glowing　tints　of　the　setting　sun；　they　read　it　in　even

the　capricious　vapors　which　met　and　struggled　in　the　ether。　Each　day

resembled　in　nothing　its　predecessors；　their　love　increased；　and　still

increased；　because　it　was　a　true　love。　They　had　tested　each　other　in

what　seemed　only　a　short　time；　and；　instinctively；　they　recognized

that　their　souls　were　of　a　kind　whose　inexhaustible　riches　promised

for　the　future　unceasing　joys。



Theirs　was　love　in　all　its　artlessness；　with　its　interminable

conversations；　unfinished　speeches；　long　silences；　oriental　reposes；

and　oriental　ardor。　Luigi　and　Ginevra　comprehended　love。　Love　is　like

the　ocean：　seen　superficially；　or　in　haste；　it　is　called　monotonous　by

common　souls；　whereas　some　privileged　beings　can　pass　their　lives　in

admiring　it；　and　in　finding；　ceaselessly；　the　varying　phenomena　that

enchant　them。



Soon；　however；　prudence　and　foresight　drew　the　young　couple　from　their

Eden；　it　was　necessary　to　work　to　live。　Ginevra；　who　possessed　a

special　talent　for　imitating　old　paintings；　took　up　the　business　of

copying；　and　soon　found　many　customers　among　the　picture…dealers。

Luigi；　on　his　side；　sought　long　and　actively　for　occupation；　but　it

was　hard　for　a　young　officer　whose　talents　had　been　restricted　to　the

study　of　strategy　to　find　anything　to　do　in　Paris。



At　last；　weary　of　vain　efforts；　his　soul　filled　with　despair　at　seeing

the　whole　burden　of　their　subsistence　falling　on　Ginevra；　it　occurred

to　him　to　make　use　of　his　handwriting；　which　was　excellent。　With　a

persistency　of　which　he　saw　an　example　in　his　wife；　he　went　round

among　the　layers　and　notaries　of　Paris；　asking　for　papers　to　copy。　The

frankness　of　his　manners　and　his　situation　interested　many　in　his

favor；　he　soon　obtained　enough　work　to　be　obliged　to　find　young　men　to

assist　him；　and　this　employment　became；　little　by　little；　a　regular

business。　The　profits　of　his　office　and　the　sale　of　Ginevra's　pictures

gave　the　young　couple　a　competence　of　which　they　were　justly　proud；

for　it　was　the　fruit　of　their　industry。



This；　to　the　busy　pair；　was　the　happiest　period　of　their　lives。　The

days　flowed　rapidly　by；　filled　with　occupation　and　the　joys　of　their

love。　At　night；　after　working　all　day；　they　met　with　delight　in

Ginevra's　studio。　Music　refreshed　their　weariness。　No　expression　of

regret　or　melancholy　obscured　the　happy　features　of　the　young　wife；

and　never　did　she　utter　a　complaint。　She　appeared　to　her　Luigi　with　a

smile　upon　her　lips　and　her　eyes　beaming。　Each　cherished　a　ruling

thought　which　would　have　made　them　take　pleasure　in　a　labor　still　more

severe；　Ginevra　said　in　her　heart　that　she　worked　for　Luigi；　and　Luigi

the　same　for　Ginevra。



Sometimes；　in　the　absence　of　her　husband；　the　thought　of　the　perfect

happiness　she　might　have　had　if　this　life　of　love　could　have　been

lived　in　the　presence　of　her　father　and　mother　overcame　the　young

wife；　and　then；　as　she　felt　the　full　power　of　remorse；　she　dropped

into　melancholy；　mournful　pictures　passed　like　shadows　across　her

imagination；　she　saw　her　old　father　alone；　or　her　mother　weeping　in

secret　lest　the　inexorable　Piombo　should　perceive　her　tears。　The　two

white；　solemn　heads　rose　suddenly　before　her；　and　the　thought　came

that　never　again　should　she　see　them　except　in　memory。　This　thought

pursued　her　like　a　presentiment。



She　celebrated　the　anniversary　of　her　marriage　by　giving　her　husband　a

portrait　he　had　long　desired；that　of　his　Ginevra；　painted　by

herself。　Never　had　the　young　artist　done　so　remarkable　a　work。　Aside

from　the　resemblance；　the　glow　of　her　beauty；　the　purity　of　her

feelings；　the　happiness　of　love　were　there　depicted　by　a　sort　of

magic。　This　masterpiece　of　her　art　and　her　joy　was　a　votive　offering

to　their　wedded　felicity。



Another　year　of　ease　and　comfort　went　by。　The　history　of　their　life

may　be　given　in　three　words：　THEY　WERE　HAPPY。　No　event　happened　to

them　of　sufficient　importance　to　be　recorded。







CHAPTER　VI



RETRIBUTION



At　the　beginning　of　the　year　1819　the　picture…dealers　requested

Ginevra　to　give　them　something　beside　copies；　for　competition　had　so

increased　that　they　could　no　longer　sell　her　work　to　advantage。　Madame

Porta　then　perceived　the　mistake　she　had　made　in　not　exercising　her

talent　for　〃genre〃　painting；　which　might；　by　this　time；　have　brought

her　reputation。　She　now　attempted　portrait…painting。　But　here　she　was

forced　to　compete　against　a　crowd　of　artists　in　greater　need　of　money

than　herself。　However；　as　Luigi　and　Ginevra　had　laid　by　a　few　savings；

they　were　not；　as　yet；　uneasy　about　the　future。



Toward　the　end　of　the　winter　of　that　year　Luigi　worked　without

intermission。　He；　too；　was　struggling　against　competitors。　The　payment

for　writing　had　so　decreased　that　he　found　it　impossible　to　employ

assistance；　he　was　forced；　therefore；　to　work　a　much　longer　time

himself　to　obtain　the　same　emolument。　His　wife　had　finished　several

pictures　which　were　not　without　merit；　but　the　dealers　were　scarcely

buying　those　of　artists　with　reputations；　consequently；　her　paintings

had　little　chance。　Ginevra　offered　them　for　almost　nothing；　but

without　success。



The　situation　of　the　household　now　began　to　be　alarming。　The　souls　of

the　husband　and　wife　floated　on　the　ocean　of　their　happiness；　love

overwhelmed　them　with　its　treasures；　while　poverty　rose；　like　a

skeleton；　amid　their　harvest　of　joy。　Yet；　all　the　while；　they　hid　from

each　other　their　secret　anxiety。　When　Ginevra　felt　like　weeping　as　she

watched　Luigi's　worn　and　suffering　face；　she　redoubled　her　caresses；

and　Luigi；　keeping　his　dark　forebodings　in　the　depths　of　his　soul；

expressed　to　his　Ginevra　the　tenderest　love。　They　sought　a

compensation　for　their　troubles　in　exalting　their　feelings；　and　their

words；　their　joys；　their　caresses　became　suffused；　as　it　were；　with　a

species　of　frenzy。　They　feared　the　future。　What　feeling　can　be

compared　in　strength　with　that　of　a　passion　which　may　cease　on　the

morrow；　killed　by　death　or　want？　When　they　talked　together　of　their

poverty　each　felt　the　necessity　of　deceiving　the　other；　and　they

fastened　with　mutual　ardor　on　the　slightest　hope。



One　night　Ginevra　woke　and　missed　Luigi　from　her　side。　She　rose　in

terror。　A　faint　light　shining　on　the　opposite　wall　of　the　little

court…yard　revealed　to　her　that　her　husband　was　working　in　his　study

at　night。　Luigi　was　now　in　the　habit　of　waiting　till　his　wife　was

asleep；　and　then　going　up　to　his　garret　to　write。　Four　o'clock　struck。

Ginevra　lay　down　again；　and　pretended　to　sleep。　Presently　Luigi

returned；　overcome　with　fatigue　and　drowsiness。　Ginevra　looked　sadly

on　the　beautiful；　worn　face；　where　toil　and　care　were　already　drawing

lines　of　wrinkles。



〃It　is　for　me　he　spends　his　nights　in　writing；〃　she　said　to　herself；

weeping。



A　thought　dried　her　tears。　She　would　imitate　Luigi。　That　same　day　she

went　to　a　print…shop；　and；　by　help　of　a　letter　of　recommendation　she

had　obtained　from　Elie　Magus；　one　of　her　picture…dealers；　she　obtained

an　order　for　the　coloring　of　lithographs。　During　the　day　she　painted

her　pictures　and　attended　to　the　cares　of　the　household；　then；　when

night　came；　she　colored　the　engravings。　This　loving　couple　entered

their　nuptial　bed　only　to　deceive　each　other；　both　feigned　sleep；　and

left　it；Luigi；　as　soon　as　he　thought　his　wife　was　sleeping；　Ginevra

as　soon　as　he　had　gone。



One　night　Luigi；　burning　with　a　sort　of　fever；　induced　by　a　toil　under

which　his　strength　was　beginning　to　give　way；　opened　the　casement　of

his　garret　to　breathe　the　morning　air；　and　shake　off；　for　a　moment；

the　burden　of　his　care。　Happening　to　glance　downward；　he　saw　the

reflection　of　Ginevra's　lamp　on　the　opposite　wall；　and　the　poor　fellow

guessed　the　truth。　He　went　down；　stepping　softly；　and　surprised　his

wife　in　her　studio；　coloring　engravings。



〃Oh；　Ginevra！〃　he　cried。



She　gave　a　convulsive　bound　in　her　chair；　and　blushed。



〃Could　I　sleep　while　you　were　wearing　yourself　out　with　toil？〃　she

said。



〃But　to　me　alone　belongs　the　right　to　work　in　this　way；〃　he　answered。



〃Could　I　be　idle；〃　she　asked；　her　eyes　filling　with　tears；　〃when　I

know　that　every　mouthful　we　eat　costs　a　drop　of　your　blood？　I　should

die　if　I　could　not　add　my　efforts　to　yours。　All　should　be　in　common

between　us：　pains　and　pleasures；　both。〃



〃She　is　cold！〃　cried　Luigi；　in　despair。　〃Wrap　your　shawl　closer　round

you；　my　own　Ginevra；　the　night　is　damp　and　chilly。〃



They　went　to　the　window；　the　young　wife　leaning　on　the　breast　of　her

beloved；　who　held　her　round　the　waist；　and；　together；　in　deep　silence；

they　gazed　upward　at　the　sky；　which　the　dawn　was　slowly　brightening。

Clouds　of　a　gray