To tell the truth," he added, with a laugh, "they hardly
ever distinguish at all, and it is quite useless to talk to them about
it."
"But surely, there are exceptions?"
"Not many. That is the reason why there is a sort of freemasonry among
men of the world, a kind of tacit agreement that women need not be told
what goes on at the clubs, and at men's dinners, and late at night when
old friends have spent an evening together. Not that there is any harm
in it all; but women would not understand. They have their innocent
little mysteries which they keep from us, and we have harmless little
secrets which we do not let them know."
Folco laughed softly at his own way of putting it, and perhaps because
Marcello so easily accepted his point of view.
"I see," said the boy. "I wonder whether my mother would not understand
that. It seems so simple!"
"She will, when the time comes, no doubt," answered Corbario. "Your
mother is a great exception, my dear boy. On the other hand, she is so
anxious about your health just now, that, if I were you, I would not say
anything about feeling the want of a little excitement. Of course your
life is monotonous. I know it. But there is nothing more monotonous than
getting well, is there? The best part of it is the looking forward to
what one will do when one is quite strong. You and I can talk of that,
sometimes, and build castles in the air; but it is of no use to give
your mother the idea that you are beating your wings against the bars of
your cage, is it?"
Folco was quite lyric that day, but the words made exactly the
impression he wished.
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