Foritsbeingalittlegloomy，hehadhireditprincipallyforthegardens，andheandmymistresswouldpassthesummerweatherintheirshade。
　　'Soallgoeswell，Baptista？'saidhe。
　　'Indubitably，signore；verywell。'
　　Wehadatravellingchariotforourjourney，newlybuiltforus，andinallrespectscomplete。Allwehadwascomplete；wewantedfornothing。Themarriagetookplace。Theywerehappy。Iwashappy，seeingallsobright，beingsowellsituated，goingtomyowncity，teachingmylanguageintherumbletothemaid，labellaCarolina，whoseheartwasgaywithlaughter:whowasyoungandrosy。
　　Thetimeflew。ButIobserved-listentothis，Ipray！（andherethecourierdroppedhisvoice）-Iobservedmymistresssometimesbroodinginamannerverystrange；inafrightenedmanner；inanunhappymanner；withacloudy，uncertainalarmuponher。IthinkthatIbegantonoticethiswhenIwaswalkinguphillsbythecarriageside，andmasterhadgoneoninfront。Atanyrate，I
　　rememberthatitimpresseditselfuponmymindoneeveningintheSouthofFrance，whenshecalledtometocallmasterback；andwhenhecameback，andwalkedforalongway，talkingencouraginglyandaffectionatelytoher，withhishandupontheopenwindow，andhersinit。Nowandthen，helaughedinamerryway，asifhewerebanteringheroutofsomething。By-and-by，shelaughed，andthenallwentwellagain。
　　Itwascurious。IaskedlabellaCarolina，theprettylittleone，Wasmistressunwell？-No-Outofspirits？-No-Fearfulofbadroads，orbrigands？-No。Andwhatmadeitmoremysteriouswas，theprettylittleonewouldnotlookatmeingivinganswer，butWOULDlookattheview。
　　But，onedayshetoldmethesecret。
　　'Ifyoumustknow，'saidCarolina，'Ifind，fromwhatIhaveoverheard，thatmistressishaunted。'
　　'Howhaunted？'
　　'Byadream。'
　　'Whatdream？'
　　'Byadreamofaface。Forthreenightsbeforehermarriage，shesawafaceinadream-alwaysthesameface，andonlyOne。'
　　'Aterribleface？'
　　'No。Thefaceofadark，remarkable-lookingman，inblack，withblackhairandagreymoustache-ahandsomemanexceptforareservedandsecretair。Notafacesheeversaw，oratalllikeafacesheeversaw。Doingnothinginthedreambutlookingatherfixedly，outofdarkness。'
　　'Doesthedreamcomeback？'
　　'Never。Therecollectionofitisallhertrouble。'
　　'Andwhydoesittroubleher？'
　　Carolinashookherhead。
　　'That'smaster'squestion，'saidlabella。'Shedon'tknow。Shewonderswhy，herself。ButIheardhertellhim，onlylastnight，thatifshewastofindapictureofthatfaceinourItalianhouse（whichsheisafraidshewill）shedidnotknowhowshecouldeverbearit。'
　　UponmywordIwasfearfulafterthis（saidtheGenoesecourier）ofourcomingtotheoldpalazzo，lestsomesuchill-starredpictureshouldhappentobethere。Iknewthereweremanythere；and，aswegotnearerandnearertotheplace，IwishedthewholegalleryinthecraterofVesuvius。Tomendthematter，itwasastormydismaleveningwhenwe，atlast，approachedthatpartoftheRiviera。Itthundered；andthethunderofmycityanditsenvirons，rollingamongthehighhills，isveryloud。Thelizardsraninandoutofthechinksinthebrokenstonewallofthegarden，asiftheywerefrightened；thefrogsbubbledandcroakedtheirloudest；thesea-windmoaned，andthewettreesdripped；andthelightning-bodyofSanLorenzo，howitlightened！
　　WeallknowwhatanoldpalaceinornearGenoais-howtimeandtheseaairhaveblottedit-howthedraperypaintedontheouterwallshaspeeledoffingreatflakesofplaster-howthelowerwindowsaredarkenedwithrustybarsofiron-howthecourtyardisovergrownwithgrass-howtheouterbuildingsaredilapidated-
　　howthewholepileseemsdevotedtoruin。Ourpalazzowasoneofthetruekind。Ithadbeenshutupcloseformonths。Months？-
　　years！-ithadanearthysmell，likeatomb。Thescentoftheorangetreesonthebroadbackterrace，andofthelemonsripeningonthewall，andofsomeshrubsthatgrewaroundabrokenfountain，hadgotintothehousesomehow，andhadneverbeenabletogetoutagain。Therewas，ineveryroom，anagedsmell，grownfaintwithconfinement。Itpinedinallthecupboardsanddrawers。Inthelittleroomsofcommunicationbetweengreatrooms，itwasstifling。
　　Ifyouturnedapicture-tocomebacktothepictures-thereitstillwas，clingingtothewallbehindtheframe，likeasortofbat。
　　Thelattice-blindswerecloseshut，alloverthehouse。Thereweretwougly，greyoldwomeninthehouse，totakecareofit；oneofthemwithaspindle，whostoodwindingandmumblinginthedoorway，andwhowouldassoonhaveletinthedevilastheair。Master，mistress，labellaCarolina，andI，wentallthroughthepalazzo。
　　Iwentfirst，thoughIhavenamedmyselflast，openingthewindowsandthelattice-blinds，andshakingdownonmyselfsplashesofrain，andscrapsofmortar，andnowandthenadozingmosquito，oramonstrous，fat，blotchy，Genoesespider。
　　WhenIhadlettheeveninglightintoaroom，master，mistress，andlabellaCarolina，entered。Then，welookedroundatallthepictures，andIwentforwardagainintoanotherroom。Mistresssecretlyhadgreatfearofmeetingwiththelikenessofthatface-
　　weallhad；buttherewasnosuchthing。TheMadonnaandBambino，SanFrancisco，SanSebastiano，Venus，SantaCaterina，Angels，Brigands，Friars，TemplesatSunset，Battles，WhiteHorses，Forests，Apostles，Doges，allmyoldacquaintancesmanytimesrepeated？-yes。Dark，handsomemaninblack，reservedandsecret，withblackhairandgreymoustache，lookingfixedlyatmistressoutofdarkness？-no。
　　Atlastwegotthroughalltheroomsandallthepictures，andcameoutintothegardens。Theywereprettywellkept，beingrentedbyagardener，andwerelargeandshady。Inoneplacetherewasarustictheatre，opentothesky；thestageagreenslope；thecoulisses，threeentrancesuponaside，sweet-smellingleafyscreens。Mistressmovedherbrighteyes，eventhere，asifshelookedtoseethefacecomeinuponthescene；butallwaswell。
　　'Now，Clara，'mastersaid，inalowvoice，'youseethatitisnothing？Youarehappy。'
　　Mistresswasmuchencouraged。Shesoonaccustomedherselftothatgrimpalazzo，andwouldsing，andplaytheharp，andcopytheoldpictures，andstrollwithmasterunderthegreentreesandvinesallday。Shewasbeautiful。Hewashappy。Hewouldlaughandsaytome，mountinghishorseforhismorningridebeforetheheat:
　　'Allgoeswell，Baptista！'
　　'Yes，signore，thankGod，verywell。'