vendetta- 第14部分

dog；　calling　Monsieur　Luigi　da　Porta　and　Mademoiselle　Ginevra　di

Piombo。　This　caused　some　embarrassment　to　the　young　pair。　The

celebrity　of　the　bride's　name　attracted　attention；　and　the　spectators

seemed　to　wonder　that　the　wedding　was　not　more　sumptuous。　Ginevra

rose；　took　Luigi's　arm；　and　advanced　firmly；　followed　by　the

witnesses。　A　murmur　of　surprise；　which　went　on　increasing；　and　a

general　whispering　reminded　Ginevra　that　all　present　were　wondering　at

the　absence　of　her　parents；　her　father's　wrath　seemed　present　to　her。



〃Call　in　the　families；〃　said　the　mayor　to　the　clerk　whose　business　it

was　to　read　aloud　the　certificates。



〃The　father　and　mother　protest；〃　replied　the　clerk；　phlegmatically。



〃On　both　sides？〃　inquired　the　mayor。



〃The　groom　is　an　orphan。〃



〃Where　are　the　witnesses？〃



〃Here；〃　said　the　clerk；　pointing　to　the　four　men；　who　stood　with　arms

folded；　like　so　many　statues。



〃But　if　the　parents　protest〃　began　the　mayor。



〃The　respectful　summons　has　been　duly　served；〃　replied　the　clerk；

rising；　to　lay　before　the　mayor　the　papers　annexed　to　the　marriage

certificate。



This　bureaucratic　decision　had　something　blighting　about　it；　in　a　few

words　it　contained　the　whole　story。　The　hatred　of　the　Portas　and　the

Piombos　and　their　terrible　passions　were　inscribed　on　this　page　of　the

civil　law　as　the　annals　of　a　people　（contained；　it　may　be；　in　one　word

only；Napoleon；　Robespierre）　are　engraved　on　a　tombstone。　Ginevra

trembled。　Like　the　dove　on　the　face　of　the　waters；　having　no　place　to

rest　its　feet　but　the　ark；　so　Ginevra　could　take　refuge　only　in　the

eyes　of　Luigi　from　the　cold　and　dreary　waste　around　her。



The　mayor　assumed　a　stern；　disapproving　air；　and　his　clerk　looked　up

at　the　couple　with　malicious　curiosity。　No　marriage　was　ever　so　little

festal。　Like　other　human　beings　when　deprived　of　their　accessories；　it

became　a　simple　act　in　itself；　great　only　in　thought。



After　a　few　questions；　to　which　the　bride　and　bridegroom　responded；

and　a　few　words　mumbled　by　the　mayor；　and　after　signing　the　registers；

with　their　witnesses；　duly；　Luigi　and　Ginevra　were　made　one。　Then　the

wedded　pair　walked　back　through　two　lines　of　joyous　relations　who　did

not　belong　to　them；　and　whose　only　interest　in　their　marriage　was　the

delay　caused　to　their　own　wedding　by　this　gloomy　bridal。　When；　at

last；　Ginevra　found　herself　in　the　mayor's　court…yard；　under　the　open

sky；　a　sigh　escaped　her　breast。



〃Can　a　lifetime　of　devotion　and　love　suffice　to　prove　my　gratitude　for

your　courage　and　tenderness；　my　Ginevra？〃　said　Luigi。



At　these　words；　said　with　tears　of　joy；　the　bride　forgot　her

sufferings；　for　she　had　indeed　suffered　in　presenting　herself　before

the　public　to　obtain　a　happiness　her　parents　refused　to　sanction。



〃Why　should　others　come　between　us？〃　she　said　with　an　artlessness　of

feeling　that　delighted　Luigi。



A　sense　of　accomplished　happiness　now　made　the　step　of　the　young　pair

lighter；　they　saw　neither　heaven；　nor　earth；　nor　houses；　they　flew；　as

it　were；　on　wings　to　the　church。　When　they　reached　a　dark　little

chapel　in　one　corner　of　the　building；　and　stood　before　a　plain

undecorated　altar；　an　old　priest　married　them。　There；　as　in　the

mayor's　office；　two　other　marriages　were　taking　place；　still　pursuing

them　with　pomp。　The　church；　filled　with　friends　and　relations；　echoed

with　the　roll　of　carriages；　and　the　hum　of　beadles；　sextons；　and

priests。　Altars　were　resplendent　with　sacramental　luxury；　the　wreaths

of　orange…flowers　that　crowned　the　figures　of　the　Virgin　were　fresh。

Flowers；　incense；　gleaming　tapers；　velvet　cushions　embroidered　with

gold；　were　everywhere。　When　the　time　came　to　hold　above　the　heads　of

Luigi　and　Ginevra　the　symbol　of　eternal　union；that　yoke　of　satin；

white；　soft；　brilliant；　light　for　some；　lead　for　most；the　priest

looked　about　him　in　vain　for　the　acolytes　whose　place　it　was　to

perform　that　joyous　function。　Two　of　the　witnesses　fulfilled　it　for

them。　The　priest　addressed　a　hasty　homily　to　the　pair　on　the　perils　of

life；　on　the　duties　they　must；　some　day；　inculcate　upon　their

children；throwing　in；　at　this　point；　an　indirect　reproach　to　Ginevra

on　the　absence　of　her　parents；　then；　after　uniting　them　before　God；　as

the　mayor　had　united　them　before　the　law；　he　left　the　now　married

couple。



〃God　bless　them！〃　said　Vergniaud；　the　sergeant；　to　the　mason；　when

they　reached　the　church　porch。　〃No　two　creatures　were　ever　more　fitted

for　one　another。　The　parents　of　the　girl　are　foolish。　I　don't　know　a

braver　soldier　than　Colonel　Luigi。　If　the　whole　army　had　behaved　like

him；　'l'autre'　would　be　here　still。〃



This　blessing　of　the　old　soldier；　the　only　one　bestowed　upon　their

marriage…day；　shed　a　balm　on　Ginevra's　heart。



They　parted　with　hearty　shakings　of　hand；　Luigi　thanked　his　landlord。



〃Adieu；　'mon　brave；'〃　he　said　to　the　sergeant。　〃I　thank　you。〃



〃I　am　now　and　ever　at　your　service；　colonel；soul；　body；　horses；　and

carriages；　all　that　is　mine　is　yours。〃



〃How　he　loves　you！〃　said　Ginevra。



Luigi　now　hurried　his　bride　to　the　house　they　were　to　occupy。　Their

modest　apartment　was　soon　reached；　and　there；　when　the　door　closed

upon　them；　Luigi　took　his　wife　in　his　arms；　exclaiming；



〃Oh；　my　Ginevra！　for　now　you　are　mine；　here　is　our　true　wedding。

Here；〃　he　added；　〃all　things　will　smile　upon　us。〃



Together　they　went　through　the　three　rooms　contained　in　their　lodging。

The　room　first　entered　served　as　salon　and　dining…room　in　one；　on　the

right　was　a　bedchamber；　on　the　left　a　large　study　which　Luigi　had

arranged　for　his　wife；　in　it　she　found　easels；　color…boxes；　lay…

figures；　casts；　pictures；　portfolios；in　short；　the　paraphernalia　of

an　artist。



〃So　here　I　am　to　work！〃　she　said；　with　an　expression　of　childlike

happiness。



She　looked　long　at　the　hangings　and　the　furniture；　turning　again　and

again　to　thank　Luigi；　for　there　was　something　that　approached

magnificence　in　the　little　retreat。　A　bookcase　contained　her　favorite

books；　a　piano　filled　an　angle　of　the　room。　She　sat　down　upon　a　divan；

drew　Luigi　to　her　side；　and　said；　in　a　caressing　voice；　her　hand　in

his；



〃You　have　good　taste。〃



〃Those　words　make　me　happy；〃　he　replied。



〃But　let　me　see　all；〃　said　Ginevra；　to　whom　Luigi　had　made　a　mystery

of　the　adornment　of　the　rooms。



They　entered　the　nuptial　chamber；　fresh　and　white　as　a　virgin。



〃Oh！　come　away；〃　said　Luigi；　smiling。



〃But　I　wish　to　see　all。〃



And　the　imperious　Ginevra　looked　at　each　piece　of　furniture　with　the

minute　care　of　an　antiquary　examining　a　coin；　she　touched　the　silken

hangings；　and　went　over　every　article　with　the　artless　satisfaction　of

a　bride　in　the　treasures　of　her　wedding　outfit。



〃We　begin　by　ruining　ourselves；〃　she　said；　in　a　half…joyous；　half…

anxious　tone。



〃True！　for　all　my　back　pay　is　there；〃　replied　Luigi。　〃I　have　mortgaged

it　to　a　worthy　fellow　named　Gigonnet。〃



〃Why　did　you　do　so？〃　she　said；　in　a　tone　of　reproach；　through　which

could　be　heard　her　inward　satisfaction。　〃Do　you　believe　I　should　be

less　happy　in　a　garret？　But；〃　she　added；　〃it　is　all　charming；　andit

is　ours！〃



Luigi　looked　at　her　with　such　enthusiasm　that　she　lowered　her　eyes。



〃Now　let　us　see　the　rest；〃　she　cried。



Above　these　three　rooms；　under　the　roof；　was　a　study　for　Luigi；　a

kitchen；　and　a　servant's…room。　Ginevra　was　much　pleased　with　her

little　domain；　although　the　view　from　the　windows　was　limited　by　the

high　wall　of　a　neighboring　house；　and　the　court…yard；　from　which　their

light　was　derived；　was　gloomy。　But　the　two　lovers　were　so　happy　in

heart；　hope　so　adorned　their　future；　that　they　chose　to　see　nothing

but　what　was　charming　in　their　hidden　nest。　They　were　there　in　that

vast　house；　lost　in　the　immensity　of　Paris；　like　two　pearls　in　their

shell　in　the　depths　of　ocean；　to　all　others　it　might　have　seemed　a

prison；　to　them　it　was　paradise。



The　first　few　days　of　their　union　were　given　to　love。　The　effort　to

turn　at　once　to　work　was　too　difficult；　they　could　not　resist　the

charm　of　their　own　passion。　Luigi　lay　for　hours　at　the　feet　of　his

wife；　admiring　the　color　of　her　hair；　the　moulding　of　her　forehead；

the　enchanting　socket　of　her　eyes；　the　purity　and　whiteness　of　the　two

arches　beneath　which　the　eyes　themselves　turned　slowly；　expressing　the

happiness　of　a　satisfied　love。　Ginevra　caressed　the　hair　of　her　Luigi；

never　weary　of　gazing　at　what　she　called　his　〃belta　folgorante；〃　and

the　delicacy　of　his　features。　She　was　constantly　charmed　by　the

nobility　of　his　manners；　as　she　herself　attracted　him　by　the　grace　of

hers。



They　played　together；　like　children；　with　nothings；nothings　that

brought　them　ever　back　to　their　love；ceasing　their　play　only　to　fall

into　a　revery　of　the　〃far　niente。〃　An　air　sung　by　Ginevra　reproduced

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

Together；　uniting