Dragon's Teeth by Eça de Queirós

HOW heavily did the solitude of her room weigh upon Luiza in the evening! She felt impatient to renew the sensations of the past few hours. She tried to read, but after a few moments threw the book aside. The candles on her dressing-table seemed to burn with a melancholy light. She went to the window to look out at the night; the air was calm and still. She called Juliana.

"Put on your shawl," she said; "I want you to accompany me to Donna Leopoldina's."

On arriving there, Justina told them that her mistress had gone to Oporto, and would remain away a fortnight.

Luiza arose on the following morning feeling very happy. She felt, indeed, a vague sense of shame at all the follies of the day before, and almost resolved to meet Bazilio no more. But her desires, which impelled her to go, furnished her with reasons for doing so. To remain away would be to offend Bazilio; the same reasons that would prevent her seeing him to-day ought to prevent her seeing him any more; and to see Bazilio no more -- she could not bear the thought! Besides, the beauty of the morning inspired her with a longing to go out into the open air; it had rained during the night, and there was a pleasant freshness in the atmosphere. At half-past eleven she was going down the Moinho de Vento, when she observed the dignified figure of the Counsellor Accacio advancing slowly up the Rua da Rosa, his umbrella closed, his head erect. When he saw her he hastened his steps, and bowing profoundly, said, --

"A truly fortunate meeting!"

"How do you do, Counsellor? What a wonder it is to see you!"

"And you, dearest lady? You are looking well. " He gave her the right of the street with a dignified gesture, saying at the same time, --

"Will you permit me to accompany you in your walk?"

"Certainly; with the greatest pleasure! But why have you not been to see me? I must give you a good scolding."

"I have been in Cintra, dear lady. " And he added, momentarily retarding his pace, "Were you not aware of it? It was announced in the ‘Diario de Noticias."

"But since your return from Cintra?"

"Ah," he replied, "I have been very much occupied, -- very much occupied, indeed; completely absorbed in the collation of certain documents indispensable to my book, of the title of which I believe you are not ignorant."

Luiza did not remember it exactly. The counsellor mentioned the title and the headings of some of the chapters, and explained to her the advantages of the work; it was called "A Description of the Principal Cities of Portugal, and their most Celebrated Buildings."

"It is a guide-book, but a scientific guide-book," he added. "For instance, you desire to go to Braganza. Without my book, it is probable, I may say certain, that you would return without enjoying a view of any of the local curiosities. With my book, you see all the principal buildings, and store up a fund of knowledge at the same time that you amuse yourself."

Luiza, who was smiling vaguely under her white veil as he spoke, scarcely heard him.

"What a pleasant day! " she exclaimed.

"Exceedingly pleasant!"

"How cool it is here!"

They had entered S. Pedro de Alcantara. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves of the trees. The ground, hard and free from dust, still showed traces of the rain of the night before, and, notwithstanding the brightness of the sun, the blue sky seemed far off. The counsellor spoke of the summer; it had been a horrible one. In his dining-room the thermometer had stood as high as 102 degrees in the shade, -- 102 degrees! And he added ingenuously, by way of apology for this excessive heat, --

"It has a southern exposure. Let us be just, -- it has a southern exposure. But to-day it is truly delightful."