第2章

Foritsbeingalittlegloomy，hehadhireditprincipallyforthegardens，andheandmymistresswouldpassthesummerweatherintheirshade。

"Soallgoeswell，Baptista？"saidhe。

"Indubitably，signore；verywell。"

Wehadatravellingchariotforourjourney，newlybuiltforus，andinallrespectscomplete。Allwehadwascomplete；wewantedfornothing。Themarriagetookplace。Theywerehappy。Iwashappy，seeingallsobright，beingsowellsituated，goingtomyowncity，teachingmylanguageintherumbletothemaid，labellaCarolina，whoseheartwasgaywithlaughter:whowasyoungandrosy。

Thetimeflew。ButIobserved-listentothis，Ipray！（andherethecourierdroppedhisvoice）-Iobservedmymistresssometimesbroodinginamannerverystrange；inafrightenedmanner；inanunhappymanner；withacloudy，uncertainalarmuponher。IthinkthatIbegantonoticethiswhenIwaswalkinguphillsbythecarriageside，andmasterhadgoneoninfront。Atanyrate，I

rememberthatitimpresseditselfuponmymindoneeveningintheSouthofFrance，whenshecalledtometocallmasterback；andwhenhecameback，andwalkedforalongway，talkingencouraginglyandaffectionatelytoher，withhishandupontheopenwindow，andhersinit。Nowandthen，helaughedinamerryway，asifhewerebanteringheroutofsomething。By-and-by，shelaughed，andthenallwentwellagain。

Itwascurious。IaskedlabellaCarolina，theprettylittleone，Wasmistressunwell？-No-Outofspirits？-No-Fearfulofbadroads，orbrigands？-No。Andwhatmadeitmoremysteriouswas，theprettylittleonewouldnotlookatmeingivinganswer，butWOULDlookattheview。

But，onedayshetoldmethesecret。

"Ifyoumustknow，"saidCarolina，"Ifind，fromwhatIhaveoverheard，thatmistressishaunted。"

"Howhaunted？"

"Byadream。"

"Whatdream？"

"Byadreamofaface。Forthreenightsbeforehermarriage，shesawafaceinadream-alwaysthesameface，andonlyOne。"

"Aterribleface？"

"No。Thefaceofadark，remarkable-lookingman，inblack，withblackhairandagreymoustache-ahandsomemanexceptforareservedandsecretair。Notafacesheeversaw，oratalllikeafacesheeversaw。Doingnothinginthedreambutlookingatherfixedly，outofdarkness。"

"Doesthedreamcomeback？"

"Never。Therecollectionofitisallhertrouble。"

"Andwhydoesittroubleher？"

Carolinashookherhead。

"That"smaster"squestion，"saidlabella。"Shedon"tknow。Shewonderswhy，herself。ButIheardhertellhim，onlylastnight，thatifshewastofindapictureofthatfaceinourItalianhouse（whichsheisafraidshewill）shedidnotknowhowshecouldeverbearit。"

UponmywordIwasfearfulafterthis（saidtheGenoesecourier）ofourcomingtotheoldpalazzo，lestsomesuchill-starredpictureshouldhappentobethere。Iknewthereweremanythere；and，aswegotnearerandnearertotheplace，IwishedthewholegalleryinthecraterofVesuvius。Tomendthematter，itwasastormydismaleveningwhenwe，atlast，approachedthatpartoftheRiviera。Itthundered；andthethunderofmycityanditsenvirons，rollingamongthehighhills，isveryloud。Thelizardsraninandoutofthechinksinthebrokenstonewallofthegarden，asiftheywerefrightened；thefrogsbubbledandcroakedtheirloudest；thesea-windmoaned，andthewettreesdripped；andthelightning-bodyofSanLorenzo，howitlightened！

WeallknowwhatanoldpalaceinornearGenoais-howtimeandtheseaairhaveblottedit-howthedraperypaintedontheouterwallshaspeeledoffingreatflakesofplaster-howthelowerwindowsaredarkenedwithrustybarsofiron-howthecourtyardisovergrownwithgrass-howtheouterbuildingsaredilapidated-

howthewholepileseemsdevotedtoruin。Ourpalazzowasoneofthetruekind。Ithadbeenshutupcloseformonths。Months？-

years！-ithadanearthysmell，likeatomb。Thescentoftheorangetreesonthebroadbackterrace，andofthelemonsripeningonthewall，andofsomeshrubsthatgrewaroundabrokenfountain，hadgotintothehousesomehow，andhadneverbeenabletogetoutagain。Therewas，ineveryroom，anagedsmell，grownfaintwithconfinement。Itpinedinallthecupboardsanddrawers。Inthelittleroomsofcommunicationbetweengreatrooms，itwasstifling。

Ifyouturnedapicture-tocomebacktothepictures-thereitstillwas，clingingtothewallbehindtheframe，likeasortofbat。

Thelattice-blindswerecloseshut，alloverthehouse。Thereweretwougly，greyoldwomeninthehouse，totakecareofit；oneofthemwithaspindle，whostoodwindingandmumblinginthedoorway，andwhowouldassoonhaveletinthedevilastheair。Master，mistress，labellaCarolina，andI，wentallthroughthepalazzo。

Iwentfirst，thoughIhavenamedmyselflast，openingthewindowsandthelattice-blinds，andshakingdownonmyselfsplashesofrain，andscrapsofmortar，andnowandthenadozingmosquito，oramonstrous，fat，blotchy，Genoesespider。

WhenIhadlettheeveninglightintoaroom，master，mistress，andlabellaCarolina，entered。Then，welookedroundatallthepictures，andIwentforwardagainintoanotherroom。Mistresssecretlyhadgreatfearofmeetingwiththelikenessofthatface-

weallhad；buttherewasnosuchthing。TheMadonnaandBambino，SanFrancisco，SanSebastiano，Venus，SantaCaterina，Angels，Brigands，Friars，TemplesatSunset，Battles，WhiteHorses，Forests，Apostles，Doges，allmyoldacquaintancesmanytimesrepeated？-yes。Dark，handsomemaninblack，reservedandsecret，withblackhairandgreymoustache，lookingfixedlyatmistressoutofdarkness？-no。

Atlastwegotthroughalltheroomsandallthepictures，andcameoutintothegardens。Theywereprettywellkept，beingrentedbyagardener，andwerelargeandshady。Inoneplacetherewasarustictheatre，opentothesky；thestageagreenslope；thecoulisses，threeentrancesuponaside，sweet-smellingleafyscreens。Mistressmovedherbrighteyes，eventhere，asifshelookedtoseethefacecomeinuponthescene；butallwaswell。

"Now，Clara，"mastersaid，inalowvoice，"youseethatitisnothing？Youarehappy。"

Mistresswasmuchencouraged。Shesoonaccustomedherselftothatgrimpalazzo，andwouldsing，andplaytheharp，andcopytheoldpictures，andstrollwithmasterunderthegreentreesandvinesallday。Shewasbeautiful。Hewashappy。Hewouldlaughandsaytome，mountinghishorseforhismorningridebeforetheheat:

"Allgoeswell，Baptista！"

"Yes，signore，thankGod，verywell。"