by Pierre Louys
The inexhaustible heat of the south wind, more voluptuous than ever at this already nocturnal hour, intoxicated him.
As he paused, with his eyes nearly closed, to enjoy the thrill of this novel sensation, a carriage coming the other way went past him, and then pulled up abruptly.
He moved forward: someone was speaking to him.
“I’m a little bit late,” murmured a voice. “But you’re kind, and you’ve waited for me. O handsome stranger – you attract me; but ought I to put my trust in you on this dark, deserted road? Ah, Lord! You see, I really don’t feel like dying this evening!”
André threw her a glance that took in an entire destiny. Then, suddenly turning very pale, he climbed into the empty seat beside her.
The carriage drove away, deep into the countryside, until it came to a small green house that stood in the shade of three olive trees. The horses were unharnessed. They slept. Next day, towards three o’clock, they were harnessed up again, and the carriage set off for Seville, drawing up outside number 22, Plaza del Triunfo.
Concha was the first to alight. André followed. They went in together.
“Rosalia!” she called out to a chambermaid, “Pack my bags, quickly! I’m leaving for Paris.”
“A gentleman called to see you this morning, ma’am, and was most insistent that he be let in. I don’t know who he is, ma’am, but he said that he was an old acquaintance, and that he’d be extremely happy if you’d deign to receive his visit, ma’am.”
“Did he leave his card?”
“No, ma’am.”
But just then a servant appeared, bearing a letter, and André later learned that it ran as follows:
‘My darling Conchita, I forgive you. I cannot live where you are not. Now I’m the one who’s down on his knees, beseeching you to come back.
I kiss your bare feet.
MATEO.’
Seville, 1896.
Naples, 1898.
COPYRIGHT
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Publishing History
First published in France in 1898
First published by Dedalus in 1999
First ebook edition in 2012
Translation copyright © Jeremy Moore 1999
The right of Jeremy Moore to be identified as the translator of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
Printed in Finland by W. S. Bookwell
Typeset by RefineCatch Ltd, Bungay, Suffolk
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