At that moment Colin turned, and looked almost towards her, without seeing her. She could have cried out Colin! as she saw his beautiful face and his kindly eyes too kindly to be untrue, surely turned nearly upon her; but Cecca, Cecca, the terrible unseen Cecca, somehow restrained her. And Cecca, too, had actually accepted him. Didnt the Yankee man he called Winthrop say, I congratulate you? There was only one meaning possible to put upon such a sentence. Accept him! Why, how could any woman conceivably refuse him? as he moved forward there with his delicate clear-cut face, a face in which the aesthetic temperament stood confessed so unmistakably Minna could hardly blame this unknown Cecca if she fell in love with him. But for herself oh, Colin, Cohn, Colin, it was too cruel.
She would at least see Cecca before she stole away unperceived for ever; she would see what manner of woman this was that had enticed away Colin Churchills love from herself, if indeed he had ever loved her, which was now at least far more than doubtful. So she moved aside gently behind the clay figures, and came in sight of the third person.
It was the exact Italian beauty of her long-nursed girlish terrors! A queenly dark woman, with supple statuesque figure and splendidly set head, was standing before the two young artists in an attitude half studied pose, half natural Calabrian peasant gracefulness. Her brown neck and arms were quite bare; her large limbs were scarcely concealed below by a short and clinging sculpturesque kirtle. She was looking towards Colin with big languishing eyes, and her smile for she was smiling had something in it of that sinister air that northerners often notice among even the most beautiful women of the Mediterranean races. It was plain that she couldnt understand what her two admirers were saying in their foreign language; but it was plain also that she knew they were praising her extraordinary beauty, and her eyes flashed forth accordingly with evident pride and overflowing self-satisfaction. Cecca was beautiful, clearly beautiful, both in face and figure, with a rich, mature southern beauty (though in years perhaps she was scarcely twenty), and Minna was forced in spite of herself to admire her form; but she felt instinctively there was something about the girl that she would have feared and dreaded, even if she hadnt heard Colin Churchill speaking of her with such unstinted and unhesitating admiration. So this was Cecca! So this was Cecca! And so this was the end, too, of all her long romantic day-dream!
As she stood there, partly doubting whether to run away or not, Cecca caught sight of her half hidden behind the Apollo, and turning to Colin, cried out sharply in a cold, ringing, musical voice as clear and as cold as crystal, See, see; a signorina! She waits to speak with you.
Colin looked round carelessly, and before Minna could withdraw his eyes met hers in a sudden wonder.
Minna! he cried, rushing forward eagerly to meet her, Minna! Minna! Why, it must be Minna! How on earth did you manage to get to Rome, little woman? and why on earth didnt you let me know beforehand you were really coming?
He tried to kiss her as he spoke, but Minna, half doubtful what she ought to do, with swimming brain and tearful eyes, held him off mechanically by withdrawing herself timidly a little, and gave him her hand instead with strange coldness, much to his evident surprise and disappointment.
Shes too modest to kiss me before Winthrop and Cecca, Colin thought to himself a little nervously; but no matter Winthrop, this is my cousin from England, Miss Wroe, that Ive so often spoken to you about.
His cousin from England! His cousin!! His cousin!!! Ah, yes, that was all he meant by it nowadays clearly. He wanted to kiss her, but merely as a cousin; all his heart, it seemed, was only for this creature he called Cecca, who stood there scowling at her so savagely from under her great heavy eyebrows. He had gone to Rome, as she feared so long ago, and had fallen into the clutches of that dreaded terrible Italian woman.
Well, Minna, Colin said, looking at her so tenderly that even Minna herself half believed he must be still in earnest, and so youve come to Italy, have you? My dear little girl, why didnt you write and tell me all about it? Youve broken in upon me so unexpectedly. (So I see, thought Minna.) Why didnt you write and let me know beforehand you were coming to see me?
Minnas heart prompted her inwardly to answer with truth, Because I wanted to surprise you, Colin; but she resisted the natural impulse, much against the grain, and answered instead with marked chilliness, Because I didnt know my movements were at all likely to interest you.
As they two spoke, Hiram Winthrop noticed half unconsciously that Ceccas eyes were steadily riveted upon the newcomer, and that the light within them had changed instantaneously from the quiet gleam of placid self-satisfaction to the fierce glare of rising anger and jealous suspicion.
Colin still held Minnas hand half doubtfully in his, and looked with his open face all troubled into her pretty brown eyes, wondering vaguely what on earth could be the meaning of this unexpected coldness of demeanour.
Tell me at least how you got here, little woman, he began again in his soft, gentle voice, with quiet persuasiveness. Whatever brought you here, Minna, Im so glad, so very glad to see you. Tell me how you came, and how long youre going to stop with me.
Minna sat down blankly on the one chair that stood in the central area of the little studio, not because she wanted to stay there any longer, but because she felt as if her trembling knees were positively giving way beneath her. Ive taken a place as governess to a Russian girl, Colin, she answered shortly; and Ive come to Rome with my pupils mother.
Colin felt sure by the faintness of her voice that there was something very serious the matter. Minna dearest, he whispered to her half beneath his breath, you arent well, Im certain. Ill send away my friend and my model, and then you must tell me all about it, like a dear good little woman.
Minna started, and her face flushed suddenly again with mounting colour. Your model, she cried, pointing half contemptuously towards the scowling Cecca. Your model! Is that woman over there a model, then?
Yes, certainly, Colin answered lightly.
This ladys a model, Minna. We call her Cecca thats short for Francesca, you know and shes my model for a statue of a Spartan maiden Im now working upon.
But Cecca, though she couldnt follow the words, had noticed the contemptuous tone and gesture with which Minna had scornfully spoken of that woman, and she knew at once in her hot Italian heart that she stood face to face with a natural enemy. An enemy and a rival. For Cecca, too, had in her own way her small fancies and her bold ambitions.
Shes very beautiful, isnt she? Hiram Winthrop put in timidly, for he saw with his keen glance that Ceccas handsome face was growing every moment blacker and blacker, and he wanted to avert the coming explosion.
Well, not so very beautiful to my mind, Minna answered, with studied coolness, putting her head critically a little on one side, and staring at the model as if she had been made of plaster of Paris; though I must say you gentlemen seemed to be admiring her immensely when I came into the room a minute or two ago. I confess she doesnt exactly take my own personal fancy.
What is the signorina saying? Cecca broke in haughtily, in Italian. She felt sure from the scornful tone of Minnas voice that it must at least be something disparaging.
What is the signorina saying? Cecca broke in haughtily, in Italian. She felt sure from the scornful tone of Minnas voice that it must at least be something disparaging.
She says you are beautiful, Signora Cecca, Colin answered hurriedly, with a sidelong deprecatory glance at Minna. Bella bella, bella, bellissima.
Bellissima, si, bellissima, Minna echoed, half frightened, she knew not why; for she felt dimly conscious in her own little mind that they were all three thoroughly afraid in their hearts of the beautiful, imperious Italian woman.
It is a lie, Cecca murmured to herself quietly. 4 But it doesnt matter. She was saying that she didnt admire me, and the Englishman and the American tried to stop her. The sorceress! I hate her!
CHAPTER XXXI. COUSINS
They stood all four looking at one another mutely for a few minutes longer, and then Colin broke the ominous silence by saying as politely as he was able, Signora Cecca, this lady has come to see me from England, and we are relations. We have not met for many years. Will you excuse my dismissing you for this morning?
Cecca made a queenly obeisance to Colin, dropped a sort of saucy Italian curtsey to Minna, nodded familiarly to Hiram, and swept out of the studio into the dressing-room without uttering another word.
Shell go off to Bazzonis, Im afraid, Hiram said, with a sigh of relief, as she shut the door noiselessly and cautiously behind her. Hes downright anxious to get her, and shes a touchy young woman, thats certain.
Im not at all afraid of that, Colin answered, smiling; shes a great deal too true to me for any such tricks as those, Im sure, Winthrop. She really likes me, I know, and she wont desert me even for a pique, though I can easily see shes awfully offended.
Well, I hope so, Hiram replied gravely. Shes far too good a model to be lost. Goodbye, Churchill. Good morning, Miss Wroe. I hope youll do me the same honour as youve done your cousin, by coming to take a look some day around my studio.
Well, Minna, Colin said as soon as they were alone, coming up to her and offering once more to kiss her why, little woman, whats the matter? Arent you going to let me kiss you any longer? We always used to kiss one another in the old days, you know, in England.
But now were both of us quite grown up, Colin, Minna answered, somewhat pettishly, so of course that makes all the difference.
Cohn couldnt understand the meaning of this chilliness; for Minnas late letters, written in the tremor of delight at the surprise she was preparing for him, had been more than usually affectionate; and it would never have entered into his head for a moment to suppose that she could have misinterpreted his remarks about Cecca, even if he had known that she had overheard them. To a sculptor, such criticism of a model, such enthusiasm for the mere form of the shapely human figure, seem so natural and disinterested, so much a necessary corollary of his art, that he never even dreams of guarding against any possible misapprehension. So Colin only bowed his head in silent wonder, and answered slowly, But then you know, Minna, were cousins. Surely there can be no reason why cousins when they meet shouldnt kiss one another. He couldnt have chosen a worse plea at that particular moment; for as he said it, the blood rushed from Minnas cheeks, and she trembled with excitement at that seeming knell to all her dearest expectations. Oh, well, if you put it upon that ground, Colin, she faltered out half tearfully, of course we may kiss one another as cousins.
Colin seized her in his arms at the word, and covered her pretty little gipsy face with a string of warm, eager kisses. Even little Minna, in her fright and anxiety, could not help imagining to herself that those were hardly what one could call in fairness mere everyday cousinly embraces. But her evil genius made her struggle to release herself, according to the code of etiquette which she had learnt as becoming from her friends and early companions; and she pushed Colin away after a moments doubtful acquiescence, with a little petulant gesture of half-affected anger. The philosophic observer may indeed note that among the English people only women of the very highest breeding know how to let themselves be kissed by their lovers with becoming and unresisting dignity. Tennysons Maud, when her cynic admirer kissed her for the first time, took the kiss sedately. I fear it must be admitted that under the same circumstances Minna Wroe, dear little native-born lady though she was, would have felt it incumbent upon her as a woman and a maiden to resist and struggle to the utmost of her power.
As for Colin, having got rid of that first resistance easily enough, he soon settled in his own mind to his own entire satisfaction that Minna had been only a little shy of him after so long an absence, and had perhaps been playing off a sort of mock-modest coyness upon him, in order to rouse him to an effective aggression. So he said no more to her about the matter, but asked her full particulars as to her new position and her journey; and even Minna herself, disappointed as she was, could not help opening out her full heart to dear old Colin, and telling him all about everything that had happened to her in the last six weeks, except her inner hopes and fears and lamentations. Yes, she had come to Rome to live she didnt say on purpose to be near you, Colin and they would have abundant opportunities of seeing one another frequently; and Madame was very kind, for an employer, you know as employers go you cant expect much, of course, from an employer. And Colin showed her all his busts and statues; and Minna admired them profoundly with a genuine admiration. And then, what prices he got for them! Why, Colin, really nowadays youre become quite a gentleman! And Colin, to whom that social metamorphosis had long grown perfectly familiar, laughed heartily at the naïve remark and then looked round with a touch of professional suspicion, for fear some accidental patron might have happened to come in and overhear the simple little confession. Altogether, their conversation got very close and affectionate and cousinly.
At last, after they had talked about everything that most concerned them both, save only the one thing that concerned them both more than anything, Minna asked in as unconcerned a tone as she could muster up, And this model, Colin Cecca, I think you called her what of her?
Colins eye lighted up with artistic enthusiasm as he answered warmly, Oh, shes the most beautiful girl in all Rome, little woman. I found her out by accident last year, at a village in Calabria where Winthrop and I had gone for a Christmas holiday; and I induced her to come to Rome and go in for a models life as a profession. Isnt she just magnificent, Minna?
Very magnificent indeed, I dare say, Minna answered coldly; but not to my mind by any means pleasing.
I wonder you think that, Colin said in frank astonishment: for he was too much a sculptor even to suspect that Minna could take any other view of his model except the purely artistic one. She was the original of that Nymph Bathing of mine that you see over yonder.
Minna looked critically at the Nymph Bathing a shameless hussy, truly, if ever there was one and answered in a chilly voice, I like it the least of all your statues, if you care to have my opinion, Colin.
Well, now, Im awfully sorry for that, Minna, Colin went on seriously, regarding the work with that despondent eye with which one always views ones own performances after hearing by any chance an adverse criticism; for I rather liked the nymph myself, you know, and I can generally rely upon your judgment as being about the very best to be had anywhere in the open market. Theres no denying, little woman, that youve got a born taste somehow or other for the art of sculpture.