A Siren

by Thomas Adolphus Trollope

  CHAPTER IX

  Uncle and Nephew

  Ludovico di Castelmare did not see his uncle that evening. He returnedto the Palazzo, thoughtful enough, direct from the house in the Stradadi Santa Eufemia, and there learned that the Impresario had been withthe Marchese; that he had brought the good news of his success in havingengaged "La Lalli" to sing at Ravenna during the coming Carnival; andthat he, Ludovico, had been sent for by his uncle from the Circolo. Whatfor, the servant could not tell him. He could only say that the Marchesehad seemed much put out at the Signor Marchese Ludovico's absence, andthat he had shortly afterwards gone out to pass the remainder of theevening at the palace of the Cardinal Legate.

  Ludovico was by no means so anxious to see his uncle as to wait to do sotill he should return at night. He betook himself to his ownquartierino, locked the door, and sat down to think.

  He had said no more than the truth to Paolina when he professed that hehad never spoken a word with the intention of deceiving her. Nor had hebeen otherwise than entirely sincere in all that he had just been sayingto her. Nevertheless he felt, somewhat more strongly and clearly,perhaps, than while he had been looking into Paolina's eyes, that he hadundertaken rather a tremendous task in declaring that he would break offthe projected marriage with the Lady Violante, the great-niece of theCardinal,--a match which both families considered to be definitivelyarranged, and which was expected and looked forward to by all Ravenna,and that for the purpose and with the view of making so terrible amesalliance as that he contemplated. The Marchese Ludovico felt all theweight of the inheritance of a great name and a still greater socialposition, which devolved upon him from his uncle. It was bad enough tocontemplate the effect which would be produced, as regarded himself, bythe step he contemplated. But it was perfectly terrible to think of theeffect it would produce on the Marchese Lamberto. Ludovico was proud, inhis more easy-going way, of the position he occupied as his uncle'snephew in the society of the city; but it was not to him the breath ofhis nostrils as it was to his uncle.

  He felt, as a weak man is apt to feel in similar positions ofdifficulty, that the best and quickest, and, above all, the easiest, wayout of all embarrassment would be to run away from it--to quit Ravenna,and give it up--it, and all its inhabitants for ever. He could do this.He felt that Paolina would be worth such a sacrifice. But how toaccomplish such a step while his uncle lived?

  As it was all he could do was to procrastinate, he thought of the oldItalian proverb, "Gain time, and you will pull through," and hedetermined to profit by the wisdom of it. Even procrastination would notbe without difficulty. But something might be done in that way,--sometime might be gained. And then there was always that never-failingresource and consolation of those who, in the words of Horace, limittheir ambition to adapting themselves to circumstances instead ofadapting circumstances to them, something might turn up; though, for thepresent, it was difficult to see what that something could possibly be,unless it were the death of his uncle, a perfectly robust and healthyman in the fiftieth year of his life.

  Might possibly the something take the shape of a change or mitigation ofPaolina's resolve? No sooner did the idea cross his mind than he feltashamed of it, and his heart smote him for having for a moment harboureda thought that involved falseness to his promise to her. Nevertheless,it was not the last time that the thought recurred.

  The next morning he met his uncle.

  "I had Stadione with me yesterday evening," said the Marchese, "and Iwanted to speak to you about something he said. I was sorry to be toldthat you were not at the Circolo."

  "I was sorry that Beppo did not find me. What was it? Signor Ercole hassucceeded in his mission, I hear."

  "Yes; and it was on that matter I wanted to speak to you; but thismorning will do as well for that. It was not that that vexed me,Ludovico. I won't ask you to tell me where you were, and I don't want toplay the inquisitor; but the fact is, I know very well without asking.And, my dear nephew, I cannot but tell you that you are actingunwisely,--imprudently even."

  "What have I done that is wrong, sir? Is it not fitting that I shouldshow some attention to people, who came here recommended to you, andwhom you yourself first commissioned me to assist?" said Ludovico.

  "What is the good of answering in that way, Ludovico. Just as if we bothdid not know better than that, and know too what we both mean? Pay someattention! Pshaw! Do you think that I am quite a fool? As if I did notknow what you go there for, and what you have been going there for theseeight months past, since first I was blockhead enough to throw thatpretty girl in your way. Now, figliuolo mio, it is my duty to tell youthat that sort of thing won't do--just at present. I don't want, as Isaid, to play the inquisitor, nor do I wish to play the preacher. Whenyou are married you must guide your own conduct as you may think fit;but now every consideration of propriety and prudence should teach youthat you must not continue to run after that young person in the sightof all the town in the way you do. Here you are on the point ofcontracting a marriage, which--"

  "On the point, uncle? We are surely a long way from that yet?" saidLudovico.

  "A long way! I don't know what you mean by a long way; if we are notfurther advanced, it is your own fault. We might bring the negotiationto a conclusion at once. It might all be settled this Carnival.

  "This Carnival, uncle? Impossible! I must have a little time. There areso many things to be thought of."

  "What is there to be thought of, that has not been thought of already?They are in no hurry; they look upon the matter as arranged. But indecency, we cannot show any backwardness; it does not look well.

  "Well, uncle: at all events, let this Carnival pass over. Let me havethis last Carnival; then Lent is of no use: after that we will see aboutit."

  "Well, be it so. But, my dear boy, you know all the importance of thismarriage! You know how desirable it is in every point of view; family,rank, station, influence, money,--though that happily we have no need toseek; why, it was only last week,--this is a secret, and must go nofurther, but I know I can trust to your discretion;--only last week,that I got a letter from my old friend, Monsignore Paterini at Rome, inwhich he speaks in almost open terms of the chance, and evenprobability, that our Cardinal might--ahem!--find the next conclave aparticularly interesting one. You know how Paterini stands at Rome, andthat a hint from him is as good as a volume from another; and just thinkof the possibilities that such a contingency might open before you! Iwon't say any more; but do now during this Carnival, show yourself alittle more at the palace, and pay a little attention, and let the worldsee that you occupy the place with regard to the Contessa Violante, thatyou really do occupy. Basta!"

  "I will do the best I can, sir, to merit your approbation," saidLudovico, feeling that he was expected to say something, and not wellknowing how to do it.

  "And now about the matter I wanted to speak of last night. La Lallicomes to us, you see, for the Carnival: it is a great triumph forRavenna. She is certainly the first singer in Italy, since England withits brute power of money, robbed us of poor Sparderini. But between youand me, figliuolo mio, we should never have got her, if there had notbeen certain difficulties--certain scandals,--che so io?--at Milan. Allthat is no business of ours, you know, tutt' altro! But there has beentalk;--stories have got about!--mere calumny probably, as Signor Ercolevery justly remarked,--but it is very desirable that such things shouldnot be the talk of the town here. It is mauvais genre to chatter aboutsuch matters. You can make it mauvais genre among the youngsters atRavenna, if you choose. Do so; you understand! That's all."

  "Perfectly, uncle! Lasci fare a me! I'll see to it; though I confess Ido not quite understand why we need trouble ourselves about any suchgossip," said Ludovico, delighted to be able to fall in with his uncle'swishes in something.

  "Well, I should have thought that you might understand. In the firstplace I don't want it to be said or imagined, either here or elsewhere,that Ravenna has taken up with a singer, who could not get an engagementelsewhere. Not
that that is the case by any means. But don't you see, ifit is said that she was obliged to leave Milan, it puts us in theposition of a pis aller! And I don't like that. In the next place, Idon't want to have light talk about a person whom I have had so large ashare in bringing to the city. These are things you ought to learn tothink of, caro mio!" replied the Marchese, a little annoyed at having toput his feelings on the subject into such plain words.

  "I'll take care that things shall be as you wish. When is she toarrive?" asked Ludovico.

  "About the end of the year--in a month's time or thereabouts. Stadionedid not mention whether the day of her coming had been fixed. Her firstappearance will be on the night of the Beffana, the 6th of January."

  "Because they were talking at the Circolo of getting up some littlematter of welcome,--taking the horses from her carriage, and drawing herin, or some thing of that kind, and a serenata of course. Leandro isbusy already with a poem for the occasion, you may swear!"

  "Bravo! bene! If only our good friend the Conte keeps his muse withintolerable limits! It would not do to quite smother her in verse on herfirst arrival; and, you know, our good Leandro has rather a special giftthat way. Well, get up any kind of dimostrasione you like for theoccasion,--it will all help to give eclat to our opening. You canarrange all about the when, and the where, etc., with Stadione. We aregoing to have a meeting of the Belle Arte Committee here this morning.They'll be here directly!" said the Marchese Lamberto, pulling out hiswatch.

  "One word more, uncle, before I'm off," said Ludovico.

  "What is it?--money, I suppose?" said the Marchese, again taking out hiswatch.

  "No, sir; not money this time,--unless, indeed, you insist on it," saidthe nephew, laughing.

  "Not at all, not at all! I won't press it on you by any means!" said theuncle in a similar tone; "but what were you going to say?"

  "Why, with reference to what you were saying just now, about theSignorina Foscarelli," replied Ludovico, in quite a different tone. "Iam always anxious to shape my conduct in accordance with your advice,uncle. You see La Foscarelli has all but finished her work at St.Vitale, you know: she is to do her copying in the Cardinal's Palacenext, for you have kindly arranged for her permission to do so. Now, shecan't very well go to the palace, for the first time, alone, you know!If you had not expressed the opinions you have on the subject, I shouldhave gone with her, thinking no harm. But perhaps--to the palace, youknow;--it would be better, if you would not mind it, to accompany her,for the first time, yourself."

  "Very right, very properly thought of, my dear boy! Yes; I can go withher--or I can send Burini, which will come to the same thing."

  "No, uncle; not the same thing--to send a mere maestro di casa,--aservant! It would not be nice for the poor girl; it would make all thedifference with the servants and people at the palace: if I avoid goingwith her to please you, you will go with her yourself, won't you?"

  "Very well, very well; I'll go with her. If any man has more to do ofhis own than all the rest of the city put together, there are sure to beother folk's affairs thrust on him also; it has been sowith me all mylife. Well, I will find half an hour somehow."

  "Thanks, uncle! Good-by, I wish you well through your meeting."

  "We shall see each other at dinner?"

  "Yes. A rivederla!"