第16部分(第2/6 页)

t　as　by　an　illumination2；　one　window　after　another　catching　and　reflecting　the　sun’s　beams；　till　at　last　the　whole　little　city　twinkled　and　sparkled　up　in　the　sky　like　a　nest　of　stars。

That　morning；　finding　they　would　have　to　wait　while　their　carriage　was　being　repaired；　they　had　driven　in　a　local　conveyance　up　to　the　city　on　the　mountain；　where　they　had　been　told　they　would　find　better　quarters；　and　there　they　had　stayed　two　or　three　days。　It　was　one　of　the　miniature　Italian　cities　with　a　high　church；　a　pretentious　piazza；　a　few　narrow　streets　and　little　palaces；　perched；　all　pact　and　plete；　on　the　top　of　a　mountain；　within　an　enclosure　of　walls　hardly　larger　than　an　English　kitchen　garden。　But　it　was　full　of　life　and　noise　echoing　all　day　and　all　night　with　the　sounds　of　feet　and　voices。

The　Cafe　of　the　simple　inn　where　they　stayed　was　the　meeting　place　of　the　notabilities　of　the　little　city；　the　Sindaco；　the　avvocato；　the　doctor；　and　a　few　others；　and　among　them　they　noticed　a　beautiful；　slim；　talkative　old　man；　with　bright　black　eyes　and　snow…white　hair—tall　and　straight　and　still　with　the　figure　of　a　youth；　although　the　waiter　told　them　with　pride　that　the　Conte　was　molto　vecchio—would　in　fact　be　eighty　in　the　following　year。　He　was　the　last　of　his　family；　the　waiter　added—they　had　once　been　great　and　rich　people—but　he　had　no　descendants；　in　fact　the　waiter　mentioned　with　placency；　as　if　it　were　a　story　on　which　the　locality3　prided　itself；　that　the　Conte　had　been　unfortunate　in　love；　and　had　never　married。书包　网　。　想看书来

玫　瑰（3）

The　old　gentleman；　however；　seemed　cheerful　enough；　and　it　was　plain　that　he　took　an　interest　in　the　strangers；　and　wished　to　make　their　acquaintance。　This　was　soon　effected　by　the　friendly　waiter；　and　after　a　littl