The Sisters Rondoli, and Other Stories. Guy de Maupassant
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which looked like a living jewel on the forehead of the sleeping woman.
"The Italian awoke about eleven o'clock, with the bright insect still in her hair. When I saw her move, I said: 'We are just getting to Genoa, Madame,' and she murmured, without answering me, as if possessed by some obstinate and embarrassing thought:
"'What am I going to do, I wonder?'
"And then she suddenly asked:
"'Would you like me to come with you?'
"I was so taken aback that I really did not understand her.
"'With us? What do you mean?'
"She repeated, looking more and more furious:
"'Would you like me to go with you now, as soon as we get out of the train?'
"'I am quite willing; but where do you want to go to? Where shall I take you to?'
"She shrugged her shoulders with an air of supreme indifference.
"'Wherever you like; what does it matter to me?' She repeated her 'Che mi fa?' twice.
"'But we are going to the hotel.'
"'Very well, let us all go to the hotel,' she said, in a contemptuous voice.
"I turned to Paul, and said:
"'She wants to know if we should like her to come with us.'
"My friend's utter surprise restored my self-possession. He stammered:
"'With us? Where to? What for? How?'
"'I don't know, but she made this strange proposal to me in a most irritable voice. I told her that we were going to the hotel, and she said: 'Very well, let us all go there!' I suppose she is without a half-penny. She certainly has a very strange way of making acquaintances.'
"Paul, who was very much excited, exclaimed:
"'I am quite agreeable. Tell her that we will take her wherever she likes.' Then, after a moment's hesitation, he said uneasily:
"'We must know, however, with whom she wants to go—with you or with me?'
"I turned to the Italian, who did not even seem to be listening to us, and said:
"'We shall be very happy to take you with us, but my friend wants to know whether you will take my arm or his?'
"She opened her black eyes wide with vague surprise, and said, 'Che mi fa?'
"I was obliged to explain myself. 'In Italy, I believe when a man looks after a woman, fulfills all her wishes, and satisfies all her caprices, he is called a patito. Which of us two will you take for your patito?'
"Without the slightest hesitation she replied:
"'You!'
"I turned to Paul. 'You see, my friend, she chooses me; you have no luck.'
"'All the better for you,' he replied, in a rage. Then, after thinking for a few moments, he went on:
"'Do you really care about taking this creature with you? She will spoil our journey. What are we to do with this woman, who looks like I don't know what? They will not take us in at any decent hotel.'
"I, however, was just beginning to find the Italian much nicer than I had thought her at first, and I was now very anxious to take her with us. The idea delighted me. I already felt those little shivers which the expectation of a night of love sends through the veins.
"I replied, 'My dear fellow, we have accepted, and it is too late to recede. You were the first to advise me to say 'Yes.'
"'It is very stupid,' he growled, 'but do as you please.'
"The train whistled, slackened speed, and we ran into the station.
"I got out of the carriage, and offered my new companion my hand. She jumped out lightly, and I gave her my arm, which she took with an air of seeming repugnance. As soon as we had claimed our luggage we started off into the town, Paul walking in complete silence, with a nervous step.
"'To what hotel shall we go?' I asked him. 'It may be difficult to get into the City of Paris Hotel with a woman, especially with this Italian.'
"Paul interrupted me: 'Yes, with an Italian who looks more like a strumpet than a duchess. However, that is no business of mine. Do just as you please.'
"I was in a state of perplexity. I had written to the City of Paris to reserve our rooms, and now I did not know what to do.
"Two commissionnaires followed us with our luggage. I continued: 'You might as well go first, and say that we are coming; and give the landlord to understand that I have a—a friend with me, so that we should like rooms quite by themselves for us three, so as not to be brought in contact with other travellers. He will understand, and we will decide according to his answer.'
"But Paul growled, 'Thank you; such commissions and such a rôle do not suit me by any means. I did not come here to get ready your apartments or to minister to your pleasures.'
"But I was insistent: 'Look here, don't, be angry. It is surely far better to go to a good hotel than to a bad one, and it is not difficult to ask the landlord for three separate bedrooms and a dining-room.'
"I put a stress on three, and that decided him.
"He went on first, and I saw him enter the great doorway of a fine hotel, while I remained on the other side of the street dragging along my Italian who did not say a word, and followed by the porters with the luggage.
"Paul came back at last, looking as dissatisfied as my companion.
"'That is settled,' he said, 'and they will take us in; but there are only two bedrooms. You must settle it as you can.'
"I followed him, rather ashamed of going in with such a strange companion.
"There were two bedrooms separated by a small sitting-room. I ordered a cold supper, and then I turned to the Italian with a perplexed look.
"'We have only been able to get two rooms, so you must choose which you like.'
"She replied with her eternal 'Che mi fa?' I thereupon took up her little black wooden box, just like those which servants use, and took it into the room on the right, which I had chosen for her—for us. A bit of paper was fastened on to the box, on which was written, 'Mademoiselle Francesca Rondoli, Genoa.'
"'Your name is Francesca?' I asked, and she nodded her head, without replying.
"'We shall have supper directly,' I continued. 'Meanwhile, I daresay you would like to freshen yourself up a bit!'
"She answered with a 'mica,' a phrase which she employed just as frequently as 'Che mi fa,' but I went on: 'It is always pleasant after a journey.'
"Then I suddenly remembered that she had not, perhaps, the necessary objects, for she appeared to me in a very singular position, as if she had just escaped from some disagreeable adventure, and I brought her my dressing-case.
"I put out all the little instruments for cleanliness and comfort which it contained: a nailbrush, a new toothbrush—for I always carry a selection of them about with me—my nail-scissors, a nail-file, and sponges. I uncorked a bottle of Eau de Cologne, one of lavender-water, and a little bottle of new-mown hay, so that she might have a choice. Then I opened my powder-box, and put out the powder-puff, put my fine towels over the water-jug, and placed a piece of new soap near the basin.
"She watched my movements with a vexed look in her wide-open eyes, without appearing either surprised or pleased by my forethought.
"Here is all that you require, I then said; 'I will tell you when supper is ready.'
"When I returned to the sitting-room I found that Paul had taken possession of the other room, and had shut himself in, so I sat down to wait.
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