In the magic mirror of the /fattura della morte/ other scenes formed
themselves, were clearly visible for a moment, then dispersed,
dissolved--till scenes of the island came, till the last scene in the
mirror dawned faintly before his eyes.
He saw a dark room, and a woman more desolate than he had been when he
lay alone with the shadow of the palm-tree shifting on his face, and
heard the call to prayer. He saw Hermione in her room in the Casa del
Mare that night, after she knew.
Suddenly he put his hand to his eyes.
Those were the first tears his eyes had known since that evening in
Africa years and years ago.
He laid the death-charm down once more among the silver toys. But he
still looked at it as he sat back now in his chair, waiting for
Gaspare's return.
He gazed at the symbol of death. And he began to think how strangely
appropriate was its presence that night in the Casa del Mare, how
almost more than strange had been its bringing there by Ruffo--if
indeed Ruffo had brought it, as Gaspare declared.
Pages:
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918