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。\'