Though Carolina had not been blind to the meaning of the signals flashed by Armando and Marianna’s eyes whenever the lovers were together, Bertino’s words stirred her to the need of taking instant measures to smother1 any marplot that might brew2 from their attachment3. To this end she resolved to keep them apart until the final act of her private theatricals4 should be played. Thus it fell out that on Friday, two days before the time for Signor Di Bello’s second essay at a wedding, when Armando called to deliver a most weighty message to Marianna, he was met at the door with Carolina’s avowal5 that the girl was indisposed. He might have credited the dreadful news but for a face [Pg 309]that he saw at the window as he walked away, and a pair of hands and lips that were telegraphing with much energy. “Wait, and I shall be out,” was the only part of Marianna’s excited display that he understood. But it was enough to insure his waiting a week, had that been necessary. As it was, she did not come until darkness had called lights to the caffè windows and the banks and grocery shops had put up their shutters6.
“It is finished now,” she said, hatless and breathing hard. “I can never go back to Casa Di Bello.”
“What matter?” he asked, taking her hand, and for the first time in many a day showing a joy and contempt for circumstance that befitted his years. “Come along. I have beautiful news. Let us go to the gardens of Paradise.”
It was the first music night of the season, and the Park had become a vast potbouilli of Italy’s children, with a salting from the Baxter Street Ghetto7 and a peppering of [Pg 310]“Chimmies” and “Mamies” from the old Fourth Ward8. Armando and Marianna made their way through the seething9 mass about the band, deaf to the rag-time melody that filled the sultry air and without eyes for the gorgeous red coats of the musicians. He was telling her how from the blackness of his despair the light of knowledge had suddenly broken, and how in the bitterness of his exile he had found the sweet of content. Far from the band stand, they crowded on to a bench beside two women with yellow babies at their breasts, and Armando continued:
“It was last night, and I was here alone, with only the stars for companions. All Mulberry was asleep. First I thought only of myself, and my heart was heavy. Then the points of gold in the sky seemed to whisper—to whisper of you, my precious. After that I was happy. Do you know why? Ah, it was because I had made up my mind.”
“Yes,” she repeated eagerly; “you made up your mind to——”
[Pg 311]
“Go home.”
“And I?”
“You go with me. There; do you not see now why I am happy?”
“Madonna-Maria be glorified10!” she cried, and the women by their side exchanged glances and grunts11. “When?”
“By the first ship for Genoa.”
“When is that?”
“Some day next week.”
“Joy!”
“Ah! is it not fine? To go back to Italy!”
“Who has not paid you?”
“Signorina Di Bello.”
“How do you know she will give you any money?”
“Ah! I saw it in her eye. And did she not say, when I spoke14 of my poor marble—did[Pg 312] she not say that perhaps it would not prove so poor, after all? Oh, she will pay, I am sure. How much? Ah! who can tell that? But surely it will be enough to take us back to Cardinali, and what more can we ask? There we shall be happy. No more shall you go to the mill, for have I not my house and workshop, and will not Genoa be glad again to buy my ten-inch Saint Peters?”
“Ah! si. Genoa will be glad. And I? Shall I not take them to the Gallery of Cristoforo Colombo and sell them just as old Daniello did? By my faith, I think I shall bring home as much silver as ever he did, and more.”
“Si, si; who would not buy of you, angelo d’amore?”
He kissed her lips and fair tresses, and the women with their nurslings left the bench. Thus, and for hours, the exiles lived in the new-found bliss15 of their present while planning a joyous16 future. Over the buzz of the grimy, toil-bound multitude the notes of the distant band came to them vaguely—now[Pg 313] in a fugitive17 creak, then in a faint rumble18 or detached crash.
It was long after the music had died out, and the people had gone to their tenements19, and the pale eye of night had peeped tardily20 over a zigzag21 line of low roofs, when Marianna said:
“Dio! So late! She will not let me in.”
They walked to Casa Di Bello at a smart pace, and timidly she rang the bell, while Armando waited not many yards away. Instantly the door opened, and he saw the hand of Carolina reach forth22, grasp his love by the shoulder, and jerk her into the house.
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收听单词发音
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1
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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2
brew
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| v.酿造，调制 | |
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3
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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4
theatricals
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| n.（业余性的）戏剧演出，舞台表演艺术；职业演员；戏剧的( theatrical的名词复数 )；剧场的；炫耀的；戏剧性的 | |
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5
avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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6
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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7
ghetto
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| n.少数民族聚居区，贫民区 | |
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8
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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9
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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10
glorified
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| 美其名的，变荣耀的 | |
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11
grunts
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说； 石鲈 | |
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12
pensively
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| adv.沉思地，焦虑地 | |
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13
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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16
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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17
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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18
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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19
tenements
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| n.房屋，住户，租房子( tenement的名词复数 ) | |
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20
tardily
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| adv.缓慢 | |
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21
zigzag
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| n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行 | |
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22
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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