第16部分(第3/6 页)

e　talk　the　old　man　invited　them　to　visit　his　villa　and　garden　which　were　just　outside　the　walls　of　the　town。　So　the　next　afternoon；　when　the　sun　began　to　descend；　and　they　saw　in　glimpses　through　doorways　and　windows；　blue　shadows　beginning　to　spread　over　the　brown　mountains；　they　went　to　pay　their　visit。　It　was　not　much　of　a　place；　a　small；　modernized；　stucco　villa4；　with　a　hot　pebbly　garden；　and　in　it　a　stone　basin　with　torpid　gold　fish；　and　a　statue　of　Diana　and　her　hounds　against　the　wall。　But　what　gave　a　glory　to　it　was　a　gigantic　rose…tree　which　clambered　over　the　house；　almost　smothering　the　windows；　and　filling　the　air　with　the　perfume　of　its　sweetness。　Yet；　it　was　a　fine　rose；　the　Conte　said　proudly　when　they　praised　it；　and　he　would　tell　the　Signora　about　it。　And　as　they　sat　there；　drinking　the　wine　he　offered　them；　he　alluded　with　the　cheerful　indifference　of　old　age　to　his　love　affair；　as　though　he　took　for　granted　that　they　had　heard　of　it　already。

“The　lady　lived　across　the　valley　there　beyond　that　hill。　I　was　a　young　man　then；　for　it　was　many　years　ago。　I　used　to　ride　over　to　see　her；　it　was　a　long　way；　but　I　rode　fast；　for　young　men；　as　no　doubt　the　Signora　knows；　are　impatient。　But　the　lady　was　not　kind；　she　would　keep　me　waiting　；　oh；　for　hours；　and　one　day　when　I　had　waited　very　long　I　grew　very　angry；　and　as　I　walked　up　and　down　in　the　garden　where　she　had　told　me　she　would　see　me；　I　broke　one　of　her　roses；　broke　a　branch　from　it；　and　when　I　saw　what　I　had　done；　I　hid　it　inside　my　coat　so；　and　when　I　came　home　I　planted　it；　and　the　Signora　sees　how　it　has　grown。　If　the　Signora　admires　it；　I　must　give　her　a　cutting　to　plant　also　in　her　garden；　I　am　told　the　English　have　beautiful　gardens　that　are　green；　and　not　burnt　with　the　sun　like　ours。”