We had a passionate argument, and I declared I would never see her again.
In the heat of my displeasure I left Florence, and I kept my vow. I
never saw her again."
"You couldn't have been much in love with her," said Stanmer.
"I was not--three months after."
"If you had been you would have come back--three days after."
"So doubtless it seems to you. All I can say is that it was the great
effort of my life. Being a military man, I have had on various occasions
to face time enemy. But it was not then I needed my resolution; it was
when I left Florence in a post-chaise."
Stanmer turned about the room two or three times, and then he said: "I
don't understand! I don't understand why she should have told you that
Camerino had killed her husband. It could only damage her."
"She was afraid it would damage her more that I should think he was her
lover. She wished to say the thing that would most effectually persuade
me that he was not her lover--that he could never be. And then she
wished to get the credit of being very frank."
"Good heavens, how you must have analysed her!" cried my companion,
staring.
"There is nothing so analytic as disillusionment. But there it is. She
married Camerino."
"Yes, I don't lime that," said Stanmer.
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