The Viceroys Read Online Free PDF Page B

on a stool, with his legs dangling, was swinging them to and fro, staring in the air with his mouth open. In the corner of a sofa, apart, Lucrezia was crouched, dry-eyed.
    ‘But how did it happen, all so suddenly?’ Don Mariano kept on asking.
    The princess flung out her arms and said:
    ‘I don’t know … I don’t understand … Salvatore just came from the Belvedere with a note from Signor Marco … there on that table, look at it … Giacomino left at once.’ Then in a low voice, turning to Don Mariano as the other read the note, she added, ‘Lucrezia wanted to go too, but her brother said no … What could she have done there?’
    ‘Just made more confusion!… the prince was right …’
    ‘Not a thing!’ announced Don Giacinto, after reading the note, ‘it doesn’t explain a thing! Have the others been told?… Cables been sent?…’
    ‘I don’t know … Baldassarre …’
    ‘What a death, all alone, without a child or relation near her!’ exclaimed Don Mariano, unable to take it all in; but Don Giacinto continued:
    ‘It’s not their fault, poor things!… They’ve clear consciences.’
    ‘If she’d wanted us …’ began the princess timidly, in a lower voice. Then, almost as if frightened, she did not end the phrase.
    Don Mariano drew a sad sigh and went up to the girl.
    ‘Poor Lucrezia! What a tragedy!… You’re right!… But take heart! Courage!…’
    She, who was sitting staring at the floor and tapping a foot, raised her head with a bemused look as if not understanding. Then, a clatter was heard of carriages entering the courtyard, and Don Mariano and Don Giacinto began exclaiming in turns:
    ‘What an irreparable disaster!’
    In came the Marchesa Chiara with her husband, and also Cousin Graziella.
    ‘Lucrezia, your mama!… sister!… cousin!…’
    On their heels was Aunt Ferdinanda, whose hands the women kissed, murmuring:
    ‘Excellency!… You’ve heard?…’
    The gaunt old spinster nodded. Sobbing, Chiara embraced Lucrezia, the marchese gave the two hangers-on a subdued greeting; but Donna Graziella was most moved of all:
    ‘It just doesn’t seem true!… I just couldn’t believe it! To die like that!… What about poor Giacomo? They say he rushed straight off up there?… Poor cousin!… If only he’d been in time to close her eyes!… What sorrow for him not to have been in time to see her again!…’ Hearing Chiara sobbing on her sister Lucrezia’s bosom, she exclaimed, ‘That’s right, let yourself go, my poor child! One has only one mother!…’
    So sorrow-struck did she seem by her cousins’ tragedy as even to forget that the dead woman was her own mother’s sister. Proffering help to the princess, she drew her aside and said:
    ‘D’you need anything?… Would you like me to give a hand?… How’s my goddaughter?… What message did my cousin leave?…’
    ‘I don’t know … He gave Baldassarre orders …’
    Baldassarre in fact was rushing up and down, sending more messengers, seeing those returning from their commissions. All the relations were now told; only the messenger sent to the Benedictines came to say that Father Don Lodovico was about to arrive, but that Father Don Blasco was not in the monastery.
    ‘Go to the Cigar-woman’s … he’ll be with her at this time of day … Hurry up, tell ‘im his sister-in-law’s dead.’
    Don Lodovico arrived in the San Nicola carriage. In the Yellow Drawing-room all rose at the appearance of the Prior. Chiara and Lucrezia went towards him, each took one of his hands, and the marchesa fell on her knees and burst out with:
    ‘Lodovico!… Lodovico!… Our poor mama.’
    All were silent, looking at that group. Cousin Graziella with red eyes was murmuring:
    ‘It tears the heart-strings!’
    The Prior bent over his sister, raised her without looking her in the face, and in the general silence broken by short repressed sobs, said, raising dry eyes to heaven:
    ‘The Lord