“Well, serve it, and announce it to the count.”
Guilo did so. When I went to dinner, my guest had preceded me: he looked very thoughtful. When I said that we must excuse Monsieur de Serval, he having been called away by a matter of business, his face clouded; but it passed quickly away, and he was as entertaining as usual.
That night, after I had retired to rest, the clattering of horses’ hoofs sounded on the valley road; they neared the house; now they were beneath my window; then stopped: then I heard the stamping of heavy boots, and loud voices in the hall; then I distinguished Rinaldo’s piquant voice—for he had a bright voice, soft and cheering; and next I heard him enter his own room. Satisfied that he had returned safe, I composed myself to sleep, wondering what this mystery could mean,—longing to ask, yet restrained by pride.
Next day Rinaldo appeared to have recovered himself entirely from his temporary agitation, and I ventured to inquire, indirectly, the cause of his sudden journey. He carelessly replied, that it was a small matter of business which demanded his presence, and avoided the subject. I was not satisfied, however; I knew better; but I also waived the subject, as I could elicit nothing by questions.
A fortnight of dubious calm succeeded. Three gentlemen of the neighborhood, my husband’s friends, came to visit him. The same old scenes of riot and late hours were enacted over again; but I observed that the count avoided, as far as was consistent with politeness, all participation in these midnight revels, and often retired early to his chamber to avoid them. This added to his attractions in my eyes; and meeting me one evening, as I was gliding past the banquet-hall,—whence I heard the drunken revels, the noisy songs and clamorous uproar of my husband and his friends,—he came to my side, and, quietly placing my arm in his, silently conducted me to my salon, closed the door, to shut out those noisy sounds, drew my fauteuil to the fire, then placed another for himself, and looking at me very sadly, said in mournful tones:
“This behaviour of your husband is very distressing to you, I know.”
“Yes, it saddens me much to see him wasting his life in such dissipations.”
“Has he always led this sort of life since he married you?”
“The first months of our wedded life we spent happily. He acted differently then.”
“Rinaldo always was very wild, very unprincipled in his views of women, yet the first day or two of my arrival here, I confidently thought you had reformed him.”