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the exile Francesca。 You； dear； are thirty…two； I am thirty…five；
the dear Duke is seventy…seventhat is to say； ten years more
than yours and mine put together； and he still keeps well！ My
patience is almost as great as my love； and indeed I need a few
years yet to rise to the level of your name。 As you see； I am in
good spirits to…day； I can laugh； that is the effect of hope。
Sadness or gladness； it all comes to me through you。 The hope of
success always carries me back to the day following that one on
which I saw you for the first time； when my life became one with
yours as the earth turns to the light。 /Qual pianto/ are these
eleven years； for this is the 26th of December； the anniversary of
my arrival at your villa on the Lake of Geneva。 For eleven years
have I been crying to you； while you shine like a star set too
high for man to reach it。
〃27th。
〃No； dearest； do not go to Milan； stay at Belgirate。 Milan
terrifies me。 I do not like that odious Milanese fashion of
chatting at the Scala every evening with a dozen persons； among
whom it is hard if no one says something sweet。 To me solitude is
like the lump of amber in whose heart an insect lives for ever in
unchanging beauty。 Thus the heart and soul of a woman remains pure
and unaltered in the form of their first youth。 Is it the
/Tedeschi/ that you regret？
〃28th。
〃Is your statue never to be finished？ I should wish to have you in
marble； in painting； in miniature； in every possible form； to
beguile my impatience。 I still am waiting for the view of
Belgirate from the south； and that of the balcony； these are all
that I now lack。 I am so extremely busy that to…day I can only
write you nothingbut that nothing is everything。 Was it not of
nothing that God made the world？ That nothing is a word； God's
word： I love you！
〃30th。
〃Ah！ I have received your journal。 Thanks for your punctuality。
So you found great pleasure in seeing all the details of our first
acquaintance thus set down？ Alas！ even while disguising them I was
sorely afraid of offending you。 We had no stories； and a /Review/
without stories is a beauty without hair。 Not being inventive by
nature； and in sheer despair； I took the only poetry in my soul；
the only adventure in my memory； and pitched it in the key in
which it would bear telling； nor did I ever cease to think of you
while writing the only literary production that will ever come
from my heart； I cannot say from my pen。 Did not the
transformation of your fierce Sormano into Gina make you laugh？
〃You ask after my health。 Well； it is better than in Paris。 Though
I work enormously； the peacefulness of the surroundings has its
effect on the mind。 What really tries and ages me； dear angel； is
the anguish of mortified vanity； the perpetual friction of Paris
life； the struggle of rival ambitions。 This peace is a balm。
〃If you could imagine the pleasure your letter gives me！the
long； kind letter in which you tell me the most trivial incidents
of your life。 No！ you women can never know to what a degree a true
lover is interested in these trifles。 It was an immense pleasure
to see the pattern of your new dress。 Can it be a matter of
indifference to me to know what you wear？ If your lofty brow is
knit？ If our writers amuse you？ If Canalis' songs delight you？ I
read the books you read。 Even to your boating on the lake every
incident touched me。 Your letter is as lovely； as sweet as your
soul！ Oh！ flower of heaven； perpetually adored； could I have lived
without those dear letters； which for eleven years have upheld me
in my difficult path like a light； like a perfume； like a steady
chant； like some divine nourishment； like everything which can
soothe and comfort life。
〃Do not fail me！ If you knew what anxiety I suffer the day before
they are due； or the pain a day's delay can give me！ Is she ill？
Is /he/？ I am midway between hell and paradise。
〃/O mia cara diva/； keep up your music； exercise your voice；
practise。 I am enchanted with the coincidence of employments and
hours by which； though separated by the Alps； we live by precisely
the same rule。 The thought charms me and gives me courage。 The
first time I undertook to plead hereI forget to tell you thisI
fancied that you were listening to me； and I suddenly felt the
flash of inspiration which lifts the poet above mankind。 If I am
returned to the Chamberoh！ you must come to Paris to be present
at my first appearance there！
〃30th； Evening。
〃Good heavens； how I love you！ Alas！ I have intrusted too much to
my love and my hopes。 An accident which should sink that
overloaded bark would end my life。 For three years now I have not
seen you； and at the thought of going to Belgirate my heart beats
so wildly that I am forced to stop。To see you； to hear that
girlish caressing voice！ To embrace in my gaze that ivory skin；
glistening under the candlelight； and through which I can read
your noble mind！ To admire your fingers playing on the keys； to
drink in your whole soul in a look； in the tone of an /Oime/ or an
/Alberto/！ To walk by the blossoming orange…trees； to live a few
months in the bosom of that glorious scenery！That is life。 What
folly it is to run after power； a name； fortune！ But at Belgirate
there is everything； there is poetry； there is glory！ I ought to
have made myself your steward； or； as that dear tyrant whom we
cannot hate proposed to me； live there as /cavaliere servente/；
only our passion was too fierce to allow of it。
〃Farewell； my angel； forgive me my next fit of sadness in
consideration of this cheerful mood； it has come as a beam of
light from the torch of Hope； which has hitherto seemed to me a
Will…o'…the…wisp。〃
〃How he loves her！〃 cried Rosalie； dropping the letter； which seemed
heavy in her hand。 〃After eleven years to write like this！〃
〃Mariette；〃 said Mademoiselle de Watteville to her maid next morning；
〃go and post this letter。 Tell Jerome that I know all I wish to know；
and that he is to serve Monsieur Albert faithfully。 We will confess
our sins； you and I； without saying to whom the letters belonged； nor
to whom they were going。 I was in the wrong； I alone am guilty。〃
〃Mademoiselle has been crying？〃 said Mariette。
〃Yes； but I do not want that my mother should perceive it； give me
some very cold water。〃
In the midst of the storms of her passion Rosalie often listened to
the voice of conscience。 Touched by the beautiful fidelity of these
two hearts； she had just said her prayers； telling herself that there
was nothing left to her but to be resigned； and to respect the
happiness of two beings worthy of each other； submissive to fate；
looking to God for everything； without allowing themselves any
criminal acts or wishes。 She felt a better woman； and had a certain
sense of satisfaction after coming to this resolution； inspired by the
natural rectitude of youth。 And she was confirmed in it by a girl's
idea： She was sacrificing herself for /him/。
〃She does not know how t