Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/248

 show, then, offering an oak chair to Capuzzi, he hastened to fill, before him, a fine agate cup, in which sparkled the precious liquor that he was proud to offer to his new guest. The eyes of Marianna's tyrant shone like carbuncles at the sight of the generous wine poured out for him by the artist. He slowly bent his head, as if to collect himself whilst discussing this exquisite beverage; then raising his eyes, long hidden beneath his withered eyelids, he several times caressed his long grey moustache, murmuring, in a low voice:—"Divine! Perfect! Admirable!" Without its being possible for those present to guess if this too strange personage gave his opinion of the Syracuse juice, or Salvator's painting.

Salvator took this opportunity to attack him boldly:

"Have I not heard, my worthy lord, that you possess an admirable niece? Nothing is talked of, in Ripetta street, so much as the charms of Marianna. All those who have seen her become sleepless; and I know that more than one young man of noble race, who has caught cold whilst watching, for a look, a smile from that delicious girl, through the thick glass of the balcony in front of your house."

The old man frowned; his answer was short and awkward: "Indeed," said he, "the young men of our time are troubled with a strange perversity. When their e}es have plotted the dishonor of a poor orphan, there is no seduction which they are not ready to become guilty of. I do not say that for my niece, master Salvator; Marianna is assuredly very pretty; but, after all, we ought still to look upon her as a careless, frolicksome child."

Salvator, in order not to lose ground, changed his proceedings, and had recourse to the flagon of Syracuse before renewing the assault.

"But, at least, my dear signor Capuzzi, you will not refuse to tell me if this niece, whom you prize so highly, this ravishing Marianna, that all Rome is now making the whole subject of their conversations, has light hair, or brown, or even black, and if by chance she is not the admirable original of the pic-