'andhecouldnothelplaughing.'iandlove,"hecried,"thatwouldhaveanabsurdlook.howthepublicwouldshout!''certainly,youareinlove,'shecontinued;andaddedwithacomicpathos,'andiamthepersonyouareinlovewith.'yousee,suchathingmaybesaidwhenitisquiteoutofthequestion-and,indeed,pulcinellaburstoutlaughing,andgavealeapintotheair,andhismelancholywasforgotten.

"andyetshehadonlyspokenthetruth.hedidloveher,loveheradoringly,ashelovedwhatwasgreatandloftyinart.atherweddinghewasthemerriestamongtheguests,butinthestillnessofnighthewept:ifthepublichadseenhisdistortedfacethen,theywouldhaveapplaudedrapturously.

"andafewdaysago,columbinedied.onthedayofthefuneral,harlequinwasnotrequiredtoshowhimselfontheboards,forhewasadisconsolatewidower.thedirectorhadtogiveaverymerrypiece,thatthepublicmightnottoopainfullymisstheprettycolumbineandtheagileharlequin.thereforepulcinellahadtobemoreboisterousandextravagantthanever;andhedancedandcapered,withdespairinhisheart;andtheaudienceyelled,andshouted'bravo,bravissimo!'pulcinellawasactuallycalledbeforethecurtain.hewaspronouncedinimitable.

"butlastnightthehideouslittlefellowwentoutofthetown,quitealone,tothedesertedchurchyard.thewreathofflowersoncolumbine'sgravewasalreadyfaded,andhesatdownthere.itwasastudyforapainter.ashesatwithhischinonhishands,hiseyesturneduptowardsme,helookedlikeagrotesquemonument-apunchonagrave-peculiarandwhimsical!ifthepeoplecouldhaveseentheirfavourite,theywouldhavecriedasusual,'bravo,pulcinella;bravo,bravissimo!'"

sixteenthevening

hearwhatthemoontoldme."ihaveseenthecadetwhohadjustbeenmadeanofficerputonhishandsomeuniformforthefirsttime;ihaveseentheyoungbrideinherweddingdress,andtheprincessgirl-wifehappyinhergorgeousrobes;butneverhaveiseenafelicityequaltothatofalittlegirloffouryearsold,whomiwatchedthisevening.shehadreceivedanewbluedress,andanewpinkhat,thesplendidattirehadjustbeenputon,andallwerecallingforacandle,formyrays,shininginthroughthewindowsoftheroom,werenotbrightenoughfortheoccasion,andfurtherilluminationwasrequired.therestoodthelittlemaid,stiffanduprightasadoll,herarmsstretchedpainfullystraightoutawayfromthedress,andherfingersapart;andoh,whathappinessbeamedfromhereyes,andfromherwholecountenance!'to-morrowyoushallgooutinyournewclothes,'saidhermother;andthelittleonelookedupatherhat,anddownatherfrock,andsmiledbrightly.'mother,'shecried,'whatwillthelittledogsthink,whentheyseemeinthesesplendidnewthings?'"

seventeenthevening

"ihavespokentoyouofpompeii,"saidthemoon;"thatcorpseofacity,exposedintheviewoflivingtowns:iknowanothersightstillmorestrange,andthisisnotthecorpse,butthespectreofacity.wheneverthejettyfountainssplashintothemarblebasins,theyseemtometobetellingthestoryofthefloatingcity.yes,thespoutingwatermaytellofher,thewavesoftheseamaysingofherfame!onthesurfaceoftheoceanamistoftenrests,andthatisherwidow'sveil.thebridegroomoftheseaisdead,hispalaceandhiscityarehismausoleum!dostthouknowthiscity?shehasneverheardtherollingofwheelsorthehoof-treadofhorsesinherstreets,throughwhichthefishswim,whiletheblackgondolaglidesspectrallyoverthegreenwater.iwillshowyoutheplace,"continuedthemoon,"thelargestsquareinit,andyouwillfancyyourselftransportedintothecityofafairytale.thegrassgrowsrankamongthebroadflagstones,andinthemorningtwilightthousandsoftamepigeonsflutteraroundthesolitaryloftytower.onthreesidesyoufindyourselfsurroundedbycloisteredwalks.inthesethesilentturksitssmokinghislongpipe,thehandsomegreekleansagainstthepillarandgazesattheupraisedtrophiesandloftymasts,memorialsofpowerthatisgone.theflagshangdownlikemourningscarves.agirlreststhere:shehasputdownherheavypailsfilledwithwater,theyokewithwhichshehascarriedthemrestsononeofhershoulders,andsheleansagainstthemastofvictory.thatisnotafairypalaceyouseebeforeyouyonder,butachurch:thegildeddomesandshiningorbsflashbackmybeams;thegloriousbronzehorsesupyonderhavemadejourneys,likethebronzehorseinthefairytale:theyhavecomehither,andgonehence,andhavereturnedagain.doyounoticethevariegatedsplendourofthewallsandwindows?