Chapter ii.
Corrine was prevented by the crowd from making any answer to LordNelville. They were going to the supper room, and each _cavaliereservente_ was hastening to seat himself by the side of his partner. Astrange lady entered when all the seats were occupied, and no gentleman,except Lord Nelville and Count d'Erfeuil, made her an offer of his. Thiswas not the effect of impoliteness or of egotism; but the idea which thegreat Roman lords entertain of honour and duty, is not to stir one step,nor be absent one moment from their ladies. Some who were unable to findseats, stood behind the chairs of their mistresses, ready to wait uponthem at the least signal. The ladies only conversed with their gallants;strangers wandered unnoticed about the circle; for the ladies in Italyare unacquainted with coquetry, nor does any vain triumph of self-loveever introduce itself into their tender attachments. They have no desireto please any other than him who possesses their affection; you cannever engage their minds before you have interested their hearts orpleased their eyes, and frequently the most sudden beginnings of passionare followed by a sincere devotion, and even a very long constancy. InItaly, infidelity is more severely condemned in man than in woman. Threeor four gentlemen, under different titles, are followers of the samelady, who leads them about with her, often without even concerningherself to mention their names to the master of the house who receivesthem. One is the favoured suitor--the other he who aspires to be so--athird is called the sufferer (_il patito_); this latter is absolutelydisdained, but nevertheless, permitted to continue his adoration; andall these rivals live peaceably together. The use of the poignard nowonly survives among the common people. There is in this country awhimsical mixture of simplicity and depravity, dissimulation and truth,sincerity and revenge, weakness and resolution, which can only beexplained by constant observation; the reason being that their goodqualities proceed from the fact that nothing is done from vanity, andtheir bad ones from the fact that they will do a great deal forinterest, whether that interest be allied to love, to ambition, or tofortune.
Distinctions of rank have in general little effect in Italy; this is notfrom philosophy, but their facility of character and familiarity ofmanners. This accounts for the little influence of aristocraticprejudices amongst them; for as society does not pretend to judge ofanything, it embraces the opinions of all.
After supper the company betook themselves to play. Some ladiespreferred the game of hazard, whilst others chose the silent one ofwhist; and not a word was heard pronounced in that room which so latelywas filled with noise. The inhabitants of the south often pass from thegreatest agitation to the most profound repose: another contrasted partof their character is indolence united to the most unwearied activity.In any individual instance among these people, we must beware of judgingupon a first observation, since we find in them the most oppositequalities: if at one moment they are prudent, perhaps in the next theyshow themselves the boldest of men; if they appear indolent, it is onlybecause they are reposing after some exertion, or preparing for another:their soul loses none of its force in society, but is most probablyconcentrating all its energies for decisive circumstances.
In this Roman assembly of which Oswald and Corinne formed a part, therewere men who lost enormous sums at play, without betraying in theircountenances the slightest emotion. Had these men been relating somefacts of trifling importance, they would have exhibited the most livelyexpression and the most animated gestures; but when their passionsarrive at a certain pitch of violence, they dread the eye ofobservation, and nearly always conceal them beneath a veil of silenceand apparent apathy.
The scene of the ball was impressed upon Lord Nelville's memory,associated with bitter resentment; for he feared that the enthusiasm ofthe Italians had, at least for a moment, robbed him of the affection ofCorinne. This rendered him very unhappy; but pride whispered him toconceal it, or discover it only by expressing contempt for the suffragesof those who had flattered the dazzling accomplishments of his mistress.He was invited by the company to make one at play, but he refused.Corinne did the same, and motioned him to come and sit down by her.Oswald expressed himself uneasy, lest he should expose Corinne toobservation by thus passing the whole evening with her in company. "Makeyourself easy on that score," said she, "nobody will trouble their headswith us: it is the custom here for people to do as they please incompany; we have no established, ceremonious forms to lay one anotherunder an unpleasant restraint, nor do we exact any formal attention; ageneral polite disposition is all that is expected. This is not,certainly, a country where liberty exists such as you understand theterm in England; but we enjoy here a perfect independence in society.""That is to say," replied Oswald, "you show a complete disregard formanners." "At least," interrupted Corinne, "we show no hypocrisy. M. dela Rochefoucault has said, '_coquetry is the least of a woman'sdefects_': in truth, whatever may be the faults of women in Italy, theydo not seek to hide them by dissimulation. And if the sacredness ofmarriage be not here sufficiently respected, it is at least with theconsent of both parties."
"It is not from sincerity that this kind of frankness proceeds," repliedOswald, "but from indifference to public opinion. When I arrived here, Ihad a letter of recommendation to a princess, which I gave to my Italianservant to deliver; he said to me, '_Sir, it will be of no use todeliver this letter now, for the princess sees nobody; she is_INAMORATA;' and this state of being _in love_, is announced with as muchindifference as any other situation incidental to our existence. Thispublicity cannot be palliated by the plea of extraordinary vehemence ofpassion; several attachments of this sort succeed each other, and are ofequal notoriety. So little are women given to mystery in this respect,that they avow their connections with less embarrassment than those ofour country would feel in speaking of their husbands. It is easy tobelieve that no profound or delicate sentiment is mixed with thissensibility of passion, divested of modesty. Hence it happens that inthis nation, where nothing is thought of but love, there is not a singleromance; because love is here so rapid and so public that it affords nointeresting developments; and to give a true picture of general mannersin this respect, it would be necessary to begin and terminate it in thefirst page. Pardon me, Corinne," cried Lord Nelville, observing the painthat he gave her; "you are an Italian, and that thought ought to disarmme; but one of the causes of that incomparable grace which distinguishesyou, is the union of all the characteristic charms of different nations.I know not in what country you have been brought up; but it appears tome certain, that you have not passed your whole life in Italy--perhapsin England itself--Ah, Corinne! if that were so, how could you havequitted that sanctuary of modesty and delicacy, for these regions,where not only virtue, but love itself, is so badly understood? It isbreathed in the air; but does it penetrate the heart? Your poetry, inwhich love performs so principal a part, possesses considerable grace,and much imagination; it is ornamented with brilliant pictures, whosecolours are lively and voluptuous. But where will you find that tender,melancholy sentiment, which animates our poetry? What have you that canbe put in comparison with the scene between Belvidera and her husband,in OTWAY; or with that in SHAKESPEARE, between Romeo and Juliet? Butabove all, what have you to compare with those admirable lines ofTHOMSON, in his 'Spring,' where he paints in such noble and affectingtraits, the happiness of love, when sanctioned by marriage? Have you anysuch marriage in Italy? And can love exist where there is no domesticfelicity? Is it not this happiness which the heart seeks, as possessionis the object of sensual passion? Do not all young and beautiful womenresemble each other, unless the qualities of the mind and soul determinea preference? And what desire is excited by all these qualities?Marriage. That is to say, the association of every thought, and of everysentiment. Illicit love, when unfortunately it exists amongst us, is, ifit may be so expressed, only a reflection of marriage. In suchconnections, that happiness is sought for, which the wanderer cannotfind at home; and infidelity itself is more moral in England thanmarriage in Italy."
These words were hard: they deeply wound
ed the sensibility of Corinne;who, rising immediately, her eyes filled with tears, quitted the roomand returned directly home. Oswald was distracted at having offendedher; but it was the irritation of his mind, occasioned by the impressionshe made in the ball, which had betrayed itself in the remarks that hadjust escaped him. He followed her to her abode; but she refused to seehim. He called again the next morning, but in vain: her door was closedagainst him. This protracted refusal to receive Lord Nelville, was notagreeable to the disposition of Corinne; but she was painfully afflictedat the opinion he had expressed of the Italian women; and this veryopinion induced her to form a determination of concealing, for thefuture, if possible, the sentiment that preyed on her heart.
Oswald, on his side, found, in this instance, that the behaviour ofCorinne was not consistent with her natural simplicity, and he becameconfirmed more and more in the discontent with which the ball hadinspired him; and a disposition of mind was excited from thesecircumstances, capable of struggling against the passion whose empire hedreaded. His principles were rigid, and the mystery which enveloped thepast life of her whom he loved, afflicted him intensely. The manners ofCorinne appeared to him most fascinating, but sometimes too muchanimated by the universal desire of pleasing. He discovered muchnobleness and reserve in her conversation and deportment; but she seemedto indulge in too much latitude of opinion. In fact, Oswald was acaptivated man, hurried away by the passion he felt for his accomplishedmistress, but cherishing in his breast an opponent which combated hisfeelings. Such a situation of mind is frequently attended with muchbitterness. We are dissatisfied with ourselves, and with others. Wesuffer, and feel at the same time that our suffering ought to increase,or at least terminate in a violent explanation, by which one of thosetwo sentiments that lacerate the heart must obtain a complete triumph.
It was in such a state of mind as this that Lord Nelville wrote toCorinne. His letter was harsh and ungentlemanly. He felt this; butvarious confused emotions impelled him to send it: he was rendered sowretched by these internal conflicts, that he wished, at all hazards,for some circumstance or other to terminate them.
A report, which had just been communicated to him by the Countd'Erfeuil, though he did not give credence to it, contributed perhaps togive more asperity to his expressions. It was noised about Rome, thatCorinne was about to marry the Prince Amalfi. Oswald knew very well thatshe did not love him, and of course concluded that the events of theball afforded the only foundation for such a report; but he wasconvinced that she had been at home to the Prince on the morning when hehimself was refused admission; and too proud to discover the slightestsentiment of jealousy, he satisfied his discontent by denigrating thenation, for which he beheld with so much pain, Corinne's predilection.