Page 540 - the-portrait-of-a-lady

has he come to Rome?’ The declaration was very gentle, the
question a little sharp.
‘Because he’s very far gone, Mrs. Osmond.’
‘Rome then is no place for him. I heard from him that he
had determined to give up his custom of wintering abroad
and to remain in England, indoors, in what he called an ar-
tificial climate.’
‘Poor fellow, he doesn’t succeed with the artificial! I went
to see him three weeks ago, at Gardencourt, and found him
thoroughly ill. He has been getting worse every year, and
now he has no strength left. He smokes no more cigarettes!
He had got up an artificial climate indeed; the house was as
hot as Calcutta. Nevertheless he had suddenly taken it into
his head to start for Sicily. I didn’t believe in it-neither did
the doctors, nor any of his friends. His mother, as I suppose
you know, is in America, so there was no one to prevent
him. He stuck to his idea that it would be the saving of him
to spend the winter at Catania. He said he could take ser-
vants and furniture, could make himself comfortable, but
in point of fact he hasn’t brought anything. I wanted him at
least to go by sea, to save fatigue; but he said he hated the sea
and wished to stop at Rome. After that, though I thought it
all rubbish, I made up my mind to come with him. I’m act-
ing as-what do you call it in America? a kind of moderator.
Poor Ralph’s very moderate now. We left England a fort-
night ago, and he has been very bad on the way. He can’t
keep warm, and the further south we come the more he
feels the cold. He has got rather a good man, but I’m afraid
he’s beyond human help. I wanted him to take with him

540 The Portrait of a Lady