The Fortnightly Review: No. CCCCLXIII, New Series [‎663r] (216/239)

NOSTALGIA.
185
nificent; an enormous casket where the most beautiful pearls in the
capital shone on feminine shoulders resplendent with “ Crcma
Venus.” Even the pit was splendid, a field of great flowers sprinkled
with the dew of gems and gold. And in spite of her experience at the
Parma theatre, Regina felt sufficiently bewildered. Her short-sighted
eyes, dazzled by the brilliant light, were half shut; and it was much
the same with the eyes of her soul. She raised her opera glass and
looked at one of the boxes. The lady there w’as plain in feature but
extremely fashionable; Regina thought her painted, decked with
false hair, her eyes artificially darkened. None the less, she envied
her.
She looked round. Little by little her envy swelled, overflowed,
became hateful. She would have liked the theatre burned dowm.
Then she perceived that a lady near her was looking at the boxes
just as she was, perhaps with the same criminal envy in her heart.
She felt ashamed of herself, put down the glass, and after this did
not look at the seats above her again. But on her owm level, in the
furthest row of the Poltrone, 1 she saw a long row 7 of smartly dressed
men and women who always and only stared at the boxes. No one
looked at the Sedie. The people there were an inferior race, or
actually non-existent for the ladies and gentlemen in the Poltrone.
“ We are nothing! We are the microbes which fill the void,”
thought Regina.
Then she perceived another strange fact, that she herself felt for
the Sedie and the gallery the very same contempt which was felt
by the people of the boxes and the stalls.
Antonio thought she was enjoying the music and the spectacle
as he was himself; now and then he touched her hand and made
some pleasant remark.
“ You look a real queen with that necklace ! ” he said, for instance.
“ An exiled queen! ” returned Regina under her breath.
V.
Later, when she thought over that first year of marriage, Regina
divided it into many little chapters. Amongst them she attached
importance to the chapter of her first visit to the Princess Makuline.
It took place on a warm, cloudy evening at the beginning of
January. Antonio was missing, having been detained at the Depart
ment till nine, doing extra work; but Arduina and Regina waited in
the Piazza dell’ Indipendenza for Massimo, who was to escort them.
The Piazza, almost deserted, was illumined by the pale gold rays of
the veiled moon. The bare trees were scarce visible in the
vaporous air, the small, motionless flames of the street lamps seemed
far away. Regina standing in the middle of the great square was
pleasantly conscious of silence, solitude, immensity. lor the first
(1) Seats next above the Sedie.