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Left alone； the signora rapidly resumed her usual dress； and the directors' carriage took her back to the hotel where she had stayed since arriving in London。 On entering her salon she found Sallenauve； who had preceded her。
〃You in London； monsieur！〃 she said； 〃it is like a dream！〃
〃Especially to me；〃 replied Sallenauve； 〃who find you here； after searching hopelessly for you in Paris〃
〃Did you take that pains？why？〃
〃You left me in so strange a manner； and your nature is so rash； you knew so little of Paris； and so many dangers might threaten your inexperience； that I feared for you。〃
〃Suppose harm did happen to me； I was neither your wife； nor your sister； nor your mistress； I was only your〃
〃I thought；〃 said Sallenauve； hastily； 〃that you were my friend。〃
〃I wasunder obligation to you；〃 she replied。 〃I saw that I was becoming an embarrassment in your new situation。 What else could I do but release you from it？〃
〃Who told you that you were an embarrassment to me？ Have I ever said or intimated anything of the kind？ Could I not speak to you； as I did； about your professional life without wounding so deeply your sensibility？〃
〃People feel things as they feel them；〃 replied Luigia。 〃I had the inward consciousness that you would rather I were out of your house than in it。 My future you had already given me the means to secure； you see for yourself it is opening in a manner that ought to reassure you。〃
〃It seems to me so brilliant that I hope you will not think me indiscreet if I ask whose hand； more fortunate than mine； has produced this happy result。〃
〃That of a great Swedish nobleman；〃 replied Luigia； without hesitation。 〃Or rather； I should say； as the friend of a lady who took an interest in me； he procured me an engagement at Her Majesty's Theatre； the kind encouragement of the public has done the rest。〃
〃Say； rather； your own talent； I was present at the performance this evening。〃
Making him a coquettish courtesy； Luigia said；
〃I hope you were satisfied with your humble servant。〃
〃Your musical powers did not surprise me； for those I knew already； but those transports of dramatic passion； your powerful acting； so sure of itself； did certainly astonish me。〃
〃It comes from having suffered much；〃 replied Luigia； 〃suffering is a great teacher。〃
〃Suffered？ Yes； I know you did； in Italy。 But I have liked to feel that after your arrival in France〃
〃Always； I have always suffered；〃 she said in a voice of emotion。 〃I was not born under a happy star。〃
〃That 'always' seems like a reproach to me；〃 said Sallenauve； 〃and yet I do not know what wrong I can have done you。〃
〃You have done me no wrong； the harm was there！〃 she cried； striking her breast；〃within me！〃
〃Probably some foolish fancy； such as that of leaving my house suddenly； because your mistaken sense of honor made you think yourself in my way。〃
〃Not mistaken；〃 she replied。 〃I know what was in your thoughts。 If only on account of what you had done for me； I knew I could never aspire to your esteem。〃
〃But； my dear Luigia； I call such ideas absurd。 Have I ever shown you any want of consideration？ How could I？ Your conduct has always been exemplary。〃
〃Yes； I tried to do everything that would give you a good opinion of me； but I was none the less the widow of Benedetto。〃
〃What！ can you suppose that that misfortune； the result of a just vengeance〃
〃Ah！ no； it is not the death of that man that lowered me in your eyes； on the contrary。 But I had been the wife of a buffoon； of a police… spy； of a base man； ready to sell me to any one who would give him money。〃
〃As long as that situation lasted； I thought you deeply to be pitied； but despised； never！〃
〃And；〃 continued the Italian； more excitedly； 〃we had lived two years under the same roof； you and I alone。〃
〃Yes； and I found my comfort in it。〃
〃Did you think me ugly？〃
〃You know better than that； for I made my finest statue from you。〃
〃Foolish？〃
〃No one was ever foolish who could act such a part as you did to…night。〃
〃Then you must see that you despised me。〃
Sallenauve seemed wholly surprised by this deduction； he thought himself very clever in replying；
〃It seems to me that if I had behaved to you in any other manner you would have the right to say that I despised you。〃
But he had to do with a woman who in everything； in her friendships； her hatreds； her actions； as in her words； went straight to her point。 As if she feared not to be fully understood； she went on：
〃To…day； monsieur； I can tell you all； for I speak of the past； the future has opened before me； as you see。 From the day you were good to me and by your generous protection I escaped an infamous outrage； my heart has been wholly yours。〃
Sallenauve； who had never suspected that feeling； and； above all； was unable to understand how so artlessly crude an avowal of it could be made； knew not what to answer。
〃I am not ignorant；〃 continued the strange woman； 〃that I should have difficulty in rising from the degradation in which I appeared to you at our first meeting。 If； at the time you consented to take me with you to Paris； I had seen you incline to treat me with gallantry； had you shown any sign of turning to your profit the dangerous situation in which I had placed myself； my heart would instantly have retired； you would have seemed to me an ordinary man〃
〃So；〃 remarked Sallenauve； 〃to love you would have been insulting； not to love you was cruel！ What sort of woman are you； that either way you are displeased？〃
〃You ought not to have loved me；〃 she replied； 〃while the mud was still on my skirts and you scarcely knew me； because then your love would have been the love of the eyes and not of the soul。 But when； after two years passed beside you； you had seen by my conduct that I was an honorable woman； when； without ever accepting a pleasure； I devoted myself to the care of the house and your comfort without other relaxation than the study of my art； and when； above all； I sacrificed to you that modesty you had seen me defend with such energy；then you were cruel not to comprehend； and never； never will your imagination tell you what I have suffered； and all the tears you have made me shed。〃
〃But； my dear Luigia； I was your host； and even had I suspected what you now reveal to me； my duty as an honorable man would have commanded me to see nothing of it； and to take no advantage of you。〃
〃Ah！ that is not the reason； it is simpler than that。 You saw nothing because your fancy turned elsewhere。〃
〃Well； and if it were so？〃
〃It ought not to be so；〃 replied Luigia； vehemently。 〃That woman is not free； she has a husband and children； and though you did make a saint of her； I presume to say； ridiculous as it may seem； that she is not worth me！〃
Sallenauve could not help smiling； but he answered very seriously；
〃You are totally mistaken as to your rival。 Madame de l'Estorade was never anything to me but a model； without other value than the fact that she resembled another woman。 That one I knew in Rome before I knew you。 She had beauty； youth； and a glorious inclination for art。 To…day she is confined in a convent； like you； she has paid her tribute t