He agreed with me that the position was unusual, but affirmed with energy that he had truly stated it so far as he was concerned.  “I owe you, sir,” he said, “the dearest thing a lad can possess, which is his self-respect restored, his courage reborn.  In the light of your approbation I can face even my miserable trade and hope to grow up as I should.  If you cast me off I am undone——­“after which, as I made no immediate reply, with a pretty gesture, as of a girl wheedling for a favour, he touched my cheek with his hand and begged me to take him with me to Arezzo.  I told him I would consider of it; but made no promise.

CHAPTER XXXVI

MY UNREHEARSED EFFECT AND ITS MIDNIGHT SEQUEL

I do not know whether any other man in the world has been so unfortunate as I in making resolutions and finding opportunities to break them, but I am persuaded none can have made more abundant use of his occasions.  My only consolation is that my performances have been exemplary, since punishment has ever followed hot-foot upon the offence.

Let it be observed that on the eve of my public appearance upon the scene in Siena with the rest of the company, I was resolved, and had fortified myself with a solemn vow to the Madonna of Provenzano, to return to Virginia’s side and act, if I did not feel, the part of her faithful and assiduous husband.  Never mind whether I believed this to be due to Aurelia, and that it was the strongest testimony I could give her of my love—­this did not, in my opinion, make me disloyal to my wife, because the very act of pleasing her involved the putting out of mind that dear mistress of my heart.  My resolution was indeed my final offering at the shrine of mystical love; it was to be an act comparable with Dante’s—­who, loving Beatrice, married Germma Donati, and proved the reality of his tie by making her the mother of many children.  It will readily be believed, I suppose, that so fine a proposition made me enthusiastic, that I was impatient for the moment when I could put it into practice, recover Virginia, press her to my bosom and cherish her as so beautiful and loving a girl deserved to be cherished; but it must be almost incredible to every reader of my book that in one moment I could not only quench my own fire, but make it impossible to light it again.  This, however, is the plain state of the case.

In honour of the Grand Duke’s birthday a great many festivities were preparing in Siena.  The city was full of visitors, for a Palio was to be run in the Campo, the Cardinal Archbishop of Florence was to celebrate pontifically in the cathedral, and our company of actors—­not because it was the best, but as being the only one available—­was commanded to perform in the theatre before the Podesta, the Gonfalonier and Senate, and all the representatives of Government, of the university, and of the garrison.  The whole of the boxes was bespoken, and our manager was given to understand that his expenses for this night were guaranteed.  As we had so far had very indifferent houses, it may be gathered that he looked upon this as the occasion of his lifetime.  We were put into vigorous rehearsal, and worked most of the day, besides playing at night.  We were to give the Artaserse, a tragedy of extreme length and magniloquence, and conclude with the Donne Furlane.