Are you not my wife, said Missirilli, and the
object of my lifelongadoration?
Then she broke the silence, and dideverything in
the world to wring from him a word of love. I should be happy, Vanina said to her,
to know your name. Great as her folly may have been, it must be admitted that Vanina
wassublimely happy. The sight of that name caused him more uneasiness than
pleasure.
As the soldierswere coming into her house to seize
me, your father took me away inhis carriage.
He would be too much afraid of the satiricalcomment
of his colleagues.
Vanina had seen her lover, her mind seemed to
revive; she felt freshcourage. You are coming very well, she told him, through the
tests to whichI mean to subject you.
As the soldierswere coming into her house to seize
me, your father took me away inhis carriage.
An old woman tossed him a bunch of
violets;Missirilli thanked her with a smile. I amgoing to have myself sent to the
baths of la Porretta.
Vanina came each night to press her face against
the panes of theyoung carbonaros window. It is in the prison ofthis town that
carbonari are lodged on their way from the Romagna toRome. She had barely
leftMissirilli before he began to feel that his conduct was barbarous. If you love
me, said Vanina as she left her, you will see asurgeon. If you love me, said Vanina
as she left her, you will see asurgeon.
Vanina was obliged to go out, on social errands. As
the soldierswere coming into her house to seize me, your father took me away inhis
carriage. If I speak to him, she said to herself, I am lost!
And she took her seat calmly upon a
sofa.
Missirilli made haste to bind himself by this
utterance.
What is the meaning of this ill-timed
foolery?
You must understand, my dear Vanina, he went on,
that I myself donot like bloodshed.
TheRomans whom we are describing have not the
honour to be French.