itlooksasifgeniushadfollowedthecapricesofachild,intheadornmentofthesesingulartemples.doyouseethewingedliononthepillar?thegoldglittersstill,buthiswingsaretied-thelionisdead,forthekingoftheseaisdead;thegreathallsstanddesolate,andwheregorgeouspaintingshungofyore,thenakedwallnowpeersthrough.thelazzaronesleepsunderthearcade,whosepavementinoldtimeswastobetroddenonlybythefeetofhighnobility.fromthedeepwells,andperhapsfromtheprisonsbythebridgeofsighs,risetheaccentsofwoe,asatthetimewhenthetambourinewasheardinthegaygondolas,andthegoldenringwascastfromthebucentaurtoadria,thequeenoftheseas.adria!shroudthyselfinmists;lettheveilofthywidowhoodshroudthyform,andclotheintheweedsofwoethemausoleumofthybridegroom-themarble,spectralvenice."

eighteenthevening

"ilookeddownuponagreattheatre,"saidthemoon."thehousewascrowded,foranewactorwastomakehisfirstappearancethatnight.myraysglidedoveralittlewindowinthewall,andisawapaintedfacewiththeforeheadpressedagainstthepanes.itwastheherooftheevening.theknighlybeardcurledcrisplyaboutthechin;butthereweretearsintheman'seyes,forhehadbeenhissedoff,andindeedwithreason.thepoorincapable!butincapablescannotbeadmittedintotheempireofart.hehaddeepfeeling,andlovedhisartenthusiastically,buttheartlovednothim.theprompter'sbellsounded;'theheroenterswithadeterminedair,'soranthestagedirectioninhispart,andhehadtoappearbeforeanaudiencewhoturnedhimintoridicule.whenthepiecewasover,isawaformwrappedinamantle,creepingdownthesteps:itwasthevanquishedknightoftheevening.thescene-shifterswhisperedtooneanother,andifollowedthepoorfellowhometohisroom.tohangone'sselfistodieameandeath,andpoisonisnotalwaysathand,iknow;buthethoughtofboth.isawhowhelookedathispalefaceintheglass,witheyeshalfclosed,toseeifheshouldlookwellasacorpse.amanmaybeveryunhappy,andyetexceedinglyaffected.hethoughtofdeath,ofsuicide;ibelievehepitiedhimself,forheweptbitterly,andwhenamanhashadhiscryouthedoesn'tkillhimself.

"sincethattimeayearhadrolledby.againaplaywastobeacted,butinalittletheatre,andbyapoorstrollingcompany.againisawthewell-rememberedface,withthepaintedcheeksandthecrispbeard.helookedupatmeandsmiled;andyethehadbeenhissedoffonlyaminutebefore-hissedofffromawretchedtheatre,byamiserableaudience.andtonightashabbyhearserolledoutofthetown-gate.itwasasuicide-ourpainted,despisedhero.thedriverofthehearsewastheonlypersonpresent,fornoonefollowedexceptmybeams.inacornerofthechurchyardthecorpseofthesuicidewasshovelledintotheearth,andnettleswillsoonbegrowingranklyoverhisgrave,andthesextonwillthrowthornsandweedsfromtheothergravesuponit."

nineteenthevening

"icomefromrome,"saidthemoon."inthemidstofthecity,upononeofthesevenhills,lietheruinsoftheimperialpalace.thewildfigtreegrowsinthecleftsofthewall,andcoversthenakednessthereofwithitsbroadgrey-greenleaves;tramplingamongheapsofrubbish,theasstreadsupongreenlaurels,andrejoicesovertherankthistles.fromthisspot,whencetheeaglesofromeonceflewabroad,whencethey'came,saw,andconquered,'ourdoorleadsintoalittlemeanhouse,builtofclaybetweentwopillars;thewildvinehangslikeamourninggarlandoverthecrookedwindow.anoldwomanandherlittlegranddaughterlivethere:theyrulenowinthepalaceofthecaesars,andshowtostrangerstheremainsofitspastglories.ofthesplendidthrone-hallonlyanakedwallyetstands,andablackcypressthrowsitsdarkshadowonthespotwherethethroneoncestood.thedustliesseveralfeetdeeponthebrokenpavement;andthelittlemaiden,nowthedaughteroftheimperialpalace,oftensitsthereonherstoolwhentheeveningbellsring.thekeyholeofthedoorclosebyshecallsherturretwindow;throughthisshecanseehalfrome,asfarasthemightycupolaofst.peter's.

"onthisevening,asusual,stillnessreignedaround;andinthefullbeamofmylightcamethelittlegranddaughter.onherheadshecarriedanearthenpitcherofantiqueshapefilledwithwater.herfeetwerebare,hershortfrockandherwhitesleevesweretorn.ikissedherprettyroundshoulders,herdarkeyes,andblackshininghair.shemountedthestairs;theyweresteep,havingbeenmadeupofroughblocksofbrokenmarbleandthecapitalofafallencolouredlizardsslippedaway,startled,frombeforeherfeet,butshewasnotfrightenedatthem.alreadysheliftedherhandtopullthedoor-bell-ahare'sfootfastenedtoastringformedthebell-handleoftheimperialpalace.shepausedforamoment-ofwhatmightshebethinking?