Adventures in the south, Volume 4e—­Milan

The rare unabridged London edition of 1894 translated by Arthur Machen to which has been added the chapters discovered by Arthur Symons.

MILAN

CHAPTER XVIII

I Give up Agatha to Lord Percy—­I Set out for Milan—­The Actress at Pavia—­Countess A * * * B * * *—­Disappointment—­Marquis Triulzi—­Zenobia—­The Two Marchionesses Q * * *—­The Venetian Barbaro

Far from punishing the Corticelli by making her live with Redegonde, the Count d’Aglie seemed to have encouraged her; and I was not sorry for it, since as long as she did not trouble me any more I did not care how many lovers she had.  She had become a great friend of Redegonde’s, and did exactly as she pleased, for their duenna was much more easy going than the Pacienza.

Nobody knew of the trick which Lord Percy had played me, and I took care to say nothing about it.  However, he did not give up his designs on Agatha, his passion for her was too violent.  He hit upon an ingenious method for carrying out his plans.  I have already said that Percy was very rich, and spent his money wildly, not caring at what expenditure he gratified his passion.  I was the last person to reproach him for his extravagance, and in a country where money is always scarce his guineas opened every door to him.

Four or five days after the ball night, Agatha came to tell me that the manager of the Alexandria Theatre had asked her if she would take the part of second dancer throughout the carnival time.

“He offered me sixty sequins,” she added, “and I told him I would let him know by to-morrow.  Do you advise me to accept his offer?”

“If you love me, dearest Agatha, you will prove it by refusing all engagements for a year.  You know I will let you want for nothing.

“I will get you the best masters, and in that time you can perfect your dancing, and will be able to ask for a first-class appointment, with a salary of five hundred sequins a year.”

“Mamma thinks that I should accept the offer, as the dancing on the stage will improve my style, and I can study under a good master all the same.  I think myself that dancing in public would do me good.”

“There is reason in what you say, but you do not need the sixty sequins.  You will dishonour me by accepting such a poor offer, and you will do yourself harm too, as you will not be able to ask for a good salary after taking such a small one.”

“But sixty sequins is not so bad for a carnival engagement.”

“But you don’t want sixty sequins; you can have them without dancing at all.  If you love me, I repeat, you will tell the manager that you are going to rest for a year.”