Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

CARMELA. 153
She was beautiful, indeed ;
one of the superb models of that
proud and bold beauty peculiar to Sicilian women, the love
for whom is rather imposed upon you than inspired, generally,
by a single long intent glance,
that seems to sink to
the bottom of your soul, expressing more ardor even than it
awakens ;
the eyes and hair very black, the forehead broad
and pensive, and the movements of the brows and lips instantaneous,
brusque, full of expression and life. Her voice
seemed weary and hoarse, and her laugh convulsive. After
she had laughed she kept her mouth open and her eyes widestretched
for some time.
III.
'Why don't they keep her shut up
?" asked the officer that
same evening of the doctor, as he went with him into the gentlemen's
cafe, after having
told him what had occurred in the
morning.
" And where would you have her shut up, pray
? She lias
been in the hospital for more than
a year, and the municipality
kept her there at its own expense'; but seeing that it was time
and money wasted, it had her brought home. There was little
or nothing to hope for ;
the physicians there were the first to
say so. Here, at least, she is as free as the air, poor thing ;
and that can easily be conceded to her, because she gives
no trouble to any one but the military."
" And why to the military
?' ;
"
Well,
it is a rather vague sort of a story, you see.
It is told in a variety of ways especially among
the common
people, to whom the simple truth is not sufficient,
and who wish to add something themselves. However, the