“But sometimes they succeed.”
“Do they? Not when they live in gardens.”
He laughed for the first time since they had been together, and all his face was covered with a network of little moving lines.
“One should never live in a garden, Madame.”
“I will try to take your word for it, but the task will be difficult.”
“Yes? More difficult, perhaps, when you see what lies beside my thoughts of truth.”
As he spoke they came out from the tunnel and were seized by the fierce hands of the sun. It was within half an hour of noon, and the radiance was blinding. Domini put up her parasol sharply, like one startled. She stopped.
“But how tremendous!” she exclaimed.
Count Anteoni laughed again, and drew down the brim of his grey hat over his eyes. The hand with which he did it was almost as burnt as an Arab’s.
“You are afraid of it?”