turned pale； 'if you should suffer the slightest pain of which I am；
even innocently； the cause。'
〃 'A snake！' she said； pointing to a reptile which was gliding along
the edge of a ditch。 'I am afraid of the disgusting creatures。'
〃Sarrasine crushed the snake's head with a blow of his foot。
〃 'How could you dare to do it？' said La Zambinella； gazing at the
dead reptile with visible terror。
〃 'Aha！' said the artist； with a smile； 'would you venture to say now
that you are not a woman？'
〃They joined their companions and walked through the woods of Villa
Ludovisi； which at that time belonged to Cardinal Cicognara。 The
morning passed all too swiftly for the amorous sculptor； but it was
crowded with incidents which laid bare to him the coquetry； the
weakness； the daintiness； of that pliant； inert soul。 She was a true
woman with her sudden terrors； her unreasoning caprices； her
instinctive worries； her causeless audacity； her bravado； and her
fascinating delicacy of feeling。 At one time； as the merry little
party of singers ventured out into the open country； they saw at some
distance a number of men armed to the teeth； whose costume was by no
means reassuring。 At the words； 'Those are brigands！' they all
quickened their pace in order to reach the shelter of the wall
enclosing the cardinal's villa。 At that critical moment Sarrasine saw
from La Zambinella's manner that she no longer had strength to walk；
he took her in his arms and carried her for some distance； running。
When he was within call of a vineyard near by； he set his mistress
down。
〃 'Tell me；' he said； 'why it is that this extreme weakness which in
another woman would be hideous； would disgust me； so that the
slightest indication of it would be enough to destroy my love；why is
it that in you it pleases me； fascinates me？ Oh； how I love you！' he
continued。 'All your faults； your frights； your petty foibles； add an
indescribable charm to your character。 I feel that I should detest a
Sappho； a strong； courageous woman； overflowing with energy and
passion。 O sweet and fragile creature！ how couldst thou be otherwise？
That angel's voice； that refined voice； would have been an anachronism
coming from any other breast than thine。'
〃 'I can give you no hope；' she said。 'Cease to speak thus to me； for
people would make sport of you。 It is impossible for me to shut the
door of the theatre to you； but if you love me； or if you are wise；
you will come there no more。 Listen to me； monsieur；' she continued in
a grave voice。
〃 'Oh； hush！' said the excited artist。 'Obstacles inflame the love in
my heart。'
〃La Zambinella maintained a graceful and modest attitude； but she held
her peace； as if a terrible thought had suddenly revealed some
catastrophe。 When it was time to return to Rome she entered a berlin
with four seats； bidding the sculptor； with a cruelly imperious air；
to return alone in the phaeton。 On the road； Sarrasine determined to
carry off La Zambinella。 He passed the whole day forming plans； each
more extravagant than the last。 At nightfall； as he was going out to
inquire of somebody where his mistress lived； he met one of his
fellow…artists at the door。
〃 'My dear fellow；' he said； I am sent by our ambassador to invite you
to come to the embassy this evening。 He gives a magnificent concert；
and when I tell you that La Zambinella will be there'
〃 'Zambinella！' cried Sarrasine； thrown into delirium by that name； 'I
am mad with love of her。'
〃 'You are like everybody else；' replied his comrade。
〃 'But if you are friends of mine； you and Vien and Lauterbourg and
Allegrain； you will lend me your assistance for a /coup de main/；
after the entertainment； will you not？' asked Sarrasine。
〃 'There's no cardinal to be killed？ no？'
〃 'No； no！' said Sarrasine； 'I ask nothing of you that men of honor
may not do。'
〃In a few moments the sculptor laid all his plans to assure the
success of his enterprise。 He was one of the last to arrive at the
ambassador's； but he went thither in a traveling carriage drawn by
four stout horses and driven by one of the most skilful /vetturini/ in
Rome。 The ambassador's palace was full of people； not without
difficulty did the sculptor； whom nobody knew； make his way to the
salon where La Zambinella was singing at that moment。
〃 'It must be in deference to all the cardinals； bishops； and /abbes/
who are here；' said Sarrasine； 'that /she/ is dressed as a man； that
/she/ has curly hair which /she/ wears in a bag； and that /she/ has a
sword at her side？'
〃 'She！ what she？' rejoined the old nobleman whom Sarrasine addressed。
〃 'La Zambinella。'
〃 'La Zambinella！' echoed the Roman prince。 'Are you jesting？ Whence
have you come？ Did a woman ever appear in a Roman theatre？ And do you
not know what sort of creatures play female parts within the domains
of the Pope？ It was I； monsieur； who endowed Zambinella with his
voice。 I paid all the knave's expenses； even his teacher in singing。
And he has so little gratitude for the service I have done him that he
has never been willing to step inside my house。 And yet； if he makes
his fortune； he will owe it all to me。'
〃Prince Chigi might have talked on forever； Sarrasine did not listen
to him。 A ghastly truth had found its way into his mind。 He was
stricken as if by a thunderbolt。 He stood like a statue； his eyes
fastened on the singer。 His flaming glance exerted a sort of magnetic
influence on Zambinella； for he turned his eyes at last in Sarrasine's
direction； and his divine voice faltered。 He trembled！ An involuntary
murmur escaped the audience； which he held fast as if fastened to his
lips； and that completely disconcerted him； he stopped in the middle
of the aria he was singing and sat down。 Cardinal Cicognara； who had
watched from the corner of his eye the direction of his /protege's/
glance； saw the Frenchman； he leaned toward one of his ecclesiastical
aides…de…camp； and apparently asked the sculptor's name。 When he had
obtained the reply he desired he scrutinized the artist with great
attention and gave orders to an /abbe/； who instantly disappeared。
Meanwhile Zambinella； having recovered his self…possession； resumed
the aria he had so capriciously broken off； but he sang badly； and
refused； despite all the persistent appeals showered upon him； to sing
anything else。 It was the first time he had exhibited that humorsome
tyranny； which； at a later date； contributed no less to his celebrity
than his talent and his vast fortune； which was said to be due to his
beauty as much as to his voice。
〃 'It's a woman；' said Sarrasine； thinking that no one could overhear
him。 'There's some secret intrigue beneath all this。 Cardinal
Cicognara is hoodwinking the Pope and the whole city of Rome！'
〃The sculptor at once left the salon； assembled his friends； and lay
in wait in the courtyard of the palace。 When Zambinella was assured of
Sarrasine's departure he seemed to recover his tranquillity in some
measure。 About midnight after wandering through the salons like a man
looking for an enemy； the /musico/ left the party。 As he passed
through the palace gate he was seized by men who deftly gagged him
with a handkerchief and placed him in the carriage hired by Sarrasine。
Frozen with terror； Zambinella lay back in a corner； not daring to
move a muscle。 He saw before him the terrible face of the artist； who
maintained a deathlike silence。 The journey was a short one。
Zambinella； kidnaped by Sarrasine； soon found himself in a dark； bare
studio。 He sat； half dead； upon a chair； hardly daring to glance at a
statue of a woman； in which he recognized his own features。 He did not
utter a word； but his teeth were chattering； he was paralyzed with
fear。 Sarrasine was striding up and down the studio。 Suddenly he
halted in front of Zambinella。
〃 'Tell me the truth；' he said； in a changed and hollow voice。 'Are
you not a woman？ Cardinal Cicognara'
〃Zambinella fell on his knees； and replied only by hanging his head。
〃 'Ah！ you are a woman！' cried the artist in a frenzy； 'for even a'
〃He did not finish the sentence。
〃 'No；' he continued； 'even /he/ could not be so utterly base。'
〃 'Oh； do not kill me！' cried Zambinella； bursting into tears。 'I
consented to deceive you only to gratify my comrades； who wanted an
opportunity to laugh。'
〃 'Laugh！' echoed the sculptor； in a voice in which there was a ring
of infernal ferocity。 'Laugh！ laugh！ You dared to make sport of a
man's passionyou？'
〃 'Oh； mercy！' cried Zambinella。
〃 'I ought to kill you！' shouted Sarrasine； drawing his sword in an
outburst of rage。 'But；' he continued； with cold disdain； 'if I
searched your whole being with this blade； should I find there any
sentiment to blot out； anything with which to satisfy my thirst for
vengeance？ You are nothing！ If you were a man or a woman； I would kill
you； but'
〃Sarrasine made a gesture of disgust； and turned his face away；
thereupon he noticed the statue。
〃 'And that is a delusion！' he cried。
〃Then； turning to Zambinella once more； he continued：
〃 'A woman's heart was to me a place of refuge； a fatherland。 Have you
sisters who resemble you？ No。 Then die