There were two bedrooms separated by a small sitting-room. I ordered a cold supper, and then I turned to the Italian with a perplexed look.
"We have only been able to get two rooms, so you must choose which you like."
She replied with her eternal _Che mi fa_? I thereupon took her little black wooden box, just like servants use, and took it into the room on the right, which I had chosen for her, ... for us. A bit of paper was fastened on to the box, on which was written, _Mademoiselle Francesca Rondoli, Genoa_.
"Your name is Francesca?" I asked, and she nodded her head, without replying.
"We shall have supper directly," I continued. "Meanwhile, I daresay you would like to arrange your dress a little?"
She answered with a _mica_, a word which she employed just as frequently as _Che mi fa_, but I went on: "It is always pleasant after a journey."
Then I suddenly remembered that she had not, perhaps, the necessary objects, for she appeared to me in a very singular position, as if she had just escaped from some disagreeable adventure, and I brought her my dressing-case.
I put out all the little instruments for cleanliness and comfort which it contained: a nailbrush, a new toothbrush--for I always carry a selection of them about with me--my nail-scissors, a nail-file, and sponges. I uncorked a bottle of eau de cologne, one of lavender-water, and a little bottle of new-mown hay, so that she might have a choice.
Then I opened my powder-box, and put out the powder-puff, put my fine towels over the water-jug, and placed a piece of new soap near the basin.
She watched my movements with a vexed look in her wide open eyes, without appearing either astonished or satisfied at my forethought.
"Here is all that you require," I then said; "I will tell you when supper is ready."
When I returned to the sitting-room I found that Paul had taken possession of the other room, and had shut himself in, so I sat down to wait.
A waiter went backwards and forwards, bringing plates and gla.s.ses. He laid the table slowly, then put a cold fowl on it, and told me that all was ready.
I knocked gently at Mademoiselle Rondoli"s door. "Come in," she said, and when I did so I was struck by a strong, heavy smell of perfumes, as if I were in a hairdresser"s and perfumer"s shop.
The Italian was sitting on her box in an att.i.tude either of thoughtful discontent or absent-mindedness. The towel was still folded over the water-jug that was quite full, and the soap, untouched and dry, was laying beside the empty basin; but one would have thought that the young woman had drunk half of the bottles of scent. The eau de cologne, however, had been spared, as only about a third of it had gone; but to make up for that she had used a surprising amount of lavender-water and new-mown hay. A cloud of violet-powder, a vague white mist, seemed still to be floating in the air, from the effects of her over-powdering her face and neck. It seemed to cover her eyelashes, eyebrows, and the hair on her temples like snow, while her cheeks were plastered with it, and layers of it covered her nostrils, the corners of her eyes, and her chin.
When she got up she exhaled such a strong odor of scent that it almost made me feel faint.
When she sat down to supper, I found that Paul was in a most execrable temper, and I could get nothing out of him but blame, irritable words, and disagreeable compliments.
Mademoiselle Francesca ate like an ogre, and as soon as she had finished her meal she threw herself upon the sofa. As for me, I saw the decisive moment approaching for settling how we were to apportion the rooms. I determined to take the bull by the horns, and sitting down by the Italian I said gallantly, kissing her hand:
"As we have only two bedrooms, will you allow me to share yours with you?"
"Do just as you like," she said. "It is all the same to me. _Che mi fa_?"
Her indifference vexed me.
"But you are sure you do not mind my being in your room with you?" I said.
"It is all the same to me; do just as you like."
"Should you like to go to bed at once?"
"Yes; I am very sleepy."
She got up, yawned, gave Paul her hand, who took it with a furious look, and I lighted her into our room. A disquieting feeling haunted me. "Here is all you want," I said again.
This time I took care to pour half the water into the basin, and to put a towel near the soap.
Then I went back to Paul. As soon as I got into the room, he said, "You have got a nice sort of camel there!" and I answered, laughing. "My dear friend, don"t speak ill of sour grapes," and he replied, ill-temperedly:
"Just take care how this ends, my good fellow."
I almost trembled with that feeling of fear which a.s.sails us after some suspicious love escapade--that fear which spoils our pleasant meetings, our unexpected caresses, our chance kisses. However, I put a bold face on the matter. "At any rate, the girl is no adventuress."
But the fellow had me in his power; he had seen the shadow of my anxiety on my face.
"What do you know about her? You really astonish me. You pick up an Italian woman traveling alone by railway, and she volunteers, with most singular cynicism, to go and to be your mistress in the first hotel you come to. You take her with you, and then you declare that she is not a----! And you persuade yourself that you are not running more risk than if you were to go and spend the night with a woman who had the small-pox."
He laughed with an unpleasant and angry laugh. I sat down, a prey to uneasiness. What was I to do, for he was right after all? And a struggle began within me, between desire and fear.
He went on: "Do as you like, I have warned you, so, do not complain of the consequences."
But I saw an ironical gayety in his eyes, such a delight in his revenge, and he made fun of me so jovially that I did not hesitate any longer. I gave him my hand, and said, "Good night. You know the old saying: _A victory without peril is a triumph without glory_, and upon my word, the victory is worth the danger."
And with a firm step I went into Francesca"s room.
I stopped short at the door in surprise and astonishment. She was already asleep. Sleep had overcome her when she had finished undressing, and she was reposing in the charming att.i.tude of one of t.i.tian"s women.
It seemed as if she had lain down from sheer fatigue in order to take off her stockings, for they were lying on the bed. Then she had thought of something pleasant, no doubt, for she had waited to finish her reverie before moving, and then, closing her eyes, she had lost consciousness. A nightgown, embroidered about the neck such as one buys in cheap ready-made shops, was lying on the chair.
She was charming, young, firm and fresh.
There is nothing prettier than a pretty woman asleep, and in a moment, seeing her thus in all her nave charms, I was going to forget my friend"s prudent counsels, but, suddenly turning to the toilet-table, I saw everything in the same state as I left it, and I sat down, anxious, and a prey to irresolution.
I remained thus for a long time, not able to make up my mind either what to do. Retreat was impossible, and I must either pa.s.s the night on a chair, or go to bed myself at my own risk and peril.
I had no thoughts of sleeping either here or there, for my head was too excited and my eyes too occupied.
I moved about without stopping, feverish uncomfortable, enervated. Then I began to reason with myself, certainly with a view to capitulation.
"If I lie down that does not bind me to anything, and I shall certainly be more comfortable on a mattress than on a chair."
I undressed slowly, and then, stepping over the sleeping girl, I stretched myself out against the wall, turning my back on temptation.
In this position I remained for a long time without going to sleep, when suddenly my neighbor woke up. She opened her eyes with astonishment, and still with that discontented look in them; then, perceiving that she was undressed, she got up, and calmly put on her nightgown with as much indifference as if I had not been present.
Returning, she did not trouble herself at all about me, and immediately went quietly to sleep again with her head resting on her right arm.
As for me, I began to meditate on human weakness and fatuity, and then I went to sleep also.
She got up early, like a woman who is used to work in the morning. She woke me up by doing so, and I watched her through my half-closed eyelids.
She came and went without hurrying herself, as if she were astonished at having nothing to do. At length she went to the toilet-table, and in a moment she emptied all the scent that remained in my bottles. She certainly also used some water, but very little.
When she was quite dressed, she sat down on her box again, and holding one knee between her hands, she seemed to be thinking.